Learn how to introduce others
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| Hi guys, today we are going to be covering a phrase for introductions. The phrase we are covering today is, this is. This phrase can be used whenever you are introducing one person to another person. So let’s say you’ve made a friend in China and you want to introduce this friend to somebody else you are meeting. You say, this is Michael, the friend’s name you just met or if you are traveling with somebody, you can say this is my husband or this is my wife. First, we will go over saying this is, followed by a name. The way you say this is in Chinese is 这是(Zhè shì). The tones for this are, fourth tone and then fourth tone again, 这是(Zhè shì). Let’s go over it a couple of times, 这是(Zhè shì). And then you follow this with the name. Literally the meanings are 这(zhè), this and 是(shì), to be or in this case is. So this is and then followed by somebody’s name, 这是(Zhè shì) Michael, 这是(Zhè shì) Peter, 这是(Zhè shì) Bobby Valentine. So it’s just like the western English introduction of this is. You point to your friend and you say this is 这是(Zhè shì) Bobby Valentine. The phrase I just introduced to you guys is a very casual, very friendly and very common way of introducing other people, 这是(Zhè shì), this is. But a more formal and sometimes more appropriate way of introducing other people is to say 这位是(Zhè wèi shì). This is probably better in business situations or in any situation where you are not totally certain how casual it is. The meaning is the same, this is but it’s just a little bit more polite. Now you can also introduce people and say their relation to you. So you can say this is my friend or this is my wife or this is my husband. Let’s practice first, this is my friend 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou.) The tones for this are fourth tone, fourth tone like we said before and then third tone, the falling rising tone 我(wǒ), then second tone, the rising tone 朋(péng) and then no tone on 友(you). So 我朋友(wǒ péngyou), literally this means my friend, 我(wǒ) means “I” and 朋友(péngyou) means “friend”. So it’s “I, friend” or “my friend”. It’s understood that it’s your friend. 我朋友(wǒ péngyou). So 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou.) This is my friend. Let’s try it, 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou), 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou), 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou). And then you can say their name. You can say 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou) Bobby Valentine. 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou) Peter. 这是我朋友王江(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou Wáng jiāng.) 这是我朋友王晶(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou Wáng jīng.) |
| Now let’s try husband. This is my husband. Husband is 丈夫(zhàngfu). Fourth tone and then no tone. 丈夫(zhàngfu), one more time, 丈夫(zhàngfu). So to say my husband, you say 我丈夫(Zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu.), this is my husband. It’s just like my friend 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu). fourth tone 这(zhè), fourth tone again 是(shì), third tone 我(wǒ), fourth tone 丈(zhàng), and 夫(fu) no tone. 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu), 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu), 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu). |
| And then you could say his name 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu) Bobby Valentine. 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu) Michael. It’s really just like English. The only thing that changes is the noun that you are using to indicate that person’s relation to you. Friend, husband, let’s try wife. Wife is 妻子(qīzi) fourth tone, third tone, 妻子(qīzi). So the phrase would be 这是我妻子(zhè shì wǒ qīzi). All right, it’s just like the other phrases. We just switched out the noun and put in 妻子(qīzi). So let’s go over the tones really quick, 这(zhè) fourth tone, 是(shì) fourth tone again, 我(wǒ) third tone, 妻(qī) first tone, and 子(zi) no tone. 这是我妻子(zhè shì wǒ qīzi). |
| And now guys, to wrap it up, let’s switch the positions. Let’s say you are the person introduced. This is going to be really simple. If you get introduced, if maybe your husband or your wife or a Chinese friend you have says 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou), this is my friend. 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou) Michael. This is my friend Michael. What do you do? Well it’s just like English. You say hello 你好(nǐ hǎo) very simple, 你好(nǐ hǎo). We learned it before but one last time, third tone, third tone. So second tone, the rising tone and then third tone 你好(nǐ hǎo). And you just say hello and that’s it. Unless of course you want to be really polite and then you say 您好(nín hǎo). 您 (nín) is second tone, the rising tone. Remember we talked about it before. It’s the very polite way of saying “you”, and so you can say 您好(nín hǎo). Second tone, the rising tone and then 好(hǎo) third tone, the falling rising tone. 您好(nín hǎo) One last time 您好(nín hǎo). |
| All right, to close our today’s lesson, we’d like you to practice what we’ve just learned. I will provide you with the English equivalent of a phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud. You will have a few seconds before I give you the answer. So 加油(Jiā yóu!) Phrase 1, this is 这是(zhè shì). Phrase 2, this is my friend 这是我朋友(Zhè shì wǒ péngyou). Phrase 3, this is my husband 这是我丈夫(zhè shì wǒ zhàngfu). Phrase 4, this is my wife 这是我妻子(Zhè shì wǒ qīzi). Phrase 5 hello 你好(nǐ hǎo). Phrase 6, the ultra polite hello 您好(nín hǎo). |
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