Chinese Basics

Nǐ hǎo. The first syllable nǐ uses the third tone (falling-rising), and hǎo also uses the third tone. When two third tones meet, the first often changes to a second tone in casual speech, sounding like ní háo, but the written tones remain 3-3.

谢谢 is pronounced xiè xie. Both syllables use the fourth tone (a sharp falling tone). The phrase literally means 'thanks' and is used in most casual and formal situations.

一 means 'one.' On its own it is pronounced yī (first tone). However, before a fourth-tone syllable it becomes yì, before any other tone it becomes yí, and it is also yī in ordinal or standalone use. Example: 一二 yī èr, 一样 yí yàng.

一 yī, 二 èr, 三 sān, 四 sì, 五 wǔ, 六 liù, 七 qī, 八 bā, 九 jiǔ, 十 shí. Note that 二 can also be pronounced liǎng when used with measure words like 两本书 two books.

我是中国人. Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén. 是 shì means 'to be,' 中国 Zhōngguó means 'China,' and 人 rén means 'person/people.' The neutral tone on rén is common for nationality nouns.

Both characters are the same here: 妈妈 mā ma means 'mom.' The first syllable uses the first tone (high level) and the second is a neutral, light tone. There is no trick; the lesson is that reduplicated family nouns typically use a neutral tone on the second syllable.

这是我的老师. Zhè shì wǒ de lǎoshī. 这 zhè = this, 是 shì = is, 我的 wǒ de = my, 老师 lǎoshī = teacher. 的 is a possessive particle pronounced with a neutral tone.

It means 'What is your name?' Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? A typical reply is 我叫... Wǒ jiào ... followed by your name. 叫 means 'to be called,' 什么 shénme means 'what,' and 名字 míngzi means 'name.'

听不懂 tīng bù dǒng or 我听不懂 wǒ tīng bù dǒng. 听 means 'to hear/listen,' 懂 means 'to understand,' and the 不 inserted before 懂 negates it. Listening-focused contexts often use this phrase.

个 ge is the most common general measure word, used for people and many objects. 们 men is a plural suffix, not a measure word. Example: 一个人 yí ge rén 'one person,' 三个老师 sān ge lǎoshī 'three teachers.'

本 běn is the measure word for books and bound items. Examples: 一本书 yì běn shū 'one book,' 两本杂志 liǎng běn zázhì 'two magazines.' The pattern is Number + Measure word + Noun, and measure words cannot be dropped in standard Mandarin.

多少钱 duōshao qián? Literally 'how much money.' You can also ask 这个多少钱 zhège duōshao qián? 'How much is this one?' 多少 means 'how much/how many,' and 钱 means 'money.'