Introduction To Chinese for Amharic Speakers

Chapter 25b – Going to the Hospital [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 04:04:09 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 25. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 25a – Going to the Hospital

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 04:03:13 +0000

In this chapter, you will learn how to describe your symptoms, ask how someone is doing, and learn how to talk about taking medication.

Chapter 24b – Colors and Clothes [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 04:01:34 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 24. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 24a – Colors and Clothes

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 04:00:07 +0000

This chapter will teach you how to say various colors and clothing items in Mandarin Chinese. This vocabulary is also useful when you go shopping.

Chapter 23b – Telephone, Text and Email [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:22:07 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 23. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 23a – Telephone, Text and Email

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 03:57:50 +0000

Now, we are going to learn how to construct sentences that have to do with talking on the phone, texting and emailing.This is important in this day and age of mobile communications!

Chapter 22b – Hobbies [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 03:56:37 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 22. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 22a – Hobbies

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 03:55:24 +0000

In this chapter, you will learn the basics of how to describe your hobbies and activities. This will, of course, teach you what common hobbies are called in Chinese.

Chapter 21b – On the Road #2 [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 03:54:20 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 21. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 21a – On the Road #2

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 03:53:18 +0000

In this chapter you will learn how to ask for help when you are lost and how to ask if something is near or far.

Chapter 20b – On the Road #1 [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:52:16 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 20. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 20a – On the Road #1

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 03:50:47 +0000

This chapter teaches us how to ask for directions or where something is located.

Chapter 19 – What year is it?

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 03:49:28 +0000

This chapter describes how to say what year it is in Mandarin Chinese.

Chapter 18b – Days and Months [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 03:48:28 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 18. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 18a – Days and Months

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 03:47:05 +0000

This chapter teaches us the days of the week and the months of the year. Beyond that, we also learn how to tell what date it is in Chinese.

Chapter 17b – Event That Didn’t Not Happen [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 03:46:00 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 17. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 17a – Event That Did Not Happen

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 03:44:27 +0000

This chapter teaches how you can describe an even that never occurred. For example, you will learn how to say things like “She did not go.”

Chapter 16b – Event That happened in the Past [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 03:43:23 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 16. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 16a – Event That Happened in the Past

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 03:39:57 +0000

This chapter teaches you how to talk about events that happened in the past as well as ask the question “have you ever…?”

Chapter 15b – The Grammar of Time [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 03:38:17 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 15. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 15a – The Grammar of Time

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 03:37:10 +0000

This chapter explains the correct grammar used in telling time. For example, in Amharic, we can simply say “3 o’clock yesterday.” or “yesterday at 3 o’clock.” But in Chinese, the order in that sentence matters.

Chapter 14b – Time [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 03:35:35 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 14. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 14a – Time

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 03:33:32 +0000

This chapter teaches you the basics about time. For example, you will learn how to tell time and the various measures of time such as minutes and hours. In addition, you will also learn about routine things that happen at a particular time like meals and going to work.

Chapter 13b – Shopping [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 03:31:04 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 13. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 13a – Shopping

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 03:30:01 +0000

This chapter teaches you the words you will need to use when you go shopping (e.g. money, price, quality).You will also learn the names of various currencies.

Chapter 12b – Professions [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 03:28:43 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 12. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 12a – Professions

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 28 May 2015 03:27:47 +0000

In this chapter, you will learn about the names of various professions. You will also learn words associated with work like “busy” and “tired.”

Chapter 11b – Family [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 21 May 2015 03:26:18 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 11. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 11a – Family

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 14 May 2015 03:25:07 +0000

In this chapter, you will learn how to describe your family and how to talk about how old someone is. Did you know that in Chinese, you can’t just say “sister”? That is because there are different words for “younger sister” and “older sister.”

Chapter 10b – Order Food #2 [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 07 May 2015 03:23:14 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 10. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 10a – Order Food #2

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Fri, 01 May 2015 03:20:13 +0000

Now you are going to learn how to order food at a restaurant as well as the names of more food items.

