Ocean Heaven -- Part. 5

Please watch the movie: Ocean Heaven.

LANGUAGE  POINTS

1. verb1 着 verb2
2. Causative verb: 让
3. 想verb就verb
4. 开始＋verb
5. verb + 一下

Please try to say the following sentences in Chinese.

1. Dafu saw the ball and he wanted to play with it. 
2. Lao Wang was trying to teach Dafu to use money to buy things. 
3. Lingling asked Dafu to get the ball for her. 
4. Take it, if you want take it. 
5. Sing, if you want to. 
6. Lao Wang begins to teach Dafu how to use money. 
7. Dafu begins juggling the eggs. 
8. Excuse me! Help me to pick up the ball really quick, okay?
9. As you like.
10. Make yourself at home. 

CULTURE NOTES

1. The basic units of Chinese currency are _______________________________________, similar to US dollars, dimes, cents. However, in daily life, people prefer to use_______________________________________.
2. ____________ is the official measurement of weight in China, but you may see people use _________, which equals to 500 grams (half a kilo). 
3. "_________ " can be used to ask someone for help in a polite way. 

Acknowledgement and References:

https://www.mangolanguages.com

Causative verb：让 (ràng)

Causative verbs are verbs that cause people to do things. In English, these are verbs like "make", "have" and "get", as in "get Billy to eat dinner." The "get" is the causative verb. 让 (ràng) is one of the most common causative verbs in Chinese, which is usually used in spoken language. It often can be replaced by 叫 (jiào). Meaning the same thing (to make), 使 (shǐ) is used in more formal or written Chinese. 请 (qǐng) can be used as a causative verb as well, which is more respectful. Please be aware of the different meanings and levels of formality among these Causative verbs when you use them.The structure is Subject + Causative verb + Noun/Pronoun + VO. For example, 

• 玲玲让大福帮她捡球. Lingling asked Dafu to help her to get the ball. 
• 妈妈叫我打扫房间。Mother asked me to clean the room.
• 这部电影使我很感动。This movie is quite moving. 
• 我请张师傅帮我修电脑。I asked Technician Zhang to help me to fix the computer. 

Please write sentences by use the words given. 

1. 爸爸     去    开门     我    叫
2. 去    我    图书馆    老师    让   借书
3. 散步    让   很   放松     我      感觉   
4. 这个    大吃一惊      新闻      使      她
5. 我     张大夫     帮我    请   检查   身体

着 (zhe) part 3: The Durative Aspectual Particle

We learned about the Durative Aspectual Particle 着 (zhe) in the previous blogs (part.1 & part.2). It can be used to signify the continuation of an action or a state. Its function is descriptive. When 着 (zhe) is used between two verbs, the one that precedes it signifies the accompanying action, while the second verb signifies the main action. For example,

• 老师站着讲课，学生坐着听课。While the teacher stood lecturing, the students sat listening.
• 他喜欢躺着看书。He likes to listen to the music while lying down. 
• 美式足球可以抱着球跑。In American football, you can run with the ball in your hands. 

Please fill in the blanks.

1. 我喜欢______着工作。（坐／站／躺）
2. ______着看书对眼睛不好。（坐／站／躺）
3. 马可以______着睡觉。（坐／站／躺）
4. 我们应该______着吃饭。（坐／站／躺）
5. 儿子喜欢______着玩游戏。（坐／站／躺）

w/h question pronoun with 都／也

A question pronoun can appear in sentences other than questions. When a question pronoun is used in a statement with 都 or 也appearing after it, it simply means "all" or "none" in the sense of being all-inclusive or all-exclusive. For example,

• A: 你想喝点儿什么饮料？What kind of drinks do you want to drink?

          B: 谢谢！我不渴，什么都不想喝。Thanks! I'm not thirsty. I don't want to drink anything.

• A: 照片里你认识谁？Who do you know in the photo?

          B: 我谁都不认识。I don't know anybody.

• A: 明天我们几点见？When are we going to meet?

          B: 随便。几点都行。I don't care. (Let it be.) Anytime.


Please filling the blanks by using the phrases give.

1. 谁也不会读
2. 哪件都不想买
3. 我什么地方都没有去过
4. 什么宠物都不养
5. 哪儿也买不到正宗的北京烤鸭

• 这些衣服我______________。I'm not going to buy any of these clothes. 
• 这个字太难了，______________。This character is so difficult. Nobody knows how to read it. 
• 王家明住在学校宿舍里，______________。Wang Jiaming lives at the dorm, and he doesn't keep any pets.
• 俄亥俄州______________。I have never been to any places in Ohio State.
• 在这个城市里，______________。You can't find the real Peking Duck anywhere in this city. 

