<![CDATA[Comments on: Revisiting Before and After]]> 2010-08-20 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: lekhawipat]]> 以前和以往有什么区别吗？]]> 以前和以往有什么区别吗？]]> <![CDATA[By: crystal_counselor]]> 以往 just means "in the past"，and it's a bit formal.

]]> 以往 just means "in the past"，and it's a bit formal.

]]> <![CDATA[By: abelle]]> Thank you very much!  What a nice surprise to come back from vacation and see that Qing Wen covered the topic I suggested a few weeks ago.  And my husband got a kick out of hearing that his family name is "chuizi" in Chinese, although I'm not sure of the characters.  I think they would be 锤子.

]]> Thank you very much!  What a nice surprise to come back from vacation and see that Qing Wen covered the topic I suggested a few weeks ago.  And my husband got a kick out of hearing that his family name is "chuizi" in Chinese, although I'm not sure of the characters.  I think they would be 锤子.

]]> <![CDATA[By: socratesinsichuan]]> So in response to

来中国以前你会说中文吗？

How would you say
"Of course. Eveyrone in Mexico speaks Chinese"--

"当然！在墨西哥里大家都说中文" ?

]]> So in response to

来中国以前你会说中文吗？

How would you say
"Of course. Eveyrone in Mexico speaks Chinese"--

"当然！在墨西哥里大家都说中文" ?

]]> <![CDATA[By: rods]]> "从前有座山，山上有座庙 ... " and so on.

(Connie's story)

]]> "从前有座山，山上有座庙 ... " and so on.

(Connie's story)

]]> <![CDATA[By: timlb]]> Liliana's reference to MCHammer -- priceless!

]]> Liliana's reference to MCHammer -- priceless!

]]> <![CDATA[By: christine30550]]> I would say: 当然！ 在墨西哥，大家（or maybe 人人, or maybe 谁）都会说中文！

]]> I would say: 当然！ 在墨西哥，大家（or maybe 人人, or maybe 谁）都会说中文！

]]> <![CDATA[By: christine30550]]>  I guess 以后 would also be equivalent to the English "in" when talking about the future (e.g. "I'll be back in 2 hours"). I noticed my Chinese colleagues often said (in English) "she will call back three hours later" (三个小时以后), or: "he will deliver it two days later" (两天以后), instead of "in three hours"/"in two days."

]]>  I guess 以后 would also be equivalent to the English "in" when talking about the future (e.g. "I'll be back in 2 hours"). I noticed my Chinese colleagues often said (in English) "she will call back three hours later" (三个小时以后), or: "he will deliver it two days later" (两天以后), instead of "in three hours"/"in two days."

]]> <![CDATA[By: dropped_chopstick]]> Hello! What's the best translation for

 前些天？

is it the same as 几天前？

]]> Hello! What's the best translation for

 前些天？

is it the same as 几天前？

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> christine30550 is right.

]]> christine30550 is right.

]]> <![CDATA[By: invictus]]> OH MY GOD!!! Just a new guy that just signed up here and this is the very first lesson I happened to randomly click on but... WOW! You guys are AMAZING!!! What an awesome, clear, and thorough lesson! THANK YOU! I'm so glad I found this site. 我爱在课后面的开头。哈哈。

]]> OH MY GOD!!! Just a new guy that just signed up here and this is the very first lesson I happened to randomly click on but... WOW! You guys are AMAZING!!! What an awesome, clear, and thorough lesson! THANK YOU! I'm so glad I found this site. 我爱在课后面的开头。哈哈。

]]> <![CDATA[By: suxiaoya]]> Invictus, a very warm welcome to you!

It's really good to learn that you enjoyed the lesson. Qing Wen lessons are mainly focused on how to apply the various aspects of Mandarin covered in our lessons (grammar, specific words or sentence patterns etc.).

For lessons of across a specific level, from "Newbie" (beginner) to Advanced, you can subscribe to a lesson channel and receive newly-published lessons automatically into your lesson list

(http://chinesepod.com/lessons/channels ). You can also "bookmark" individual lessons from the archive (choose any that interest you).

