User Comments - mjmcmanus
mjmcmanus
Posted on: Buying a Drink
September 09, 2010, 01:46 AMHmmm...I can't seem to see my own comments?
Posted on: Buying a Drink
September 09, 2010, 01:46 AM1) Jenny and John use “北方人” and “南方”. Is that the Chinese way of saying "Northerners" and "The South".
2) 我要的是...I don't understand the grammar here.
Posted on: Buying a Drink
September 09, 2010, 01:43 AMI just wanted to jot down some question so we both know to get to them when we talk at 11.
1) 我要的是...I don't understand the grammar here. I hoped you could explain it.
2) Jenny and John both use “北方人” and “南方”. Is this the Chinese way to say "Northerners" and "the South"? I know 地方.
Posted on: Being Seated in a Restaurant
December 05, 2009, 12:44 AM@john
Thanks for the advice! I'm going to try to save the "but why?" questions in the back of my mind once I think I can handle some Elementary lessons. I've tried to get into one or two and I still can't listen, understand and translate the sentences fast enough to keep up.
I had a feeling the lack of grammar was intentional so I wont preempt my newbie lessons!
@jckeith
That's helpful, thanks!
Posted on: Where Do You Live?
December 03, 2009, 02:08 AMHey!
If I was asked "ni3 zhu4 zai4 na3 li3?" and I wanted to answer "In the USA but I am Canadian" how would I combine the two?
wǒ zhù měi guó, wǒ shì Jiānádà guó rén.
Thanks for the help!
Posted on: Being Seated in a Restaurant
December 03, 2009, 01:18 AMHello!
I seem to have lots of trouble when it comes to sentences like:
qǐng wèn zhè shì shénme?
I always forget the shì. I am wondering if it's acceptable to say:
qǐng wèn zhè ge shénme?
I am trying to get that shì stuck in my head -- but for some reason it feels more natural to me to leave it out.
A related follow up question. I have gone through about 20 lessons now and I have avoided lessons that explain the particles -- ge, le, etc. Is it still too early to start diving into the more detailed bits? Are there newbie lessons that explain those words?
Thanks!
Posted on: Can You Use Chopsticks?
December 02, 2009, 01:36 AMYa that was my impression too. I'm still so new to all of this though that I don't really feel comfortable trying to create my own sentences. It's not like I get to hear people speak Mandarin everyday so I'm just flying by the seat of my pants!
Posted on: Can You Use Chopsticks?
December 02, 2009, 01:06 AMI am wondering if kěyǐ and huì can be interchanged?
nǐ kěyǐ yòng kuàizi ma?
How are they different?
Posted on: Do you like China?
November 28, 2009, 11:01 PMHello!
I just finished the exercises and I am wondering if "He wants to go to China" can also be translated to:
nǐ yào qù Zhōng guó.
That's what my intial thought was, but the exercise uses xiǎng instead. I am just wondering if both are OK or if xiǎng is the preferred verb there.
Thanks!
Posted on: Los Angeles
January 18, 2011, 02:29 AMThis lesson is too funny! I lived in LA for 4 years, mostly in Los Feliz which is but a stones throw from Hollywood. While it's likely cleaner than it once was, it's definitely not a place you'd hold a picnic.
It's mostly avoidable unless you want to see the wax museum, the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum or catch a Star Bus (that drives around looking at the movie stars homes)
In any case, I love these city lessons, so I hope you keep them coming!
How about some Canadian cities? (Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto)