# Unit 5

## Introduction

### Topics covered in this unit

1. Date and Place of birth.

2. Days of the week.

3. Ages.

4. The marker le for new situations.

### Material you will need

1. The C-1 and P-1 tapes, the Reference List and Reference Notes.

2. The C-2 and P-2 tapes.

3. The 5D-1 tape.

## References

### Reference List

1. | A: | Andesen Fūren, nǐ shì zài nǎr shēngde? | 安德森夫人，你是在哪儿生的？ | Mrs. Andersen, where were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì zài Dézhōu shēngde. | 我是在得州生的。 | I was born in Texas.
2. | A: | Nǐmen shì Xīngqīsì dàode ma? | 你们是星期四到的吗？ | Did you arrive on Thursday?
| B: | Bú shì, wǒmen shì Xīngqīwǔ dàode. | 不是，我们是星期五到的。 | No, we arrived on Friday.
3. | A: | Nǐmen xīngqījǐ zǒu? | 你们星期几走？ | What day of the week are you leaving?
| B: | Wǒmen Xīngqītiān zǒu. | 我们星期天走。 | We are leaving on Sunday.
4. | A: | Nǐ shì něinián shēngde? | 你是哪年生的？ | What year are you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Yī jiǔ sān jiǔ nián shēngde. | 我是一九三九年生的。 | I was born in 1939.
5. | A: | Nǐ shì jǐyüè shēngde? | 你是几月生的？ | What month were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Qíyüè shēngde. | 我是七月生的。 | I was born in July.
6. | A: | Nǐ shì jǐhào shēngde? | 你是几号生的？ | What day of the month were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Sìhào shēngde. | 我是四号生的。 | I was born on the fourth.
7. | A: | Nǐ duó dà le? | 你多大了？ | How old are you?
| B: | Wǒ èr shi sì le. | 我二十四了。 | I'm 24.
8. | A: | Nǐ duó dà le? | 你多大了？ | How old are you?
| B: | Wǒ sān shi wǔ le. | 我三十五了。 | I'm 35.
9. | A: | Nǐmen nǚháizi jǐsuì le? | 你们女孩子几岁了？ | How old is your girl?
| B: | Tā básuì le. | 她八岁了。 | She's eight years old.
10. | A: | Nǐmen nánháizi dōu jǐsuì le? | 你们男孩子都几岁了？ | How old are your boys?
| B: | Yíge jiǔsuì le, yíge liùsuì le. | 一个九岁了，　一个六岁了。 | One is nine, and one is six.

### Vocabulary

duó dà | 多大 | how old
hòunián (hòunian) | 后年 | the year after next
jǐhào | 几号 | what day of the month?
jīnnián (jīnnian) | 今年 | this year
jǐsuì | 几岁 | how old
jǐyüè | 几月 | what month
míngnián (míngnian) | 明年 | next year
něinián | 哪年？ | which year
niánnián (niánnian) | 年年 | every year
qiánnián (qiánnian) | 前年 | the year before last
qǜnián (qǜnian) | 去年 | last year
shàngge yüè | 上个月 | last month
shēng | 生 | to be born
-suì | 岁 | year (of age)
xiàge yüè | 下个月 | next month
Xīngqīèr | 星期二 | Tuesday
xīngqījǐ | 星期几 | what day of the week
Xīngqīliù | 星期六 | Saturday
Xīngqīsān | 星期三 | Wednesday
Xīngqīsì | 星期四 | Thursday
Xīngqītiān | 星期日，星期天 | Sunday
Xīngqīwǔ | 星期五 | Friday
Xīngqīyī | 星期一 | Monday
zheìge yüè | 这个月 | this month

### Reference Notes

#### Notes on №1

1. | A: | Andesen Fūren, nǐ shì zài nǎr shēngde? | 安德森夫人，你是在哪儿生的？ | Mrs. Andersen, where were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì zài Dézhōu shēngde. | 我是在得州生的。 | I was born in Texas.

The shì...de construction is used to focus on place expressions as well as on time and manner expressions.