We look forward to seeing you around the Community pages! Just shout if you have any questions; we're here to help.

]]> Invictus, a very warm welcome to you!

It's really good to learn that you enjoyed the lesson. Qing Wen lessons are mainly focused on how to apply the various aspects of Mandarin covered in our lessons (grammar, specific words or sentence patterns etc.).

For lessons of across a specific level, from "Newbie" (beginner) to Advanced, you can subscribe to a lesson channel and receive newly-published lessons automatically into your lesson list

(http://chinesepod.com/lessons/channels ). You can also "bookmark" individual lessons from the archive (choose any that interest you).

We look forward to seeing you around the Community pages! Just shout if you have any questions; we're here to help.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> You're welcome! :)

(Yes, 锤子 is correct.)

]]> You're welcome! :)

(Yes, 锤子 is correct.)

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> 前些天 (qián xiē tiān) would be the same as 前几天 (qián jǐ tiān), both meaning "the past few days."

几天前 (jǐ tiān qián) means "a few days ago."

]]> 前些天 (qián xiē tiān) would be the same as 前几天 (qián jǐ tiān), both meaning "the past few days."

几天前 (jǐ tiān qián) means "a few days ago."

]]> <![CDATA[By: dropped_chopstick]]> Thanks John.

The reason I asked is because from this vid (大聚会 -- 相机的故事）

--a good resource to practice tingli, by the way!\

http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f3968092o1p0.html

the narrator says （15 secs in)

前些天我想买个相机， 听朋友说得两千块钱

i translated it as, a few days ago, I wanted to buy a camera, my friends said it would cost 2000 yuan.

but it should be translated as

over the past few days ive been wanting to buy a camera....??

ah! so tricky!

]]> Thanks John.

The reason I asked is because from this vid (大聚会 -- 相机的故事）

--a good resource to practice tingli, by the way!\

http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f3968092o1p0.html

the narrator says （15 secs in)

前些天我想买个相机， 听朋友说得两千块钱

i translated it as, a few days ago, I wanted to buy a camera, my friends said it would cost 2000 yuan.

but it should be translated as

over the past few days ive been wanting to buy a camera....??

ah! so tricky!

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Yeah, strictly speaking, your second translation would be more accurate, but for naturalness you might go with the "a few days ago" translation, since it's not really a key point in the story, I'm guessing.

]]> Yeah, strictly speaking, your second translation would be more accurate, but for naturalness you might go with the "a few days ago" translation, since it's not really a key point in the story, I'm guessing.

]]> <![CDATA[By: lamartiniere]]> Thanks Connie. Your story is great. It's very good exercise of pronunciation. I keep saying it over and over...

L.

 

]]> Thanks Connie. Your story is great. It's very good exercise of pronunciation. I keep saying it over and over...

L.

 

]]> <![CDATA[By: isthatme]]> Reminds me of calling an old lady a battle axe. Is there such a term in Chinese? So maybe when abelle and her husband are old he can call her lao3 battle axe 锤子.

]]> Reminds me of calling an old lady a battle axe. Is there such a term in Chinese? So maybe when abelle and her husband are old he can call her lao3 battle axe 锤子.

]]> <![CDATA[By: lingzhi_hao]]> John is right. It seems that John is very good at Chinese speaking, I guess.

haha,i am Chinese. All of you guys can ask me if any questions.

Sorry about my poor English,haha

]]> John is right. It seems that John is very good at Chinese speaking, I guess.

haha,i am Chinese. All of you guys can ask me if any questions.

Sorry about my poor English,haha

]]> <![CDATA[By: lingzhi_hao]]> As a native Chinese, I am to tell you those two words are exactly same! ~_*

]]> As a native Chinese, I am to tell you those two words are exactly same! ~_*

]]> <![CDATA[By: abelle]]> My Chinese teachers tell me that no Chinese person would ever have a family name based on a tool. So one of my teachers gave me the Chinese family name of 和 Hé​, which means harmony, peace, calm, etc. I like it and so gladly use Hé whenever I introduce myself during practice dialogues in class.

