Chinese (Mandarin)/Traditional/Lesson 1

=Lesson 1: 你好！=

It is appropriate to start off the introduction to Chinese with the common greeting: 你好. Below is a dialogue between two people meeting each other for the first time.

Vocabulary
Note: Visit this lesson's Stroke Order subpage to see images and animations detailing how to write the following characters. Audio files of the words are linked from the pīnyīn when available. Problems listening? See media help.

Basic Sentences
1. 我叫艾美.
 * Wǒ jiào Àiměi.
 * I'm called Amy.

Sentences using shì [是]
1. 我是中國人.
 * Wǒ shì Zhōngguórén.
 * I am a Chinese person.

2. 她是金妮.
 * Tā shì Jīnní.
 * She is Ginny.

3. 她們是英國人.
 * Tāmen shì Yīngguórén.
 * They are English.

1. 他不是東尼.
 * Tā bú shì Dōngní.
 * He is not Tony.

2. 我不是美國人.
 * Wǒ bú shì Měiguórén.
 * I am not American.

The question particle ma [嗎]
The declarative example sentence in #1 is transformed into an interrogative in #2.

1. 她是金妮.
 * Tā shì Jīnní.
 * She is Ginny.

2. 她是金妮嗎？
 * Tā shì Jīnní ma?
 * Is she Ginny?

The question particle ne [呢]
1. 我叫東尼，你呢？
 * Wǒ jiào Dōngní, nǐ ne?
 * I'm called Tony. How about you?

2. 艾美是中國人，他呢？
 * Àiměi shì Zhōngguórén, tā ne?
 * Amy is Chinese. How about him?

Question words
1. 他們是哪國人？
 * Tāmen shì nǎ guó rén?
 * What country are they from?

2. 誰是美國人？
 * Shéi shì Měiguórén?
 * Who is American?

3. 她是誰？
 * Tā shì shéi?
 * Who is she?