方方 and 圆圆 are twins but they could not be more different. For example, 方方喜欢吃蔬菜，可是圆圆什么蔬菜都不喜欢吃。Please describe them by contrasting their huge differences.

• 方方 knows everyone, but 圆圆 doesn't know anyone. 
• 方方 has been to all kinds of places, but 圆圆 has not been anywhere. 
• 方方 is happy all the time, but 圆圆 is unhappy all the time. 

Preposition 对 (part. 2)

We learned 对 can be used as a preposition to introduce a thing or a person that receives a certain effect from someone or something else in the previous blog. The structure is A 对 B + verb/adj. Here we are going to learn three more patterns.

• 这个药对感冒很有用。This medicine is very effective for colds. A 对 B 很有用
• 微信对学习中文很有用。
• 电脑对他练习打字很有帮助。Computer is very useful for him to practice typing. A 对 B 很有帮助
• 查字典对学汉字很有帮助。
• 她对花生过敏。She is allergic to peanuts. A 对 B 过敏
• 他对花粉过敏。

Please fill in the blanks:

1. 听  很     对     中文歌     有帮助     我学中文     
2. 他的      鸡蛋     过敏     姐姐     对    
3. 我       对       非常    感兴趣     汉语    
4. 读绕口令        特别         练习音调       对     有帮助
5. 看中文报纸         有用       对       认汉字    十分   

越来越... more and more

"越 ... 越..." (yuè... yuè...) is used frequently in Chinese to denote a progressive change over time. This structure expresses that something is becoming more and more adjective over time, with the latter adjective changing with the verb. The most common structure is: Subject + 越来越 + Adjective. For example, 

• 夏天到了，天气越来越热。
• 北京的房子越来越贵。
• 我的中文越来越好。

Please answer the questions:

• 你觉得语法越来越难，还是越来越容易？
• 你认识的汉字越来越多，还是越来越少？
• 电脑的价格越来越贵，还是越来越便宜？

This structure can be expanded further by replacing 来 with another verb. This expresses that one change causes another change. The structure is: (Subject 1) + 越 + Adjective/ Verb ，(Subject 1/2)  + 越  + Adjective/ Verb. For example, 

• 儿子越大，越聪明。Subject 1 + 越 + Adjective，越  + Adjective
• 儿子越大，越喜欢数学。Subject 1 + 越 + Adjective，越  + Verb
• 儿子越大，成绩越好。Subject 1 + 越 + Adjective，Subject 2＋越  + Adjective
• 儿子越大，我越喜欢他。Subject 1 + 越 + Adjective，Subject 2＋越  + Verb
• 儿子越学数学，越聪明。Subject 1 + 越 + Verb，越  + Adjective
• 儿子越学数学，越喜欢数学。Subject 1 + 越 + Verb，越  + Verb
• 儿子越学数学，成绩就越好。Subject 1 + 越 + Verb，Subject 2＋越  + Adjective
• 儿子越学数学，我越支持他。Subject 1 + 越 + Verb，Subject 2＋越  + Verb

Fill in the blanks by using the phrases or sentences given.

1. 越好吃
2. 越胖
3. 越生气
4. 越便宜
5. 我越兴奋

• 你买得越多，______________________。
• 水果越新鲜，______________________。
• 你越喝碳酸饮料，______________________。
• 他越听，______________________。
• 挑战越大，______________________。

Please fill in the blanks:

• 女儿越__________，______________________。
• 女儿越__________，______________________。
• 女儿越__________，______________________。

You can also use "越...越..." with a complement. In this case, "越" has to follow the "得". The structure is: (Subject 1) + Verb 得 +越..., (Subject 1/2)  + (Verb 得) + 越 ... For example, 

• 我说得越慢，你听得越清楚。
• 盐吃得越多，血压越高。
• 电视看得越多，儿子的视力越糟糕。
• 篮球打得越多，他越强壮。
• 瑜伽练得越多，她越苗条。

Please fill in the blanks:

• 书看得越多，______________________。
• 去得地方越多，______________________。
• 中文电影看得越多，______________________。

最 structure

The most common way to form a superlative (best, worst, biggest, smallest, etc.) in Chinese is to use 最 (zuì) before an adjective. The structure is 最 + Adjective. For example, 

• 这种茶最好喝。
  
• 这种冰淇凌最好吃。

Occasionally you'll also see a 了 (le) added after the adjective. This simply adds emphasis to the "-est."  The structure is 最 + Adjective (+ 了). For example,

• 这种果汁最好喝了。
• 王菲的歌最好听了。

最 (zuì) can also come before psychological verbs, to express what one "most likes," "most hates," etc. It won't make sense if you try to use 最 (zuì) with non-psychological verbs, though.The structure is 最 + [Psychological Verb] (+ 了). For example,

• 他最喜欢看书了。
• 她最讨厌抽烟的人了。
• 他最想去日本了。
• 我最怕蛇。

Please translate the following sentences:

1. My mother is the youngest.
2. His girlfriend is the most beautiful.
3. I am the fastest.
4. She is the most serious student.
5. He is the richest.

