[ChineseSpeaker]

Ok, so i'm going to start the above, and hopefully it'll be made into a sticky...
so here goes, the first few characters for this week...

note - Since most characters have many meanings, im not going to put them all here. just the main meanings.

我 wǒ - I, me; 我们 wǒmen - we

可以 kěyǐ - 1) can; may;
2) passable; pretty good; not bad; be worth (doing)

会 huì - 1) can; be able to | Wǒ huì yòng kuàizi. I can use chopsticks
2) get together; assemble 3) meet; see

[ChineseSpeaker]

他 tā ①he ②she ③it ④they (referring to inanimate things in object position)
他们 tāmen ①they ②and the others

决定 juédìng (verb) ①decide; resolve; make up one's mind

喜欢 xǐhuan (verb) ①like; love; be fond of
②be happy/elated/delighted

[davros]

Thanks, ChineseSpeaker! 谢谢你!

I'll be following this as long as it continues.

[nij]

Damn why is this board so dead? I think it would be great if more people started learning Mandarin! I started a few years ago but I didn't give it much time...

Wo keyi yong xingyongka ma? Hehe - I remember that one from linguaphone. "Can I use a credit card?" LOL uhh let's see...

Buyao! - "Are sure you don't need to!"

Weishenme? - "Why?"

Mar tá...umm...yinwei....uhh..jiangw... ah crap i better stop now before I make a bigger fool of myself!

[ChineseSpeaker]

Sorry about the lack of postings...i'll keep it more regular from now on

去 qù v ①go; go to; leave; depart ②get rid of; remove; cast out - qu nǐ de! Get lost!

来 lái v. ①come; arrive

More uses of Lai - [lái] come; 起来 (qi(3)lai) get up; 原来 (yuan(2)lai) it turns out

足球 zúqiú n. 〈sport〉 football; soccer

踢 [tī] kick; 踢足球 play football

[ChineseSpeaker]

Just a quick word on tones

There are four tones in Chinese

The 1st tone 一 [yī] (one)

The 2nd tone 姨 [yí] (aunt (mother's sister))

The 3rd tone 椅 [yǐ] ((椅子 yǐzi) chair)

The 4th tone 亿 [yì] (100 million)

Tones differentiate the meaning. A word has a different meaning when pronounced in different tones as in the example above with yi.

The tones, in pinyin (not characters) are indicated by tone marks as shown above. These tone marks are written over the main vowel in the word.
1st - high and level tone
2nd - rising tone
3rd - falling-rising tone
4th - falling tone (sharp sound)

[ChineseSpeaker]

Thanks for the input wij. I'll build on a few of yours...

为什么 wèishénme - why?; why is it that?

因为 yīnwèi - because; for; on account of

所以 suǒyǐ - so; therefore; as a result

[ChineseSpeaker]

要 yào - want; will

说 shuō v. - speak; talk

在 zài v. - be at/in/on

什么 shénme pr. ①what? | Nǐ zài shuō shénme? - What are you talking about?

[kwalsh000]

Great idea chinesespeaker. I will be following this aswell, ive been studying mandarin on and off for a while but i will have to start getting back into it properly.

[ChineseSpeaker]

glad you guys are finding it useful...

对 duì - correct; yes; (This is usually used as an affirmative response to a question as in 'Yes, you are right'.)

Another common word 对 duì is used in
对不起 - (duìbuqǐ) excuse me.

不好意思 bù hǎoyìsi s.v. - Sorry (when you're embarrassed about something or made a mistake).

这 [zhè] - this

怎么 zěnme adv. - how?

[ChineseSpeaker]

意思 yìsin. ①meaning; idea ②opinion; wish; desire

是 shì v. ①be ②matter; affair

你 [nǐ] - you; 你们 nǐmen you (plural)
他 [tā] - he, him; 他们 them
她 [tā] - she, her; it; 她们 them
的 [de] - This is just a grammar particle that joins sentences together...examples below....

我的 wǒde - mine,
你的 nǐde - yours,

with 意思 yìsi above
Wǒ de yìsi shì shuō - I mean to say
Nǐ de yìsi ne? - OR - Nǐ de yìsi shì shénme? - What's your opinion?

[rivers]

good stuff ChineseSpeaker...

[ChineseSpeaker]

好 hǎo - good，well

你好 nǐhǎo - Hello.

你好吗? nǐhǎo ma? - How are you?

谁 [shuí] [shéi] - who : shéi lái le? Who came?

哪儿 nǎr - where : nǐ shàng nǎr?你上哪儿? where are you going?

[nij]

Is the 'ni' in nihao not the rising tone?

[rivers]

Do you mean is 'ni' a rising tone because it's before a third tone?
i think it is, but i don't think in writing its is represented...