<![CDATA[Comments on: Meeting the Girlfriend's Parents]]> 2010-03-21 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: gregoryolsen]]> 多謝你們！我已經結婚了但這還是非常有用的！

]]> 多謝你們！我已經結婚了但這還是非常有用的！

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> Good lesson. Interesting bit of dialogue. The few people I know from farming villages said their parents were farmers. I'm not sure they would have said their parents "don't have jobs" as in the dialogue.

]]> Good lesson. Interesting bit of dialogue. The few people I know from farming villages said their parents were farmers. I'm not sure they would have said their parents "don't have jobs" as in the dialogue.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> 哈哈，为什么？你有女朋友？

]]> 哈哈，为什么？你有女朋友？

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Ask them if you can! To me, this is a very interesting cultural difference, about what constitutes a "job."

]]> Ask them if you can! To me, this is a very interesting cultural difference, about what constitutes a "job."

]]> <![CDATA[By: gregoryolsen]]> 沒有。 可是你們常常給我們很常用的對話和中國文化的。請問可不可以說“有受苦” 比如說。。學中文很有受苦。

]]> 沒有。 可是你們常常給我們很常用的對話和中國文化的。請問可不可以說“有受苦” 比如說。。學中文很有受苦。

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> "受苦"是一个动词，不可以说"有受苦"。

"受苦"一般是因为生活条件差。所以，我们不说，"学中文很受苦。"

比如：

我不想让孩子受苦，所以我要努力工作。

Wǒ bù xiǎng ràng háizi shòukǔ，suǒyǐ wǒ yào nǔlì gōngzuò.

跟我住在这个老房子里，你受苦了！

Gēn wǒ zhù zài zhège lǎo fángzi lǐ，nǐ shòukǔ le！

]]> "受苦"是一个动词，不可以说"有受苦"。

"受苦"一般是因为生活条件差。所以，我们不说，"学中文很受苦。"

比如：

我不想让孩子受苦，所以我要努力工作。

Wǒ bù xiǎng ràng háizi shòukǔ，suǒyǐ wǒ yào nǔlì gōngzuò.

跟我住在这个老房子里，你受苦了！

Gēn wǒ zhù zài zhège lǎo fángzi lǐ，nǐ shòukǔ le！

]]> <![CDATA[By: lennier61]]> Why do CP uses caucasian people for the lessons pictures, I would prefer to see chinese people instead.

]]> Why do CP uses caucasian people for the lessons pictures, I would prefer to see chinese people instead.

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 小蒋是长子，这就意味着小蒋和小敏将来需要和父母一起住。更糟糕的是他父母是农民，很可能没有医疗保险和养老金。我很能理解为什么小敏的妈妈担心她女儿会受苦。话虽这么说，其实小蒋和小敏他们俩的条件还算可以，因为小蒋毕竟是个名牌大学毕业生，也有一份很好的工作，而且他有姐姐和弟弟，跟独生子女相比，一个孩子承担的养老经济负担比较少。小敏的妈妈，您想开一点吧。在我看来您未来的女婿挺不错，做人要知足，嫁入豪门并不一定是幸福的！

]]> 小蒋是长子，这就意味着小蒋和小敏将来需要和父母一起住。更糟糕的是他父母是农民，很可能没有医疗保险和养老金。我很能理解为什么小敏的妈妈担心她女儿会受苦。话虽这么说，其实小蒋和小敏他们俩的条件还算可以，因为小蒋毕竟是个名牌大学毕业生，也有一份很好的工作，而且他有姐姐和弟弟，跟独生子女相比，一个孩子承担的养老经济负担比较少。小敏的妈妈，您想开一点吧。在我看来您未来的女婿挺不错，做人要知足，嫁入豪门并不一定是幸福的！

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> My advice for foreigners dating Chinese is to stand up to greet your future in-laws.

]]> My advice for foreigners dating Chinese is to stand up to greet your future in-laws.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> I was wondering if someone dating Chinese should also get dressed up, or wear a suit/tie if they're meeting the parents. Just how far to go with a first time meeting might be an issue in any culture, but I was wondering if Chinese place any specific importance around general appearance (other than don't look like a beggar on the street).

