Chinese for Absolute Beginners: Your First Words and Phrases

Your first hour of Mandarin, taught by a native speaker. Jasmine takes you through the three things you need before any real conversation in Chinese: how to introduce yourself, how to greet people at any time of day, and how to join in when the New Year comes around. You will learn to say hello and ask how someone is, to give your name in three different ways and ask for someone else's, to say which country you come from and what your nationality is, and to greet people correctly from early morning through noon to late evening. The final part covers the greetings and good wishes that fill Chinese streets and homes at New Year, from wishing prosperity to asking for a red envelope. Everything is explained in English. Every word is spoken slowly and repeated several times so you can say it out loud, and each phrase is broken down character by character, so you learn how the language works instead of memorising sounds. Along the way Jasmine explains the culture behind the words: why Chinese people once greeted each other by asking whether you had eaten, and why red means good fortune. No previous knowledge needed. Just under an hour, and you can hold your first Chinese greeting.