Spoken Grammar Mandarin IIC Flashcards
it’s not interesting at all
有什麽意思
- more stronger version of 沒有意思
correct, you’re right, exactly
- used to show that the speaker agrees with the previous speaker
沒錯
how shall i put it
- utterance final, shows hesitation on what to say
怎麽説呢
that’s not necessarily so
- shows the current speaker does not fully agree with the previous speaker
那可不見得
it would seem that, it seems that
- can be used both in reaction to what was said before, but also when reacting to something you see
看來
keep verb-ing for a long time
- in most cased the verb is monosyllabic
verb 個不停
it isn’t as if X
又 negation X
- often in the phrase “又不是”
instead of X, it’s better to Y
- often the Y is so obvious, the whole first half can be omitted
與其 X 不如 Y
it is absolutely necessary to Verb
非 Verb 不可
take X as an example
- used to introduce an example to strengthen the speakers argument
拿 X 來説
don’t tell me X
- used in rhetorical questions, often ending with 嗎
難道 X
finally, in the end
- for questions
到底
who says X?
- used to start of a rhetorical question to express the speakers disagreement with a prior statement
誰説 X？
the day will come that X, one day X will happen
- introduces something the speaker expects will definitely happen one day
總有一天 X
so that means X, according to what you said….
- introduces new insight the speaker has gained as a direct result of what has been said previously
這麽説來，X
not so good, nothing special, mediocre
不怎麽樣
it does not matter at all!, what does it matter?
有什麽關係！
that may be so(, but…)
- indicates the speaker concedes a fact mentioned in the prior talk, but would like to express disagreement as well
- if it has a follow up sentence, this usually starts with 還是 or 不過
話是怎麽說
would rather X than Y
- indicates reluctant preference for X
寧可 X，也不 Y
simply, (+ negation) at all
- serves to imply the exaggeration
簡直
quite X; rather X
- second one is frequently used in southern China and Taiwan
挺 X 的
ting3
蠻 X 的
man2
X and the like, X and things like that
- after several coordinate words or phrases
- first one is informal
X 什麽的
X 之類的
adj enough
- indicates the adj has achieved a certain level
- can often be translated a ‘quite’
夠 adj 的了
at the very least, minimally
- first one is more colloquial
起碼
至少
to regard X as Y
把 X 當作 Y
rely on X
- indicates the manner in which something is achieved
靠 X
utterance final particle that serves to call the attention of the interlocutor.
- often occurs with 可
哦
pronounced ‘o’ with a high pitch similar to the first tone
i see, now i get it
- indicates that the speaker understands what the previous speaker was trying to explain
原來是這樣
原來如此
that’s ridiculous, that’s shocking
- indicates that a situation is unreasonable or ridiculous.
- carries the tone of criticism or dissatisfaction
- second one is more rhetorical
不像話
像什麽話
just forget what i said
- usually used in a response
就當我沒説
that’s actually right
- indicates that the speaker agrees with what the previous speaker said
- implies that this agreement is proven by a fact which the speaker had not considered so far
還真是
at long last, in the end, finally
- is placed after the subject and indicates the end result of a long process
終於
it just happened, coincidentally
- implies a positive coincidence
正好
to be good at
- can be followed by a verb
善於
neg: 不善於
this way and that, V back and forth
- indicates that an action is continuously repeated
- the Verb here is usually monosyllabic
V 來 V 去
in succession, in a row
- always co-occurs with a numeral phrase
- indicates that the action of the Verb continues without interruption
一連 V
an informal version of hello
嗨
hai
an interjection at the start of a sentence to indicate the speaker’s surprise
哇
wa
that’s ridiculous, you’re kidding me
- used to indicate something in the prior talk was ridiculous
- sometimes used in a refusal, indicating that it is impossible to meet the demands of the interlocutors
開什麽玩笑
okay, anyway
- usually used to close the current topic or conversation
好了
there’s nothing wrong with it
- often used to refute the prior speaker’s opinion
沒什麽不好的
who would have thought of that
- shows that the speaker does not understand why something happened
怎麽會
怎麽會這樣
okay, fine then
- indicates a weak agreement, showing that the speaker can do nothing but agree
好吧
not much/many N
- indicates that the Noun has a low amount involved
沒什麽 N
he, she, they
- functions as a third person pronoun
- used more frequently by female speakers
- indicates or emphasizes a perceived contrast or distance between the speaker and the person referred to
人家
extremely Adj
- indicates an extreme degree of the Adjective
Adj 的要命
a lot
- usually used in the predicate
有的是
多的是
not knowing what/how to V
- indicates that the speaker finds it difficult to make a choice
不知道 V 什麽
不知道怎麽 V
i don’t know why, somehow
- can be used before or after the subject
不知怎麽的
if this happens, in that way
- introduces a conclusion based on the previous conversation
這樣一來，。。。
every family
- used as a subject
每家每戶
家家戶戶
if (it/things) goes on like this, …
- introduces an outcome that will definitely occur
照這樣下去，。。。
even though it’s a bit Adj, …
Adj 是 Adj 了 點/些，但是/可是/不過。。。
to be (very) particular about X
對 X (很)講究
jiang3jiu4
- utterance final particle that serves to indicate that the statement it is attached to is obvious and the hearer is supposed to know that
嘛
ma
- filler word/phrase you use when you don’t know what to say or are reluctant to say something
呃
e, e2
這個
that was close!
- used when a near accident or disaster has been averted
好險哪！
hao3xian3na
it’s a long story
- used at the beginning of a longish explanation
説來説長
… is not a big deal
。。。也沒什麽
there is no need to V
- a rhetorical question that implies ‘there is no need to do this’
有什麽可 V 的
有什麽好 V 的
not very, not really
- can be used either before an adjective, an auxiliary verb or a verb
不太
almost, nearly
- indicates that a state of affairs was nearly realized or that a state of affairs seemed impossible to realize
差一點（就）
so that, so as to
- used at the beginning of the second clause of the sentence. indicating that what is mentioned in the first clause serves to fulfill the purpose of the second clause
，以便
under no circumstances
- is an emphatic word often used to dissuade somebody from doing something
萬萬 + negation
by, from
由
having been influenced by X
- should always be used at the beginning of a sentence
在 X 的影響下
