Everyday Chinese
1. Phonetic knowledge:
     Initials and finals
     Tones
    Tonal Change 		2. Initial-Final Combinations
3. Greetings
4. Placing an Order
5. Attending Class 6. Making Inquiries
7. Shopping 8. About Time
 
   
Placing an Order
(Click the links to listen. All tone marks here show the actual tones.)
   
What would you say in Putonghua when you want to buy yourself a cup of coffee? How to order a beer in a bar or some dumplings in a restaurant?
   
1. A cup of coffee, please.
请给我一杯咖啡。
Qíng géi wǒ yì bēi kāfēi.
   
 

Some more options for drinks:

Two bottles of coke.
两瓶可乐。
Liǎng píng kělè.

Three bottles of mineral water.
三瓶矿泉水。
Sān píng kuàngquánshuǐ.

Four cups of tea.
四杯茶。
Sì bēi chá.

Five bottles of beer.
五瓶啤酒。
Wǔ píng píjiǔ.
   
2. A bowl of dumplings with pork and cabbage.
一碗饺子，要猪肉白菜馅。
Yì wán jiǎozi，yào zhūròu báicài xiànr.
   
  Different combinations of stuffing:

mutton 羊肉 yángròu / beef 牛肉 niúròu /
chicken 鸡肉 jīròu /
Chinese leek 韭菜 jiǔcài / mushroom 香菇 xiānggū /
celery 芹菜qíncài
 
3. Five bowls of noodles and six buns.
五碗面条，六个包子。
Wú wǎn miàntiáo ，liù gè bāozi.
   
4. A bowl of green salad.
一盘青菜沙拉。
Yì pán qīngcài shālā.
   
5. Could we have the bill, please?
麻烦你结账。
Máfán nǐ jié zhàng.
   
6. How much?
多少钱？
Duōshɑo qián？
   
   
You can find more situational conversations from the following library materials:
Elementary spoken Chinese PL1125.E6 C6 1997
Short-term spoken Chinese : Threshold PL1074.8 .H34 2005
Basic Chinese course 25 lessons PL1111.C47
Questions and answers : a course of speed-up oral Chinese PL1074.8 C434 1998
Easy Chinese speak out PL1121.C5 Y52 2004
Intermediate spoken Chinese PL1125.E6 L58 1996
The standard Chinese course PL1128 .P5 1998
Elementary Chinese PL1128 .R85 2006
   
   
   
   
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The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin
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