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.

NEW WORDS:

1) Turn left: zuo(3) zhuan(3)

2) Make a right turn: you(4) zhuan(3)

3) Go straight: zhi(2) zou(3)

4) One block: yi(1) ge(4) jie(1) qu(1)

5) Intersection: shi(2) zi(4) lu(4) kou(3)

LESSON:

• Turn left at the intersection.
  shi(2) zi(4) lu(4) kou(3) zuo(3) zhuan(3) .

• Turn right one block past the university.
  da(4) xue(2) guo(4) qu(4) yi(1) ge(4) jie(1) qu(1) you(4) zhuan(3) .

• Go straight through the intersection.
  zhi(2) chuan(2) shi(2) zi(4) lu(4) kou(3) .

• Make a left here.
  zhe(4) er(1) zuo(2) zhuan(3)

The Taxi Connection: (As we use most of our minimal Chinese with Taxi drivers, each lesson will show how to use some of the new words in the Taxi environment.)

Example:

• Driver: Which way?
  zen(3) me zou(3)?

• You: Make a left at this intersection.
  zhe(4) ge(4) shi2() zi(4) lu(4) kou(3) zuo(2) zhuan(3) .

• Driver: Now where?
  xian(4) zai(4) wang(3) na?

• You: Turn right.
  wang(3) you(4) .

• Driver: Where do you want to go?
  ni2() xiang(3) qu(4) na(3)?

• You: One block past the university.
  zhe(4) suo(3) da(4) xue(2) guo(4) qu(4) yi(1) ge(4) jie(1) qu(2) .

Hint: When giving directions, drivers love to use East/West/South/North instead of right and left, so be ready for that.