]]> I was wondering if someone dating Chinese should also get dressed up, or wear a suit/tie if they're meeting the parents. Just how far to go with a first time meeting might be an issue in any culture, but I was wondering if Chinese place any specific importance around general appearance (other than don't look like a beggar on the street).

]]> <![CDATA[By: pettora]]> I must agree with Jenny about the gender 不公平 in this matter of meeting one's Chinese girl/boy-friend's parents. Poor guys.. My in-laws made no materialistic related inquiries, they found more important the question how we feel about each other and whether our characters are compatible. Well, it was partly a work for an astrologer to judge it but basically the whole thing went smoothly. I thought I might have been just lucky enough but listening to Jenny's opinion this may just be the way how these things do work in China.

]]> I must agree with Jenny about the gender 不公平 in this matter of meeting one's Chinese girl/boy-friend's parents. Poor guys.. My in-laws made no materialistic related inquiries, they found more important the question how we feel about each other and whether our characters are compatible. Well, it was partly a work for an astrologer to judge it but basically the whole thing went smoothly. I thought I might have been just lucky enough but listening to Jenny's opinion this may just be the way how these things do work in China.

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> Regarding the Expansion sentence:

我轻轻推了他一下，他就倒了。(Wŏ qīngqīng tuī le tà yíxià, tā jiù dăo le.) I lightly pushed him a bit, and he just fell down.

When is 倒 pronounced with the 3rd tone, and when with the 4th?

Also, should 轻轻 have a neutral 2nd syllable?

]]> Regarding the Expansion sentence:

我轻轻推了他一下，他就倒了。(Wŏ qīngqīng tuī le tà yíxià, tā jiù dăo le.) I lightly pushed him a bit, and he just fell down.

When is 倒 pronounced with the 3rd tone, and when with the 4th?

Also, should 轻轻 have a neutral 2nd syllable?

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiao_liang]]> I'm very grateful for this lesson!

我的父母都是老师。。。在中国这是好吗？

]]> I'm very grateful for this lesson!

我的父母都是老师。。。在中国这是好吗？

]]> <![CDATA[By: excuter]]> how comes that I always know who is going to say what kinda stuff to whom as soon as such topic pops up... I think I know to much of this stuff for a single...

]]> how comes that I always know who is going to say what kinda stuff to whom as soon as such topic pops up... I think I know to much of this stuff for a single...

]]> <![CDATA[By: dastbehkeer]]> Question:

Is it more proper to say 老师好, instead of 老师你好 ? In the second line of the dialog, it says "叔叔阿姨好" ， is this more proper than  “叔叔阿姨你们好”  ？ 

]]> Question:

Is it more proper to say 老师好, instead of 老师你好 ? In the second line of the dialog, it says "叔叔阿姨好" ， is this more proper than  “叔叔阿姨你们好”  ？ 

]]> <![CDATA[By: quasifrog]]> Hey Lennier,

You're a hansome son of a gun! Maybe they can use your image in all of the lesson pics!

]]> Hey Lennier,

You're a hansome son of a gun! Maybe they can use your image in all of the lesson pics!

]]> <![CDATA[By: quasifrog]]> Thanks for the pinyin Connie.

]]> Thanks for the pinyin Connie.

]]> <![CDATA[By: kingotto]]> "有苦受" is ok...

还是要看语境...

]]> "有苦受" is ok...

还是要看语境...

]]> <![CDATA[By: frosty1]]> When I met my girl friend's (now my wife's) parents for the first time I wore a suit and brought an expensive bottle of cognac for a gift. In my experience, doing things that way makes a really good impression.

]]> When I met my girl friend's (now my wife's) parents for the first time I wore a suit and brought an expensive bottle of cognac for a gift. In my experience, doing things that way makes a really good impression.

]]> <![CDATA[By: yijia]]> Haha, that's funny.

]]> Haha, that's funny.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> I guess I was asking for Chinese culture specific things. I know what would have made sense in an American household, but I not assuming that what works in the US works in China. Cognac works in the US if the parents drink, but not if they they do not. Not sure what about the poor mom if she doesn't drink, but he does.

]]> I guess I was asking for Chinese culture specific things. I know what would have made sense in an American household, but I not assuming that what works in the US works in China. Cognac works in the US if the parents drink, but not if they they do not. Not sure what about the poor mom if she doesn't drink, but he does.

]]>