Comments on: Lesson 001. PDF Transcript (Read First). http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/ Learn Mandarin Chinese with theme-based and progressive online lessons. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:07:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bobby K http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-116505 Bobby K Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:21:04 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-116505 Hi Serge, I'm still in lesson 17, but really found my mandarin skill improved a lot using your program. I especially find it's pretty useful how you sometimes tell how an object is spoken differently in Taiwan and China, it's pretty useful to know these differences. Keep up the good job :) Cheers, Bobby Hi Serge,
I’m still in lesson 17, but really found my mandarin skill improved a lot using your program. I especially find it’s pretty useful how you sometimes tell how an object is spoken differently in Taiwan and China, it’s pretty useful to know these differences.

Keep up the good job :)

Cheers,
Bobby

]]> By: Serge Melnyk http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-109294 Serge Melnyk Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:45:24 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-109294 Nihao Susan, Thanks for your good questions. Na4 or na4ge=that (sometimes also pronounced as nei4ge) na4 or na4me=so, then. So, na4 can mean 'that' and 'so, then' To be more clear, the full word for 'that' is na4ge, opposite of zhe4ge (zhei4ge) The full word for 'so or 'then' is na4me. The only other different 'na' is na3 pronounced in third tone and it means 'which', as in na3 yi2ge4-which one. (ge4 originally is in 4th tone, it's either neutral or 4th tone, either way is fine) ****** About 'bu' and 'yi'. By default they are pronounced in: bu4-fourth tone, yi1-first tone. There is a rule when they change their tones. Bu4. When it's placed before 4th tone, it turns into bu2-second tone., e.g. bu2 shi4, bu2 yao4, etc. When it's placed before 1st, 2nd, 3rd tones, it's still bu4-fourth tone. E.g. in dui4 bu4 qi3, qi3 is in third tone, so bu4 is still bu4. However, it can also be written as 'neutral' tone here. Either way. Same applies to yi1-one. When before fourth tone, it becomes second tone, eg. yi2 ci4-one time. But, yi4 qi3-together, yi4 is in fourth tone. This is just a very common rule, it will help you to understand why the tone is sometimes different with 'bu' and 'yi' Best, Serge Nihao Susan,

Thanks for your good questions.

Na4 or na4ge=that (sometimes also pronounced as nei4ge)
na4 or na4me=so, then.

So, na4 can mean ‘that’ and ‘so, then’

To be more clear, the full word for ‘that’ is na4ge, opposite of zhe4ge (zhei4ge)
The full word for ‘so or ‘then’ is na4me.

The only other different ‘na’ is na3 pronounced in third tone and it means ‘which’, as in na3 yi2ge4-which one. (ge4 originally is in 4th tone, it’s either neutral or 4th tone, either way is fine)

******
About ‘bu’ and ‘yi’.

By default they are pronounced in: bu4-fourth tone, yi1-first tone.

There is a rule when they change their tones.

Bu4. When it’s placed before 4th tone, it turns into bu2-second tone., e.g. bu2 shi4, bu2 yao4, etc.

When it’s placed before 1st, 2nd, 3rd tones, it’s still bu4-fourth tone. E.g. in dui4 bu4 qi3, qi3 is in third tone, so bu4 is still bu4. However, it can also be written as ‘neutral’ tone here. Either way.

Same applies to yi1-one.

When before fourth tone, it becomes second tone, eg. yi2 ci4-one time.

But, yi4 qi3-together, yi4 is in fourth tone.

This is just a very common rule, it will help you to understand why the tone is sometimes different with ‘bu’ and ‘yi’

Best,

Serge

]]> By: Susan http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-109293 Susan Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:41:38 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-001-pdf-transcript/#comment-109293 I have a couple of questions, The first one is about na4. In lesson 8 you say na4 means, "then, so." In lesson 4 you say na4 means "that." Does it mean all three - then, so, and that? Or is then, so another tone possibly? Second one is about bu. In lesson 8 in the grammar section, you say, "The negative form is made by putting bu4 before the verb shi4." Could that possibly be a mistake? Do you mean bu2 instead of bu4? In lesson 8 you list the tones as dui4buqi3. In lesson 5 you list the tones as dui4bu4qi3. Which one is it? In lesson 8 you list the tones as yi1ci4. Yet, it sounds to me as if you are saying the tones as yi2ci4 Which is it? I've really been enjoying your lessons and learning Chinese. Thank you for responding, SLReid I have a couple of questions,

The first one is about na4.
In lesson 8 you say na4 means, “then, so.” In lesson 4 you say na4 means
“that.”
Does it mean all three – then, so, and that? Or is then, so another tone
possibly?

Second one is about bu.
In lesson 8 in the grammar section, you say, “The negative form is made by
putting bu4 before the verb shi4.” Could that possibly be a mistake? Do you
mean bu2 instead of bu4?

In lesson 8 you list the tones as dui4buqi3. In lesson 5 you list the tones
as dui4bu4qi3.

Which one is it?

In lesson 8 you list the tones as yi1ci4. Yet, it sounds to me as if you
are saying the tones as yi2ci4

Which is it?

I’ve really been enjoying your lessons and learning Chinese.

Thank you for responding,
SLReid

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