Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Karen says,
"It's really hot today."
今天真热。 (Jīntiān zhēn rè.)
First is 今天 (jīntiān). "Today." 今天. 今天.
Next is 真 (zhēn). "Really" or "truly." 真. 真.
After that is 热 (rè), "hot." 热 热。
All together, it's 今天真热 (Jīntiān zhēn rè). Literally "today really hot," but it translates as "It's really hot today."
今天真热。 (Jīntiān zhēn rè.)
Note when describing something in Chinese, you can think of the adverb as "linking" the subject and adjective.
In this sentence, the adverb, 真 (zhēn), acts as a linking word for the subject, 今天 (Jīntiān), and the adjective, 热 (rè).
Let's take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how the neighbor says, "Yeah, really hot?"
是啊，真热。 (Shì a, zhēn rè.)
First is 是 (shì), translating as, "yes," in this context. 是是。
Next is 啊 (a), the modal particle, which here adds emphasis to the response. 啊 啊。
Together, 是啊 (shì a) translates as a colloquial and emphatic "yeah," or "yes!" in this context. 是啊。
After that, Zhenzhen repeats, 真热 (zhēn rè), "really hot." 真热。
All together, it's 是啊，真热。"Yeah, really hot."
是啊，真热。
The pattern is
今天 (Jīntiān) 真 (zhēn) {weather-related adjective}。
"It's really {weather-related adjective} today."
今天 (Jīntiān) 真 (zhēn) {weather-related adjective}。
To use this pattern, simply replace {weather-related adjective} with another weather-related adjective.
Imagine it's cold, 冷 (lěng). 冷 (lěng). 冷 (lěng)
Say
"It's really cold today."
Ready?
今天真冷。(Jīntiān zhēn lěng.)
"It's really cold today."
今天真冷。(Jīntiān zhēn lěng.)
When the modal particle, 啊 (a), follows a phrase, sentence or statement, it adds emphasis or enthusiasm.

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