With such extensive migration within China, more than likely you’ll meet people from all over the country or very likely other foreigners. If you want to know where someone comes from or asks about your origins, be sure you can ask or answer appropriately.
In this Podcast, you will learn:
(i) To ask where a friend or relative comes from
(ii) How to talk to others about your origins
Dialogue:
(在街上） (zài jiē shàng) (on the street)
A: 你奶奶是哪里人？
Nǐ nǎi nai shì nǎ lǐ rén?
Where does your grandmother come from?
B:她是四川人。
Tā shì sì chuān rén.
She is from Sichuan.
A:她是四川哪里的？
Tā shì sì chuān nǎ lǐ de?
Where in Sichuan is she from?
B:她是四川宜宾的。
Tā shì sì chuān yí bīn de.
She is from Yibin Sichuan.
A:你来自哪个国家？
Nǐ lái zì nǎ gè guó jiā?
Which country are you from?
B:我来自德国。
Wǒ lái zì dé guó. I am from Germany.
A:你来自德国哪个城市？
Nǐ lái zì Dé Guó nǎ gè chéng shì?
Which city in Germany are you from?
B:我来自德国慕尼黑。
Wǒ lái zì Dé Guó Mù Ní Hēi.
I am from Munich.
A: 他是广东人么？
Tā shì Guǎng Dōng rén me?
Is he Cantonese?
B:不是，他是香港人。
Bù shì, tā shì Xiāng Gǎng rén.
No, he is not.
He is from Hong Kong.
A: 你好，我是马克。 我是美国人。你是中国人么？
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì Mǎ Kè. Wǒ shì Měi Guó rén. Nǐ shì Zhōng Guó rén me?
Hello, I am Mark. I am American. Are you Chinese?
B: 你好，我不是中国人，我是新加坡人。我叫孙立。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ bù shì Zhōng Guó rén, wǒ shì Xīn Jiā Pō rén. Wǒ jiào Sūn Lì.
Hello, I am not Chinese, I am Singaporean. My name is Sun Li.
Chinese words and phrases mentioned in this Podcast:
在街上：on the street
奶奶：grandmother
哪里人：where do you come from/where are you from?
哪个：which?
国家：country
城市：city
来自：come from
德国：Germany
慕尼黑：Munich
广东人：Cantonese
香港人：Hong Kong person
美国人：American
中国人：Chinese
新加坡人：Singaporean