Learn Chinese adverbs that express degree
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Echo: 嗨，大家好，我是Echo. (Hāi, dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Echo.) |
| Dave: Hi and I am Dave. Welcome to chineseclass101.com Elementary series, season 2. Today’s lesson is Rules of the Road and in this lesson, you will learn |
| Echo: A few Chinese adverbs and the lesson in responsibility. |
| Dave: And humility. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: With us today, you will learn to speak Chinese with fun and effective lessons. |
| Echo: We will also provide you with cultural insights |
| Dave: And tips you won’t find in a textbook. |
| Echo: 没错。 (Méi cuò.) |
| Dave: This conversation takes place |
| Echo: In a parking lot. |
| Dave: The conversation is between |
| Echo: A father and a son. |
| Dave: And the speakers are a family. So |
| Echo: They will be speaking casually. |
| Dave: Before we listen to the conversation, if you don’t already have one, stop by chineseclass101.com and sign up for a free life time account. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: You can sign up in less than 30 seconds. Okay let’s get to the dialogue. |
| DIALOGUE |
| A:爸爸，我准备好了！ (bàba, wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo le!) |
| B:记住，开车要很小心！ (jìzhu, kāichē yào hěn xiǎoxīn!) |
| A:知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| B:马路相当危险！ (mǎlù xiāngdāng wēixiǎn!) |
| A:知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| B:安全带非常重要！ (Ānquán dài fēicháng zhòngyào!) |
| A:知道了。 (Zhīdàole) |
| B:还有...... (hái yǒu ......) |
| A:还有，车钥匙也非常重要。爸，给我钥匙。 (hái yǒu, chē yàoshi yě fēichángzhòngyào. bà, gěi wǒ yàoshi.) |
| Dave: One more time, a bit slower. |
| A:爸爸，我准备好了！ (bàba, wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo le!) |
| B:记住，开车要很小心！ (jìzhu, kāichē yào hěn xiǎoxīn!) |
| A:知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| B:马路相当危险！ (Mǎlù xiāngdāng wéixiǎn!) |
| A:知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| B:安全带非常重要！ (Ānquán dài fēicháng zhòngyào!) |
| A:知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| B:还有...... (hái yǒu ......) |
| A:还有，车钥匙也非常重要。爸，给我钥匙。 (hái yǒu, chē yàoshi yě fēichángzhòngyào. bà, gěi wǒ yàoshi.) |
| Dave: One more time with English. |
| Echo: 爸爸，我准备好了！ (bàba, wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo le!) |
| Dave: Dad, I am ready! |
| Echo: 记住，开车要很小心！ ((jìzhu, kāichē yào hěn xiǎoxīn!)) |
| Dave: Now remember when driving a car, you want to be very careful. |
| Echo: 知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| Dave: I know. |
| Echo: 马路相当危险！ (Mǎlù xiāngdāng wéixiǎn!) |
| Dave: The Street can be really dangerous. |
| Echo: 知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| Dave: I know. |
| Echo: 安全带非常重要！ (Ānquán dài fēicháng zhòngyào!) |
| Dave: Wearing your seatbelt is extremely important. |
| Echo: 知道了。 (zhīdao le.) |
| Dave: I know. |
| Echo: 还有...... (hái yǒu ......) |
| Dave: Furthermore. |
| Echo: 还有，车钥匙也非常重要。 (hái yǒu, chē yàoshi yě fēichángzhòngyào. bà, gěi wǒ yàoshi.) |
| Dave: And another thing. The car keys are also incredibly important. |
| Echo: 爸，给我钥匙。 (Bà, gěi wǒ yàoshi.) |
| Dave: Dad, give me the keys. You know, I had a conversation just like this when I first started to drive. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Echo: 真的吗？ (Zhēn de ma?) |
| Dave: Yeah but I think my dad was more nervous than I was. I was just excited to get behind the wheel and go. |
| Echo: So how did it go? |
| Dave: It only lasted about 2 minutes. |
| Echo: Oh poor Dave. |
| Dave: No poor dad. I think he almost had a heart attack. |
| Echo: Yeah actually for myself, I have had a license for two years but I never drive in Beijing. It’s too dangerous. |
| Dave: Well driving your own car in Beijing doesn’t make a lot of sense. |
| Echo: Yeah but our vocabulary section does. |
| Dave: That’s right. So let’s get right to it. |
