Lesson 1

Lesson 1 - What time is it?

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Click to hear sounds. You may hear by each sentence or the whole conversation. All the sounds were recorded by Hui-Jung, so even the male dialogue has female voice. Sorry about that. Hope it doesn't get you too confused.

To hear the whole conversation, click here.

Conversation

Mr. Wang: Dui4 bu4 qi3, qing3 wen4 xian4 zai4 ji2 dian3 (le5)?

Mr. Wang : Excuse me, may I ask what time is it?

Miss Chen: Xian4 zai4 liang2 dian3 wu3 shi2 feng1.

Miss Chen: It’s now 2:50.

Mr. Wang: Qing2 wen4 “afternoon” zhong1 wen2 zen2 me5 shuo1?

Mr. Wang: May I ask, how do you say “afternoon” in Chinese?

Miss Chen: Xia4 wu3. Ni2 zai4 xue2 zhong1 wen2 ma5?

Miss Chen: Afternoon. Are you learning Chinese?

Mr. Wang: Shi4 ya5! Wo3 zhong1 wen2 shuo1 de5 bu4 hao3.

Mr. Wang: Yes! I don’t speak Chinese well.

Miss Chen: Ni3 zhong1 wen2 shuo1 de5 hen2 hao3. Ni2 shen2 me5 shi2 huo4 xue2 zhong1 wen2?

Miss Chen: You speak Chinese well. When do you learn Chinese?

Mr. Wang: Wo3 jin1 tian1 wang3 shang4 qi1 dian3 you3 zhong1 wen2 ke4.

Mr. Wang: I have a Chinese class at 7 o’clock tonight.

Miss Chen: Ni2 ji3 dian3 xia4 ke4?

Miss Chen: What time do you finish class?

Mr. Wang: Wo3 men5 ba1 dian3 ban4 xia4 ke4.

Mr. Wang: We finish class at 8:30.

Miss Chen: Ni2 ji3 dian3 hui2 dao4 jia1?

Miss Chen: What time do you arrived home?

Mr. Wang: Wo3 jiu3 dian3 shi2 wu3 feng1 dao4 jia1.

Mr. Wang: I arrived home at 9:15.

New Words & phrases

Everyday ! ----- mei3 tian1	to go home – hui2 jia1
morning – zao3 shang4	to arrived at home – hui2 dao4 jia1
noon – zhong1 wu3	leave the house - chu1 men2
afternoon – xia4 wu3	to go to the company – qu4 gong1 si1
evening – bang1 wan3	to eat breakfast- ci1 zao3 can1
night- wan3 shang4	to eat lunch – ci1 zhong1 fan4
midnight - wu3 ye4	to eat dinner – ci wan3 fan4
o’clock - dian3	to make phone calls – da3 dian4 hua4
minute – feng1	to take a break- xiu1 xi2
5:30 – wu3 dian3 ban4	to start - kai1 shi3
how many/how much - ji3	to continue – ji4 xu4
to have class – shang4 ke4 Chinese class – Zhong1 wen2 ke	how to say .. in Chinese – zhong1 wen2 zen2 me5 shuo1?
to finish class – xia4 ke4	very busy – hen2 mang2
to go to work – shang4 ban1	When - shen2 me5 shi2 huo4
to leave work- xia4 ban1	learn – xue2

Homework

I. Answer the following questions.

1. Ni2 ji3 dian3 qu4 gong1 si1?

2. Ni2 ji3 dian3 chu1 men2?

3. Ni3 shang4 wu3 zuo4 shen2 me5?

4. Ni2 shen2 me5 shi2 huo4 xue2 zhong1 wen2?

II. Listen to the questions, translate it and write your answers in Chinese. There are total of 6 questions.

III. Come up with 5 questions using what you learned in this lesson. Try to come up with different questions than the ones in the conversation or homework. We’ll ask each other those questions when you come to the class next time.

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