Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

Ask Questions: wen(4) wen(4) ti(2)

NEW WORDS

1) Bathroom: xi(3) shou(3) jian(1)

2) Bill: zhang(4) dan(1)

3) PM: xia(4) wu(3)

4) Train station: huo(3) che(1) zhan(4)

LESSON

The basic questions:

What is this?
zhe(4) shi(4) shen(3) me?

Where are we?
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) na(3)?

Where are you?
ni(3) zai(4) na(3) ?

What time is it?
ji(2) dian(3) le?

Where is the bathroom?
xi(3) shou(3) jian(1) zai(4) na(3) ?

Answers you can expect:

Q: What is this?
zhe(4) shi(4) shen(3) me?
A: This is the bill.
zhe(4) shi(4) zhang(4) dan(1).

Q: Where are we?
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) na(3) ?
A: We are near the train station.
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) huo(3) che(1) zhan(4) fu(3) jin(4).

Q: Where are you?
ni(3) zai(4) na(3)?
A: I am still at home.
wo(3) hai(2) zai(4) jia(1).

Q: What time is it?
ji(3) dian(3) le?
A: It is seven-thirty PM.
xia(4) wu(3) qi(1) dian(3) san(1) shi(2).

Q: Where is the bathroom?
xi(3) shou(3) jian(1) zai(4) na(3)?
A: Over there to the left.
zai(4) na(4) bian(1), zuo(3) bian(1).