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[FrenchVanillaNYC]

Since I wanted to share my method of learning Chinese, I made this thread.

This is the revised version.

Learn with me or help me learn.


PRONUNCIATION KEY

I linked the sound clips from websites I found.

I made my own romanizations and pronunciation keys for Mandarin and Cantonese, so here they go:


Mandarin:

TONES:

I'm going to put numbers after a word to indicate tone.

1st tone =High, even tone
2nd tone =Rising tone
3rd tone =Low dipping tone
4th tone = Short falling tone

Consonants:

B = regular "B" as in "boy" ("Ba3" - to grab/a handful)
P = regular "P" as in "pond" ("Pee2" - skin)
M = regular "M" as in "man" ("Ma4" - to curse at)
F = regular "F" as in "fun" (Foo2 - good luck)
D = regular "D" as in "dog" (Da4 - large)
T = regular "T" as in "top" (Tuh4 - special)
N = regular "N" in Mandarin as in "no" (Nee3 - you)
L = regular "L" as in "low" (Lyü4 - green)
G = regular "G" as in "go" (Guh4 - measure word for single things)
K = "K" as in "Kid" (Koo4 - storage place)
H = somewhat gutteral, similar to "kh" in Arabic or the German "r" (Ha1 - laugh/breathe out)
Rh = no English equivalent; combine "Y", "J" and "R" (Rhuh4 - hot) "R" in pinyin
Shy = like English "she" (Shyü2 - last name) "X" in pinyin
Jy = like English "gee" (Jyü4 - office)
Chy = as in "cheese" (Chyee2 - flag) "Q" in pinyin
Ts' = like the "TS" in "its", sometimes sounds like "Ch'"(Tsih4 -times) "C" in pinyin
Ch' = like the "Ch" in "chirp"; also sounds like "TS" at times (Chuh1 - car)
Sh' = like the "Sh" in "show"; also pronounced like "S" at times (Shih4 - to be)
Zh' = like the "J" in "jerk; also sounds like "Z" at times (Zhoo4 - to stay at)
S = regular "S" as in "sand" (Suh4-color)
Z = like the "DS" in "nods", sometimes sounds like "Zh" (Zoo3 - group)

Er = sounds like the word "are" by itself, is an "r" after another word.

Then there's "Y" and "W", but I don't think they need to be explained.

Vowel Endings:
-a= "ah" as in "ma"
-(y)ee = as in "see" i in pinyin
-eh = as in "yeah" e in pinyin
-oa = as in "boa" o in pinyin
-uh = as in "took" e in pinyin
-oh = as in "go" ou in pinyin
-(w)oo = as in "tune" u in pinyin
-(y)ü = like French "tu"
-ai= as in "eye"
-au = as in "now" ao in pinyin
-ay = as in "lay" ei in pinyin

Combination Endings

-an
-uhn -en in pinyin
-een -in in pinyin
-ueen -ün in pinyin

-ahng
-ong
-uhng -eng in pinyin
-ing

Some people wanted pinyin instead of this romanization, so I will give the corresponding pinyin to each word in my method of romanization if my way is differen.

