URLLesson Introduction
So, you’ve used our lessons to land the big contract (we’d like a cut), and all you have to do is meet at their office. Who knew your western GPS wouldn’t work in Asia?! What are you going to do now, G.G. Ross? Can we suggest a lesson on using Mandarin to find out where you are going? In the unlikely event of losing your way, find it in this podcast.
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greatgifts says
May 22, 2008
wow, this is great, 1st to give a comment on a newbie lesson! Simple but great lesson for a newbie like me Can I say: 好的 中文 课 (hǎo de Zhōng wén kè) or 中文 课, 好的? To Jenny and Ken and the rest of Chinese pod, 谢谢!
texastochina says
May 22, 2008
A charming lesson.
greatgifts says
May 22, 2008
there's one more, should i say: "中文 课的 好!"? Help!!! What are the grammar rules on this one?!!!!
isquid says
May 22, 2008
Call me clueless but I just discovered that the full text of the skits are included in the MP3 download... which means I can see the skits on my iPod while I listen to them! Chinese Pod is so cool! Ken, you're great. Jenny, you're so cute (and you don't look "eggie" at all!) Thanks a bunch!
buckaroo says
May 22, 2008
This is the first lesson where I've comprehended the dialogue without needing the translation. It's always nice to have those little breakthrough moments that signify your progress. Great job once again, ChinesePod.
murphmarc22 says
May 22, 2008
How is it you upload the pdf file onto your ipod? Do you have to save it as a different file type? Thanks for the help!
amber says
May 22, 2008
Hi murphmarc22, For basic and premium subscribers, you download the 128kbps Podcast MP3, and the PDF transcription is embedded in there. To get it to show up on your iPod, you click the middle button 2 or 3 times till it flips around to where you see it!
amber says
May 22, 2008
hi greatgifts, Here is how you can say those two sentences, along with the sentence patterns used: "Very good Chinese lesson!" 很好的中文课！ (Hěn hǎo de Zhōngwén kè!) adv + adj + 的 (de) + noun "This Chinese lesson is very good." 这个中文课很好。 (Zhège Zhōngwén kè hěn hǎo.) noun + adv + adj
changye says
May 22, 2008
我家离公司很远。My home is far from the office. 我家离公司不远。My home is not far from the office. 我家离公司很近。My home is near the office. 我家 (wo3 jia1), 离 (li2), 公司 (gong1 si1) 很远 (hen3 yuan3), 不 (bu4), 近 (jin4)
sophie20461 says
May 23, 2008
wow i always thought 我家离公司很远=my home is far away from the office. hehe. is it a wrong sentence?
sanp says
May 23, 2008
http://chinesepod.com/images/inner_logo.gif
sanp says
May 23, 2008
[img]http://chinesepod.com/images/inner_logo.gif[/img]
lester says
May 23, 2008
那么，你的家离公司近还是元? na4me, ni3 de jia1li2 gong1si1 jin4 hai2shi4 yuan3?
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
The format change from translation to analysis is not an annoyance for me. I am not sure what drives some of the changes in the techniques used to educate Chinese pod participants. The analytical approach is only different. I am not sure that it makes instruction more valuable compared to the shout we translate now face of the lesson. I'm always suspicious of analysis because it is like this: let's talk about being honest, figure it out bisect it. Then let's walk away from it -- a pile of parts. This is a technique used on Spanish pod. So I think I can detect the direction from which this is flowing. I will say this: my introduction to Chinese was through the free Chinese pot lessons. This was the front in the war to attract customers. Now some internal staff may feel like they are giving away too much in the lesson. And so they may reason this will drive people to a premium account. However the danger is in changing the advertisement for Chinese pod a risk is being run. Chinese pod free dialogs were an attraction and kept me coming back for more until I was ready to purchase premium content. So in the spirit of discussion of what is best for the learner it is an open question. What is best for the learner? Is it the analytic approach? Or is it the top-down approach. Since I am a premium member I lose nothing because the translations word for word are left out. as my mother used to say the proof is in the pudding. If this approach gets Chinese pod more customers then I am happy. I rely on Chinese pod for my language needs. I have a Spanish minor. I would place my ability in the intermediate range. However, after listening to a few lessons of Spanish Pod high was left with a feeling of disinterest. That coupled with my demanding schedule and my very poor performance in acquiring the Chinese language lefty saying no to the praxis pass even though it is the greatest deal in the world. Where can you take three separate language courses at that price? I could have signed up for the Praxis pass at the cost of nine dollars per month. Although I am not rich, that really is chump change. Now Ken. don't let these young people steer you wrong direction. Don't ever lose your personality because that personality is a driving force in the success of Chinese pod. I wish you all well. These are my honest comments. They may not come from an evolution in thinking. They may just be a knee-jerk reaction to change. But I would remember if I were you that it was a model you use at the very beginning which launched Chinese pod and made it a critical success. Another friend of mine said -- "if it works don't fix it." That is something to consider.
