Key Points of Mandarin

Beijing dialect as the standard for Mandarin

21 initials (consonants) + 16 finals (vowels)

tā (1 initial + 1 final + 1 tone) bā (8) mā (mom)

hē kāfēi
S. + V. + O.
Tā hē kāfēi. (He/She drinks coffee.)
chá tea
shuǐ water
 One word, one syllable, one sound
nǐ 你 wǒ 我 tā 他
(you) (I/me) (he/him/she/her/it)
A vocabulary qiǎokèlì (chocolate)
nǐmen 你們 wǒmen 我們 tāmen 他們 (pl.)
(you) (we/us) (they/them)
with a tone (4 tones) + neutral tone (different tones – different words/meanings)

mā má mǎ mà
mother linen horse scold
tāng táng tǎng tàng
soup sugar lie hot

neutral tones (very short sound, the pitch will change along with the previous one’s)

bàba māma gēge jiějie dìdi mèimei

(dad) (mom) (elder brother) (elder sister) (younger brother) (younger sister)

Tones
1st tone yì shēng 55 the first dì yī
2nd tone èr shēng 35 the second dì èr
3rd tone sān shēng 214 the third dì sān
4th tone sì shēng 51 the fourth dì sì

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Ayvjy-Dgs (Chinese Pinyin in 6 Mins)

Places of Articulation

• 雙唇音　Bilabials: b, p, m
• 唇齒音　Labiodentals: f
• 齒　音　Dental: z/zi, c/ci, s/si
• 齒齦音　Alveolars: d, t, n, l
• 硬顎音　Palatals: zh/zhi, ch/chi, sh/shi, r/ri, j, q, x
• 軟顎音　Velars: g, k, h
• 捲舌音　Retroflex: zh/zhi, ch/chi, sh/shi, r/ri

Where in your mouth for Mandarin pronunciation

 upper lip (2): b, p, m,
lower lip (3): b, p, m, f
upper teeth (4): f, z, c, s
lower teeth (5): z, c, s.
upper gum (6): d, t, n, l
hard palate (7): zh, ch, sh, r, j, q, x
soft palate (8): g, k, h
tip of tongue (10): z,c,s
d,t,n,l
zh,ch,sh,r
front of tongue (11): j, q, x
back of tongue (12): g, k, h

1: tā (he/she) hē (drink) chī (eat) kāfēi (coffee) fēijī(airplane)

2: chá (tea) rén (people) qián (money) xué (study) lái (come)
3: shuǐ (water) nǐ (you) wǒ (I) zǎo (morning) hǎo (good)
4: sì (4) yào (want) fàn (rice) miàn (noodle), ròu (meat) shì (am/is/are)
duì (correct) cài (vegetable) sù

1-1 hē kāfēi (drink coffee)

1-2 hē chá (drink tea) huānyíng (welcome) Zhōngwén (Chinese) Yīngwén (English)
1-3 hē shuǐ (drink water) Gōngguǎn
1-4 chīfàn (eat rice / have a meal) chī ròu (eat meat)
chī miàn (eat noodle) zhūròu (pork) jīròu(chicken)

2-1 Táiwān xuéshēng (student)

2-2 tóngxué (classmate)
2-3 Táiběi (Taipei) niúnǎi(milk) péngyǒu (friend)
2-4 niúròu (beef) bú yào (do not want) bú shì (is not)
3-1 xǐhuān (like) lǎoshī (teacher)
3-2 Měiguó (USA) nǎichá(milk tea)
3-3 -> 2-3 shuǐguǒ (fruit) Nǐ hǎo. (Hi!)
Nǐ zǎo. (Morning)
3-4 zǎofàn (breakfast) wǎnfàn (dinner) dǎogào (pray)
Qǐng jìn. (Please come in.) Qǐng zuò (Please be seated.) Qǐng wèn. (May I ask…)
Wǒ shì …(I am…) Wǒ yào (I want …)

4-1 miànbāo (bread) dàngāo (cake)

4-2 Yìnní (Indonesia ) Yuènán (Vietnam) bù chī (do not eat)
4-3 bù hǎo (not good)
4-4 piàoliàng (beautiful) nèiyòng (eat inside) wàidài (take out)
shuìjiào (sleep) shàngkè (attend the class) xiàkè (class is over)

2-1-4 Táikēdà (NTUST)

4-2-2 Yìnnírén (Indonesian)
4-4-2 Yìndùrén (Indian)
2-4-4 búkèqì (You are welcome.)