Please fill in the blanks:

我最喜欢___________________。

我最不喜欢___________________。

我最讨厌___________________。

我最想去___________________。

我最怕___________________。

比 structure

In Chinese, 比字句 (bǐ zì jù) is often used to compare things. You could think of 比 (bǐ) as meaning "than," except that it sits between the two things being compared. You can use Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adjective to say  one thing is more adjective than another. For example, 
爸爸比哥哥高。Father is taller than the elder brother. 
美国比英国大。The US is bigger than the UK.
开车比走路快。Driving is faster than walking. 

Please translate the following sentences:
This computer is newer than that one.
This phone is more expensive than that one. 
The winter in Buffalo is colder than the winter in Beijing. 

Please describe the pictures:

This one is just a slight upgrade of the basic 比 (bǐ) comparison pattern, adding in 更 (gèng) before the adjective. 更 (gèng) means "even more," so the idea is that while one thing is already quite [adjective], this other thing is even more [adjective]. The structure is Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 更 + Adjective. For example, 

• 哥哥比妹妹高。
• 爸爸比哥哥更高。

Please translate the following sentences:

1. She is even older than me.
2. This place is even better than that place.
3. iPhone is more expensive than iPad.
4. Chinese is more difficult than French.
5. I am happier now than before.

Please describe the area of the countries by using 比 &  更 structure:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_area

把字句 & 被字句 review

Please identify the 把字句 or 被字句 in the following sentences:

1. 我被蜜蜂蛰了。
2. 闹钟把我吵醒了。
3. 爸爸把儿子带到中心公园去玩。
4. 小明捡起了地上的纸。
5. 掉在地上的面包渣被一群小蚂蚁扛走了。

Please correct the following sentences:

1. 教室我被打扫干净了。

2. 我作业把写完了。

3. 比萨把他吃了。

4. 王家明窗户关上了。

5. 爸爸被车开走了。

Please change the sentences into 把字句 & 被字句:

1.清洁工人清理掉了一堆堆的垃圾。

改成“把”字句：

_______________________________________________           

改成“被“字句：

_______________________________________________

2.熊猫有趣的动作逗得孩子们哈哈大笑。

改成“把”字句：

_______________________________________________            

改成“被“字句：

_______________________________________________

Ocean Heaven -- Part. 4

Please watch the movie: Ocean Heaven.

LANGUAGE  POINTS

1. 给... for someone ［to give］/为... for someone [to be on behalf of]
2. 谁也没你+verb: nobody does something better than you
3. 放在+location: Subject + "Special verb" + 在 + Location
4. 先 xian1, first: Subject + 先+verb, do something first
5. 自己+verbs：do something by oneself

Please try to say the following sentences in Chinese.

1. You should come and work for auntie Chai.
2. Dad will cook for you in a while.
3. To live a few days longer for Dafu.
4. Nobody organizes better than you.
5. You eat an apple first. [先 xian1, first]
6. First take an egg. [拿 na2, take]
7. Crack it here. [敲 qiao1, crack; Subject + "Special verb" + 在 + Location]
8. Don't put this dog on the TV.  
9. I put that book on the table.
10. Fry the eggs today by yourself. 

CULTURE NOTES

1. Chinese people use kinship terms to address others even though they are related. For example, 幼儿园阿姨&警察叔叔 literally means day care auntie & police uncle. Why are they called this way?

     2. Due to the acceleration of urbanization, millions of young people come to the urban areas to _________ and they usually work at unskilled labors. They are usually not well-paid and do not have enough social welfare.

      3. In Chinese culture, connections are very important, so _______ is a pattern meaning "benefits from one's association with somebody".

