Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese I Notes

Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese I Notes by Eric Nishio
www.self-learner.com
UNIT 1
n sh mi gu rn ma?
Are you American?
n hu shu yng wn ma?

Can you speak English?
w sh mi gu rn
I am American.
du bu q
Excuse me.
sh, w sh mi gu rn
Yes, I am American.
qng wn
Please let me ask.
n hu shu ma?
Can you speak?
b hu
No (lit. cannot).
w b hu shu p tng hu
I can't speak Mandarin.
y dinr
a little
w hu shu y dinr p tng hu

I can speak a little Mandarin.
In Mandarin, yes and no answers change

depending on the question. For example, a positive
answer to n hu shu ma? would be hu.
ho
well; good
w shu de b ho
I dont speak well.
n ho
Hello.
n ho ma?
How are you? (With good friends. Not to be used
in conjunction with N ho.)
hn ho, xi xi (n)
Very well, thank you.
mi gu rn
American (person)
mi gu
America
UNIT 2
zi jin
Good bye.
sh
yes; to be
Updated April 26, 2012
Page 1 of 22

UNIT 3
w b sh zhng gu rn, k sh w hu shu p

tng hu
Im not Chinese, but I can speak Mandarin.
UNIT 5
n mng bi
You understand. (Understand the situationbut
not a language.)
n zh do ma?
Do you know?
zh do, w zh do
Yes, I know.
w b mng bi n shu shn me

I dont understand what youre saying.
w b zh do
I dont know.
b sh hn ho
Not very well.
chng n ji zi zhr, k sh xu yun l zi nr

Long Peace Street is located here, but College
Road is located over there.
n p tng hu shu de hn ho
You speak Mandarin very well.
b zi zhr, zi nr
Its not located here, its over there.
UNIT 4
sh zi nr
Its located over there.
k sh
but
b sh, b sh zi zhr
No, its not located here.
w sh mi gu rn, n ne?
Im American. How about you?
sh zi zhr ma?
Is it located here? (Sh is used because it is a yes or
no question.)
n ne?
How about you?
chng n ji zi zhr
Long Peace Street is located here.
n b sh zhng gu rn
Youre not Chinese.
xu yun l zi nr?
Where is College Road?
zhng gu
China
w xing
I would like to.
Page 2 of 22

n xing ch y dinr dng xi ma?

Would you like to eat something?
w y xing
I, too, would like to.
y dinr dng xi
(a little) something
UNIT 7
n xing gu y hur h ma?

Would you like to drink later?
y
also
w b xing zi zhr h
I would not like to drink here.
w xing q w nr ch
Id like to go to my place to eat.
gu y hur
later
q w nr
to my place
w nr
my place
w b xing xin zi ch
I would not like to eat now.
n xing q nr ch?
Where would you like (to go) to eat?
n xing shn me sh ho ch?

When would you like to eat?
k sh w b xing ch
But I dont want to eat.
UNIT 6
xan zi
now
k sh w xing h y dinr dng xi

But Id like to drink something.
shn me sh ho?
When?
b xing, xi xi n
No, thank you.
n xing q w nr ch ma?
Would you like to go to my place to eat?
xing, w xing ch y dinr dng xi

Yes, I would like to eat something.
n xing zi nr ch ma?
Would you like to eat over there?
ho
Okay.
Page 3 of 22

fn din
restaurant
k sh w xin zi b xing h
But I would not like to drink now.
q fn din
to a restaurant
ho ma?
Okay?
UNIT 8
bi jng fn dan zi nr
w xing yo ling bi p ji
Id like to order two beers.
w xing q bi jng fn din

I want to go to the Beijing restaurant.
___
w xing yo ___
Id like to order ___.
xin zi b ho
Not now.
yo
want
k sh gu y hur, ho ma?
But later, okay?
ling bi p ji
two beers
w xing q fn din
I want to go to a restaurant.
ling bi
two glasses/containers
p ji
beer
ling
two (when using a measure word)
w xing h y dinr ch
I want to drink some tea.
q w nr ma?
To my place?
y dinr ch
some tea
ch w fn
to eat lunch
n xing ch shn me?

