Grammar Phrases General

Question 1

Who is that?

Answer 1

哪是谁？
nǎ shì shuí ？
(The interrogative word takes the place of the answer)

Question 2

Whose book is this?

Answer 2

这是谁的书？
zhè shì shuí de shū ？
(The interrogative word takes the place of the answer)

Question 3

Who is not busy?

Answer 3

谁不忙？
shuí bù máng ？
(The interrogative word takes the place of the answer)

Question 4

What is this?

Answer 4

这是什么？
zhè shì shén me ？
(The interrogative word takes the place of the answer)

Question 5

Look!

Answer 5

看 / 你看
kàn / nǐ kàn
(Imperative. Note the first sounds harsher)

Question 6

Please enter!

Answer 6

请进！
qǐng jìn ！
(polite request using qing)

Question 7

Please drink tea!

Answer 7

请喝茶！
qǐng hē chá ！
(polite request using qing)

Question 8

Teacher Ding

Answer 8

丁老师
dīng lǎo shī
(title succeeds the name)

Question 9

Mr Wang

Answer 9

王先生
wáng xiān shēng
(title succeeds the name)

Question 10

May I ask/Excuse me…

Answer 10

请问
qǐng wèn

Question 11

Where is he?

Answer 11

他在哪儿？
tā zài nǎ ér ？

Question 12

What’s his room number?

Answer 12

他住多少号？
tā zhù duō shǎo hào ？
(use duoshao to ask about room, telephone numbers etc.)

Question 13

I return the book to you

Answer 13

我还你书
wǒ huán nǐ shū
(Subj + Verb + IO + DO. Indirect object precedes direct object in Chinese)

Question 14

Take a look (look a little bit)

Answer 14

看一下儿
kàn yī xiàr
(verb + yixiar = a bit)

Question 15

Use (it) a little bit

Answer 15

用一下儿
yòng yī xiàr
(verb + yixiar = a bit)

Question 16

A (very) good friend

Answer 16

很好的朋友
hěn hǎo de péng yǒu
(hen + adj + de + noun. A 的 is required between the adjective and noun when the 很 + adjective combination precedes the noun)

Question 17

A busy teacher

Answer 17

很忙的老师
hěn máng de lǎo shī
(hen + adj + de + noun. A 的 is required between the adjective and noun when the 很 + adjective combination precedes the noun)

Question 18

Both Palanka and Gubo are good students

Answer 18

帕兰卡和古波都是很好的学生
pà lán kǎ hé gǔ bō doū shì hěn hǎo de xué shēng
(hen + adj + de + noun. A 的 is required between the adjective and noun when the 很 + adjective combination precedes the noun)

Question 19

He often goes to China

Answer 19

他常去中国
tā cháng qù zhōng guó

Question 20

Are you a student?

Answer 20

你是不是学生
nǐ shì bù shì xué shēng

Question 21

Is your friend also going?

Answer 21

你朋友也去吗？
nǐ péng yǒu yě qù má ？
(Note you cannot use V + 不 + V for this question as the sentence contains an adverb)

Question 22

You’re going to the shops to buy books

Answer 22

你去商店买书
nǐ qù shāng diàn mǎi shū

Question 23

Not all of them are students

Answer 23

他们不都是学生
tā mén bù doū shǐ xué shēng

Question 24

None of them is a student

Answer 24

他们都不是学生
tā mén doū bù shì xué shēng

Question 25

He isn’t busy either

Answer 25

他也不忙
tā yě bù máng
(也 always precedes 不)

Question 26

The teacher is now telling us something about Beijing

Answer 26

老师现在介绍北京
lǎo shī xiàn zài jiè shào běi jīng
(介绍 can also mean ‘to tell about’)

Question 27

I don’t recommend you read his book

Answer 27

我不介绍你看他的书
wǒ bù jiè shào nǐ kàn tā de shū
(介绍 can also mean ‘to recommend’)

Question 28

Please introduce us (to each other)

Answer 28

请你介绍一下儿
qǐng nǐ jiè shào yī xiàr
(介绍 can also mean ‘to introduce’. 一下儿 can also be used to soften the request.)

Question 29

I’m not working in a bank

Answer 29

我不在银行工作
wǒ bù zài yín xíng gōng zuò

Question 30

My mother often introduces me to girls

Answer 30

我妈妈常给我介绍女朋友
wǒ mā mā cháng gěi wǒ jiè shào nǚ péng yǒu

Question 31

I am buying a pictorial for my younger brother

Answer 31

我给弟弟买画报
wǒ gěi dì dì mǎi huà bào
(给 component comes before the main verb)

Question 32

How many sisters do you have?

Answer 32

你有几个姐姐妹妹？
nǐ yǒu jī gè jiě jie mèi mei
(use ji for asking about numbers under 10)

Question 33

How many departments does your institute have?

Answer 33

你们学院有多少个系？
nǐ men xué yuàn yǒu duō shao ge xì
(use duoshao for asking about numbers over 10)

Question 34

There are no banks here

Answer 34

那儿没有银行
nàr méi yǒu yín háng

Question 35

I write to him

Answer 35

我给他写信
wǒ gěi tā xiě xìn

Question 36

I’ll introduce my friend to you

Answer 36

我给你介绍我朋友
wǒ gěi nǐ jiè shào wǒ péng you