Lesson 1 您贵姓 What’s your surname (honorific)?

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Xiānsheng nín guì xìng?

A：先生 您 贵姓？
What’s your surname, sir?

Miǎn guì xìng wáng, wǒ jiào Wáng Lì.

B：免 贵 姓 王，我 叫 王力。
My surname is Wang. My name is Wang Li.

Wǒ jiào Luólán. Wáng xiānsheng shì Běijīngrén ma?

A：我 叫 罗兰。 王 先生 是 北京人 吗？
My name is Roland. Are you from Beijing, Mr. Wang?

Wǒ shì Shàngháirén, Luólán xiǎojiě ne?

B：我 是 上海人， 罗兰 小姐 呢？
I am from Shanghai. How about you, Ms. Roland?

Wǒ shì Fǎguórén.
A：我 是 法国人。
I’m French.

Vocabulary

先生 xiānsheng Mr./sir

您 nín you (honorific)

贵姓 guìxìng surname

姓 xìng to have a family name of…

免贵 miǎnguì dispense with honorifics

王 wáng Wang
我 wǒ I/me

我姓王 wǒxìngwáng My surname is Wang

叫 jiào to be called

我叫王力 Wǒjiào Wáng Lì. My name is Wang Li

是 shì am/is/are

北京人 Běijīngrén a native of Beijing

吗 ma a modal particle denoting a question

上海人 Shànghǎirén a native of Shanghai

小姐 xiǎojiě Miss/Ms.

呢 ne a modal particle denoting a question

我是上海人，罗兰小姐呢？ Wǒ shì Shànghǎirén, Luólán xiǎojiě ne?

法国人 Fǎguórén a French person

王力 Wáng Lì Wang Li

罗兰 Luólán Roland