I need help better understanding these sentances shi...de The word shi is placed before the phrase that is being emphasized and de comes either at the end of the sentance or after the verb. I understand that the de in question (a) and (b) comes after the verb lai but with question (b) de doesn't come after a verb as Zhongwen (Chinese) isn't a verb? or at the end of the sentance. So what is the significance of de in this instance. I also need help with translation of the sentances. (a) Sifang shi cong Xinjiapo lai de Zhongguoren. Sifang is Chinese and from Xinjiapo.? (b) Linda shi xue Zhongwen de da xuesheng. Linda is learning Chinese at university? (c) Wode Zhongwen laoshi cong Zhongguo dalu lai de Zhongguoren. My Chinese teacher is Chinese and from mainland China?

is the last 'jiu' in the third sentance an emphatic word or in reference to alcohol? Lao Bai: Lao Yuan, ni hao. Wo zhidao ni ai he jui. Zhe shi gei nide jiu. Hello Lao Yuan. I know you love a drink. This is for you.

translation- corrections appreciated-sentances highlighted I'm confused by- thanks. Dongshizhang: Bai xiansheng, nin kuaizi yong-de zhen hao. Mr White you use chopsticks really well. Mr White: Wo changchang chi zhongguo fan. I often eat Chinese food. Furen: Nin ziji zuo fan ma? Do you cook yourself? Mr White: Wo zuo-de bu hao. Wo chang qu Zhongguocheng de fanguanr chi fan. I cook but not well. I often go to eat in a restaurant in China Town. Dongshizhang: Lai, xian he yi bei. Zhe shi Maotaijiu. Nin he-guo ma? Have a drink. This is Maotaijiu(very stong spirit). Have you ever had it (or tried it) before? Mr White: He-guo liang ci. Twice before. Dongshizhang: Wei women liang ge gongsi de chenggong hezuo gan bei! To our two companies successful co-operation, cheers! Mr White: Wei Dongshizhang he Dongshizhang furen de jiankang gan bei! To the Managing Director and the Managing Directors wife's health, cheers! Furen: Zhe shi yanwo tang, feichang you yingyang. This is birds nest soup, extremely nutritious. Mr White: Wo tingshuo-guo, keshi mei he-guo. Iv'e heard of it but not tried it (or never had it before.) Furen: Zhenghao, qing changchang ba(unsure about this sentance). Just the right amount, invite him often please? Furen: Duo chi dianr cai. Eat a little more. Dongshizhang: Zai he yi bei.Have a drink. Mr White: Wo chi-bu-xia le, ye he-bu-xia le. I'm unable to eat anymore, I''m unable to drink anymore. Dongshizhang: Zai he zuihou yi bei. Wei Zhong-Ying liang guo renmin de youyi gan bei! Last drink. To the friendship between Chinese and British peoples two countries, cheers! Mr White: Gan bei! Xiwang nimen you jihui qu Yingguo fangwen. Cheers! I hope you have the opportunity to visit England.

translation,sentances highlighted I'm confused by! Help and corrections appreciated! Thanks Lao Bai: Wo keyi yong yixia nimende cesuo ma? Could I use your toilet? Mr Yuan: Zuoshou di-er jian jiu shi.(not sure about this sentance) Lefthand di er-(ordinal numbers two?) 2nd room just(jiu)? on the left? Lao Bai: Oh yijing jiu dian duo le. Wo gai hui qu le. Oh already more than 9 oclock? I must be off now. Mr Yuan: Hai zao ne. Zai zuo yihuir ba. It's still early. Go in a short while please. Lao Bai: Bu zuo le(not sure what this means). Mingtian zaoshang wo hai you shiqing. No or I can't tomorrow morning I still have a matter to attend to? Mr Yuan: Hao ba. Na jiu bu liu ni le. Ok I won't keep you then. Lao Bai: Gei nimen tian mafan le. Sorry to have troubled you. Mr Yuan: Mei shenme. Huanying ni zai lai. It's nothing. you are welcome. Lao Bai: Yiding, yiding. Certainly, certainly, Mr Yuan: Wo songsong ni. I'll see you out. Lao Bai: Bu yong le. Qing hui qu ba. No need. Please go back. Mr Yuan: Man zou. Take care. Mrs Yuan: Lushang xiaoxin. Have a safe journey. Lao Bai: Mei wenti. Zaijian! Bye! Mr and Mrs Yuan: Zaijian! Bye!

translation: corrections and help appreciated, sentances highlighted I'm confused by. Mr Yuan: Lao Bai, zanmen xian he yi bei. Old White first we have a drink? Lao Bai: Hao a. Ok MrYuan: Ni he pijiu, putaojiu haishi lai dian baijiu. You drink beer wine or have a little baijiu?(strong alcohol) Lao Bai: Baijiu wo he-bu-liao. He dianr putaojiu ba. I'm unable to drink baijiu. I'll have a little wine please. Mr Yuan: Bai de haishi hong de? White or red? Lao Bai: Hong de ba. Red please. Mr Yuan: Zhei zhong jiu bu tian. Wo zhidao waiguo-ren yiban bu xihuan he tian de jiu. This drink not sweet. I know foreigner usually not like(xihuan?) drink sweet?(confused with these sentances) Lao Bai: Shi, wo bu xihuan he tian de jiu. yes? I not like sweet drinks? Mr Yuan:Zanmen xian gan yi bei. Zhu ni gongzuo shunli, shenghuo yukuai! We first have a drink. Wish you or your work go smoothly, a pleasant life! Lao Bai: Zhu nimen quanjia xingfu, wanshi ruyi! wish you or your whole family be happy. 10,000 things as you wish! Mr Yuan: Gan bei! Cheers! Lao Bai: Gan bei! Cheers! Mrs Yuan: Bie keqi, duo chi dianr. Don't be polite, eat a little more. Lao Bai: Hao, hao, wo ziji lai. ok, ok I help myself. Lao Bai: Cai dou feichang haochi. All dishes or food are extremely delicious or tasty. Mr Yuan: Zai duo chi dianr. Eat a little more. Lao Bei: Wo yijing chi-bao le. I'm already full. Mrs Yuan: Ni chi-de tai shao le. You eat too little. Lao Bai: Wo zhende chi-bu-xia le. I really am unable to eat anymore. Mr Yuan: Ni tai keqi le. Your too polite Lao Bai: Wo mei keqi. I'm not polite