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
The lesson is a very simple one but two Newbie it is like listening to gibberish -- if the newbie is anything like I was. So I think the simple lessons are very useful for the beginning student. Please remember that what keeps people coming back is the perception of success. Fancy accents and cute background noise are fun. But they will dim very quickly if the student does not feel he is succeeding. The main objective of any teacher is this: how can I enhance the curriculum in order to make learning possible for my students. Once it becomes a business decision there is a disconnect. This disconnect can affect the quality of the learning experience. Just my $.02 worth.
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
I would like to also add to the conversation about this new analytic format. There is more than this in the premium package and you will find that some of it is very useful. Since there used to be a seven day free trial you can without any risk sample with Chinese pot has to offer. And I have to say that these sections have improved greatly over the past few months. Can you mentioned in a brief advertisement that there were patterns and so on. In the expansion section I would consider that rather than pattern development and application of vocabulary placed in different contexts. Patterns are an interesting thing. You have stems and Stern's. What I would like to see is the development of collocation exercises and a section devoted to lexical chunks. They can be grouped in a section which is separate from vocabulary. I notice that on occasion a lexical chunk will sneak its way in to the vocabulary section. There is also an old model called Bloom's taxonomy of behavioral objectives. The taxonomy is shaped like a pier amid and the base of it is titled memory. Repeat and recall. And as you climb the ladder or the peer meant for that matter you get into application, analysis, synthesis etc. these are very interesting educational ideas and when they are performed by the masters they are a thing of beauty in education. Not me! The Masters they are the ones that brain teaching to life. Well that's enough out of me. We are forever learning and struggling against the forces of evil everyday in our own minds. Stay positive and please don't ever sell Chinese pod Ken.
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
Amber? Why are the lessons now being outfitted with the pirate talk -- jar car are nar when we used to say nali and other such things. is this Beijin-huar? just curious.
swizeus says
May 23, 2008
beijing accent is that way, a reflexive way of saying things
bazza says
May 23, 2008
I didn't realise you could just say 早 for good morning, I suppose it's the same in English though, you usually just say 'morning' instead of 'good morning'.
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
Maureen and has road a cruise owner in needing. A poem for Bazza.
alwingate says
May 23, 2008
thank you Jesus finally a lesson I can handle. Thank you Chinese got to the newbie lessons. Even though I am bordering on the elementary is always a joy to come back to a lesson in the newbie section that does not break your balls. Back in the kebab lesson was a joy killer. Thank you Chinese pod -- thank you thank you thank you -- Sincerely yours, A mind on a wire
bennyboyk says
May 23, 2008
Hi Amber, I didn't know PDF's were actualy embedded in the 128kbps podcast, something to read on the train to work. Guess I didn't read the 10 steps thingy when I started, thanks.
wonglungsek says
May 23, 2008
“我去公司”& “我上班“ 是一樣嗎？
jarona says
May 23, 2008
does anyone know how to use the i-flash thing as well? I have not been able to export my vocabulary list by the i flash type but only the two other styles which do no good if you are trying to put it on an i-pod. Rather perplexed over this or just unable to figure it out????? I hope somebody has successfully been able to put there flash cards onto there i-pod but not me.