Chapter 9 – Measure Words

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 03:18:55 +0000

This chapter teaches you about “measure words.” This concept does not exist in Amharic so it is important to follow along with the book and audio lessons.

Chapter 8 – Ordinal Numbers

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 03:14:01 +0000

This chapter teaches you ordinal numbers in Mandarin Chinese. That is, you will learn how to say “first, second, third, etc.” You will also learn the pattern so that you can construct the ordinal numbers by yourself.

Chapter 7 – Numbers

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 03:12:33 +0000

This chapter explains how to count in Mandarin Chinese. It also teaches you how to recognize patterns in how the numbers are given names.

Chapter 6b – Ordering Food #1 [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 03:10:45 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 6. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 6a – Ordering Food #1

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 03:09:19 +0000

This chapter teaches you what various food items are called in Mandarin Chinese and also explains some words related to food (eating, drinking etc). You will also learn how to say “I am hungry” and ask what someone likes to eat.

Chapter 5b – Languages [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:08:15 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 5. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 5a – Languages

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 03:07:14 +0000

This chapter teaches you how to say which languages you can speak, how to ask others what languages they are comfortable with and the names of various languages in Mandarin Chinese.

Chapter 4b – Nationalities [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 03:06:13 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 4. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 4a – Nationalities

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 03:04:43 +0000

This chapter teaches you how to say where you are from, how to ask others their country of origin and what various countries are called in Mandarin Chinese.

Chapter 3b – Talking to a Guest [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 03:03:27 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 3. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 3a – Talking to a Guest

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 03:01:58 +0000

This chapter tells you what you have to say when you receive a guest in your office. You will also learn how to say “I’m sorry,” and how to accept an apology.

Chapter 2b – Introducing Yourself [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 03:00:52 +0000

These are dialogues that help you practice the various phrases that we have learnt in Chapter 2. As usual, each dialogue is repeated three times to make it easier to remember.

Chapter 2a – Introducing Yourself

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 02:59:49 +0000

This chapter explains how you can introduce yourself and what is appropriate to say when you meet someone new. We also learn about titles such as “Mr.” and “Mrs.” as well as how to ask for someone’s name.

Chapter 1b – Greetings [Dialogue]

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:57:27 +0000

Here we will practice how to greet and how to say “thank you.” The sentences in this dialogue are repeated three times to make them easier to commit to memory.

Chapter 1a – Greetings

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 02:56:16 +0000

This chapter teaches basic greetings in Chinese. We also learn how to say “thank you” and “you’re welcome.” Did you know that the direct translation of the phrase “you’re welcome” in Chinese is “don’t be so polite!” In addition, we will also mention how to say “you” in its various forms.

Introduction – iv – Pinyin

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 02:54:50 +0000

Pinyin is a way of capturing the sounds of Chinese characters using the roman alphabet. This episode provides a basic description of this system. Because this course is intended for Amharic speakers, and because the Amharic alphabet is better at capturing Chinese sounds than the roman alphabet, our description is rather brief. But pinyin is absolutely essential, especially if you progress with Chinese. You need pinyin to use a Chinese keyboard or to use a dictionary.

Introduction – iii – Tones

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 02:51:56 +0000

Mandarin Chinese has four distinct tones. In this chapter, we try to distinguish what each of these tones sound like. Tones are very important because the same pronunciation will have different meanings based on the tones. And without tones, it will be very difficult to communicate in Chinese.

Introduction – ii – Beauty and System of Chinese Characters

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 14:16:53 +0000

In this episode we will take a look at how logical the Chinese writing system is. Chinese writing is very systematic and there are sometimes patterns we can follow to find the meanings they convey.

Introduction – i – Short History of Mandarin Chinese

Lina Getachew Ayenew — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 10:39:46 +0000

Before getting into the language, we look at an extremely brief history of the Chinese language. We briefly discuss the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese, as well as mention the variance in simplified and traditional writings in Chinese.