Wǒ | shi | zài Měiguó | shēng | -de. | I was born in America. WHERE
Wǒ | shi | zuótiān | dào | -de. | I arrived yesterday. WHEN
Wǒ | shi | yíge rén | lái | -de. | I came alone. HOW

#### Notes on №2-3

2. | A: | Nǐmen shì Xīngqīsì dàode ma? | 你们是星期四到的吗？ | Did you arrive on Thursday?
| B: | Bú shì, wǒmen shì Xīngqīwǔ dàode. | 不是，我们是星期五到的。 | No, we arrived on Friday.
3. | A: | Nǐmen xīngqījǐ zǒu? | 你们星期几走？ | What day of the week are you leaving?
| B: | Wǒmen Xīngqītiān zǒu. | 我们星期天走。 | We are leaving on Sunday.

Days of the week:

xīngqījǐ | What day of the week?
xīngqīyī | Monday
xīngqīèr | Tuesday
xīngqīsàn | Wednesday
xīngqīsì | Thursday
xingqīwǔ | Friday
xīngqīliù | Saturday
xīngqītiān | Sunday

Until now, you have always seen jǐ, "how many," at the beginning of a word (jǐge háizi, jǐwèi xiānsheng, jǐhào). In xīngqījǐ, -jǐ is at the end of the word. In both places, occupies the position of a number and acts like a number: xīngqījǐ, "What number day of the week?"

#### Notes on №4

4. | A: | Nǐ shì něinián shēngde? | 你是哪年生的？ | What year are you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Yī jiǔ sān jiǔ nián shēngde. | 我是一九三九年生的。 | I was born in 1939.

The word for "year," -nián is a bound word (like the word for "day," -tiān). The question word něinián, "which year," is formed with the bound word něi "which."

The year is given as a sequence of digits, so that 1972, Yījiǔqīèrnián would literally be "one-nine-seven-two year." In a sequence of digits, the word èr- (not liǎng- is used for 2, and the words for 1, T, and 8 keep their basic high tones. (See notes on No. 10 for cases in which these tones change.)

#### Notes on №5

5. | A: | Nǐ shì jǐyüè shēngde? | 你是几月生的？ | What month were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Qíyüè shēngde. | 我是七月生的。 | I was born in July.

Months:

jǐyüè? | What month? |  |
yíyüè | January | qíyüè | July
èryüè | February | báyüè | August
sānyüè | March | jiǔyüè | September
sìyüè | April | shíyüè | October
wǔyüè | May | shǐyīyüè | November
liùyüè | June | shíèryüè | December

Since the names of the months are formed with numbers, jǐ- "how many," is the appropriate question word to use for "what month." Jǐ- is used in Běijīng to ask for a number expected to be around 10 or 11.

Notice the tones on the words for 1, 7 and 8, which most Peking speakers pronounce as Rising before Falling-tone words such as yüè. The syllable -yī- in the word for "November," however, is usually pronounced with the High tone: shíyīyüè (See the notes on No, 10 for a summary of tone changes.)

#### Notes on №6

6. | A: | Nǐ shì jǐhào shēngde? | 你是几号生的？ | What day of the month were you born?
| B: | Wǒ shì Sìhào shēngde. | 我是四号生的。 | I was born on the fourth.

Days of the month are expressed by the number of the day followed by the bound word -haò. You will remember that -hào is also used in giving addresses.

In asking about days of the month, "how many," is used, even though the question may be answered by a number as high as 31. The month and day of the month may be given together. For example:

Nǐ shi jǐyüè jǐhào shēngde? | What is your month and day of birth?
Wǒ shi bāyüè jiǔhào shēngde. | I was born on August 9.

#### Notes on №7-8

7. | A: | Nǐ duó dà le? | 你多大了？ | How old are you?
| B: | Wǒ èr shi sì le. | 我二十四了。 | I'm 24.
8. | A: | Nǐ duó dà le? | 你多大了？ | How old are you?
| B: | Wǒ sān shi wǔ le. | 我三十五了。 | I'm 35.

Nǐ duō dà le? "How old are you?" literally means "How big (in years of age) are you?" This is a common way to ask a person's age. The question is appropriate for asking the age of a child or a young adult, but the expression is not considered polite enough for asking an older adult his age. (More formal ways to ask a person's age will be introduced on the C-2, P-2, and drill tapes.)