What would you like to eat?
k sh w xing xin zi h y dinr dng xi

But I would like to drink something now.
hi sh
or
Page 4 of 22

n xing h ch hi sh p ji?
Would you like to drink tea or beer?
w xing mi y dinr dng xi

Id like to buy something.
n xing mi shn me?

What would you like to buy?
w xing mi ch hu zh p ji
I would like to order tea or beer.
k sh b sh zi zhr
But not here.
j din zhng?
At what time?
y din zhng
(At) one oclock.
ji din zhng
nine oclock
b
eight
n xing gn w y q h y dinr dng xi ma?

Would you like to eat something with me?
n xing ch y dinr dng xi hi sh h y dinr

dng xi?
Would you like to eat something or drink
something?
gn n y q
with you
In Mandarin, two different words for or are used,

depending on whether they are contained within a
statement (hu zh) or a question (hi sh).
gn shi y q?
(Along) with whom?
y q
along
hu zh
or
shi
who/whom
gn
with
n zh do chng n ji zi nr ma?
Do you know where Long Peace Street is located?
q ji din
to the hotel (Note! Hotels are called fn din in
Taiwan.)
n xing zu shn me?

What would you like to do?
UNIT 9
sh b din zhng ma?

Is it at eight oclock?
Page 5 of 22

b sh, sh ji din zhng

No, its at nine oclock.
xin zi j din zhng?

What time is it now?
ling din zhng

two oclock
w a
As for me...
dng xi
thing/anything
sh
Yes. (When answering yes to a going to
question)
UNIT 10
n yo xin zi ch y dinr dng xi ma?

Are you going to eat something now?
w b xing h dng xi
I dont want to drink anything.
w yo xin zi ch w fn
Im going to have lunch now.
w b mng bi shn me?

What dont I understand?
yo
to be going to
y din zhng b xng, ling din zhng b xng

One oclock impossible, two oclock impossible.
sh s din zhng ma?

Is it four oclock?
b xng
Impossible.
s
four
b ho, xi xi n, w b xing ling din zhng

h.
No thanks. Id not like to drink at two oclock.
sn
three
gu y hur ne?
How about later?
w
five
ho, zi ji din
Okay, at the hotel.
y din zhng
Its one oclock.
b din zhng hi sh ji din zhng?

At eight oclock or at nine oclock?
w a, w yo ch w fn
As for me, Im going to eat lunch.
Page 6 of 22

n xing shn me sh ho gn w y q ch w fn?

When would you like to have lunch with me?
UNIT 11
wn shng
in the evening
mng tin
tomorrow
mng tin w yo gn n y q ch wn fn
Tomorrow Im going to eat dinner with you.
mng tin wn shng q din zhng

tomorrow evening at seven oclock
jn tin w b xing ch dng xi

Today I would not like to eat anything.
n xing jn tin zu shn me?

What would you like to do today?
mng tin jin

See you tomorrow.
jn tin
today
n me q din zhng ba
In that case, lets say seven oclock.
sh
ten
ba
lets say
n me
in that case; then
jn tin wn shng w yo ch wn fn
Im going to eat dinner this evening.
q
seven
li
six
wn fn
dinner
b sh xin zi
It isnt now.
xin zi ma?
Now?
jn tin wn shng
this evening
xin zi s din zhng

Now its four oclock.
UNIT 12
sh sh din zhng ma?