| And now the vocab section. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Echo: 记住 (jìzhù) |
| Dave: To remember. |
| Echo: 小心 (xiǎoxīn) |
| Dave: Careful. |
| Echo: 相当 (xiāngdāng) |
| Dave: Quiet. |
| Echo: 非常 (fēicháng) |
| Dave: Extremely. |
| Echo: 重要 (zhòngyào) |
| Dave: Important. |
| Echo: 准备 (Zhǔnbèi) |
| Dave: To be ready. |
| Echo: 安全带 (ānquándài) |
| Dave: Seatbelts. |
| Echo: 钥匙 (yàoshi) |
| Dave: Keys. |
| Echo: 钥匙 (yàoshi) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Dave: Okay. Let’s have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. |
| Echo: And the first phrase is 记住。 (Jì zhù.) |
| Dave: To remember. |
| Echo: 记住。 (Jì zhù.) |
| Dave: To remember. |
| Echo: 你记住了没有？ (Nǐ jì zhùle méiyǒu?) |
| Dave: Do you remember? |
| Echo: 你记住了没有？ (Nǐ jì zhùle méiyǒu?) |
| Dave: Do you remember? |
| Echo: The next one is 小心。 (Xiǎoxīn) |
| Dave: To be careful. |
| Echo: 小心。(Xiǎoxīn) |
| Dave: Third tone followed by first tone. |
| Echo: 游泳要小心。 (Yóuyǒng yào xiǎoxīn.) |
| Dave: When swimming, you want to be careful. |
| Echo: Okay next one 相当。 (Xiāngdāng) |
| Dave: Quite or considerably. |
| Echo: 相当。 (Xiāngdāng) |
| Dave: Both first tones and this is our first adverb of the lesson. |
| Echo: 他的女朋友相当能干。 (Tā de nǚ péngyǒu xiāngdāng nénggàn.) |
| Dave: His girlfriend is quite capable. |
| Echo: 他的女朋友相当能干。 (Tā de nǚ péngyǒu xiāngdāng nénggàn.) |
| Dave: His girlfriend is quite capable. |
| Echo: And 能干 (Nénggàn) is capable. |
| Dave: Right. |
| Echo: 非常。 (Fēicháng) |
| Dave: Extremely. |
| Echo: 非常。 (Fēicháng) |
| Dave: Extremely. |
| Echo: Yeah its first tone and second tone. |
| Dave: Right. |
| Echo: And this is also an adverb 你非常厉害。 (Nǐ fēicháng lìhài.) |
| Dave: You are extremely awesome. |
| Echo: 你非常厉害。 (Nǐ fēicháng lìhài.) |
| Dave: You are extremely awesome. |
| Echo: 重要。 (Zhòngyào) |
| Dave: Important. |
| Echo: 重要。 (Zhòngyào) |
| Dave: Both fourth tone, important. |
| Echo: Right 带好重要物品。 (Dàihǎo zhòngyào wùpǐn.) |
| Dave: Take all the important things. |
| Echo: 带好重要物品。 (Dàihǎo zhòngyào wùpǐn.) |
| Dave: Take all the important things. |
| Echo: 准备。 (Zhǔnbèi) |
| Dave: To be ready. |
| Echo: 准备。 (Zhǔnbèi) |
| Dave: To be ready. This is a very useful piece of vocabulary. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: Let’s hear it in a sentence. |
| Echo: 准备好了吗？ (Zhǔnbèi hǎole ma?) |
| Dave: Are you ready? |
| Echo: 准备好了吗？ (Zhǔnbèi hǎole ma?) |
| Dave: Are you ready? |
| Echo: Dave 你准备好了吗？ (Nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎole ma?) |
| Dave: Yes next one. |
| Echo: Okay 安全带。 (Ānquán dài.) |
| Dave: Seatbelt. |
| Echo: 安全带。 (Ānquán dài.) |
| Dave: Seatbelt. So the first two characters are the word for safety. |
| Echo: 安全。 (Ānquán) |
| Dave: Followed by the word for belt. |
| Echo: 带。 (Dài) |
| Dave: Which also can mean take as we heard in an earlier sentence. |
| Echo: Yeah 带，安全带。 (Dài, ānquán dài.) |
| Dave: So for example |
| Echo: 一定要系安全带。 (Yīdìng yào xì ānquán dài.) |
| Dave: You definitely want to buckle your seatbelt. |
| Echo: 一定要系安全带。 (Yīdìng yào xì ānquán dài.) |
| Dave: You definitely want to buckle your seatbelt. Okay let’s move on to the next one. |
| Echo: 钥匙。 (Yàoshi) |
| Dave: Keys. |
| Echo: 钥匙。 (Yàoshi) |
| Dave: Keys. Now these can be any kind of keys. House keys, car keys any kind. |
| Echo: Right 我的钥匙丢了。 (Wǒ de yàoshi diūle.) |
| Dave: I lost my keys. And I have… |
| Echo: Yeah? |
| Dave: Many, many times. |
| Echo: So 你的钥匙丢了？ (Nǐ de yàoshi diūle?) |
| Dave: Yes all the time. Not anymore because now I have a chord that I hang around my neck with all of my valuables on it. |
| Echo: Ah! |
| Dave: Yeah phone, keys, wallet. I look a little silly but I haven’t lost anything since. |
| Echo: It’s very useful ah! |
| Dave: Yeah and it also has a little tag that says if I am lost and someone finds me to please return me to Paddington Station. |