wolson says
May 23, 2008
On this last trip to China, I did bring my GPS to China and used it successfully. I had no problem with it whether I was in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Wuhan or in outlying regions. It was really useful in Wuhan as I rarely knew where I was or could tell where I was. In fact, one day we had a driver that got lost ... the GPS was able to put us back on track.
greatgifts says
May 23, 2008
Hi Amber, thanks a lot. 妳 是 很 漂亮! I guess i can say "这个中文 网址 很好" (zhè ge Zhōng wén wǎng zhǐ hěn hǎo) . More power to Chinesepod, hope you guys will continue and never tire in preparing great lessons in Chinese!!!!
greatgifts says
May 23, 2008
Hi Changye, I've been browsing through the lessons and your expansion sentences are a big help. Thank you very much!
horsiebabe says
May 23, 2008
Could someone help me out. What is the difference between 哪里(na3li5) and 哪儿(na3r5)? And when would you use each? Thank you!
calautine says
May 24, 2008
Lester, You said : 那么，你的家离公司近还是元? na4me, ni3 de jia1li2 gong1si1 jin4 hai2shi4 yuan3? your character 元 yuan3 is wrong, in this sentence the right is : 远 and i think is better to say : 那么，你的家离公司很近还是很远? na4me, ni3 de jia1li2 gong1si1hen3 jin4 hai2shi4 hen3 yuan3? Lester, excuse my english, I'm French!
dizygal says
May 24, 2008
hello there!i love these podcasts!!but i hope that they would include vocabulary and applying it to other situations like they did in the earlier lessons way back years ago. more power!!!
changye says
May 24, 2008
Hi lester and calautine, I think that “你家离公司近还是远？” is appropriate when you ask a question “near or far?”, but if you would like to ask “very near or very far?”, “很近还是很远?” might be better.....perhaps, although I don’t know whether or not it sounds natural.
marcio says
May 25, 2008
hello folks, reading some of the comments started by isquid, it appears that the chinese characters may show at the screen of ipods. please confirm that because this is a dream i have been pursuing and couldn't figure how to make it happen. also let me know if the trick only works for ipods but also works with other portable mp3 plays with a screen. look forward for some help. thanks
amber says
May 25, 2008
hi alwingate and horsiebabe, 哪里(na3li5) and 哪儿(na3r5) are interchangeable. We use them both in the lessons because in daily life you will hear both varieties, depending on where the speaker is from.
horsiebabe says
May 26, 2008
Thanks much amber!
greatgifts says
May 26, 2008
Hi Amber, In the example you gave me Very good Chinese lesson!" 很好的中文课！ (Hěn hǎo de Zhōngwén kè!) adv + adj + 的 (de) + noun Are adjectives the only ones where we can add 的 (de), how about nouns and pronouns or proper nouns? Help please and more examples on 的 (de).
amber says
May 26, 2008
hi greatgifts, Yes this 的 (de) is also used to show possessive, as in: 这是我的笔。 Zhè shì wǒ de bǐ. This is my pen. 王先生的车在哪儿？ Wáng xiānsheng de chē zài nǎr？ Where is Mr. Wang's car?
buckaroo says
May 27, 2008
I had the same reaction as Bazza at first. It seemed odd that zao 早 could be used as an abbreviated form of "good morning." But of course, Westerners do the same thing. We often remove the pronoun as well, just as Chinese do (so I'm learning).
At first I thought that zao was being used the same way that jintian 今天 or mingtian 明天 is used at the beginning of sentences to indicate when something is taking place. In other words:
早，你去哪儿？
seemed to mean "Where are you going this morning?" But I see now that the pause after zao indicates the closure of that thought.
boran says
May 27, 2008
According to my dictionary, you can also say nǐ zǎo (你早) as a greeting word in the morning. Looks like its the morning equivalent to nǐ hǎo (你好). That is, the actual meaning of the phrase is a little different than the strict English translation.
mnrobertson says
June 7, 2008
How does one write
in pin1yin1? In the excercises, I tried every option (I think) but it was never right. To me it seems it should be nar4 but that was not flagged as correct.
clay says
June 9, 2008
mnrobertson,
yeah, we are woking on correcting the "er" and the neutral tone difficulty exercise 3 input.
here is how you write it:
na3r