Unit 5

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.

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
shēngto be born
-suìyear (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

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.

shizài Měiguóshēng-de.I was born in America. WHERE
shizuótiāndào-de.I arrived yesterday. WHEN
shiyíge rénlái-de.I came alone. HOW
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:

xīngqījǐWhat day of the week?
xīngqīyīMonday
xīngqīèrTuesday
xīngqīsànWednesday
xīngqīsìThursday
xingqīwǔFriday
xīngqīliùSaturday
xīngqītiānSunday

Until now, you have always seen , "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?"

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?  
yíyüèJanuaryqíyüèJuly
èryüèFebruarybáyüèAugust
sānyüèMarchjiǔyüèSeptember
sìyüèAprilshíyüèOctober
wǔyüèMayshǐyīyüèNovember
liùyüèJuneshíèryüèDecember

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.)

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.
Daysqiántiānzuótiānjīntiānmīngtiānhòutiān
Yearsqiánniánqǜniánjīnniánmíngniánhòunián

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]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 .

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.

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?

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.

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. 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.

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.

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.