My romanization = left
Pinyin = right

Ahng = Ang
Au= Ao
Bahng = Bang
Bau = Bao
Bay = Bei
Bee = Bi
Been = Bin
Beeng = Bing
Boa = Bo
Boo = Bu
Bow = Bao
Byeh = Bie
Byau = Biao
Byen = Bian
Chahng = Chang
Chih = Chi
Chau = Chao
Choh = Chou
Choo = Chu
Chuh = Che
Chuhn = Chen
Chuhng = Cheng
Chway = Chui
Chwoa = Chuo
Chwun = Chun
Chyah = Qia
Chyahng = Qiang
Chyeen = Qin
Chyeeng = Qing
Chyau = Qiao
Chyeh = Qie
Chyoh = Qiu
Chyong = Qiong
Chyü = Qu
Chyüan = Quan
Chyüeh = Que
Chyween = Qun
Dau = Dao
Day = Dei
Dee = Di
Deeng = Ding
Doh = Dou
Doo = Du
Duh = De
Duhng = Deng
Dwan = Duan
Dway = Dui
Dwoa = Duo
Dwun = Dun
Dyau = Diao
Dyeh = Die
Dyen = Dian
Dyoh = Diu
Fahng = Fang
Foa = Fo
Foh = Fou
Foo = Fu
Gahng = Gang
Gay = Gei
Guh = Ge
Guhn = Gen
Guhng = Geng
Goh = Gou
Goo = Gu
Gwah = Gua
Gwahng = Guang
Gway = Gui
Gwoa = Guo
Gwun = Gun
Hahng = Hang
Hay = Hei
Hau = Hao
Hoh = Hou
Huh = He
Huhn = Hen
Hwah = Hua
Hwahng = Huang
Hway = Hui
Hwoa = Huo
Hwun = Hun
Hoo = Hu
Jah = Zha
Jang = Zhang
Jau = Zhao
Jay = Zhei
Jih = Zhi
Joh = Zhou
Joo = Zhu
Juh = Zhe
Juhn = Zhen
Jwah = Zhua
Jween = Jun
Jwan = Zhuan
Jwoa = Zhuo
Jwun = Zhun
Jyah = Jia
Jyahng = Jiang
Jyau = Jiao
Jyeh = Jie
Jyee = Ji
Jyeen = Jin
Jyeeng = Jing
Jyen = Jian
Jyoh = Jiu
Jyü = Ju
Jyüan = Juan
Jyüeh = Jue
Kahng = Kang
Koh = Kou
Koo = Ku
Kuh = Ke
Kuhn = Ken
Kuhng = Keng
Kwahng = Kuang
Kway = Kui
Kwoa = Kuo
Lahng = Lang
Lay = Lei
Lee = Li
Leen = Lin
Leeng = Ling
Loh = Lou
Luh = Le
Luhng = Leng
Lwan = Luan
Lwun = Lun
Lyahng = Liang
Lyau = Liao
Lyeh = Lie
Lyoh = Liu
Lyü = Lü
Lyüeh = Lüe
Mahng = Mang
Mee = Mi
Meeng = Ming
Moh = Mou
Muh = Me
Myeh = Mie
Nahng = Nang
Nau = Nao
Nee = Ni
Neen = Nin
Neeng = Ning
Nuh = Ne
Nuhng = Neng
Noo = Nu
Nyeh = Nie
Nyoh = Niu
Nyü = Nü
Oa = O
Oh = Ou
Pahng = Pang
Pay = Pei
Pee = Pi
Peen = Pin
Peeng = Ping
Poa = Po
Poh = Pou
Poo = Pu
Puhn = Pen
Pyau = Piao
Pyeh = Pie
Pyen = Pian
Rhan = Ran
Rhahng = Rang
Rhau = Rao
Rhoh = Rou
Rhoo = Ru
Rhuh = Re
Sahng = Sang
Shahng = Shang
Shay = Shei
Shih = Shi
Shoh = Shou
Shuh = She
Shuhn = Shen
Shuhng = Sheng
Shwahng = Shuang
Shway = Shui
Shwun = Shun
Shyah = Xia
Shyahng = Xiang
Shyau = Xiao
Shyee = Xi
Shyeh = Xie
Shyen = Xian
Shyü = Xu
Shyüan = Xuan
Shyüeh = Xue
Shyween = Xun
Sih = Si
Soh = Sou
Soo = Su
Suh = Se
Sway = Sui
Tahng = Tang
Tee = Ti
Teeng = Ting
Toh = Tou
Tuh = Te
Tsah = Ca
Tsan = Can
Tsahng = Cang
Tsong = Cong
Tsoo = Cu
Tsau = Cao
Tsih = Ci
Tsuhng = Ceng
Tsway = Cui
Tswoa = Cuo
Tswun = Cun
Tway = Tui
Twoa = Tuo
Twun = Tun
Tyeh = Tie
Tyen = Tian
Uh = E
Uhn = En
Wahng = Wang
Way = Wei
Wuhn = Wen
Wuhng = Weng
Woa = Wo
Woo = Wu
Yahng = Yan
Yau = Yao
Yeh = Ye
Yee = Yi
Yeen = Yin
Yeeng = Ying
Yoh = You
Yüeh = Yue
Yween = Yun
Zahng = Zang
Zau = Zao
Zih = Zi
Zoh = Zou
Zoo = Zu
Zuh = Ze
Zuhng = Zeng
Zway = Zui
Zwoa = Zuo
Zwun = Zun

Cantonese:

Tones:
(I'm putting 6 main tones)

1 = high even tone
2 = high rising tone
3 = middle even tone; hardly no tone at all
4 = middle falling tone (like the tone most English sentences end with)
5 = low rising tone (like the tone most English sentences end with)
6 = low falling tone

Consonants:

B,P,M,F,D,T, L, G, K,S = same as Mandarin
N = pronounced like "L" (Naam4 - male); occasionally actually pronounced like an "N"
H = like English "h" (Ha5 - down)
Ch = like "Ch" in "chick", sometimes is "ts" (Cheen4 - front)
Zh = like "J' in "jam", sometimes is "Z"(Jeh2 - older sister)
Ng = like the "ng" in "doing";sometimes sounds like "mm"

