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Lesson 2: 今天你忙不忙？

Lesson 2 contains a dialogue of two students discussing their classes for the day.

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Dialogues 1 & 2: Characters

Dialogue 1

Simplified Characters	Traditional Characters
东尼:艾美，早安。	東尼:艾美，早安。
艾美:早。你好吗？	艾美:早。你好嗎？
东尼:我很好，谢谢。你呢？	東尼:我很好，謝謝。你呢？
艾美:我也很好。今天你忙不忙？	艾美:我也很好。今天你忙不忙？
东尼:今天我很忙。我有五节课。	東尼:今天我很忙。我有五節課。
艾美:五节？！太多了！今天我只有一节。	艾美:五節？！太多了！今天我只有一節。
东尼:一节？！太少了！	東尼:一節？! 太少了！

Dialogue 2

Simplified Characters	Traditional Characters

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Dialogues 1 & 2: Pīnyīn/English

Dialogue 1

Pīnyīn	English
Dōngní:	Àiměi, zăoān.	Tony:	Good morning, Amy.
Àiměi:	Zăo. Nǐ hǎo ma?	Amy:	Good morning. How are you?
Dōngní:	Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie. Nǐ ne?	Tony:	I'm fine, thanks. How about you?
Àiměi:	Wǒ yě hěn hǎo. Jīntiān nǐ máng bù máng?	Amy:	I'm also fine. Are you busy today?
Dōngní:	Jīntiān wǒ hěn máng. Wǒ yǒu wǔ jié kè.	Tony:	I'm very busy today. I have five classes.
Àiměi:	Wǔ jié?! Tài duō le! Jīntiān wǒ zhĭ yǒu yì jié.	Amy:	Five?! That's too many! Today I only have one.
Dōngní:	Yì jié?! Tài shăo le!	Tony:	One?! That's too few!

Dialogue 2

Pīnyīn	English

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Vocabulary

Simplified (traditional in parentheses)	Pīnyīn	Part of speech	English
1.一	yī	(adj)	one
2.二	èr	(adj)	two
3.三	sān	(adj)	three
4.四	sì	(adj)	four
5.五	wǔ	(adj)	five
6.六	liù	(adj)	six
7.七	qī	(adj)	seven
8.八	bā	(adj)	eight
9.九	jiǔ	(adj)	nine
10.十	shí	(adj)	ten
11.早	zăo	(n)	morning (often spoken alone as a shortened form to mean "good morning" just like with English)
12.安	ān	(adj)	peaceful
13.早安	zăoān	(phrase)	good morning
14.很	hěn	(adv)	very
15.谢谢 (謝謝)	xièxie	(v)	thanks
16.天	tiān	(n)	day/sky
17.今天	jīntiān	(n)	today
18.忙	máng	(adj)	busy
19.有	yǒu	(v)	to have, possess
20.没	méi	(adv)	negates yǒu
21.节 (節)	jié	(m)	(measure word for sections of things)
22.课 (課)	kè	(n)	class 节
23.太	tài	(adv)	too, extremely
24.了	le	(part)	(combines with 太 - see grammar)
25.多	duō	(adj)	many
26.少	shăo	(adj)	few
27.只	zhĭ	(adv)	only, merely

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Grammar

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The adverb Hěn 很

Though translated as "very", Hěn 很 has a weaker meaning than it does in English. It is often added before single-syllable verbs just to enhance the rhythmic flow of the sentence. Hěn is used before the verb in affirmative sentences, but not in negative sentences or questions. A common mistake of beginners is to insert shì 是 into adjectival sentences, but this usage is incorrect as shì can only be used to equate combinations of nouns, noun phrases and pronouns.

1. 我很忙。
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Le 了 as emphasizer

The particle le 了 as used here serves to add emphasis to the verb or adjective of the sentence. It is often seen paired with tài 太 to express excessiveness.

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Affirmative-negative questions

A sentence can be made into a question by having both affirmative and negative options together. To answer in the affirmative, the verb or adjective is repeated. (An affirmative adjective in this case is usually preceded by hěn 很 to avoid a comparative tone.) Responding in the negative is simply saying "not verb" or "not adjective".

S + V 不 V + O?

Example:

Because the bù in affirmative-negative questions is often said quickly, marking the tone on bù is not strictly necessary in their case.

Q: 他是不是东尼? A: 是。or 不是。

S + adj. 不 adj.?

Example:
Q:今天艾美忙不忙? A: 她很忙。or 她不忙。
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Sentences using yǒu 有

Yǒu 有 means to have and indicates possession.

S + 有 + O

Example:
我有三节课。

Yǒu is negated when preceded by méi 没.

S + 没 + 有 + O

Example:
今天她们没有一节课。