The marker le_which ends these sentences calls attention to the fact that something is true now that was not true before.

| Note
Ages may also be asked and given without using the new-situation le.

Le has only this new-situation meaning in these sentences. It has no meaning of completion, since in fact, there is no completed event.

One way to reflect the new-situation le in the English translation is to add the word "now": I'm 35 now." Essentially, however, "new situation" (sometimes called change of state") is a Chinese grammatical category with no simple English equivalent.

The marker le for new situations is always found at the end of a sentence and is sometimes called "sentence le."

Notice that neither answer contains a verb. The verb that has been left out is yǒu "to have." The verb may not be left out in the negative: Wǒ méiyou sānshiwǔ. "I’m not 35."

#### Notes on №9

9. | A: | Nǐmen nǚháizi jǐsuì le? | 你们女孩子几岁了？ | How old is your girl?
| B: | Tā básuì le. | 她八岁了。 | She's eight years old.

-suì: In the traditional Chinese system of giving ages, a person is one -sui old at birth and becomes another -suì old on the New Year's following his birth. A baby born the day before New Year's would thus be two -suì old on the day after his birth. Most Chinese, however, have now switched to the Western style of computing age and use -suì just as we use years old.

The word -suì like the word -hào, is a bound word shoving what kind of thing a number is counting.

In a date or address you are listing a number and use èr for 2, while in giving an age you are counting an amount of something and use liǎng: liǎngsuì, "two years old."

#### Notes on №10

10. | A: | Nǐmen nánháizi dōu jǐsuì le? | 你们男孩子都几岁了？ | How old are your boys?
| B: | Yíge jiǔsuì le, yíge liùsuì le. | 一个九岁了，　一个六岁了。 | One is nine, and one is six.

The word dōu is used when "both" or "all" would probably not be used in English, namely, when expecting different information about each of the things (or persons) being discussed. "All" tends to be collective, asking or telling about something the members of a group have in common. Dōu can be distributive, asking or telling something about the members of a group as individuals.

Yí, qí, bá: In the spoken language of Peking, the basic High tones of yī, qī and bā usually change to Rising tones before Falling-tone words (such as -hào, yüè, and -suì). This change is most common when the complete number given has only one digit. When there are two or more digits, the qī and bā of numbers ending in 7 and 8 are more likely to have Rising tones than the yī of numbers ending in 1 (which is usually in the High tone).

Compare:

shíqíhào | the 17th
shíyīyüè | November

In all cases, the High tone is more likely to be kept in rapid speech. You may also encounter speakers who never make changes in the tones of yī, qī and bā.

Remember that, in the digit-by-digit form of giving the year, the numbers 1, 7, and 8 keep their basic High tones: Yījiǔbāliùnián 1986.

#### Notes on additional required vocabulary

Days | qiántiān | zuótiān | jīntiān | mīngtiān | hòutiān
Years | qiánnián | qǜnián | jīnnián | míngnián | hòunián

In the Chinese system of expressing relative time in terms of days and years, only one pair of terms is not parallel: zuótiān "yesterday," and qǜnián "last year."

| Note

added by Eric Streit with the explanations given by a Chinese native about the drills I and the use of suìshu 岁数 and Niánjì 年纪

- suìshu 岁数 and Niánjì 年纪 usually and mostly refer to OLDER people that you ask for. suìshu 岁数 is very spoken though. And less polite.

- For kids especially, you only need to do 多大了？ duó dà le? or 几岁了？ jǐsuì le?

- with 几岁了？ neither suìshu 岁数 nor Niánjì 年纪 .