Vowels:

*"Ng" is often put in front of the beginning of vowels but isn't always necessary

-ah
-ai = like "eye"
-aai = long "ai"
-ay = like "ay" in "hay"
-au = like the "ow" in "now"
-aau = long "-au"
-eh = sounds like the "eah" in "yeah" Cheh1- car)
-ee = like "ee" in "pee" "-i" in jyutpin-eew = sonds like the "ew" in "few" (Yeew3 - will/want) "-iu" in jyutpin
-euh = like the "er" in "her" (Teuh3 - to spit)
-o = like the "ough" in "thought"(Ngo5 - me)
-oh
-oi
-eui = no English equivalent; sounds like "uh-ee" put together(Heui3 - to go)
-ui = sounds like "ooee" (Wui6 - can/will)
-u
-yü = like French "tu"(Yü5 - rain)

*Words that end in "k", "p", and "t" sound like English words that have those endings.

-an = like (Yan4 -person)
-ahn = long "-an"
-on = sounds like "on"
-eun = kind of rhymes with "bun" (Cheun1 - spring)

Radicals coming soon.

[FrenchVanillaNYC]

Don't know, but I've focused more on Chinese and Japanese recently.

Edit: To save space so that people don't have to sift through, basic vocabulary grammar will go in this post.


In Chinese, one has to look for the morphemes (the smallest unit of meaning in a phrase) in language. Chinese consists of and free morphemes, which have basic meanings in themselves but can use other characters for added meaning (牛肉 = beef; 牛 = cow, 肉 = meat) and bound morphemes, which rely on another character to convey meaning and cannot be used in single character form to convey the proper meaning (the 朋 in 朋友 “friend”; the 們 in 我們),

I will be using Mandarin grammar and wording, but I will also show alternative Cantonese pronunciations in blue (although they’ll never make sense in Cantonese that way).

After I get done introducing the good stuff about Mandarin grammar, I will introduce Cantonese grammar with alternate Mandarin pronunciations. See! Mutual exchange.

BASIC VOCABULARY before we get started with grammar

Basic pronouns
我 woa3 I/me (ngo5)
你 nee3 you (can be 妳 for girls in traditional characters; 您 neen2 in polite situations) (nay5)
他 tah1 he/him (她 for “she”, 它 for “it”; both pronounced “tah1”) (tah1; uses 佢 keui5 in Cantonese)
-們 -muhn* (我們 = we/us, 他們 they/them, 你們 you all) (-muhn; uses 地 day5 in Cantonese)
誰 shay2 who (seui5; 邊個 bin1 go in Cantonese)
這 juh4/jay4 this (jeh1; 哩leh in Cantonese)
那 nah4/nay4 that (nah; 個 go in Cantonese)
哪 nah3/nay3 which (nah; 邊 bin in Cantonese)
什麼 shuhn2muh what (sam1 mo1, 乜 mat1 or 咩 meh1 in Cantonese)

Basic Nouns
人 rhuhn4 people (yan4)
男 nan2 male (nahm4)
女 nyü3 female (neui5)
飯 fan4 food/meal (fahn6)
國 fan4 food/meal (gwok2)
書 shoo1 book (书 = simplified character) (shyü1)
字 zih4 character (jee6)
個 guh4 measure word for people and single things "individual"; "一個人" yee1 guh4 rhuhn2 = one person (个 = simplified character) (go3)
本 buhn3 measure word for books "一本書" yee1 buhn3 shoo1 = one book (bun2)

Basic Verbs
是 shih4 to be (see6)
Example: 你是誰? = Who are you?

有 yoh3 to have (yau5)
Example: 他有什麼? = (Literally) What does he have?; can be interpreted as "What's with him" like "What's his problem?"

要 yau4 to want/ will(yeew3)
Example: 您要什麼? = What would you like? (Polite because of use of "您")

會 hway4 to be able to(会 = simplified character) (wui6)
Example: 她會. = She can. or She will.

來 lai2 to come (loi4)
Example: 我會來. = I can come.

去 chyü4 to go (heui6)
Example: 我要去. = I want to go. or I will go.

想 shyahng3 to think/ to want (seung2)
Example 1: 我想你. = I miss you or I'm thinking of you.
Example 2: 我想去. = I want to go.

能 nuhng2 can do sthg (nahng6)
Example: 她能去. = She can go.