Is it ten oclock?
Page 7 of 22

The measure word kui is not needed when asking

how much.
du sho?
How much/many?
w yu sh s kui rn mn b
I have 14 renminbi.
du sho qin?
How much money? / How much does it cost?
rn mn b
renminbi (currency of the Peoples Republic of
China)
n yu mi yu?
Do you have?
mi yu
Dont have.
n yu mi yu q kui rn mn b?
Do you have seven renminbi?
ling kui rn mn b
two renminbi
n yu ma?
Do you have?
sh r kui rn mn b
12 renminbi
w yu sh s kui mi jn
I have 14 US dollars.
sh r
twelve
sh y
eleven
n yu du sho mi jn?
How many American dollars do you have?
y kui rn mn b
one (unit of) renminbi
mi yu
No (I dont have).
UNIT 13
ji
plus
shn me sh ho? sh jn tin ma?

When? Is it today?
n yu du sho rn mn b?
How much renminbi do you have?
sh y ji y
eleven plus one
hi sh mng tin?
Or tomorrow?
w mi yu rn mn b
I dont have (any) renminbi.
Page 8 of 22

[n]
n, sh kui mi jn
Here you are, ten American dollars.
[n]
gi w y dinr rn mn b
Give me some renminbi.
n xing b xing ch y dinr dng xi?

Would you like to eat something?
UNIT 15
ch sh gi n de
The tea is for you.
w yu y dinr mi jn
I have some US dollars.
gi n de
for you
w yu hn du rn mn b
I have a lot of renminbi.
n shu shn me?

What did you say?
n yu du sho mi jn?
How many American dollars do you have?
w gi n sh kui mi jn
Im giving you ten American dollars.
du
much
gi w sh q hu zh sh b kui mi jn
Give me seventeen or eighteen US dollars.
n yo b yo?
Do you want?
b k q
Dont mention it.
w b yo rn mn b
I dont want any renminbi.
w yo
I want.
sh b sh zi nr?
Is it located over there?
bo zh
newspaper
b sh hn du
It isnt very much.
ho, n, y bi p ji
Okay, here you are, one beer.
UNIT 14
y bi p ji du sho qin?
How much does one beer cost?
y kui rn mn b y bi
One renminbi for one cup.
Page 9 of 22

ch ling kui
The teatwo units.
w b k y
I cant.
k y, w jn tin wn shng k y
Yes, I can this evening.
UNIT 16
k y = able to
hu = know how to
ti du qin le
Its too much money.
r sh
twenty
r sh s
twenty-four
gu le
Its enough.
b gu
Its not enough.
n jn tin wn shng k b k y?
Can you ___ this evening?
ti du le
Its too much.
w yu y dinr, b sh hn du
I have some. Not very many.
w b k y gi n
I cant give you (any).
ti
too; excessively
n k b k y gi w y dinr qin?
Can you give me some money?
w b k y xin zi ch
I cant eat now.
hn du qin
Thats a lot of money.
k y, w k y xin zi ch
Yes, I can eat now.
n k b k y xin zi ch?
Can you eat now?
sh gi w de ma?
Is it for me?
n k b k y?
Can you?
sh b sh gi w de?
w k y
I can.
With the negative, le is not needed.
Page 10 of 22

sn sh w, gu le
Thirty-five, thats enough.
xin zi w yu s sh y kui rn mn b
Now I have 41 renminbi.
ti du le ma?
sh b sh ti du le?
Is it too much?
n qin gu b gu?
Do you have enough money?
b sh, k sh gu le
No, but its enough.
ti gu le
Its too expensive.
n k y gi w y dinr qin ma?
b ti gu
Its not too expensive.
n k b k y gi w y dinr qin?
Can you give me some money?
w b gu
I dont have enough.
n yu qin ma?
Do you have any money?
n qin gu ma?
n yu mi jn gi w ma?
UNIT 17
n yu mi yu mi jn gi w?
Do you have American dollars for me?
n yu rn mn b gi w ma?
n shu de ti kui le
You speak too quickly.
n yu mi yu rn mn b gi w?
Do you have renminbi for me?
Thus, gu le can also mean to have enough.
w qin gu le
I have enough money.
n shu de hn kui
You speak very quickly.
w gu le
I have enough.
w shu de b kui
I dont speak quickly.
gu ma?
gu b gu?
Is it enough?
w shu de kui le ma?