## Drills

### Response Drill

Table 2.49. According to the cues, give an answer to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 请问，他/她是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, tā shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was he/she born? |  | 德州 Dézhōu Texas |  | 他/她是在德州生的。 Tā shì zài Dézhōu shēngde. He/she was born in Texas.
2. | 请问，你爱人是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ àiren shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was your spouse born? |  | 加州 Jiāzhōu California |  | 他/她是在加州生的。 Tā shì zài Jiāzhōu shēngde. He/she was born in California.
3. | 请问，他/她爱人是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, tā àiren shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was his/her spouse born? |  | 上海 Shànghǎi Shànghǎi |  | 他/她是在上海生的。 Tā shì zài Shànghǎi shēngde. He/she was born in Shànghǎi.
4. | 请问，你孩子是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ háizi shì zài nǎr shēnde? May I ask, where was your child born? |  | 四川 Sìchuān Sìchuān |  | 他/她是在四川生的。 Tā shì zài Sìchuān shēngde. He/she was born in Sìchuān
5. | 请问，你们女孩子是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, nǐmen nǚháizi shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was your daughter born? |  | 北京 Běijīng Běijīng |  | 她是在北京生的。 Tā shì zài Běijīng shēngde. She was born in Běijīng.
6. | 请问，你们男孩子是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, nǐmen nánháizi shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was your son born? |  | 我住在马萨诸塞州 mǎsàzhūsāi zhōu (Mázhōu) Massachusetts |  | 他是在我住在马萨诸塞州生的。 Tā shì zài mǎsàzhūsāi zhōu (Mázhōu) shēngde. He was born in Massachusetts.
7. | 请问，曾先生是在那儿生的？ Qǐngwèn, Zēng xiānsheng shì zài nǎr shēngde? May I ask, where was Mr. Zēng born? |  | 纽约 Niǔ Yüe New York |  | 他是在纽约生的。 Tā shì zài Niǔ Yüe shēngde. He was born in New York.

### Substitution drill

Table 2.50. Transform the question according to the model.

| Question |  | Answer |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 请问，你是什么时候走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ shénme shíhou zǒu? May I ask, when are you leaving? |  | 哪天 něitiān what day |  | 请问，你哪天走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ něitiān zǒu? May I ask, what day are you leaving?
2. | 请问，你哪天走？ Qǐngwen, nǐ něitiān zǒu? May I ask, what day are you leaving? |  | 几月 Jǐyüe what month |  | 请问，你几月走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐyüe zǒu? May I ask, what month are you leaving?
3. | 请问，你几月走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐyüe zǒu? May I ask, what month are you leaving? |  | 几号 Jǐhào what day of the month |  | 请问，你几号走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐhào zǒu? May I ask, what day of the month are you leaving?
4. | 请问，你几号走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐhào zǒu? May I ask, what day of the month are you leaving? |  | 哪年 něinián what year |  | 请问，你哪年走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ něinián zǒu? May I ask, what year are you leaving?
5. | 请问，你哪年走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ něinián zǒu? May I ask, May I ask, what year are you leaving? |  | 几月几号 jǐyüe jǐhào what month and what day of the month |  | 请问，你几月几号走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐyüe jǐhào zǒu? May I ask, what month, what day of the month are you leaving?
6. | 请问，你几月几号走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ jǐyüe jǐhào zǒu? May I ask, what month, what day of the month are you leaving? |  | 星期几 xīngqījǐ what day of the week |  | 请问，你星期几走？ Qǐngwèn, nǐ xīngqījǐ zǒu? May I ask, what day of the week are you leaving?

### Substitution drill

Table 2.51. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 我们星期一走。 Wǒmen xīngqīyǐ zǒu. We are leaving on Monday. |  | 星期二 xīngqīèr Tuesday |  | 我们星期二走。 Wǒmen xīngqīèr zǒu. We are leaving on Tuesday.
2. | 我们星期二走。 Wǒmen xīngqīèr zǒu. We are leaving on Tuesday. |  | 星期三 xīngqīsān Wednesday |  | 我们星期三走。 Wǒmen xīngqīsān zǒu. We are leaving on Wednesday.
3. | 我们星期三走。 Wǒmen xīngqīsān zǒu. We are leaving on Wednesday. |  | 星期四 xīngqīsì Thursday |  | 我们星期四走。 Wǒmen xīngqīsì zǒu. We are leaving on Thursday.
4. | 我们星期四走。 Wǒmen xīngqīsì zǒu. We are leaving on Thursday. |  | 星期几 xīngqījǐ what day of the week |  | 我们星期几走？ Wǒmen xīngqījǐ zǒu? What day of the week are you leaving?
5. | 我们星期几走？ Wǒmen xīngqījǐ zǒu? What day of the week are you leaving? |  | 星期五 xīngqīwǔ Friday |  | 我们星期五走。 Wǒmen xīngqīwǔ xǒu. We are leaving on Friday.
6. | 我们星期五走。 Wǒmen xīngqīwǔ zǒu. We are leaving on Friday. |  | 星期天 xīngqītiān Sunday |  | 我们星期天走。 Wǒmen xīngqītiān zǒu. We are leaving on Sunday.
7. | 我们星期天走。 Wǒmen xīngqītiān zǒu. We are leaving on Sunday. |  | 星期六 xīngqīliù Saturday |  | 我们星期六走。 Wǒmen xīngqīliù zǒu. We are leaving on Saturday.
8. | 我们星期六走。 Wǒmen xīngqīliù zǒu. We are leaving on Saturday. |  | 星期一 xīngqīyī Monday |  | 我们星期一走。 Wǒmen xīngqīyī zǒu. We are leaving on Monday.

