CLO_003: Introductions
In this lesson you will learn:
Greetings and Introduction:
Nǐ hǎo
Nǐ hǎo
Nǐ hǎo ma?
Wǒ hěn hǎo
Xièxie
Dàjiā hǎo
Wǒ shì Adam
Verb: to be
Wǒ shì
Nǐ shì
Tā shì
Tā shì
Countries:
Měiguó
Zhōngguó
Jiānádà
Yīngguó
Fāguó / Fàguó
Àozhōu
Nationalities:
Měiguórén
Zhōngguórén
Jiānádàrén
Yīngguórén
Languages:
Zhōngwén
Yīngwén
PDF Notes: 
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:44 pm
How do you say Colombia in Mandarin?
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Gēlúnbǐyà (哥伦比亚)
November 6th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
da jia hao?
How do you say Israel in Chinese?
xie xie
November 6th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
Yǐsèliè (以色列)
November 6th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Ni hao.
How do you say Mexico?
xie xie
November 6th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Mòxīgē (墨西哥). We love this by the way - keep them coming!
November 24th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
How would you say Brazil and Portugal?
November 24th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Brazil = Bāxī (巴西)
Portugal = Pútáoyá (葡萄牙)
By the way, we’re adding all the countries you request to the Premium notes which are available for everyone to see at: http://www.chineselearnonline.com/lesson-003-pinyin
Scroll down to the bottom to see the list of countries. If your country is not there, request for it here.
Thanks for listening!
November 28th, 2006 at 3:41 am
How would you say Nicaragua and Managua?
November 28th, 2006 at 3:49 am
Nicaragua = Níjiālāguā (尼加拉瓜)
Managua I believe is the capital city. Oh dear, I’ll need help on that one. Anyone out there know?
December 8th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
How would you say Germany (Deutschland) and Cologne (Köln)
December 8th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Germany is already in the Premium list mentioned above, but I’ll list it again here:
Germany: Déguó (德国) Interestingly enough, the Chinese version is a transliteration of the German name “Deutschland:!
Cologne: Kēlóng (科隆)
February 7th, 2007 at 9:49 am
How do you say Vietnamese?
[This is late, gonna be a while before i can catch up!!]
Thank you!! ^__^
February 7th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Vietnam: Yuènán (越南)
Vietnamese person: Yuènánrén (越南人)
February 9th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Nǐ hǎo
How do you say:
I am from Wales
I am Welsh
xiè xie
zài jiàn
February 9th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Hi Simon,
1. Wǒ cóng Wēiěrshì(威尔士) lái.
2. Wǒ shì Wēiěrshìrén.
-Adam
February 11th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
For Amy: Managua is Mǎnàguā / 马那瓜 / 馬那瓜
Mǎnàguā seems perfectly transliterated, but if it were translated literally, my guess is that it would be something like: Horse that claws
February 15th, 2007 at 1:06 am
Hey , how do you say peruvian in chinese
thanks, ciao
February 15th, 2007 at 1:19 am
Hi Rodrigo,
Peru is Bìlǔ (秘鲁) so a Peruvian person would be a Bìlǔrén.
February 20th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Would you say “She/he is beautiful” by:
Tā shì Měi
?
February 20th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Hi Malcolm
You would need to say: Tā hěn měi. In English that translates to “She is ‘very’ beautiful” but in Chinese the hěn has a lighter meaning so it’s needed for this sentence to make any sense.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:51 am
how do you say ecuador
February 26th, 2007 at 3:00 am
Hi Ricky,
That would be Èguāduōěr (厄瓜多尔)
March 20th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Ni hao everyone,
I’m very curious to find out what: Holland a.k.a The Netherlands is and ‘I’m Dutch’ (not to be mistaken with I am Deutsch…;-) that always seems to be tricky…;-)
Xie Xie!
Catherine
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Hi Catherine,
The Netherlands in Chinese is He2lan2 (荷兰). I’ve added it to the Vocabulary section above. So to say “I’m Dutch” you’d say Wo3 shi4 He2lan2ren2.
-Adam
March 24th, 2007 at 6:18 am
Hi everyone
I really like your podcast. Thank you so much for offering it. I hope I can use my knowledge when I will travel to Asia this summer.
