Colloquial Chinese

Colloquial Chinese: The Complete Course for Beginners has been carefully developed by a leading academic in Chinese language teaching and course design. Based on feedback from learners and teachers who used its previous version, this new edition has been updated to reflect the language and cultural changes in China, such as online shopping and WeChat payment, and to provide a more integrated and step-by-step approach to making the learning of modern Mandarin Chinese more effective and enjoyable. Combining a clear, practical and accessible style with a methodical and thorough treatment of the language, it equips learners with the essential knowledge and skills needed to communicate confidently and effectively in Chinese in a broad range of situations. No prior knowledge of the language is required. Colloquial Chinese is exceptional; each unit presents a wealth of grammatical points that are reinforced with a wide range of exercises for regular practice. A full answer key, a grammar summary, bilingual glossaries and English translations of dialogues can be found at the back, as well as transcripts of listening practice exercises. Key features include: - A clear, user-friendly format designed to help learners progressively build up their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills - Jargon-free, succinct and clearly structured explanations of grammar - Step by step introduction of Chinese characters - An extensive range of focused and dynamic supportive exercises - A combination of listening, reading and speaking activities with the support of transcripts at the back of the book - Realistic and entertaining dialogues covering a broad variety of narrative situations - Helpful cultural points explaining the customs and features of life in China - An overview of the Chinese language: its sounds, structure and Chinese characters Balanced, comprehensive and rewarding, Colloquial Chinese is an indispensable resource both for independent learners and students taking courses in Chinese as well as teachers of Chinese. Audio material to accompany the course is available to download free in MP3 format from www.routledge.com/cw/colloquials. Recorded by native speakers, the audio material features the dialogues, new words and listening practice exercises from the book and will help develop your listening and speaking skills.

Kan Qian is Senior Lecturer in Chinese at The Open University, Senior Fellow of the British Higher Education Academy, and Bye-Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge.

Contents Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 Hen gaoxìng jiàndào ni ------ Very pleased to meet you 2 Xìngmíng, guójí hé niánlíng -------- Name, nationality and age 3 Zài gongsi de jùhuì shang Jia hé péngyoü--- Family and friends 4 Wèn shíjian --- Asking the time 5 Jiarén hé péngyou Zài pàiduì shàng ---- Family and friends At a party 6 Rìqi hé tianqì ----- The date and the weather 7 Wèn lù -- Asking for directions 8 Mai dongxi --- Shopping 9 Wangshàng gòuwù---- Shopping online 10 Dian cài -- Order food 190 11 Da di hé mai huoche piào ------- Taking the taxi and buying train tickets 12 Zài jiudiàn --- At the hotel 13 Da diànhuà --- Making telephone calls 14 Tànqin hé luyóu ----- Vising family and travel 15 Míngxìnpiàn hé wexìn ------ Postcard and WeChat Grammar summary Answers to Exercises and Reading/listening practices Transcripts in pinyin for Listening/reading practices Chinese-English glossary English-Chinese pinyin glossary Appendix A: Dialogues in characters for Lessons 1 and 2 Appendix B: English translations of dialogues/texts from Lessons 3 to 15 Appendix C: Table of combinations of the initials and finals in Putonghua Appendix D: Useful signs Index to language and cultural notes