Dialogue

甲：你好！

乙：你好！

甲：这是我的朋友。

乙：你好。

朋友: 你好！你也是中国人吧？

乙： 我爸爸是中国人，我妈妈是美国人，我是美国华人。你是哪国人？

朋友：我是中国人。

甲： 他是我的汉语老师。

乙： 我爸爸也是汉语老师。

朋友: 你爸爸好吗？

乙: 他很好，谢谢！

Grammar

1. Place names as attributives:

Names of countries, regions, cities, etc. may serve unchanged as attributives. For example:

日本车	Rìbĕn chē	Japanese car
德国人	Déguó rén	German person

When a place name functions as an attributive modifying a noun or a noun phrase, “的” is not needed to mark the connection.

2. Languages as attributives:

Names of languages can also serve unchanged as attributives. The same as with place names, there is no need to have a “的” to mark the subordination, when a name of a language functions as a modifier.

法文老师	Făwén lăoshī	teacher of French
汉语书	Hànyŭ shū	Chinese book

3. The interrogative particle 吧:

“吧” accompanies suggestions. It is used to form questions, which ask for confirmation of a supposition:

你是美国人吧？	Nĭ shì Mĕiguó rén ba?	You are American (I suppose)?
这不是你的书吧？	Zhè bú shì nĭ de shū ba?	This is not your book (I suppose)?

 

4. Specific questions with interrogative pronouns:

Unlike in English, Chinese questions that use interrogative pronouns do not entail inversion of the word order. The interrogative pronoun occupies the same slot as the information sought does in the reply. For example:

Q: 他是谁？	Tā shì shéi/shuí?	Who is he?
A: 他是大夫。	Tā shì dàifu.	He is a doctor.
Q: 那是谁的书？	Nà shì shéi/shuí de shū?	Whose book is that?
A: 那是我的书。	Nà shì wŏ de shū.	That is my book.
Q: 这是哪国车？	Zhè shì nă/něi guó chē?	Which country’s car is this?
A: 这是德国车。	Zhè shì Déguó chē?	This is a German car?

 

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