Lessons 1-10

Lesson 18 你怎么认识他的? How do you know him?

怎么 zěnme How / 怎么 样 zěnmeyàng How is it? / 上班 shàngbān Start of work /
怎么样 zěnmeyàng is of the more ubiquitous questions in spoken Chinese. It can mean both "how about doing something" and "what's it like", depending on the context.

Some examples: 老师 的 英语 怎么样？Lǎoshī de yīnɡyǔ zěnmeyànɡ? How is the teacher's English?; 这部 小说 怎么样？ Zhè bù xiǎoshuō zěnmeyànɡ? How is this novel?; 我们 喝 白酒， 怎么样？Wǒmen hē báijiǔ, zěnmeyànɡ? How about we drink some baijiu?

Example sentences:

他 怎么 去 上班? How does he get to work?
Tā zěnme qù shàngbān? He how go on-work?

王 小姐 的 英语 怎么样? How is Ms. Wang's English?
Wáng xiǎojiě de Yīngyǔ zěnmeyàng?
Wang little-big-sister English how-manner?

他 的 汉语 怎么样? How is his Mandarin?
Tā de Hànyǔ zěnmeyàng?
He-of Han-language how-manner?

你 怎么 认识 陈 先生 的? How do you know Mr. Chen?
Nǐ zěnme rènshi Chén xiānsheng de?
You how recognize-know Chen first-born?

你 怎么 认识 他 的? How do you know him?
Nǐ zěnme rènshi tā de?
You how recognize-know he-of?

你 怎么 去 上班? How do you get to work?
Nǐ zěnme qù shàngbān?
You how go on-work?

你 怎么 认识 周 小姐 的? How do you know Ms. Zhou?
Nǐ zěnme rènshi Zhōu xiǎojiě de?
You how recognize-know Zhou little-sister-of?

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Sound files for the example sentences:

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Dialogue: 

A 你怎么认识他?
   Nĭ zĕnme rènshi tā?
   How do you know him?

B 他是我的同学。
   Tā shì wŏ de tóngxué.
   He is my classmate.

A 他是美国人吗?
   Tā shì Mĕiguórén ma? .
   Is he an American?

B 不是。是德国人。
   Bú shì. Shì Déguórén.
   No, he’s not. He’s German.

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Sound files for the dialogue:

>> Download DL teacher and DP teacher performing this dialogue (right click to save)

Lessons 11-20
Lessons 21-30
Lessons 31-40
Lessons 41-50
Lessons 51-60
Lessons 61-70
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Lessons 81-90
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Lessons 101-110
Lessons 111-120
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The Mandarin language is not as difficult as you might think. There’s a reason why it’s the world’s most spoken language! A lingua franca for much of Northern China since the Yuan dynasty, Mandarin has a simple, no-nonsense grammatical system and a vocabulary that builds upon itself. So don’t be daunted! You too can speak this beautiful language.