Learn Mandarin Chinese for free using self-paced audio-visual lessons and interactive practice exercises - CultureAlley - master conversations, grammar, vocabulary and more! This lesson deals with how numbers and currency is typically used in China! It also covers a simulated market places conversation, covering the important phrase 'how much is it for' with several possible answers! To study this at your own pace, take quizzes and explore more lessons go to www.culturealley.com. See you at the Alley!

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2. Nǐ hǎo
Lesson 15 on Basic Mandarin!
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3. Revision
Speaker
English
Mandarin
Mark
Who has a younger sister?
Shéi yǒu meìmei?
Lisa
Lǐ has a younger sister
Lǐ yǒu meìmei
Mark
Who is he?
Tā shì shéi?
Lisa
He is doctor Wáng
Tā shì Wáng yīsheng
Mark
Whose photo is this?
Zhè shì shéi de zhào piàn?
Lisa
This is my photo
Zhè shì wǒ de zhào piàn
Mark
Do you have an elder sister?
Nǐ yǒu jiějie ma?
Lisa
I don't have an elder sister
Wǒ méi yǒu jiějie
Lisa
I have a younger sister
Wǒ yǒu yí ge meìmei
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4. Revision
Speaker
English
Mandarin
Mark
Who is he?
Tā shì shéi?
Lisa
He is my father doctor Wáng Tā shì wǒ bàba, Wáng yīsheng
Mark
Is she your elder sister
Tā shì nǐ jiějie ma?
Lisa
No, I have a younger sister
Bù, wǒ yǒu yí ge meìmei
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5. Lesson objectives
1
Numbers and currencies
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6. What's in store today?
Today we will have a casual conversation
with a vendor in the market and cover
numbers in the process!
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7. Basic questions
When asking the price of something in
Mandarin, we use the phrase ‘duōshǎo qián’
This phrase is made up on three words,​
and can literally be translated as​
‘many/few money’ implying
‘How much does it cost?’
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8. Basic questions
Many
Duō
It is pronounced with a
h igh
​ level tone
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9. Basic questions
Few
Shǎo
It is pronounced with a​
falling rising tone
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10. Basic questions
Money
Qián
It is pronounced with a
mid ​
rising tone
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11. Basic questions
Many
few
money
Duō
shǎo
qián
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12. Basic questions
How much does it cost?
Duōshǎo qián?
Literally meaning,
‘many few money’
​
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13. Grammar tip
We can shorten this phrase to only​
mean ‘How much’, by removing the​
word ‘money’ from it
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14. Basic Questions
How much is it/ How much?
Duōshǎo?
Literally, ‘many few?’
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15. Numbers
To answer these questions, we will have to
learn the concept of numbers in Mandarin,
which is fairly simple and logical!
Let’s take a look!
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16. Numbers
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17. Numbers
The numbers 11-19 follow a slightly different
order from the rest, where, instead of
calling out 11 as ‘1-10-1’, we simply omit the
first one and call it ‘10-1’
Let’s
​ take a look!
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18. Numbers
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19. Numbers
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20. Numbers
Now let’s learn how to deal with​
decimal points or fractions!
We use the word ‘diǎn’ to represent decimals,
this is also a measure word
for
​ time!
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21. Numbers
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22. Let's see if you remember…
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23. Pick the right option
How do we say ‘ten’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Shí
Shí’èr
Shíyi
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24. Solution
How do we say ‘ten’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Shí
Shí’èr
Shíyi
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25. Pick the right option
How do we say ‘how much’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Duō hǎo?
Duōshǎo?
Duōshǎoian?
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26. Solution
How do we say ‘how much’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Duō hǎo?
Duōshǎo?
Duōshǎoian?
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27. Pick the right option
How do we say 11.1 in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Shídiǎnyī
Shí’èrdiǎnwǔ
Shí’yīdiǎnyī
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28. Solution
How do we say 11.1 in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Shídiǎnyī
Shí’èrdiǎnwǔ
Shí’yīdiǎnyī
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29. Moving on…
Great! Now let’s move on to answering those
questions with varied statements
Here is what we will cover today
This is for 10 dollars
This is for 18 yuan
This is for 20 yen
This is for 12 dollars
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30. Currencies
In mandarin, currencies are formed by adding the
country name along with the Chinese currency!
Let’s
​ see the following sentences and figure out!
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31. Basic questions
It
measure word
Zhè
ge
is
ten
dollars
shí
měiyuán
Měiyuán = America + Chinese currency
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32. Grammar tip
Note that, ‘is’ is not translated as, ten is an​
adjective and the ‘to-be’ verb is not translated​
before adjectives in Mandarin!
Also note that ‘this’ and ‘it’ translate to the
same word in this case!
​
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33. Currencies
It is for 10 dollars
Zhè ge shí měiyuán
It | Measure word| Amount| Currency
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34. Currencies
This is for 18 yuan
Zhè ge shíbā kuài
Yuán and kuài can be used
interchangeably in Mandarin
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35. Currencies
This is for 20 yen
Zhè shì èrshí rìyuán
Rìyuán= Japan + chinese currency
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36. Currencies
This is for 60 dollars
Zhè ge liùshí měiyuán
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37. Let's see if you remember…
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38. Pick the right option
What word can be used instead of​
‘Yuán’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Liùshí
Zhè
Kuài
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39. Solution
What word can be used instead of​
‘Yuán’ in Mandarin?
1
2
3
Liùshí
Zhè
Kuài
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40. Revision
English
Mandarin
How much does it cost?
Duōshǎo qián?
How much is it?
Duōshǎo?
This is for 10 dollars
Zhè ge shí měiyuán
This is for 18 yuan
Zhè ge shíbā kuài
This is for 20 yen
Zhè shì èrshí rìyuán
This is for 60 dollars
Zhè ge liùshí měiyuán
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41. Culture leaf
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42. Culture leaf
The Giant Panda is regarded as the symbol of
China
And it is also the Chinese national animal
It is universally loved, and is a peaceful,​
bamboo-eating member of the bear family
It lives in bamboo forests in central China​
and is an endangered animal
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43. Culture leaf
Surprisingly, Giant panda​
babies are very small,
and​
weigh only 90–130 grams, ​hich is about
w
1/900 of its​
mother's weight!
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44. Culture leaf
In November 2007, China had 239 giant pandas
who lived in captivity
There are 27 giant pandas which live in zoos
outside of China, and the exact number of giant
pandas in​ wild is not known
the
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45. What's next?
In the next lesson we shall learn about
expression of time!
​
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46. Credits
Content
Team CultureAlley, Sunny Dang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda
Voice over
Tyler Crandall
Images
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chengdu-pandas-d18.jpg
Colegota
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pandas_du_zoo_d
Beauval.jpg Isa2886
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47. See you at the Alley!
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