Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 13 of 240

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What Is This in Traditional Chinese

At Banyan Breakfast, Maya spots a folded paper tucked in the till.

She points to it and asks about it, but Auntie Lin keeps the mystery for another day and turns to the morning orders.

Learn to ask what something is, who someone is, whose an object is, and when something happens.

Then try a quick question for checking if someone is okay. These short questions help with things and people right in front of you.

By the end of this lesson

Ask what something is, who someone is, whose an object is, when something happens, and what is wrong.

  • 這是什麼？What's this?
  • 那是什麼？What's that?
  • 那是誰？Who's that?
  • 這是誰的？Whose is this?
  • ___是什麼時候？When is ___?
  • 怎麼了？What's wrong?

Scene — a paper by the till

The morning rush has just started at Banyan Breakfast. Maya points to a small folded paper tucked in the till and asks Auntie Lin about it.

Auntie Lin keeps serving customers instead of explaining the paper. A-Li sits nearby with his soy milk, which is still unfinished.

Maya notices a folded paper beside the till while Auntie Lin serves customers, and Ali sits nearby with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — questions about things

These questions help when you are looking at an object, pointing to someone, or asking about an event. Listen to each one, then say it out loud.

One question has a blank for the event you want to ask about.

  1. Maya points at the folded paper beside the till and studies it with a curious expression.

    這是什麼？

    What's this?

    When to use it: Ask about something close to you.

    Learn it as one piece.

    Say it: The second syllable in 什麼 is neutral.

  2. Yijun gestures toward a distant steaming bamboo basket while Auntie Lin works at the counter.

    那是什麼？

    What's that?

    When to use it: Ask what something is, often at a distance.

    Learn it as one piece.

    Say it: The second syllable in 什麼 is neutral.

  3. Chen turns toward a newly arrived customer and gestures to ask about the person.

    那是誰？

    Who's that?

    When to use it: Ask who a person farther away is.

    Learn it as one piece.

  4. Wang examines the folded paper in Maya's hand and gestures toward it as if asking who owns it.

    這是誰的？

    Whose is this?

    When to use it: Ask who owns something close to you.

    Learn it as one piece.

  5. Maya looks between the folded paper and a plain analog clock as she asks about the time of an event.

    ___是什麼時候？

    When is ___?

    When to use it: Ask when an event happens.

    Learn the whole question as one piece.

    Say it: The second syllable in 什麼 is neutral.

  6. Zhiming leans toward startled Ali and the spilled soy milk with a concerned expression.

    怎麼了？

    What's wrong?

    When to use it: Ask when someone seems upset or something seems wrong.

    Learn it as one piece.

    Say it: The second syllable in 怎麼 is neutral.

Story — a mystery at breakfast

Maya notices the folded paper tucked in the till and points to it. Auntie Lin puts off explaining it and gets back to breakfast orders.

Maya asks about the people and things nearby, then asks A-Li when his birthday is. The paper's mystery remains for another day.

  1. Maya這是什麼？What's this?
  2. Auntie Lin那個改天再說吧。豆漿一杯。Let's talk about that another day. One soy milk.
  3. Maya這是誰的？Whose is this?
  4. Auntie Lin這個問題也改天再說吧。Let's talk about that question another day too.
  5. Maya那是誰？Who's that?
  6. A-Li我是阿犛。I'm A-Li.
  7. Maya那是什麼？What's that?
  8. A-Li兩張椅子。Two stools.
  9. Maya你的生日是什麼時候？When is your birthday?
  10. A-Li冬天。In winter.
  11. Maya怎麼了？What's wrong?
  12. A-Li我找不到悠遊卡。I can't find my EasyCard.

Practice — ask the right question

Try ten short exercises about things and people at the breakfast shop. Choose the question that fits each moment, then build and complete a few lines.

Pay attention to whether you are asking about an object, a person, or an event.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    這是什麼？

  2. What do you say?

    You are holding a paper in your hand. Ask what this paper is.

  3. Build the line

    Whose is this?

    ？

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Who's that?

    那是____？

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    這是什麼？Drop the English here
    那是誰？Drop the English here
    這是誰的？Drop the English here
    ___是什麼時候？Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Traditional Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  7. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin greets you politely. Return her polite greeting.

  8. Fill the gap

    When is ___?

    ___是____？

  9. What do you say?

    A-Li looks worried and is searching for his EasyCard. Ask what is wrong.

  10. What do you say?

    Before asking Auntie Lin a question, use the polite opening.

Say it — your questions

You play Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Greet Auntie Lin, ask about the folded paper, and talk with A-Li.

Listen to each cue, then say the matching line out loud. The paper's mystery stays unanswered for now.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，早安！Good morning, beautiful!
  2. Maya (you)Greet Auntie Lin politely.

    您好

    Hello, politely.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
這是什麼？What's this?
那是什麼？What's that?
那是誰？Who's that?
這是誰的？Whose is this?
___是什麼時候？When is ___?
怎麼了？What's wrong?
Next: lesson 14Numbers one to ten

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's questions are in Yak Cards with more useful lines for asking about people and things.

Review a few question cards each day so the words come easily.

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