      

Acknowledgement and References:

https://www.mangolanguages.com
http://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASG90DXK

...的时候： At the time when

The simplest way to talk about events that happened during a certain time, like how in English when we say "when I was a child" or "when I was in school", is to use 的时候 (de shíhou). To talk about events that happened at or during a particular time, 的时候 (de shíhou) is often used. This is simply attached to the word or phrase indicating the time: (Subject) + Verb / Adj. + 的 时候， Subject + Verb + Object. For example, 

• 上大学的时候，我常常来这里玩儿。
• 他跟朋友在一起的时候，喜欢去k歌。
• 爸爸在家的时候，我很开心。
• 开车的时候，不要打电话。

Please write sentences by using the words given.

1. 她     吃东西    喜欢     看电影   的时候   
2. 的时候     小     住     在北京     她
3. 他    唱歌    的时候    洗澡   喜欢  

Please fill in the blanks:

1. ___________的时候，我喜欢喝咖啡。
2. 小的时候，我喜欢___________。
3. 上大学的时候，我喜欢___________。

被 structure

被字句 (bèizìjù) is used to express the passive in modern Mandarin Chinese. In passive sentences, the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence, and what would have been the subject of the normal (active voice) sentence, the "doer" of the action, becomes secondary, and may or may not be included in the passive sentence. Let us take a look of these sentences of passive voice in English:

• The boy ate the pizza. (normal sentence in the active voice; note that "pizza" is the object of the verb "ate")
• The pizza was eaten by the boy. (the same sentence in the passive voice; "pizza" is now the subject, and "the boy" is the "doer")
• The pizza was eaten. (also in the passive voice, but with the "doer" omitted)

Now let's see those same sentences in Chinese:

• 男孩儿吃了比萨饼。(the original sentence)
• 比萨饼被男孩儿吃了。(the passive sentence)
• 比萨饼被吃了。(the passive sentence, with no "doer")

You may wonder why we use passive voice. Here are the reasons:

1) To shift emphasis from the "doer" of the action to the one affected by that action.

• 牛奶被喝了。
• 老师被气哭了。

2) To avoid having to mention the "doer" of the action, either because it is unknown, or for other reasons.

• 他的自行车被偷了。
• 他的手机被弄坏了。

How to form a 被字句 is very simple. The structure is Subject + 被 + （Doer） + Verb Phrase. For example, 

• 牛奶被王家明喝了。
• 窗户被打开了。

Please change the following sentences into 被字句.

1. 蚂蚁吃了一条大虫。
2. 我收拾干净了我的房间。
3. 雨水淋湿了我的衣服。
4. 我摔坏了我的手机。
5. 小猫捉到了一只老鼠。
6. 我找到了爸爸的眼镜。
7. 大卫把弟弟送回了家。
8. 妈妈把垃圾丢掉了。
9. 医生把他的病治好了。
10. 杰克把字典借走了。

Advanced usage: 被和谐 (to be harmonized)

把 structure

把字句 ("bǎ"zìjù) is a useful structure to emphasize the result or influence of an action. As in English, a basic sentence in Mandarin is formed with a subject-verb-object (SVO), but 把 sentence shakes things up a bit as Subject + 把 + Object + Verb Phrase. Here are more examples of 把字句 ("bǎ"zìjù).

1. 她把作业做完了。
2. 我把你的信放在桌子上了。
3. 他把我的电脑修好了。

Please change the following sentences to 把字句 ("bǎ"zìjù) .

1. 我弄丢了钥匙。
2. 他弄坏了我的手机。
3. 她收拾干净了我的房间。
4. 他偷走了我的钱包。
5. 你可以吃完这些包子吗？
6. 他用完了卫生纸。
7. 她写错了这个字。
8. 她翻译好了这篇文章。

把 sentences are often used to achieve somewhat subtle differences in emphasis, but there are also very good reasons to use 把 sentences when a regular sentence just won't do. Take this sentence for example:

• 你把字写好。Write nicely.
• 你写好字。You write good characters. 

You may wonder when to use 把字句. You can use 把字句 under these two conditions:

1. The object is known.
2. The sentence describes what happened to the object in some detail (it's not just a "bare" verb; there's "more stuff" after the verb).

Please describe the pictures by using the objects and verb phrases given
1. 沙拉 吃完了

2. 狗 洗干净

3. 书 放在桌上

In addition, to negate a 把 sentence, insert 不 (present or future) or 没有 (past) directly in front of 把. For example,

• 他没有把书放在箱子里，他把书放在桌子上了。
• 我不会把这件事情告诉别人的。
• 你不要把车停在这里。

Please change the following sentences to the negative forms:

1. 我把打印机弄坏了。

2. 他把衣服洗干净了。

3. 她把钥匙弄丢了。

4. 你应该把这个消息告诉他。

5. 我想把兔子送给李友。