Do I speak quickly?
n shu de b kui
You dont speak quickly.
Page 11 of 22

n qin gu ma?
shu
water
n qin gu b gu?
Do you have enough money?
m fn n gi w shu
Please give me water.
UNIT 18
y bi
one-hundred
w de xin shng shu de hn kui

My husband speaks very fast.
shi zi nr?
Whos over there?
UNIT 19
li sh b kui ti gu le
Sixty-eight units is too expensive.
t zi nr
Hes over there.
t zi nr
where is she?
w de ti tai xing h y dinr dng xi

My wife would like to drink something.
n me ch ne?
Then what about tea?
w de ti tai zi nr
My wife is over there.
n me n xing h y dinr dng xi ma?

Then would you like to drink something?
ti tai
wife
w yo gn w de xin shng y q ch wn fn
Im going to eat dinner with my husband.
b jio gu
Its more expensive. (Lit. Its relatively
expensive.)
zi nr, b ti gu
Over there, its not too expensive.
M fn n literally means bothering you.
hn gu
Its very expensive.
Chn xin shng xing h shn me?

What would Mr. Chen like to drink?
zi zhr b jio gu
Here its more expensive.
qng jn
Please come in.
Page 12 of 22

M fn n is used when asking for something. Its

like saying, Please give me.
Qng is used when making an offer or inviting
someone to do something.
An affirmative answer to the previous question:

sh.
shi?
Who is it?
sh w de xin shng
Its my husband.
n men zh
You (plural) live.
n men zh zi nr?
n gn n de ti tai zi y q ma?
You along with your wife are located together?
n men
you (plural)
m fn n w men xing h ch
Please, we would like to drink tea.
w men zh zi zhr
We live here.
h
and
w de xin shng h w
my husband and I
w men b zh zi zhr
We dont live here.
Ellis
Ellis ti tai zi nr?
Where is Mrs. Ellis?
t gn n zi y q ma?
Is she with you?
t gn n de xin shng zi y q
She is with your husband.
n men yu xio hr ma?

Do you have children?
j g xio hr?
How many children?
Ge is a measure word used when referring to the
size of a group of people.
n men yu j ge xio hr?

How many children do you have?
w men zh zi hu shng dn
We live in Washington.
w de ti tai zi w nr
My wife is at my place.
UNIT 20
n zh zi nr?
Where do you live?
w men yu sn ge xio hr
We have three children.
Page 13 of 22

ling ge r zi
two sons
zhn de?
Really?
sh, zhn de
Yes, really.
x shu jin zi nr?

Where is the bathroom?
t b sh hn d
Shes not very grown-up.
t zhn de hn xio
He is really very young.
sh, t hn d le
Yes, hes very grown-up.
w de r zi hn xio
My son is very young.
n de r zi hn d le ma?
Is your son very grown-up?
xio n r
younger daughter
The ending le, in conjunction with d, indicates

maturityrather than size.
n k y dng y hur ma?

Can you wait a moment?
w de r zi hn d le
My son is very grown-up.
dng y hur
Wait one moment.
d
big
hn du xio hr
Thats a lot of children.
d r zi
older son
w mi yu r zi
I dont have any sons.
y g n r
one daughter
UNIT 21
ji rn
family
t men hn d le
Theyre very grown-up.
d r zi gn w men zi y q
The older son is (together) with us.
Page 14 of 22

d r zi gn w men zi zhr
The older son is here with us.
fi j
airplane
n men de ji rn hn du
You have a very big family.
w de ji rn yo q xing gng
My family is going to go to Hong Kong.
xio sh
hour
j ge xio sh?
How many hours?
sn ge xio sh
three hours
yo j ge xio sh?
How many hours is it?
yo sn ge xio sh
Its going to be three hours.
w men mng tin yo q xing gng

