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Lesson Transcript

Eric: Top 25 Chinese Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 18- What are you doing? in Chinese. In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Chinese learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.
In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “What are you doing?” In Chinese this is
Cho: 你在做什么?
The first word in the question is
Cho: 你
Eric: meaning “you” in English.
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 你
Eric: Listen again and repeat.
Cho: 你
{Pause}
Eric: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is
Cho: 在
Eric: meaning “to be doing.”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 在
Eric: Now repeat.
Cho: 在
{Pause}
Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat.
Cho: 你在
{pause}
Next is
Cho: 做
Eric: meaning “to do”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 做
Eric: Now repeat.
Cho: 做
{Pause}
Listen to the the first 3 words of the question and repeat.
Cho: 你在做
{pause}
Next is
Cho: 什么
Eric: meaning “what”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 什么
Eric: Now repeat.
Cho: 什么
{Pause}
Listen to the entire question and repeat.
Cho: 你在做什么
{pause}
Eric: It literally means “You are doing what?”
Eric: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question “What are you doing?”
Cho: 我在想问题.
Eric: "I'm thinking.” Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase.
Cho: (Slow) 我在想问题。
{pause}
Eric: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word:
Cho: 我
Eric: means “I.”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 我
Eric: Now repeat
Cho: 我
{Pause}
Eric: Next is
Cho: 在
Eric: meaning “to be doing”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 在
Eric: Now repeat.
Cho: 在
{Pause}
Eric: Next is
Cho: 想
Eric: meaning “to think”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 想
Eric:Now repeat.
Cho: 想
{Pause}
Eric: Next is
Cho: 问题
Eric: meaning “problem,” “issue.”
Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 问题
Eric:Now repeat.
Cho: 问题
Eric: Listen to the speaker say, “I'm thinking,” and then repeat.
Cho: 我在想问题。
{pause}
Eric: To expand on the pattern, replace “thinking” with “eating.”
Cho: 吃东西
Eric: eating stuff
Cho: (slow) 吃东西 (regular) 吃东西
Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “eating”
Cho: 我在吃东西。
Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “thinking” with “eating.” Say, “I'm eating.”
{pause}
Cho: 我在吃东西。
Eric: To make another phrase, replace “eating” with “working.”
Cho: 工作
Eric: working
Cho: (slow) 工作 (regular) 工作
Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “working.”
Cho: 我在工作。
Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “eating” with “working.” Say, “I'm working.”
{pause}
Cho: 我在工作。
Eric: To expand on the pattern, replace “working” with “drawing.”
Cho: 画画
Eric: drawing
Cho: (slow) 画画 (regular) 画画
Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “drawing”
Cho: 我在画画。
Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “working” with “drawing.” Say, “I'm drawing.”
{pause}
Cho: 我在画画。
Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting China and someone asks you what you're doing. You are thinking. Respond to the question.
Cho: 你在做什么? (five seconds) 我在想问题。
Eric: Now imagine you are eating. Respond to the question.
Cho: 你在做什么? (five seconds) 我在吃东西。
Eric: Imagine you’re working. Answer the speaker's question.
Cho: 你在做什么? (five seconds) 我在工作。
Eric: Imagine you're drawing. Respond to the question.
Cho: 你在做什么? (five seconds) 我在画画。
Eric: You want to ask someone what they are doing. Ask the question
(5 seconds)
Cho: 你在做什么?
{pause}
Eric: This is the end of Lesson 18

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