Chinese Vocab
前天 = Qiántiān = the day before yesterday
昨天 = Zuótiān = yesterday
今天 = Jīntiān = today
明天 = Míngtiān = tomorrow
后天 = Hòutiān = the day after tomorrow
几月 = Jǐ yuè = which month?
几号 = Jǐ hào = what date is it?
今天几月几号 = Jīntiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào = What is today's date?
明天几月几号 = Míngtiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào = What is tomorrow's date?
今天是2026年8月18号 = Jīntiān shì 2026 nián 8 yuè 18 hào = Today is August 18, 2026
你今年多大了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdàle = How old are you this year?
我今年25岁 = Wǒ jīnnián 25 suì = I am 25 years old this year
前年 = Qiánnián = the year before last
去年 = Qùnián = last year
今年 = Jīnnián = this year
明年 = Míngnián = next year
后年 = Hòunián = the year after next
你今年几岁了 = Nǐ jīnnián jǐ suìle = (TO A CHILD) How old are you this year?
你今年多大了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdàle = (TO AN ADULT) How old are you this year?
你今年多大年纪了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdà niánjìle = (TO AND ELDERLY PERSON) How old are you this year?
你妈妈 = Nǐ māmā = Your mum
你爸爸 = Nǐ bàba = Your dad
比 = Bǐ = Compares
老 = Lǎo = old
你妈妈比你爸爸 老吗 = Nǐ māmā bǐ nǐ bàba lǎo ma = Is your mother older than your father?
中国 = Zhōngguó = China
城市 = Chéngshì = City
有很 = Yǒu hěn = There is a lot of...
多大 = Duōdà = How big? / How old?
中国有很多大城市 = Zhōngguó yǒu hěnduō dà chéngshì = There are many large cities in China
没那么好 = Méi nàme hǎo = Not that good
没那么多 = Méi nàme duō = Not that many
北方 = běifāng = North
北部 = běibù = Northern part
南方 = nánfāng = South
南部 = nánbù = Southern part
东方 = dōngfāng = East
东部 = dōngbù = Eastern
西方 = Xīfāng = Western
西部 = xībù = The West
亚洲 = Yàzhōu = Asia
欧洲 = Ōuzhōu = Europe
非洲 = Fēizhōu = Africa
美洲 = Měizhōu = America
你来自哪个国家 = Nǐ láizì nǎge guójiā = Which country are you from?
我来自英国 = Wǒ láizì yīngguó = I am from the UK
你父母来自哪个国家 = Nǐ fùmǔ láizì nǎge guójiā = Which country are your parents from?
我父母来自英国 = Wǒ fùmǔ láizì yīngguó = My parents are from the UK
你住英国哪里 = Nǐ zhù yīngguó nǎlǐ = Where do you live in the UK?
我住在英国南部 = Wǒ zhù zài yīngguó nánbù = I live in the south of England
温切斯特在英国哪里 = Wēn qiè sī tè zài yīngguó nǎlǐ = Where is Winchester in the UK?
北京在中国哪里 = Běijīng zài zhōngguó nǎlǐ = Where is Beijing located in China?
北京在中国 =
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The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details
This construction is used to draw attention to certain information in a sentence. It's often used to ask questions that seek specific information, or to explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail. The ‘shi…de’ construction is frequently used when asking or telling details about the past.
了 = le = [something happened]
是⋯⋯的 is not generally used for reporting new information but for adding important details that make the information clearer. You could think of 是⋯⋯的 as being equivalent to saying one of the following in English:
"The situation is that..."
"It's that... "
"It was... that... "
Phrases for you to think about
1. 你们是在哪里认识的？
2. 你是坐飞机来的吗？
3. 你是哪里来的？
4. 你是哪里出生的？
你们是在哪里认识的 = Nǐmen shì zài nǎlǐ rènshí de = Where did you meet?
You people (shi) where knowing (de)?
你是坐飞机来的吗 = Nǐ shì zuò fēijī lái de ma? = Did you come by plane?
You (shi) take a flight to come here (de) ?
你是哪里来的 = Nǐ shì nǎlǐ lái de = Where are you from?
You (shi) where come from (de)
你是哪里出生的 = Nǐ shì nǎlǐ chūshēng de = Where were you born?
You (shi) where born (de)
医生 = Yīshēng = doctor
老师 = Lǎoshī = teacher
模特儿 = Mótè ér = model
律师 l = Lǜshī l = mawyer
经理 = Jīnglǐ = manager
推销员 = Tuīxiāo yuán = salesperson
艺术家 = Yìshùjiā = artist
司机 = Sījī = driver
你喜欢你的工作吗 = Nǐ xǐhuān nǐ de gōngzuò ma = Do you like your job?