User Comments - mjmcmanus

Posted on: Los Angeles

This lesson is too funny!  I lived in LA for 4 years, mostly in Los Feliz which is but a stones throw from Hollywood.  While it's likely cleaner than it once was, it's definitely not a place you'd hold a picnic.  

It's mostly avoidable unless you want to see the wax museum, the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum or catch a Star Bus (that drives around looking at the movie stars homes)

In any case, I love these city lessons, so I hope you keep them coming!  

How about some Canadian cities? (Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto)

Posted on: Being Seated in a Restaurant

@john

Thanks for the advice!  I'm going to try to save the "but why?" questions in the back of my mind once I think I can handle some Elementary lessons.  I've tried to get into one or two and I still can't listen, understand and translate the sentences fast enough to keep up.

I had a feeling the lack of grammar was intentional so I wont preempt my newbie lessons!

@jckeith

That's helpful, thanks!

Posted on: Where Do You Live?

Hey!

If I was asked "ni3 zhu4 zai4 na3 li3?" and I wanted to answer "In the USA but I am Canadian" how would I combine the two?

wǒ zhù měi guó, wǒ shì Jiānádà guó rén.

Thanks for the help!

Posted on: Being Seated in a Restaurant

Hello!

I seem to have lots of trouble when it comes to sentences like:

qǐng wèn zhè shì shénme?

I always forget the shì.  I am wondering if it's acceptable to say:

qǐng wèn zhè ge shénme?

I am trying to get that shì stuck in my head -- but for some reason it feels more natural to me to leave it out.

A related follow up question.  I have gone through about 20 lessons now and I have avoided lessons that explain the particles -- ge, le, etc.  Is it still too early to start diving into the more detailed bits?  Are there newbie lessons that explain those words?

Thanks! 

Posted on: Can You Use Chopsticks?

Ya that was my impression too.  I'm still so new to all of this though that I don't really feel comfortable trying to create my own sentences.  It's not like I get to hear people speak Mandarin everyday so I'm just flying by the seat of my pants!

Posted on: Can You Use Chopsticks?

I am wondering if kěyǐ and huì can be interchanged? 

nǐ kěyǐ yòng kuàizi ma? 

How are they different?

Posted on: Do you like China?

Hello!

I just finished the exercises and I am wondering if "He wants to go to China" can also be translated to:

nǐ yào qù Zhōng guó.

That's what my intial thought was, but the exercise uses xiǎng instead.  I am just wondering if both are OK or if xiǎng is the preferred verb there.

Thanks!

Posted on: Ordering Noodles

Hey!

I've been using chinese pod for a few weeks now, it's so much fun!  

I am going to be on a plane to China in December and I have a question.  If I wanted to ask if they had noodles would it be:

nǐ yǒu miàn ma?

(you have noodles?)

Thanks!