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Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Taiwanese Mandarin Survival Phrases Lesson 4: Basic Greetings
In this lesson, you will learn basic greetings.
Here’s the first greeting:
The phrase “How are you?” in Chinese is 你好嗎(Nǐ hǎo ma).
Let’s break it down by tone:
First, we have 你(Nǐ).
Next, we have 好(hǎo). This is in third tone.
Last, we have 嗎(ma). This has no tone.
Usually 你(Nǐ) is in third tone. But because it is followed by another third tone, it becomes second tone.
Next, let’s break it down by meaning:
你(nǐ) means "you."
好(hǎo) means "good."
嗎(ma) makes the sentence a question.
Literally, this phrase means, “You good?” But when translated, it means “How are you?”
Altogether we have 你好嗎(Nǐ hǎo ma)?
Listen again, one more time, slowly:
[Slow] 你好嗎(Nǐ hǎo ma)?
[Normal] 你好嗎(Nǐ hǎo ma)?
The second phrase is the shorter greeting 你好 (Nǐ hǎo). This means “Hello.”
Listen again, one more time slowly.
[Slow] 你好(Nǐ hǎo).
[Normal] 你好(Nǐ hǎo).
The tones for this phrase are the same as the first greeting, 你好嗎(Nǐ hǎo ma).
嗎(ma) makes the sentence a question. So, when you just say the short phrase, 你好(Nǐ hǎo), the phrase becomes “Hello.”
The final greeting, “Good morning,” is 早安(Zǎo ān) in Chinese.
Let’s break it down by tone:
First we have 早 (Zǎo). This is in third tone.
Last we have 安(ān). This is in first tone.
Next, let’s break it down by meaning:
早(zǎo) means "morning."
好(hǎo) means "good."
Literally, it means "Morning good,” but can be translated in English to mean “Good morning.”
Altogether, we have 早安(Zǎo ān).
Listen again, one more time, slowly:
[Slow] 早安(Zǎo ān).
[Normal] 早安(Zǎo ān).

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