### Response drill

Table 2.52. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 你孩子是哪天生的？ Nǐ háizi shì něinián shēngde? What year was your child born? |  | 1971 |  | 他/她是一九七一年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔqīyīnián shēngde. He was born in 1971.
2. | 李先生是哪年生的？ Lǐ xiānsheng shì něinián shēngde? What year was Mr. Lǐ born? |  | 1944 |  | 他是一九四四年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔsìsìnián shēngde. He was born in 1944.
3. | 你弟弟是哪年生的？ Nǐ dìdi shì něinián shēngde? What year was your younger brother born? |  | 1940 |  | 他是一九四零年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔsìlíngnián shēngde. He was born in 1940.
4. | 哪个孩子是哪年生的？ Něige háizi shì něinián shēngde? What year was that child born? |  | 1967 |  | 他/她是一九六七年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔliùqīnián shēngde. He was born in 1967.
5. | 这个男孩子是哪年生的？ Zhèige nánháizi shì něiniān shēngde? What year was this boy born? |  | 1968 |  | 他/她是一九六八生的。 Tā shì yījiǔliùbānián shēngde. He was born in 1968.
6. | 那个人是哪年生的？ Nèige rén shì něinián shēngde? What year was that person born? |  | 1927 |  | 他/她是一九二七年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔèrqīnián shēngde. He/she was born in 1927.
7. | 他/她是哪年生的？ Tā shì něinián shēngde? What year was he/she born? |  | 1933 |  | 他/她是一九三三年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔsānsānnián shēngde. He/she was born in 1933.

### Response drill

Table 2.53. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她是几月生的？ Tā shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was he/she born? |  | 二月 èryüe February |  | 他/她是二月生的。 Ta shì èryüè shēngde. He/she was born in February.
2. | 他/她爱人是几月生的？ Tā àiren shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was his/her spouse born? |  | 五月 wǔyüè May |  | 他/她是五月生的。 Tā shì wǔyüè shēngde. He/she was born in May.
3. | 张同志是几月生的？ Zhāng tóngzhì shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was comrade Zhāng born? |  | 四月 sìyüè April |  | 他/她是四月生的。 Tā shì sìyüè shēngde. He was born in April.
4. | 王同志是几月生的？ Wāng tóngzhì shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was comrade Wāng born? |  | 十一月 shíyīyüè November |  | 他/她是十一月生的。 Tā shì shíyīyüè shēngde. He/she was born in November.
5. | 你爱人是几月生的？ Nǐ àiren shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was your spouse born? |  | 八月 bāyüè August |  | 他/她是八月生的。 Tā shì bāyüè shēngde. He/she was born in August.
6. | 你哥哥是几月生的？ Nǐ gēge shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was your older brother born? |  | 十二月 shíèryüè December |  | 他是十二月生的。 Tā shì shíèryüè shēngde. He was born in December.
7. | 他/她妹妹是几月生的？ Ta mèimei shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was your younger sister born? |  | 六月 liùyüè June |  | 她是六月生的。 Tā shì liùyüè shēngde. She was born in June.