translation: parts I was unsure of Iv'e highlighted - help and corrections appreciated. Being A Guest Translation: Mr Yuan: Lao Bai, huanying, huanying. Lao Peter welcome, welcome. Lao Bai: Lao Yuan, ni hao. Wo zhidao ni ai he jui. Zhe shi gei nide jiu. hello Lao Yuan. I know you love a drink. This is for you. Mr Yaun: Faguo putaojiu! Ni tai keqi le. French wine! your too polite. Lao Bai: Zhei he qiaokeli shi gei nimen nu'er de. This and these chocolates are for you and your daughter? Mr Yaun:Zhen Zhen, kuai (only know the quick and money reference?) xiexie Bai shushu. Really Really? thank you uncle Peter. Lao Bai: Bu yong xie... zhen xiang a! not at all I really wanted too? Yaun taitai, zuo(cook? or doing?) shenme haochi de ne? Mrs Yaun what delicious food is cooking? Mrs Yuan: Mei shenme haochi de. Not what delicious food. Dou(emphatic?) shi jiachang bianfan. A simple home made meal. Lao Bai: Nimen de chufang ting xiandaihua de. Your kitchen is modern. Mrs Yuan: Kexi tai xiao le. pity it's too small. Mr Yaun: Lao Bai, keting li zuo ba. Peter come and sit in the sitting room. Lao Bai: Hao, Hao. Nimen de keting zhen piaoliang. Ok, Ok. Your sitting room is really beautifull. Mr Yuan : Nali, nali. Lao Bai, ni xiang he dianr sheme? Not really. Lao peter what would you like to drink? Lao Bai: He dian cha ba. tea please

Eating chinese food - corrections and help appreciated - highlighted sentances I'm confused about. Zhongguo-ren changchang wei keren zuo hen duo cai.- (unsure about this sentace) Chinese guest have very many dishes? Tamen xiwang keren duo he jiu, duo chi cai.They hope guests have many drinks and many dishes. Zhongguo-ren he xifang-ren chi fan de xiguan bu yiyang. Chinese and western eating customs are not the same. Zhongguo-ren chi fan yong wan he kuaizi; Xifang-ren chi fan yong panzi he daocha. Chinese eat with bowl and chopsticks, Western people eat with plate and knife and fork. Dabufen Zhongguo-ren yiban xian chi fan, hou he tang. Zai Xifang, renmen yiban xian he tang, hou chi fan.(-usnsure about these sentances) The majority of chinese usually eat first after theyv'e drank soup In the West people usually first drink soup and eat later. Zhongguo-ren changchang xian he jiu, chi liang cai, ranhou chi re fan, re cai, zuihou chi shiguo. Chinese often drink (alcohol) first, eat a cold dish, eat hot food afterwards, a hot dish and lastly eat fruit.Xifang-ren xian chi toupan, ranhou chi zhengcan, zuihou chi tianshi huo shuiguo. Western people first eat a starter then a main course and lastly a desert or fruit. Zhongguo-ren zai jia li chi fan he zai fanguan chi fan chabuduo, dahia yiqi chi suoyoude cai. Chinese at home and fanguan(hotel?) eat similar, everyone eats together( or all dishes together) Xifang-ren zai fanguan ziji chi ziji de cai. Zai jia chi fan de shihou, butong de cai xian fang zai ziji de pan li, ranhou cai chi.(very confused with these two sentances) Western people (at fanguan?) eat on their own. At home eating time Different dish first put in (ziji de pan li,?) after eating.

passage on changing money Iv'e tried to translate - corrections appreciated!! Zai Zhongguo huan qian yiban zhi neng zai da yinhang de fenhang huan, duihuanlu dou chabuduo. In China you can usually change money at the fenhang branch of a bank. Exchange rates are similar. Youde da fandian he da shangdian ye you huan qian de difang. Some hotels and shops also have plaes to change money. Yinhang de kai men shijian gen putong de shangdian bu yiyang, bi shangdian kai men shijian wan yidian, guan men shijian zao yidian. Bank open time and shop open time are not the same, the bank opens a little later and closes a little earliar than the shop. Keshi , zai da fandian li de huan qian de difang, kai men shijian bijiao linghuo, keneng hui kai-dao hen wan. But in the hotel theres a place to change money, open times relatively flexible, possibly can open very late? Jianglai, qukuanji duo le, qu qian geng fangbian le, jiu bu yong qu yinhang huan qian le. In the future much more atms to withdraw money, even more hotels, not need to go bank to change money.

Below is a postcard Iv'e translated minus the layout - any corrections appreaciated. Ni hao! Hao jiu mei you shou dao nide xin le. Hello, I havn't recieved your letter. Ni yiqie hai hao ma? Is everything ok or good with you? Wo xia ge yue ba hao zuoyou yao qu Guangzhou kai hui. Next month on the 8th I'm going to Guangzhou to attend a meeting. Ruguo ni dao shihou you kong dehua, wo hen xiang jianjian ni. If you have any free time I would very much like to meet you. Qing hui xin gaosu wo nide dianhua haoma. Please tell me your new number.