We are going to go to Hong Kong.
l
inside
ling qin
two-thousand
n ji l yu j ge rn?
How many people are in your family?
j ge rn?
How many people?
fi j chng zi nr?
Where is the airport?
w de ji rn gn w zi y q
My family is with me.
zi wn y c
Ask it again.
t yo zu fi j q xing gng
She is going to take an airplane to Hong Kong.
wn
Ask.
n men yo zu fi j q ma?
Are you going to take a plane?
b sh hn du
Not very many.
UNIT 22
UNIT 23
ling ge d rn
two adults
Page 15 of 22

___
p tng hu ___ zn me shu?

How do you say ___ in Mandarin?
n ge bn j?
Which flight?
w men ji l yu hn du rn
There are many people in our family.
hn gu ma?
Is it very expensive?
UNIT 24
zi zhng gu zu fi j sh b sh hn gu?
In China, is it expensive to travel by airplane?
14
yo sh s g xio sh
It takes 14 hours.
bn j
flight
zi zhng gu zu fi j hn gu ma?
ti yun le
It's too far.
zh ge bn j q xing gng ma?

Does this flight go to Hong Kong?
zh ge bn j
this flight
xing gng hn yun ma?

xing gng sh b sh hn yun?
Is Hong Kong very far?
y zh wng qin zu
Go straight ahead.
xing gng b sh hn yun

Hong Kong is not very far.
y zh wng qin
straight ahead
hn yun
It's very far.
zu
go (when describing an ongoing motion)
yo j ge xio sh?
How many hours is it?
n ge bn j q xing gng?
Which flight goes to Hong Kong?
bi
hundred
zu fi j hn gu
Flying is very expensive.
n
which
gng b
Hong Kong dollar
Page 16 of 22

70
w yu q sh kui gng b
I have 70 Hong Kong dollars.
w gu le
I have enough.
yng hung do
King's Road
zu yng hung do
Take King's Road
tio l
road (tio is a measure word for roads)
yu bin
to the right
yu bin n tio l
the road to the right
n tio l?
Which road?
zu bin
to the left
zu bin n tio l ma?

The road to the left?
zu zu bin n tio l ma?

Take the road to the left?
rn hu
then
rn hu y zh wng qin zu
Then go straight ahead.
n tio sh yng hung do

That is King's Road.
gu y
Mandarin (The term is mainly used in Hong
Kong.)
n shu de ti kui le
You speak too fast.
Qng zi shu y c
Please say it again.
n yng gi zu yu bin n tio l

You should take the road to the right.
yng gi
should
n tio sh yng hung do?

Which is King's Road? (The measure word tio is
used to imply "which road".)
b sh y zh wng qin zu
It's not straight ahead.
fn din b sh hn yun
The restaurant isn't too far.
w yng gi zu n tio l?
I should take which road?
Page 17 of 22

w zhn de b zh do
I really don't know.
UNIT 25
shng din yu mi yu ki mn?

Are the shops open?
mn
door
UNIT 26
n yu du sho gng b?
How many Hong Kong dollars do you have?
shng din gun mn le

The stores have been closed.
b sh hn wn
Its not too late.
gun mn le
The doors have been closed. (The le indicates
have been.)
w xing mi y dinr dng xi gi w de ti tai

I want to buy something for my wife.
gun
closed
mng tin shng din ki mn?

Are the shops open tomorrow?
shng din
store
xin zi shng din ki mn le ma?

Are the shops open now?
yn wi
because
mi yu, shng din mi yu ki mn

No, the shops are not open.
wi shn me?
Why?
shng din ki mn le ma?
ki mn
open doors
n b k y mi dng xi
You cant buy anything.
ki
open
w k y zi zhr mi y dinr dng xi ma?

Can I buy something here?
yn wi ti wn le
Because its too late.
n tio l zi nr
The road is over there.
n yo zi nr zu shn me?
What are you going to do there?
Page 18 of 22

png yu
friend
k nng sn tin
Maybe three days.
w yo kn j ge png yu
Im going to see some friends.
k nng
maybe
n xing mi dng xi ma?

