Chinese Language

Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan. Singapore also has mandarin chinese as one of their official languages (as well as English, Malaysian and Tamil). Cantonese Chinese, on the other hand, is spoken in Hong Kong. Many chinese dialects are spoken in different parts of China. We'll talk about Mandarin Chinese here.

Pronounciation: Chinese pronounciation is difficult, and this language contains tons, (like some tons make the voice goes lower or higher in pitch depending of the ton) if a word is spelled and pronounced the same as another word but both words have different ton, the meaning of those 2 words can then be different from each other. Tonal rules is what make Chinese language difficult pronounciaiton-wise.

 Grammar: But the grammar is easy. The word order is Subject + Verb + Object, like in English.  Chinese has no conjugations, no plural, no gendered nouns, no prepositions. And no words like "the" or "a/an"

If Chinese has no conjugation, you might wonder how do they indicate the tense?  (past, present, future). Well, it's simple :  They add a small word after the verb. Example :   Wo chifan means I eat.  Wo chifan GUO means I ate. "guo" is the word that indicates past tense. As for the future, they just use adverbs such as "Tomorrow" ,  "Next week"  to indicate future tense. Easy, right? :D 

In Chinese, no need to learn ten billions of conjugation boards. This is why I find this language rather easy. At least because of the simple grammar and the lack of conjugations.

Writting: 

The writting is symbols that represent something. Those symbols are different depending on where you are in China. For example, in Hong Kong, they use the traditional symbols (more complicated). In Mainland China, they use the simplified symbols (easier). You then won't see the same symbols depending on if you are in China or if you are in Hong Kong.

Now, here's a list of chinese phrases and words (with the phonetic pronounciation between parenthesis)

Hello :  Ni Hao  (nee rr'hao)

Goodbye :  Zai Jian (dzay jee-enn)

Thank you :  Xiexie (shee-eh shee-eh)

I love you :  Wo ai ni (wo ay nee)

I'm hungry : Wo  e  ( "e" is pronounced like in murder )

I'm tired :  Wo lei   (wo lay)

China :  Zhongguo (Jong goo-oh)

Japan :  Riben (Juh-bun)

America :  Meiguo (May goo-oh)

Bread :  Mianbao (mee-enn pao)

Noodles :  Mian (mee-enn)

Secret :  Mimi (mee mee)

I'm American :  Wo shi meiguo-ren (wo shu may goo-oh jun)

I'm Japanese :  Wo shi riben-ren (wo shu juh-bun jun)

I'm French :  Wo shi Faguo-ren (wo shu fagoo-oh jun)

I wanna go to China :  Wo yao qu Zhong guo (wo yao tchu Jong goo-oh)

I like Hong Kong :  Wo xihuan Xiang Gang (wo shee rr'huann Shee-ang Gang) [Xiang Gang is "Hong Kong" in Chinese]

How are you?  : Ni hao ma?  (nee rr'hao ma?)

I'm very good :  Wo hen hao (wo rr'henn rr'hao)

I want to eat noodles :  Wo yao chi mian (wo yao tchu mee-enn)

Black tea :  Hong cha (rr'hong tcha)  [Hong :  Red. Black tea is said Red tea in Chinese)

Tea :  Cha 

Do you want to eat rice? :  Ni yao-bu-yao chi-fan ?  (nee yao poo yao tchu-fann ?)

Do you speak English? :  Ni shuo yingyu ma? (nee shoo-oh yingyu ma?)

I don't understand :  Wo ting bu dong (wo teeng poo dong)

I speak a little Chinese :  Wo yidian shuo zhongwen (wo yeetee-enn shoo-oh jong wun)

Where do you live?  :  Ni zai nali?  (nee dzay nalee?)

I live in America :  Wo zai Meiguo (wo dzay may goo-oh)

I live in Japan : Wo zai Riben (wo dzay juh-bun)

I live in France :  Wo zai faguo (wo dzay fagoo-oh)