Introductions, identity and polite exchanges
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| name | 名字 | míng zi |
| student | 学生 | xué sheng |
A decision before an answer
- A new classmate asks you你variant of 叫叫what什么name (of a person or thing)名字？ You need a name, not a yes-or-no answer.
- Your goal: Understand and exchange names, identity and basic personal information.
Read the relationship
- Say I / me我variant of 叫叫林安。Wǒ jiào Lín Ān: my name is Lin An. variant of 叫叫 introduces a name; to be / is是 links identity, as in I / me我to be / is是student学生。
- Recognise personal information on simple cards.
你叫什么名字？ Best answer:
叫 introduces the name asked for.
Use the defining rule
- Ask you你to be / is是teacher老师(yes/no ?)吗？ Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? Adding (yes/no ?)吗 turns this statement into a yes-or-no question without changing word order.
- Use greetings, thanks, apologies and requests in context.
A friend helps you. Say:
谢谢 expresses thanks.
Check the conditions
- Use not不 with a general negative: I / me我no不是teacher老师。A question-word question already asks what or who; do not add (yes/no ?)吗 to you你variant of 叫叫what什么name (of a person or thing)名字？
- Use greetings, thanks, apologies and requests in context.
A: you你variant of 叫叫what什么name (of a person or thing)名字？ B: I / me我variant of 叫叫林安。A: you你to be / is是student学生(yes/no ?)吗？ B: to be / is是，I / me我to be / is是student学生。The first answer gives the requested name; the second answers identity. In a school role-play, use invented identities rather than personal contact details.
我是学生。 Add the final particle for a yes/no question: 我是学生____？
吗 turns the statement into a yes-or-no question.
Apply the task format
- Choose polite expressions by situation: hello你好 for greeting, to thank谢谢 for thanks, I'm sorry对不起 for apology, goodbye再见 for leaving.
- Use greetings, thanks, apologies and requests in context.
Pinyin helps sound recognition but does not replace character reading. These lessons support beginner skills across versions; the legacy sample is not a 3.0 mock.
Which answer fits this case?
Understand and exchange names, identity and basic personal information
你叫什么名字吗？ is the normal question-word question.
什么 already asks the information; omit 吗.
Keep the distinctions
- name name (of a person or thing)名字 — What a person is called.
- student student学生 — A person studying at a school.
- Understand and exchange names, identity and basic personal information.
- Recognise personal information on simple cards.
- Use greetings, thanks, apologies and requests in context.
Match each term with its precise meaning in this lesson.
Keep the distinctions stated in the teaching example.
Put this lesson’s reasoning or event sequence in order.
The order follows the stated process; check each stage before the next.