Mark tones
Mark above“a”
i) Wǒ ài nǐ. (I love you.) Nǐ ài wǒ. (You love me.)
Wǒ mǎi shuǐ. (I buy water.)

ii) Mark above “o” or “e” if there is no “a”

Wǒ yǒu bǐ. (I have a pen.)
Xièxie. (Thanks.)
iii) Mark above the latter of “iu” or “ui” 6 (liù) 9 (jiǔ)
Wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén.
(I can speak Chinese.)
Wǒ huì tī zúqiú.
(I can play football.)
Tài guì le. (Too expensive.)

iv) Mark above any other single vowel when the above are not applicable.
Basic sentence order:
S. + V. + O.
Tā hē kāfēi. ( chá / shuǐ)
Wǒ xǐhuān kāfēi. (I like coffee.)
Wǒ shì Yìnnírén. (Yìndùrén / xuéshēng)
(I am a student. )
Question: S. + V. + O. + ma? (question word for yes/no questions)
 Tā hē kāfēi ma?
Nǐ shì xuéshēng ma? (Are you a student?)
Q: Nǐ shì xuéshēng + ma?
A1: (Shì) wǒ shì xuéshēng. (positive answer -> simply drop “ma”)
(Yes, I am a student.)
A2: Bú shì. (No.)

Q: Nǐ yào shuǐ ma? = Nǐ yào búyào Shuǐ?

(you, want, water) (Do you want water or not?)
A1: Yào. (Yes.)
(want)`
A2: Bú yào. (No.)
(not, want)

A: Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? = Nǐ shì bú shì lǎoshī? (Are you a teacher?)

B: Wǒ shì lǎoshī, nǐ ne? (I am a teacher, and you?)
(I, am, teacher)
A: Wǒ yě shì. (Me, too.)
(I, also, am)

Frequently used expressions

A: Xièxie! (Thanks.) -> B: Búkèqì. (You are welcome.)

A: Duìbùqǐ. (I am sorry.) -> B: Méiquānxi. (It doesn’t matter. It’ OK.)

A: Huānyíng! (Welcome.) -> B: Xièxie!

A: Bùhǎoyìsi. (Excuse me.)

Jiè guò! (You will say this when one is on your way.)

Q: Hǎo bù hǎo? (Is it OK?)

A1: Hǎode. (OK, more formal) Hǎo wa! (OK, more casual)
A2: Bù hǎo.

Q: Dǒng bù dǒng? (Do you understand or not?)

A1: Dǒng le! (Understood.)
A2: Bù dǒng. (Do not understand.)

Q: Yǒu méiyǒu wèntí? (Do you have questions?)

A1: Wǒ yǒu wèntí. (I have a question.)
A2: Méiyǒu. (No.)
 Q: Hǎo le ma? (Are you done? / Are you ready?)
A1: Hǎo le. (Done!)
A2: Hái méi. (Not yet.)

Qǐng shuō màn yì diǎn. (Please speak more slowly.)

(please, speak, slowly, a little)

Qǐng zài shuō yí cì. (Please say one more time. Please repeat.)
(please, again, say, one time)
S. + hěn + S.V.
Wǒ hěn hǎo (I am fine. )
Tā hěn gāo. (She/He is tall.)
(she/he, very, tall)

Independent word / depends on context

(verbs without changes, no singular or plural for nouns)
Wǒ mǎi bǐ. (I buy a pen / pens.)
S. V. O. (basic sentence pattern)
Wǒ yào qù mǎi bǐ. (I am going to buy a pen / pens.)
S. V1 V2 V3 O.

Wǒ zuótiān mǎi bǐ. (I bought a pen / pens yesterday.)

S. Time(when) V. O.

Wǒ mǎi le yì zhī bǐ. (I bought a pen.)

S. V. le Nu M.O. (Number + Measure word)
Wǒ mǎi le bǐ le. (I have already bought a pen / pens.)
S. V. le O. le
Q: Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? = (Are you a teacher?)
S. V. O. ma?
A: Wǒ shì lǎoshī, nǐ ne? (I am a teacher, and you?)
(I, am, teacher)
Q: Nǐ xǐhuān hē chá ma? (Do you like to drink tea?)
(you, like, drink, tea)
= Nǐ xǐhuān bù xǐhuān hē chá? (Do you like to drink tea or not?)
A1: Xǐhuān. (Yes.)
(like)
A2: Bù xǐhuān. (No.)
(not, like)
我的朋友在哪裡 (Where are my friends?)
Wode pengyou zai nali?

一 二 三 四 五 六 七
Yi er san si wu liu qi

我的朋友在哪裡
Wode pengyou zai nali?
在這裡 在這裡. 我的 朋友 在這裡
Zai zheli zai zheli. Wode pengyou zai zheli

( here, here. My friends are here.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcCGldO92jA