Learn how to ask and answer the question, "Do you speak Chinese?"
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| Eric: Top 25 Chinese Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 5: Can you speak 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 “Can you speak Chinese?” In Chinese this is |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? |
| 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: 会 |
| Eric: meaning “can” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 会 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 会 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你会 |
| {pause} |
| And after that |
| Cho: 说 |
| Eric: meaning “to speak.” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 说 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 说 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 3 words of the question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你会说 |
| {pause} |
| And after that |
| Cho: 中文 |
| Eric: meaning “Chinese” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 中文 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 中文 |
| Listen to the the first 4 words of the question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你会说中文 |
| And after that |
| Cho: 吗 |
| Eric: A particle indicating a yes-or-no question |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 吗 |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Cho: 吗 |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗 |
| {pause} |
| Eric: It literally means “Can you speak Chinese?” |
| Eric: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question Can you speak Chinese? |
| Cho: 会一点。 |
| Eric: "I speak a little.” Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Cho: (Slow) 会一点。 |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| Cho: 会 |
| Eric: means “can” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 会 |
| Eric: Now repeat |
| Cho: 会 |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: And after that |
| Cho: 一点 |
| meaning “a bit”, “a little bit.” |
| Cho: (Slow, by syllable) 一点 |
| Eric:Now repeat. |
| Cho: 一点 |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the speaker say, “I speak a little.”, and then repeat. |
| Cho: 会一点。 |
| {pause} |
| Eric: To use a different phrase, replace “a little” with “some.” |
| Cho: 一些 |
| Eric: some |
| Cho: (slow) 一些 (regular) 一些 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with some |
| Cho: 会一些。 |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “a little” with “some.” Say “I speak some.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho:会一些。 |
| Eric: To use a different phrase, replace “some” with “a few phrases.” |
| Cho: 一两句 |
| Eric: a few phrases |
| Cho: (slow) 一两句 (regular) 一两句 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “a few phrases” |
| Cho: 会一两句。 |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “some” with “a few phrases.” Say “I speak a few phrases.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho:会一两句。 |
| Eric: To expand on the pattern, replace “a few phrases” with “a lot.” |
| Cho: 很多 |
| Eric: a lot |
| Cho: (slow) 很多 (regular) 很多 |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “a lot” |
| Cho: 会很多。 |
| Eric: Say “I speak a lot.” |
| {pause} |
| Cho: 会很多。 |
| Eric: To say "no", in a simple way, just say: |
| Cho: 不会。 |
| Eric: Which is like saying “No, I don't speak it” in English. Let's hear it slowly. |
| Cho: (Slowly) 不会。 |
| Eric: And one more time at normal speed: |
| Cho: 不会。 |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting China and someone asks you if you speak Chinese . You want to answer that you speak a little. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? (five seconds) 会一点。 |
| Eric: Now you want to answer that you speak some. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? (five seconds) 会一些。 |
| Eric: You want to answer that you speak a few phrases. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? (five seconds) 会一两句。 |
| Eric: Now you want to answer that you speak a lot. Respond to the question. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? (five seconds) 会很多。 |
| Eric: Now you want to ask someone if they speak Chinese. Ask the question. |
| (5 seconds) |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Now it's time to answer the question with actual information about yourself. |
| Cho: 你会说中文吗? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: This is the end of Lesson 5 |
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