做 zwoa4 to do(joh6)
Example: 他想做. = He wants to do it.

打 dah3 to hit(dah2)
Example: 他打我. = He hits me.

看 kan4 to look(hon6; Cantonese uses 涕 tai2)
她來看看. = She is coming to take a look.

見 jyen4 to see(gin)
我想見你. = I want to see you.

Basic adverbs
不 boo4 no/not (bat1)
Example: 不要! = Don't! (Literally "Don't want"!)

沒 may2 haven't (mooht6; Cantonese uses moh5 冇)
Example: 我沒有. = I don't have/ I haven't.

別 byeh don't (beet6; Cantonese uses 唔好 mh4 hoh2)
Example: 別打他! = Don't hit him! (別 = 不要)

也 yeh3 also (yah5; Cantonese uses 亦 yek6)
都 doh1 both/all (doh1)
很 doh1 both/all (han6; Cantonese uses 好 hoh2)
只 doh1 only/just(jee2; Cantonese uses 淨 jayng2)
最 doh1 both/all (jeui6)
再 doh1 both/all (joi6)
又 doh1 both/all (yau6)
就 jyoh4 so/then (jau6)

Basic adjectives
大 dah4 big (daai6)
小 shyau3 little (seew2)
多 dwoa many (doa1)
少 shau3 few (seew2)
好 hau3 good (hoh2)
真 juhn1 real (jan4)
美 may3 beautiful (may5)
難 nan2 difficult (nahm4)

Basic prepositions
在... zai4 -ing/at
Example: 你在做什麼? = What are you doing?

...上 shahng4 above (seung6)
...下 shyah4 below (hah5)
...中 jong1 middle (jung1)
...裡 lee3 inside(leui5)
...前 chyen2 in front/before (cheen4)
...後 hoh4 behind/after (hau6)
和 huh2 and/with (wo6; Cantonese uses 同 tung6)
跟 guhn1 and/with (gan; Cantonese uses 同 tung6)
給 gay3 give/to (kap1; Cantonese uses 卑 bay1)

Numbers and amounts
一 yee1 one (yat1)
二 er4 two (兩 “lyahng” when stating an amount; Example: 兩個人 = two people) (yee6)
三 san1 three (sam1)
四 sih4 four (say)
五 wu five (ngh5)
六 lyoh6 six (lok6)
七 chyee1 seven (chat1)
八 bah1 eight (baht1)
九 jyoh3 nine(gau2)
十 shih2 ten(sap6)
十一 shih2 yee1 eleven (ten + one) (sap6 yat1)
二十 er1 shih2 twenty (two x ten) (yee6 sap1)
三十 san1 shih2 thirty (three x ten) (sam1 sap1)
(一)百 (yee1) bai3 (one) hundred ((yat1) bahk6)
(一) 千 (yee1) chyen1 (one) thousand ((yat1) cheen1)
(一) 萬 (yee1) wan4 (one) ten-thousand((yat1) man6)
百萬 bai3 wan4 one million (100 ten thousand) (bahk6 man)
(一) 億 (yee1) yee4 (one) one hundred thousand ((yat1) yee6)

(一)半 (yee1) ban4 half (yat1) bun2
幾 jee3 how much gay2
多少 dwoa1 shau3 how much do1 (siu2)


Particles
...嗎 ma* interrogative particle, "?" ma
Example: 你是他嗎? = Are you him?

...了 luh* -ed leew; is 左 jo in oral Cantonese
Example: 我去了. = I went.

...過 ...gwoa "done something before" gwo
Example: 我去過. = I've gone before.

...的 duh ...'s (dik1)
Example: 是我的. = It's mine.

...得.. duh to do something like... (dak1)
Example: 你做得很快. = You did that fast.

...啊 ah exclamatory particle, "!" (ah)
Example: 我是啊! = I am!

...吧 bah particle telling someone to do something, "!" (bah)
Example: 來做吧! = Come do it!


Chinese grammar!
Chinese grammar is not really that picky, there aren't and verb conjugations except adding "...了" to mean "-ed", "在..." to mean "-ing" and "要..." to mean "will -", but here are some of the basic things to remember to make your Chinese sound more coherent.


Chinese grammar tidbits
Suffixes:
-子 zih3 = makes something seem little or cute(jee2; Cantonese uses 仔 jai)
Example: 男 = male, but 男子 = a boy
羊 (yahng2) = lamb 羊子 = little lamb/baby lamb, etc.




Still not done...
I'm sawwy...don't beat me up.

This post has been edited by FrenchVanillaNYC: Sep 21 2005, 08:43 PM