User Comments - xiao_ma1119

Posted on: Politely Declining an Invitation

I am starting to think that English is just too complicated. I find myself asking my Chinese friends questions, and when I hear the answers, I say, "It can't be THAT simple." Just imagine what I would have to say in English if I couldn't go to a friend's wedding.......

Posted on: Politely Declining an Invitation

hey look there's another xiao ma....

Posted on: Politely Declining an Invitation

Can you use the expression 我有事 (wǒyǒushì) to decline any type of invitation? It seems to me a little weak to say if you had to decline an invitation to something like a wedding. Is there a different way to decline such these types of major events? 

Posted on: Lots of Musical Instruments

号 (hào) in this case is used for brass instruments. So 大号 (dàhào) means "big brass instrument" = tuba.

Another, more common (I'm told), name for French horn is 圆号 (yuánhào) as in "round brass instrument" since it the round one of the 号 (hào) or brass group of instruments.

Please correct if wrong.

Posted on: Lots of Musical Instruments

Super great stuff! I am a musician (violinist) and part of the reason I'm learning Chinese is to one day conduct in China, since there are so many orchestras popping up.

I love how the names of instruments really make sense.

Just to share, the Chinese students (most graduates of Shanghai Conservatory) at my conservatory in Florida say 练琴 (liànqín) since it's more specific to "practice instrument" than 练习 (liànxí) which is a more general term for practice.

Thanks for the great lesson!

Posted on: This Needs to be Dry Cleaned

I read the transcript first, and what questions came up at the 这几件衣服 (zhèjǐ yīfu) part.

And you guys broke it down, and I was like "Aha!" Thanks for all your work. Great stuff.

And Florida Represent!!!! (I'm from Miami)

Posted on: Skincare: Moisturizing Cream

So, is it safe to assume that 护脚霜 (hùjiǎoshuāng) is foot cream, as in foot moisturizer? (and not some other kind of foot cream?

Posted on: An Unplanned Tan

Got it. Thanks!

And congrats on the podcast (the Chinese medicine one)!

Thanks again.

Posted on: An Unplanned Tan

For the 要(something)了 pattern, is it used for expectations?

And can we also use 一定 for this purpose?

Posted on: I Want an Electric Scooter!

Hey guys! This is my first post! (was a little shy....)

Great lesson! Really learning a lot.

Question: What's the difference between 打的 and 打车 (from a previous ELE lesson)?

Keep up the good work!