Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let’s take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how the waiter says
"What would you like?"
您要什么？(Nín yào shénme?)
First is 您 (nín), the formal "you" when addressing people of higher social status, such as seniors and customers. 您. 您.
Next is 要 (yào), "to want," or "to need," but translating as "would like," in this context. 要. 要.
After that is 什么 (shénme), "what." 什么. 什么.
Together, 您要什么？ (Nín yào shénme?) literally, "You want what," but translates as, "What would you like?"
您要什么？(Nín yào shénme?)
Let’s take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how Karen says, "Two of these."
两份这个。(Liǎng fèn zhèige.)
First is 两 (liǎng), "two." This way of saying the number "two" is used before a measure word. 两. 两.
Next is 份 (fèn), a measure word meaning "serving" or "order." 份.份.
Together 两份 (liǎng fèn), "two orders." : 两份.
After that is 这个 (zhèige), "this." 这个.这个
Pronunciation note: 这个 can be pronounced as zhège or zhèige. Zhèige is more common in everyday speech.
All together, 两份这个。(Liǎng fèn zhèige.)
"Two [orders] of these," but in more natural English, "Two of these."
两份这个。(Liǎng fèn zhèige.)
Note: this pattern is the shortened form of:
我要两份这个 (Wǒ yào liǎng fèn zhèige.). "I would like two of these." 我要两份这个.
我 (wǒ), "I." 我.我.
After that is 要 (yào), "would like," in this context. 要.
The speaker omits 我要 (wǒ yào) as it is understood from the conversation.
两份这个。(Liǎng fèn zhèige.)
The pattern is:
{Number} 份这个。 (fèn zhèige.)
"{Number} of these."
{Number} 份这个。
To use this pattern, simply replace the {NUMBER} placeholder with the number of items you're requesting.
Imagine you’d like three of something you don’t know the Chinese word for.
Three, 三 (sān). 三. 三.
Say "Three of these."
Ready?
三份这个。(Sān fèn zhège.)
"Three of these."
三份这个。(Sān fèn zhège.)
When talking about a specific number of things in Chinese, not only do you need a number but also a measure word before the noun.
For example, in our dialogue, we use the number 两 (liǎng), "two," plus the measure word 份 (fèn) "order" before the item.
In Chinese, there are hundreds of measure words for different types of things. A good measure word to start with for beginners is 个 (gè), which is a general measure word that goes with almost everything.
For example, 一个面包 (yí ge miànbāo), "one piece of bread," 两个香蕉 (liǎng ge xiāngjiāo), "two bananas," or 三个这个 (sān ge zhèige), "three of these."

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