]]> My Chinese teachers tell me that no Chinese person would ever have a family name based on a tool. So one of my teachers gave me the Chinese family name of 和 Hé​, which means harmony, peace, calm, etc. I like it and so gladly use Hé whenever I introduce myself during practice dialogues in class.

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> Well, your Chinese surname is very Chinese!

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2010-10/20/content_11434397.htm

]]> Well, your Chinese surname is very Chinese!

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2010-10/20/content_11434397.htm

]]> <![CDATA[By: abelle]]> Well, today I received a new Chinese surname, also Hé​, but with the character 何. I received the first surname from a teacher originally from Taiwan. My current teacher, originally from Harbin, said 和 is not really a surname, so she gave me the new character. Next quarter I will be getting another teacher from Taiwan and who knows, maybe she will change my Chinese surname too!

]]> Well, today I received a new Chinese surname, also Hé​, but with the character 何. I received the first surname from a teacher originally from Taiwan. My current teacher, originally from Harbin, said 和 is not really a surname, so she gave me the new character. Next quarter I will be getting another teacher from Taiwan and who knows, maybe she will change my Chinese surname too!

]]> <![CDATA[By: jen_not_jenny]]> Interesting! MDBG gives 5 different results for "surname He," 和， 何， 赫， 贺， and 佫. (The first two are 2nd tone and the final 3, 4th tone) 何 is by far the one I've run into most commonly on the mainland, but I kinda think I like 赫 best, myself...isn't choosing your own name (with appropriate native speaker supervision, of course) fun??

]]> Interesting! MDBG gives 5 different results for "surname He," 和， 何， 赫， 贺， and 佫. (The first two are 2nd tone and the final 3, 4th tone) 何 is by far the one I've run into most commonly on the mainland, but I kinda think I like 赫 best, myself...isn't choosing your own name (with appropriate native speaker supervision, of course) fun??

]]> <![CDATA[By: darkstar94]]> I'd like to ask a question that's been troubling me for a while in terms of "after" and "finishing" and whether or not 了 needs to be added or not.

If I wanted to say "after I finished eating, I went out" would it be "我吃完饭了以后，就出去了", so are the two 了 necessary?  And if I wanted to say "after I finish eating, I am going to go out", how would I express this?  When there is a 完 complement, when do I know whether or not to add 了?

]]> I'd like to ask a question that's been troubling me for a while in terms of "after" and "finishing" and whether or not 了 needs to be added or not.

If I wanted to say "after I finished eating, I went out" would it be "我吃完饭了以后，就出去了", so are the two 了 necessary?  And if I wanted to say "after I finish eating, I am going to go out", how would I express this?  When there is a 完 complement, when do I know whether or not to add 了?

]]> <![CDATA[By: lujiaojie]]> "after I finished eating, I went out" could be: 我吃完饭以后就出去了。

“after I finish eating, I am going to go out" could be: 我吃完饭以后要出去。

The aspectual particle 了 after a complement of result can be omitted.

]]> "after I finished eating, I went out" could be: 我吃完饭以后就出去了。

“after I finish eating, I am going to go out" could be: 我吃完饭以后要出去。

The aspectual particle 了 after a complement of result can be omitted.

]]> <![CDATA[By: darkstar94]]> thank you, when you say 了 after a complement of result can be omitted, does that mean you can still have it? this is something that has always confused me, do complements of a result include 到 and 好 or does it depend on context?

]]> thank you, when you say 了 after a complement of result can be omitted, does that mean you can still have it? this is something that has always confused me, do complements of a result include 到 and 好 or does it depend on context?

]]> <![CDATA[By: lujiaojie]]> Yes, complements of a result include 到 and 好. No 了 is more natural.

]]> Yes, complements of a result include 到 and 好. No 了 is more natural.

]]> <![CDATA[By: darkstar94]]> so if there is no complement, you can use 了 for example 我吃了以后要出去？

]]> so if there is no complement, you can use 了 for example 我吃了以后要出去？

]]> <![CDATA[By: lujiaojie]]> 可以。

]]> 可以。

]]>