Learn how to ask and answer the question "What do you do?"
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| Eric: Top 25 Chinese Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 4: “What do you do?” 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 the question 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 do you do?” In Chinese this is |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? |
| 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: 是 |
| Eric: meaning “to be” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 是 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 是 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你是 |
| {pause} |
| And next |
| 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: 你是做 |
| {pause} |
| And next |
| Cho: 什么 |
| Eric: meaning “what” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 什么 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 什么 |
| Listen to the the first 4 words of the question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你是做什么 |
| {Pause} |
| Next |
| Cho: 的 |
| Eric: A particle tagged on the end of a sentence |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 的 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 的 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你是做什么的 |
| {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 do you do?” |
| Cho: 我是老师。 |
| Eric: "I'm a teacher.. Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Cho: (Slow) 我是老师。 |
| {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: And after that |
| Cho: 是 |
| meaning “to be.” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 是 |
| Eric:Now repeat. |
| Cho: 是 |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: And after that |
| Cho: 老师 |
| meaning “teacher.” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 老师 |
| Eric:Now repeat. |
| Cho: 老师 |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the speaker say, “I'm a teacher.”, and then repeat. |
| Cho: 我是老师。 |
| {pause} |
| Eric: To make another phrase, replace teacher with police officer. |
| Cho: 警察 |
| Eric: police |
| Cho: (slow) 警察 (regular) 警察 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with police officer |
| Cho: 我是警察。 |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace teacher with police officer. Say “I'm a police officer.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho: 我是警察。 |
| Eric: To use a different phrase, replace police officer with nurse. |
| Cho: 护士 |
| Eric: nurse |
| Cho: (slow) 护士 (regular) 护士 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with nurse |
| Cho: 我是护士。 |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace police officer with nurse. Say “I'm a nurse.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho: 我是护士。 |
| Eric: To make another phrase, replace nurse with driver. |
| Cho: 司机 |
| Eric: driver |
| Cho: (slow) 司机 (regular) 司机 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with driver |
| Cho: 我是司机。 |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace nurse with driver. Say “I'm a driver.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho: 我是司机。 |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting China and someone asks what you do. You are a teacher. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? (five seconds) 我是老师。 |
| Eric: Imagine you are a police officer. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你是做什么? (five seconds) 我是警察。 |
| Eric: Imagine you are a nurse. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? (five seconds) 我是护士。 |
| Eric: Imagine you're driver. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? (five seconds) 我是司机。 |
| Eric: You want to learn what that person does. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Now it's time to answer the question with actual information about yourself. |
| Cho: 你是做什么的? |
| Eric: This is the end of Lesson 4 |
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