User Comments - btwestyo

Posted on: Getting a Phone Number

This lesson doesnt make much sense because its unclear what the person is asking for when you say "Whats your number". Number for what? Address, cell phone, credit card, etc? It's not realistic to ask that and expect to get a cell phone number. Under SOME circumstances it might imply a cell phone number but something thats not high frequency.

Posted on: Good Morning!

Very interesting, I did not think of that. Perhaps you are right. It would make sense if in the later lessons they taught what is more commonly said. However, there were a couple other phrases that were actually somewhat incorrect to ever say. I posted on another lesson, but a phrase like "Ni hui shuo zhongwen ma?". Thats a funny phrase cause you would never say: "Do you speak the chinese language". The correct and common replacement is putong hua instead of zhongwen.

Posted on: Good Morning!

Yeah, I'm just surprised that they would teach a phrase that is seldomly used anymore. It wouldn't make sense to learn greetings/phrases only to be corrected by native speakers.

Posted on: Can you Speak Chinese?

This was probably answered before, but I have been corrected several times that saying: "Wo hui shuo zhongwen" or using zhongwen like that is incorrect. They all correct me by replacing zhongwen with putong hua. Their explanation is that you wouldn't say "I speak the chinese language". Or you wouldn't say: "Do you speak the Chinese language". So why do they use that strange phrase as if its common practice?

Posted on: Good Morning!

Yes, when I said zaoshang hao, people corrected me and told me to just say "zao". I think that is the more common way to say it if at all.

Posted on: Good Morning!

Hello, I was just wondering about the usage of "Good Morning" in putonghua. I've never heard anyone actually say that in China. Is this a common phrase to say to someone? It seems to me that most people don't use that greeting. Thanks

-Brian