User Comments - Kyle
Kyle
Posted on: Getting to Know the Beauty Pageant Judges
October 29, 2007 at 12:49 AMVerbs are often duplicated to express emphasis. I don't see why 我还想问问你 would end in a question mark, as it's an affirmative sentence. This sentence structure (without the 呢) is very common in oral Mandarin.
Posted on: A Startled Friend
October 27, 2007 at 11:18 AMYou're both right. It should be xia4 吓.
Posted on: Traveling around China
October 26, 2007 at 11:43 PMHi sylvia, The 'a' sound is correct there. Try not to follow English pronunciation when learning Mandarin, especially the finals. It's really only the consonant sounds that transfer. It might behoove you take a look at the Chinesepod pinyin chart available in the pronunciation section. =)
Posted on: Good Morning!
October 26, 2007 at 12:47 PM@ agni777 说实话,最好的情况就是我们都不会说一个普通的语言,比如英语. 这样我们都必须用汉语沟通. 不过,对新手看来用英语比较方便. 反正, 我们都跟你用汉语挺好.
Posted on: Massage and Renting an Apartment
October 26, 2007 at 12:27 PMYes, great contribution, Madeleine. Interesting to hear how much and how quickly China has changed in the last 25 years.
Posted on: Massage and Renting an Apartment
October 26, 2007 at 5:57 AMI just bought a HUGE overstuffed couch that seats 7 - 10 people EASILY. It's the most comfortable couch ever. But, I'm about a 24+ hour train ride from Shanghai. Sorry, Frank. =/
Posted on: New York City
October 25, 2007 at 10:37 AMDoes anyone know what percentage of Chinese New Yorkers (those that you'd find on Canal street) speak a non-bastardized version of 普通话? Or is it all 方言?
Posted on: Yang Jie's Diary: Date with a Nerd
October 24, 2007 at 11:37 PM@ lesli In what context are you trying to substitute 做 for 是? In general, I don't think that would work since those two verbs don't share any similar functions. In regards to your sentence 我要做一个有用的人, you're actually saying "I want to do/make a useful person." If what you want to say is "I want to be a useful person" you're better of saying "我想当一个有用的人."
Posted on: How many people are in your family?
October 24, 2007 at 3:13 PMClose friends will call one another 弟 or 哥. Girls do the same with 妹 and 姐. Though I've found it's 哥 and 姐 that are used most often.
Posted on: Repeat after Me
October 29, 2007 at 12:56 AMThat would be more literally translated as "Let's say it together", but the same general meaning is there.