### Expansion drill

Table 2.54. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她是一月生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 一号 yíhào first |  | 他/她是一月一号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè yíhào shēngde. He/she was born in January first.
2. | 他/她是一月生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 十一号 shíyīhào 11th |  | 他/她是一月十一号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shíyīhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 11th of January.
3. | 他/她是一月生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 二十六号 èrshiliùhào 26th |  | 他/她是一月二十六号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè èrshiliùhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 26th of January.
4. | 他/她是一月上的。 Ta shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 七号 qíhào 7th |  | 他/她是一月七号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè qíhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 7th of January.
5. | 他/她是一月生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 十四号 shísìhào 14th |  | 他/她是一月十四号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shísìhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 14th of January.
6. | 他/她是一月生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 二十八号 èrshibāhào 28th |  | 他/她是一月二十八号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè èrshibāhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 28th of January.
7. | 他/她是 Tā shì yíyüè shēngde. He/she was born in January. |  | 十号 shíhào 10th |  | 他/她是一月十号生的。 Tā shì yíyüè shíhào shēngde. He/she was born on the 10th of January.

### Response drill

Table 2.55. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 你们女孩子几岁了？ Nǐmen nǚhāizi jǐsuì le? How old is your daughter? |  | 5 |  | 她五岁了。 Ta wǔsuì le. She is five.
2. | 他们男孩子几岁了？ Tāmen nánháizi jǐsuì le? How old is their boy? |  | 11 |  | 他十一岁了。 Tā shíyīsuì le. He is 11.
3. | 胡太太女孩子几岁了？ Hú tàitai nǚháizi jǐsuì le? How old is Mrs. Hú daughter? |  | 13 |  | 她十三岁了。 Tā shísānsuì le. She is 13.
4. | 他/她妹妹几岁了？ Ta mèimei jǐsuì le? How old is hi/her younger sister? |  | 7 |  | 她七岁了。 Ta qísuì le. She is 7.
5. | 你男孩子几岁了？ Nǐ nánháizi jǐsuì le? How old is your boy? |  | 6 |  | 他六岁了。 Ta liùsuì le. He is 6.
6. | 你女孩子几岁了？ Nǐ nǚháizi jǐsuì le? How old is your daughter? |  | 4 |  | 她四岁了。 Tā sìsuì le . She is 4.
7. | 那个男孩子几岁了？ Nèige nánháizi jǐsuì le? How old is that boy? |  | 8 |  | 他八岁了。 Tā bāsuì le. He is 8.

### Response drill

Table 2.56. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她多大了？ Tā duó dà le? How old is he/she? |  | 35 |  | 他/她三十五了。 Tā sānshiwǔ le. He/she is 35.
2. | 你哥哥多大了？ Nǐ gēge duó dà le? How old is your older brother? |  | 44 |  | 他四十四了。 Tā sìshisì le. He is 44.
3. | 你弟弟多大了？ Nǐ dìdi duó dà le? How old is your younger brother? |  | 30 |  | 他三十了。 Tā sānshi le. He is 30.
4. | 他/她姐姐多大了？ Ta jiějie duó dà le? How old is his/her older sister? |  | 47 |  | 她四十七了。 Tā sìshiqī le. She is 47.
5. | 你妹妹多大了？ Nǐ mèimei duó dà le? How old is your younger sister? |  | 32 |  | 她三十二了。 Tā sānshièr le. She is 32.
6. | 他/她爱人多大了？ Ta àiren duó dà le? How old is his/her spouse? |  | 28 |  | 他/她二十八了。 Tā èrshibā le. He/she is 28.
7. | 王同志多大了？ Wáng tóngzhì duó dà le? How old is comrade Wáng? |  | 41 |  | 他四十一了。 Ta sìshiyī le. He/she is 41.

