Learn Basic Chinese - 10

Chinese Language Tutorial - Part 10:

Vocabulary

PinyinCharacterMeaning
fùqīn父亲father
gōngzuò工作to work; work, job
yīshēng医生doctor
mǔqīn母亲mother
gōngsī公司company
zhíyuán职员staff member
jìzhě记者journalist
fùmǔ父母parents
jīnnián今年this year
duō多to what extent (Question)
niánjì年纪age
suì岁year (of age)
mìmì秘密secret; confidential
háizi孩子child
érzi儿子son
zhēn真really, very
shòuhuòyuán售货员shop assistant
jīnglǐ经理manager
sījī司机driver
yéye爷爷grandfather
nǎinai奶奶grandmother
dàngāo蛋糕cake
míngpiàn名片name card
jìtā记它to remember
xǐhuan喜欢to like
ài爱to love
dà gē大哥elder brother (respectful)
dà jiě大姐elder sister (respectful)

Asking about Profession (Be careful!!)

  1. … zuò shénme gōngzuò?

    • English: What work does he/she do?
    • Example:
      • A: Tā zuò shénme gōngzuò?
      • B: Tā shì dàifu. (He/She is a doctor.)

  2. … shì zuò shénme gōngzuò de?

    • English: What is his/her job?
    • Example:
      • A: Tā shì zuò shénme gōngzuò de?
      • B: Tā shì jìzhě. (He/She is a journalist.)

Sentences

  1. Fùqin xǐhuan zuò fàn, tā de cài tèbié hǎochī.

    • Father likes to cook; his dishes are especially delicious.

  2. Wǒ de fùqin měitiān dōu hěn nǔlì gōngzuò.

    • My father works hard every day.

  3. Tā de fùqin zài yīyuàn gōngzuò.

    • His father works at the hospital.

  4. Nǐ nǚ’ér zuò shénme gōngzuò?

    • What job does your daughter do?

  5. Zhè ge gōngzuò hǎo bu hǎo?

    • Is this job good or not?

  6. Nǐ qù hǎohǎor gōngzuò!

    • You go to work happily!

  7. Tā búshì yīshēng tā shì lǎoshī.

    • He is not a doctor; he is a teacher.

  8. Yīshēng shuō, duō hē shuǐ.

    • Doctors say, “Drink more water.”

  9. Tā fùqin shì yīshēng.

    • His father is a doctor.

  10. Wǒ xǐhuān hé mǔqin yīqǐ qù mǎi dōngxī.

    • I like to go shopping with my mother.

  11. Xiǎo lì de mǔqin shì zhōngguó rén.

    • Xiao Li’s mother is Chinese.

  12. Nǐ mǔqin zài nǎ’er gōngzuò?

    • Where does your mother work?

  13. Tāmen gōngsī jiào shénme míngzì?

    • What is the name of their company?

  14. Xiǎo hóng zài nǎ ge gōngsī gōngzuò?

    • In which company does Xiao Hong work?

  15. Nǐmen gōngsī yǒu duōshao rén?

    • How many people are there in your company?

  16. Wǒmen gōngsī zhíyuán dōu hěn nǔlì.

    • All the staff members in our company work hard.

  17. Zhíyuán dōu zài bàngōngshì gōngzuò.

    • The staff members all work in the office.

  18. Tā gēgē shì gōngsī zhíyuán.

    • His elder brother is a staff member of the company.

  19. Nà bīn de fùqin shì yì míng jìzhě.

    • That colleague’s father is a journalist.

  20. Wǒ shì jìzhě, zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn.

    • I am a journalist; this is my name card.

  21. Xiǎoyè: Nǐ fùmǔ zài nǎ’er gōngzuò?

    • Xiǎoyè: Where do your parents work?

  22. Zhíměi: Tāmen dū zài yīyuàn gōngzuò, fùqin shì yīshēng, mǔqin bù gōngzuò.

    • Zhíměi: They both work at the hospital; father is a doctor, and mother doesn’t work.

  23. Xiǎoyè: Nǐ liǎng gè gēge zuò shénme gōngzuò?

    • Xiǎoyè: What jobs do your two elder brothers have?

  24. Zhíměi: Tāmen dōu shì gōngsī zhíyuán. Nǐ ne?

    • Zhíměi: They both work as company staff members. What about you?

  25. Xiǎoyè: Wǒ shì jìzhě, zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn.

    • Xiǎoyè: I am a journalist; this is my name card.

  26. Fùmǔ shì wǒ hǎo péngyou.

    • Parents are my good friends.

  27. Tā fùmǔ bù xǐhuān tā de nán péngyou.

    • His parents don’t like his boyfriend.

  28. Jīnnián shì tù (rabbit) nián.

    • This year is the year of the rabbit.

  29. Míngnián shì lóng (dragon) nián.

    • Next year is the year of the dragon.

  30. Qùnián shì hǔ (tiger) nián.

    • Last year was the year of the tiger.

  31. Nǐ jīnnián duō dà?

    • How old are you this year?

  32. Nǐ gēge jīnnián duō dà?

    • How old is your elder brother this year?

  33. Nǐ fùmǔ jīnnián duō dà niánjì?

    • How old are your parents this year?

  34. Wǒ dìdi jīnnián èrshí suì.

    • My younger brother is twenty years old this year.

