User Comments - calkins

Posted on: I want coffee!

Regarding the following expansion sentence:

今天几点开会？
jīntiān jīdiǎn kāihuì?
When is our meeting today?

Would this be more accurately translated as "What time is our meeting today?" or is 几点 jīdiǎn interchangeable with 什么时候 shénme shíhou？

Posted on: I want coffee!

sunnydevil, that's good to know, thanks!  I'm still a newbie to Taiwan so all the knowledge I can get the better...especially when it comes to girls (just kidding)!

I have to say that I do prefer warm 珍珠奶茶 much more than cold...I never had it warm in the states.

The one thing that I really miss in Taiwan is Diet Coke (not that fake Coke Light or Coke Zero, yuck).

Posted on: I want coffee!

我很喜欢喝咖啡！

One thing I find ironic in Taiwan...Chinese love to eat and drink everything hot (food, soup, water, etc.), but when you go to 7/11 all you can find is cold coffee in a cup or plastic bottle.

I'm not complaining though...I'll drink my morning coffee off the floor if I have to!

Posted on: Using 除了。。。以外 (Chúle... Yǐwài)

Alice, you got me curious and I found a way to type pinyin (Mac only).  It takes a bit to get used to, but I think it could be good.

1. In System Preferences, go to International > Input Menu.
2. Check "U.S. Extended" (it's near the bottom) and press "Ok".  Uncheck "U.S."
   
3. Activate "U.S. Extended" by going to the menu bar and clicking on the flag (in most Macs, it's next to the clock). Select "U.S. Extended".  [You can also simply press "Command (apple key) + Space Bar" to toggle between your IME and U.S. Extended.]
   
4. Use toned pinyin!
   • Press Option + a and then the vowel to create letters in the first tone (ā ē ī ō ū)
   • Press Option + e and then the vowel to create letters in the second tone (á é í ó ú)
   • Press Option + v and then the vowel to create letters in the third tone (ǎ ě ǐ ǒ ǔ...type v to get ǚ)
     
   • Press Option + ` and then the vowel to create letters in the fourth tone (à è ì ò ù)

_________________________________

Just found a similar post here with a bit more detailed info.

Posted on: Using 除了。。。以外 (Chúle... Yǐwài)

Alice, I get the tones from MDBG or use this conversion tool.

I don't know of a program that allows you to type them in real time.  If anyone knows, please let us know because that would save lots of time.

Posted on: Christmas Promotion

qingwa, you should probably give Cpod more than 19 hours to respond.  If you need an answer ASAP, give them a call during working hours (UTC+8).

Posted on: Stupid Doctor

I'm not Cpod but I'll throw my 2 cents in on 着 and 在.

They both indicate a current state of action.

I believe that 着 is just like add -ing to the end of a verb, for example:

我学着中文。
wǒ xuézhe Zhōngwén.
I am studying Chinese.

在 used in this sense is more like saying currently / right now / at the moment, for example:

我在学中文。
wǒ zài xué Zhōngwén.
I am currently studying Chinese.

If this is wrong, someone please correct!

Posted on: Using 除了。。。以外 (Chúle... Yǐwài)

Okay Pete, if you can say Smashing Pumpkins in Chinese, you are great in my book!!

Was it: 打碎南瓜 dǎsuì nánguā

Posted on: Here is your change

Question about this expansion sentence:

那个巧克力多少钱一盒？
nèigè qiǎokèlì duōshaoqián yī hé?
How much is that chocolate in a box?

Should that be...

How much is that chocolate per box?

...or am I missing something?  Thanks.

Posted on: Table for Three

Thanks for the great explanation jiarenlun!  I have the Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar book also (buried in a moving box), and it's my favorite grammar book.  I think I need to read it for a third time ;)