Now my “country” question: Could you tell me how ‘Switzerland’ is written in Mandarin?
Have a nice weekend
Chris
March 26th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Hi Chris,
Switzerland is Ruìshì (瑞士). Thanks for listening!
-Adam
March 26th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I’m happy to say that the Vocabulary section above has been updated with all the countries you asked for with Simplified, Traditional characters and Audio! So pick your favorite country and learn how to pronounce it. These countries are also now part of the Word-bank.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:40 am
你好!
I’m revisiting these erlier lessons and realize that I don’t know my contry name in chinese. If I would like to say “I am from Norway” will it be in this way then? In this exampel but here you don’t use “guó =国” for country
wǒ láizì nuówēi should be like this in chinese 我来自挪威 or could I also say it in this way “wǒ shì cóng nuówēi = 我是从挪威”
I look forward to your answer
regards Haakan
May 1st, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Hi Haakan.
As you noted, there are a couple of ways to say it.
1. Wǒ láizì Nuówēi.
2. Wǒ cóng Nuówēi lái.
In lesson 13, I go over the question and answer format for the #2 format.
Hope that helps!
-Adam
July 12th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
ni hao!
how do you say Filipino/Philippines in mandarin?
xie xie ni!
July 13th, 2007 at 12:06 am
Hello KC,
Philippines is Fèilǜbīn in Mandarin. To learn how to say it, click on the Vocabulary link above to hear the pronunciation of many countries. To say someone is Filipino, you just add a rén at the end so a Filipino would be a Fèilǜbīnrén.
July 15th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Hello, how would you say Lithuania?
July 15th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Hello Vygandas,
That would be: Lì táo wǎn
July 30th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Ni hao!
How is “Poland” and “Polish” in Chinese
Xiexie ni
Zaijian
August 1st, 2007 at 11:25 am
Hello Jacek,
Poland is Bōlán (波兰 / 波蘭)
A Polish person is Bōlánrén while the Polish language would be Bōlányǔ.
August 1st, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Ni hao
Xiexie ni, but how to pronounce “-nyu”?
Zaijian
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:55 am
The yǔ refers to “language” so it actually becomes “Bōlán yǔ”
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Ni hao
Xiexie ni
Zaijian
August 18th, 2007 at 3:54 am
Hi!
How would you say Sweden and Swedish?
August 20th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Hi Anna,
Sweden = Ruìdiǎn (瑞典)
Swedish person = Ruìdiǎnrén (瑞典人)
Swedish language = Ruìdiǎnyǔ (瑞典语 / 瑞典語)
August 26th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
ni hao Adam!
nice work you have over here! im really excited of been learning chinese.
im from Chile, how do you say that?
Xiexie ni
Ale
August 27th, 2007 at 12:13 am
Hi Alejandra,
Chile is Zhìlì (智利)
September 22nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Hello. Thank you for so good side. Please help me with name and prononcation of my country. Kyrghyz Republic. Regards
September 22nd, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Hi Lisa,
Kyrghyz Republic would be Jíěrjísī Gònghéguó (吉尔吉斯共和国/吉爾吉斯共和國) where Gònghéguó means “Republic”
October 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Hey Adam,
how do you say Greece?
Xiexie ni
Steli
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:41 am
Hi Steli, Greece is Xīlà (希腊 / 希臘) I have added it to the Vocabulary page above.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
How do you say Chicago and Indiana?
November 8th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Hi Jill,
Chicago= Zhījiāgē (芝加哥)
Indiana = Yìndìānnà (印地安纳 / 印地安納)
November 9th, 2007 at 5:02 am
Hi Adam, great resource, perfect for absolute beginner like me. I’m from Estonia, Tallinn - how do you say Estonia in Chinese?
November 9th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Hello Pavel and welcome!
Estonia is Àishāníyà (爱沙尼亚 / 愛沙尼亞)
February 4th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Hi Adam,
Just wondering how you say ‘Ireland’ and ‘Irish’ in Mandarin.
Looking forward to catching up with the podcasts… in time!