| Echo: That’s cute. All right and with that interesting piece of information, let’s go over to the grammar section. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Dave: It’s grammar time. Okay the grammar focus of this lesson is Chinese adverbs expressing degree. |
| Echo: Right like 非常。 (Fēicháng) |
| Dave: Extremely. |
| Echo: 很。 (Hěn) |
| Dave: Very. |
| Echo: And 相当。 (Xiāngdāng.) |
| Dave: Quite. So in Chinese, there are many types of adverbs. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: Some express time, some express scope and some express tones of speech and other things like that. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: Some common adverbs in English include almost, nearly, to, enough, hardly, completely, very and extremely. |
| Echo: Right. In the dialogue, we saw an example of this 安全带非常重要。 (Ānquán dài fēicháng zhòngyào.) |
| Dave: Right. Wearing your seatbelt is incredibly important. Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity or degree of an action and adjective or another adverb. |
| Echo: Here the adverb 非常 (Fēicháng) is modifying the adjective 重要。 (Zhòngyào) |
| Dave: So in Chinese grammar, the adverb is usually placed before the verb or adjective. For example |
| Echo: 他很幽默。 (Tā hěn yōumò.) |
| Dave: He is very funny. |
| Echo: 他很幽默。 (Tā hěn yōumò.) |
| Dave: He is very funny. |
| Echo: And the adverb 很 (Hěn) is modifying the adjective 幽默。 (Yōumò) |
| Dave: Now right now, we want to point out that in Chinese, you do not need to use the verb to be. |
| Echo: 是。 (Shì) |
| Dave: The adverb is already functioning as to be. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: Okay let’s take a look at another example. |
| Echo: 你非常漂亮。 (Nǐ fēicháng piàoliang.) |
| Dave: You are extremely pretty. |
| Echo: 你非常漂亮。 (Nǐ fēicháng piàoliang.) |
| Dave: You are extremely pretty. |
| Echo: And the adverb here is 非常. (Fēicháng) It is modifying the adjective 漂亮。 (Piàoliang) |
| Dave: Okay and now let’s do another example. |
| Echo: 相当。他相当厉害。 (Xiāngdāng. Tā xiāngdāng lìhài.) |
| Dave: He is quite awesome. |
| Echo: 他相当厉害。 (Tā xiāngdāng lìhài.) |
| Dave: He is quite cool. |
| Echo: So here the adverb is 相当 (Xiāngdāng) and it is modifying the adjective 厉害。 (Lìhài.) |
| Dave: So we’ve taught you three adverbs. |
| Echo: 非常。 (Fēicháng) |
| Dave: Extremely. |
| Echo: 很。 (Hěn) |
| Dave: Very. |
| Echo: And 相当。 (Xiāngdāng) |
| Dave: Quite which is the least intense of the three. |
| Echo: Right. |
| Dave: Okay other examples about verbs expressing degree are |
| Echo: 特别。 (Tèbié) |
| Dave: Especially. |
| Echo: 他们特别聪明。 (Tāmen tèbié cōngmíng.) |
| Dave: They are especially smart. |
| Echo: 他们特别聪明。 (Tāmen tèbié cōngmíng.) |
| Dave: They are especially smart. |
| Echo: And 太 (Tài) |
| Dave: Too. |
| Echo: 你太胖了。 (Nǐ tài pàngle) |
| Dave: You are too fat. |
| Echo: 你太胖了。 (Nǐ tài pàngle) |
| Dave: You are too fat. |
| Echo: Yeah. 真。 (Zhēn) |
| Dave: Really. |
| Echo: 你真可爱。 (Nǐ zhēn kě'ài.) |
| Dave: You are really cute. |
| Echo: 你真可爱。 (Nǐ zhēn kě'ài.) |
| Dave: You are really cute. |
| Echo: Yeah. |
Outro |
| Dave: Okay that about wraps it up. Before we go, we want to tell you about a way to drastically improve your pronunciation. |
| Echo: Right. The voice recording tool. |
| Dave: Yes the voice recording tool in the premium learning center. |
| Echo: Record your voice with a click of a button |
| Dave: And then play it back just as easily. |
| Echo: Right. So you record your voice and then listen to it. |
| Dave: Compare it to the native speakers |
| Echo: And adjust your pronunciation. |
| Dave: This will help you improve your pronunciation fast. |
| Echo: 非常快。 (Fēicháng kuài.) |
| Dave: And that’s about it for today. From Beijing, I am Dave. |
| Echo: 我是Echo. (Wǒ shì Echo.) |
| Dave: And we will see you next week. |
| Echo: Thanks for listening. Bye bye. |
| Dave: See you then. |
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