Would you like to buy something?
j tin?
How many days?
w yo zi bi jng di j tin
Im going to stay some days in Beijing.
n yo di
You are going to stay.
m fan n gi w j kui rn mn b
Please give me some renminbi.
w yo zi nr di sn tin
Im going to stay there three days.
w k nng yo
Maybe I will.
di
stay
Peter
n yo kn Peter ma?
Are you going to see Peter?
ling tin
two days (a measure word is not needed for days)
w xing w yo gng zu
I think Im going to work.
w yo q nr gng zu
Im going to go there to work.
w xing
I think.
gng zu
work
k nng yo
Maybe yes (I will).
w yu j ge png yu zi bi jng
I have some friends in Beijing.
w k nng yo kn j ge png yu
Maybe Im going to see some friends.
t men b sh zi xing gng

Theyre not in Hong Kong.
n yo zi nr zu shn me?
What are you going to do there?
w xing w yo zi nr gng zu
I think Ill work there.
Page 19 of 22

UNIT 27
w men yo y q zu
Were going to leave together.
ji w y ge rn zu
Im leaving alone.
w xing zu le
Id like to leave.
n yo zi bi jng di j tin?
How many days are you going to stay in Beijing?
w h w de xin shng y q
My husband and I are together.
n yo q nr zu shn me?
What are you going to go there to do?
k nng sh
Maybe yes.
n xing zu le ma?
n xing b xing zu? (Le is dropped)

Would you like to leave?
UNIT 28
shn me y si?
Whats the meaning?
w b xing zu
Id not like to leave. (Le is dropped)
ji n y ge rn ma?
Are you alone?
ji tin le
For nine days.
ji w y g rn
Im alone.
j tin le
For a few days.
ji
only
du ji le?
For how long?
w xing gn n y q zu
Id like to leave with you.
w men zi zhr j tin le

We have been here for some days. (Le = have
been)
w men yo y q zu
Were going to leave together. (Le is dropped)
y si
meaning
mng tin w yo zu le
Tomorrow, Im going to leave.
w xing di j tin
Id like to stay for some days.
Page 20 of 22

n men yo di du ji?
Youre going to stay how long?
w men sh zu tin do de
We arrived yesterday.
___
k nng w yo kn j ge png yu
Maybe Ill see a few friends.
w x hun p ji.
I like beer.
w x hun ch dng xi
I like to eat.
zu tin w mi yu ch dng xi
I didnt eat anything yesterday.
y ge xng q le
It has been a week.
w zu tin ch le.
I ate yesterday.
y ge xng q
one week
j ge xng q
a few weeks
ch le
Yes, I ate.
xng q
weeks
n ch le ma?
Did you eat?
ri y hn le
Thats really too bad.
UNIT 29
w mi le y dinr dng xi h
I bought something to drink.
n men zi zhr du ji le?

How long have you been here?
n mi le shn me?
What did you buy?
yn wi w men mi yu sh jin
Because we dont have the time.
n mi le
You bought.
sh jin
time
n zu tin mi le shn me?

What did you buy yesterday?
y si sh ___
The meaning is ___.
Mi yu is used to express that something did not

happen in the past.
Page 21 of 22

w men k y y q ch
We can eat together.
n sh shn me sh hou do de?

When did you arrive?
UNIT 30
zu tin zo shng
yesterday morning
w men sh jn tin zo shng do de

We arrived this morning.
n men sh shn me sh hou do bi jng de?

When did you arrive at Beijing?
Word order: do [location] de
w sh gn w de ji rn y q do de
I arrived with my family.
gn w de sn g xio hr y q
with my three children
n men zu tin q le tin tn ma?

Did you go to Tiantan (Temple of Heaven)
yesterday?
n shn me sh hou q le?

When did you go?
w men zi fn din ch le y dinr dng xi

We ate something at a restaurant.
Page 22 of 22

Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese I Notes

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Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese I Notes by Eric Nishio

n hu shu yng wn ma?

w hu shu y dinr p tng hu

In Mandarin, yes and no answers change

Updated April 26, 2012