### Response drill

Table 2.57. According to the cues, give an affirmative or a negative response to each shì...de question.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 您母亲多大岁数了？ Nín mǔqin duó dà suìshu le? How old is your mother? |  | 65 |  | 她六十五岁了。 Tā liùshiwǔsuì le. She is 65.
2. | 您父亲多大岁数了？ Nín fùqin duódà suìshu le? How old is your father? |  | 67 |  | 他六十七岁了。 Tā liùshiqīsuì le. He is 67.
3. | 他/她姐姐多大岁数了？ Tā jiějie duódà suìshu le? How old is his/her older sister? |  | 46 |  | 他四十六岁了。 Tā sìshiliùsuì le. She is 46.
4. | 他/她哥哥多大岁数了？ Tā gēge duó dà suìshu le? How old is his/her older brother? |  | 44 |  | 他四十四岁了。 Tā sìshisìsuì le. He is 44.
5. | 张先生多大 岁数了？ Zhāng xiānsheng duódà suìshu le? How old is is Mr. Zhāng? |  | 72 |  | 他七十二岁了。 Tā qīshièrsuì le. He is 72.
6. | 王太太多大岁数了？ Wáng tàitai duó dà suìshu le? How old is Mrs. Wáng? |  | 59 |  | 她五十九岁了。 Tā wǔshijiǔsuì le. She is 59.
7. | 王太太妹妹多大岁数了？ Wáng tàitai mèimei duó dà suìshu le? How old is Mrs. Wáng's younger sister? |  | 58 |  | 她五十八岁了。 Tā wǔshibāsuì le. She is 58.

### Substitution drill

Table 2.58. Transform the question according to the model.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她是五月来的。 Tā shì wǔyüè láide. He/she came in May. |  | 哦。他/她山个月来的。 Où. Tā shì shàngge yüè láide. Oh. He/she came last month.
2. | 他/她七月来。 Tā qíyüè lái. He/she is coming in July. |  | 哦。他/她下个月来。 Où. Tā xiàge yüè lái. Oh. He/she is coming next month.
3. | 他/她六月来。 Tā liùyüè lái. He/she is coming in June. |  | 哦。他/她这个月来。 Où. Tā zhèige yüè lái. Oh. He/she is coming this month.
4. | 他/她是六月来的。 Tā shì liùyüè láide. He/she is came in June. |  | 哦。他/她这个月来的。 Où. Tā shì zhèige yüè láide. Oh. He/she came in June.
5. | 他/她七月走。 Tā qīyüè zǒu. He/she is leaving in September. |  | 哦。他/她下个月走。 Où. Tā xiàge yüè zǒu. Oh. He/she is leaving next month.
6. | 他/她是五月到的。 Tā shì wǔyüè dàode. He/she arrived in May. |  | 哦。他/她是上个月到的。 Où. Tā shì shàngge yüè dàode. Oh. He/she is arrived last month.
7. | 他/她是六月走的。 Tā shì liùyüè zǒude. He/she left on June. |  | 哦。他/她是这个月走的。 Où. Tā shì zhèige yüè zǒude. Oh. He/she left this month.

### Transformation drill

Table 2.59. Transform the question according to the model.

| Statement |  | Question
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她是一九三五年生的。 Tā shì yījiǔsānwǔnián shēngde. He/she was born in 1935. |  | 他/她是哪年生的？ Tā shì něinián shēngde? What year was he/she born?
2. | 他/她是四月来的。 Tā shì sìyüè láide. He/she came in April. |  | 他/她是几月来的？ Tā shì jǐyüè láide? What month did he/she come?
3. | 他/她是星期五走的。 Tā shì xīngqīwǔ zǒude. He/she left on Friday. |  | 他/她是星期几走的？ Tā shì xīngqījǐ zǒude? What day of the week did he/she leave?
4. | 他/她是七号到的。 Tā shì qīhào dàode. He/she has arrived on the seventh. |  | 他/她是几号到的？ Tā shì jǐhào dàode? What day of the month did he/she arrive?
5. | 他/她是一九七四年来的。 Tā shì yījiǔqīsìnián láide. He/she has come in 1974. |  | 他/她是哪年来的？ Tā shì něinián láide? What year did he/she came?
6. | 他/她是星期天走的。 Tā shì xīngqītiān zǒude. He/she has left on Sunday. |  | 他/她是星期几走的？ Tā shì xīngqījǐ zǒude? What day did he/she leave.
7. | 他/她是九月生的。 Tā shì jiǔyüè shēngde. He/she was born in September. |  | 他/她是几月生的？ Tā shì jǐyüè shēngde? What month was he/she born?

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###

###