  35. Tā mǔqin jīnnián liùshí suì.

    • His mother is sixty years old this year.

  36. Nǐ jīnnián jǐ suì?

    • How old are you this year? (for kids)

  37. Wǒ yǒu yí ge xiǎo mìmì.

    • I have a little secret.

  38. Zhè shì mìmì.

    • This is a secret.

  39. Měi ge rén dōu yǒu yìxiē xiǎo mìmì.

    • Everyone has some little secrets.

  40. Nǐ de háizi duō dà?

    • How old is your child?

  41. Míngtiān háizimen dōu bú qù xuéxiào.

    • Tomorrow, the children are not going to school.

  42. Fùmǔ shì háizi de dì yī wèi lǎoshī.

    • Parents are the child’s first teachers.

  43. Tā érzi hěn cōngmíng, yě hěn kě’ài.

    • His son is very smart and also very cute.

  44. Nǐ érzi zài nǎr gōngzuò?

    • Where does your son work?

  45. Mǎdīng de érzi huì shuō hànyǔ.

    • Madison’s son can speak Chinese.

  46. Wǒ mèimei shì shòuhuòyuán.

    • My younger sister is a shop assistant.

  47. Jīntiān wǒmen gōngsī jīnglǐ bú tài gāoxìng.

    • Today, our company’s manager is not too happy.

  48. Wǒ yéye shì sījī.

    • My grandfather is a driver.

  49. Tā nǎinai xǐhuan mà rén.

    • His grandmother likes scolding people.

  50. Nà zhǐ xiǎo gǒu zhēn kě’ài.

    • That small dog is really cute.

  51. Tā de yīfu zhēn piàoliang.

    • Her clothes are really beautiful.

  52. Yún Fēi zuò de dàngāo zhēn hǎochī.

    • The cake made by Yun Fei is really delicious.

  53. Xiǎoyè: Nǐ fùmǔ jīnnián duōdà niánjì?

    • Xiǎoyè: How old are your parents this year?

  54. Zhíměi: Wǒ fùqin jīnnián liùshí suì, wǒ mǔqin jīnnián wǔshíbā.

    • Zhíměi: My father is sixty years old this year, and my mother is fifty-eight.

  55. Xiǎoyè: Nǐ gēge jīnnián duōdà?

    • Xiǎoyè: How old is your elder brother this year?

  56. Zhíměi: Dàgē sānshí’èr, èr gē èrshíjiǔ.

    • Zhíměi: My eldest brother is thirty-two, and my second brother is twenty-nine.

  57. Xiǎoyè: Nǐ ne?

    • Xiǎoyè: What about you?

  58. Zhíměi: Zhè shì mìmì.

    • Zhíměi: This is a secret.

Dialogue

1

Xiǎoyè: Nǐ fùqin zài nǎr gōngzuò?
Zhíměi: Tā zài yīyuàn gōngzuò, tā shì yīshēng.
Xiǎoyè: Nǐ mǔqin ne?
Zhíměi: Tā bù gōngzuò.
Xiǎoyè: Nǐ liǎng gè gēge zuò shénme gōngzuò?
Zhíměi: Tāmen dōu shì gōngsī zhíyuán. Nǐ shì zuò shénme gōngzuò de?
Xiǎoyè: Wǒ shì jìzhě, zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn.

Xiǎoyè: Where does your father work?
Zhíměi: He works at the hospital; he is a doctor.
Xiǎoyè: What about your mother?
Zhíměi: She doesn’t work.
Xiǎoyè: What kind of job do your two elder brothers have?
Zhíměi: They both work as company staff members. What about you, what is your job?
Xiǎoyè: I am a journalist; this is my name card.

2

Xiǎoyè: Nǐ fùmǔ jīnnián duōdà niánjì?
Zhíměi: Wǒ fùqin jīnnián liùshí suì, wǒ mǔqin jīnnián wǔshíbā.
Xiǎoyè: Nǐ gēge jīnnián duōdà?
Zhíměi: Dàgē sānshí’èr, èr gē èrshíjiǔ.
Xiǎoyè: Nǐ ne?
Zhíměi: Zhè shì mìmì.

Xiǎoyè: How old are your parents this year?
Zhíměi: My father is 60 years old this year, and my mother is 58.
Xiǎoyè: How old is your elder brother this year?
Zhíměi: The elder brother is 32, and the second brother is 29.
Xiǎoyè: What about you?
Zhíměi: That’s a secret.

3

Dialogue:

  1. Xiǎoyè: Zhè shì shéi de háizi?
    • Xiǎoyè: Whose child is this?
  2. Zhíměi: Zhè shì wǒ dà gē de érzi.
    • Zhíměi: This is my eldest brother’s son.
  3. Xiǎoyè: Jīnnián jǐ suì?
    • Xiǎoyè: How old is he this year?
  4. Zhíměi: Jīnnián wǔ suì.
    • Zhíměi: He is five years old this year.
  5. Xiǎoyè: Zhè háizi zhēn kě’ài.
    • Xiǎoyè: This child is really adorable.

Disclaimer: These teachings are sourced from the Chinese Speaking Class 2023-2024 organized by the Chinese Cultural Centre in Nepal. For official information and inquiries, please visit Chinese Cultural Centre Nepal. The instructor, Laoshi Jitesh Maharjan, can be reached through his Facebook profile: Jitesh Maharjan.