R
February 5th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Hello Ronan,
Ireland would be Àiěrlán (爱尔兰). To say Irish (as in the language), you just add a yǔ (语) at the end giving us Àiěrlányǔ (爱尔兰语).
Good luck and take your time going through the lessons!
February 17th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Dear Adam, Thanks indeed for your website, it is immense help. Would you please tell us how to say - India, Indian, Yemen, Yemeni. Best Regards Josemon.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Hello Josemon,
If you go to the Vocabulary page above, and click on “Next” a couple of times in the vocabulary section, you will see India translated as Yìndù. A person from India then becomes an Yìndùrén.
Similarly, Yemen is Yěmén while a Yemeni would be Yěménrén
Hope that helps!
February 21st, 2008 at 9:56 am
ni hao
How do you say Morrocan ?
xiexie
February 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
Hi Hamza,
Morocco is Móluògē, while a Moroccan would be Móluògērén
March 31st, 2008 at 12:22 am
Dàjiā hǎo!
I’m Ksenia.
No one seems to mention my beautiful country Russia before.
So, how do you say Russia and Russian in chinese?
Xièxiè.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:14 am
Hi Ksenia,
Russia is Éluósī. You may also hear it as Éguó. If you click on the Vocabulary link above, and click on Next a couple of times, you will see both versions in the Supplementary vocabulary (red).
For a Russian person, just add rén giving Éluósīrén or Éguórén.
Thanks!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Dàjiā hǎo!
Cuba 用 汉 语 怎 么 说？ Cuba yòng Hànyǔ zěnme shuō?
多 谢 。Duō xiè.
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:26 am
Hello Kevin,
Cuba is Gǔbā (古巴)
Welcome!
April 28th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Hi there!
I would like to know how to say Spain ans also I´m spanish.
Thanks a lot!
April 29th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Hi Isabel,
Spain is “Xībānyá”
“I am Spanish” would be “Wǒ shì Xībānyárén”
Good luck!
April 30th, 2008 at 4:44 am
Hieee,,,, i love this site…. ! I had been looking for chinese learning classes in my country [India] . The only classes held here are in the embassy. But then I found this site.
..
so,,umm,,, How do you say ‘India’ and ‘Indian’ ?
May 5th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Hi Anushka,
India is Yìndù (印度) while an Indian person would be an Yìndùrén （印度人）. Thanks for listening!
June 15th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
How would you say Falkland Islands, Falkland Islander and Kelper (this last name comes from the enormous amount of sea kelp surrounding the Islands)? xie xie.
June 16th, 2008 at 2:45 am
Hi Pamela,
Wow you’re really testing us here!
Falkland Islands would be Fúkèlán qúndǎo (福克兰群岛 / 福克蘭群島), which literally means “Falkland group of islands.” So a Falkland Islander would be a Fúkèlán qúndǎorén.
As for Kelper, assuming the Chinese person you were talking to understood the context, it might be Hǎidàirén (海带人/海帶人) which literally means “Kelp person.”
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Hi Adam,
I would be grateful if you could tell me how to say that I come from Hungary
Budapest in Chineese.
Thanks,
Andrea
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:04 am
Hi Andrea,
Hungary is Xiōngyálì (匈牙利) while Budapest is Bùdápèisī (布达佩斯 / 布達佩斯).
Good luck!
August 7th, 2008 at 4:10 am
Hi Adam,
would you please send me how to say Czech Republic and Czech in Chinese.
Many thanks,
Jan
August 7th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Hi Jan,
The Czech country is Jiékè. If you want to specify the Czech Republic, you can say Jiékè gònghéguó (where the latter refers to “republic”).
The Czech language would be Jiékèyǔ.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hi,
I’m having trouble in the sentence-building section. I can’t seem to drag the words into the right spot ; they refuse to stay there. What can I do?
September 21st, 2008 at 4:49 am
Hi again,
Don’t need an answer anymore as I’ve figured out the problem. Just needed to wait for the boxes to move ( patience !) and make room for the new word before letting go of the mouse. Thanks for creating such a great website for learning Chinese.
Michelle
September 21st, 2008 at 5:42 am
Ah, thanks Michelle!