Episode 10: I got it!
Learning from context
One of my favorite things about learning a new language is discovering the unique way it expresses ideas — the unique way of thinking and seeing the world that the language makes possible.
For example, take the word get in English. There are so many ways English speakers use this word, including to say "I got it!" when we have an idea or a solution to a problem. The interesting thing is that there is no equivalent word in Mandarin. So what do Chinese speakers say in a similar situation? They might say: 我知道了！(Wǒ zhīdàole) which literally means something closer to "I know."
This is just one of the infinite ways that Mandarin and English differ in how they express ideas. Imagine trying to speak and think without using the words get, it, yes, a, or the, and you can start to get a sense of how different it is to think in Mandarin (none of these words has a direct equivalent in Chinese).
And of course, it goes the other way too: Chinese is full of words and expressions that Mandarin speakers rely on routinely in their speech and in their thought, which don't exist at all in English. Some of these are grammatical, like when you 把 (bǎ) something -- a way of expressing a relationship between a person and a thing that is acted upon. Some are shorthand phrases, like 怎麼辦? (Zěnme bàn?) which literally means something like "how to do" but expresses a meaning more like "What should be done?" or "What are we going to do?" often said when a seemingly intractable problem suddenly arises.
The only way to start to develop a feel for the logic of Mandarin is to hear examples in context, over and over again -- and each time you hear them, to feel or picture the meaning, connecting the meaning in your mind to the sounds, so that slowly but surely the sounds themselves are imbued with meaning. Which is what Mandarin From the Ground Up is all about!
A note about learning Chinese characters
Teaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.
Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!
However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you. If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, speaking some Mandarin already will make it that much easier.
The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all. Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most important of all, enjoy!
Daily Practice Session
Dialogue text (Chinese characters)
M：怎麼辦？我好餓。我想去吃飯！
L：喔！我知道了！我們可以開我媽的車
M：真的嗎？真的可以嗎？
L：可以啊，沒問題！
M：你不是不會開車嗎？
L：呃... 騙你啦！我只是沒有駕照。
M：沒有駕照... 這樣可以嗎？
L：還好吧，沒有人知道
M：好吧，那... 我們走吧。你知道怎麼去嗎？
L：我當然知道啊！沒問題的！
M：好！走！
Dialogue text (w/ pinyin and translation)
M：怎麼辦？我好餓。我想去吃飯！
M: Zěnme bàn? Wǒ hǎo è. Wǒ xiǎng qù chīfàn!
M: What are we gonna do? I’m so hungry. I want to go eat!
L：喔！我知道了！我們可以開我媽的車
L: Ō! Wǒ zhīdàole! Wǒmen kěyǐ kāi wǒ mā de chē
L: Oh! I got it! We can drive my mom’s car.
M：真的嗎？真的可以嗎？
M: Zhēn de ma? Zhēn de kěyǐ ma?
M: Really? Really can we?
L：可以啊，沒問題！
L: Kěyǐ a, méi wèntí!
L: Sure we can, no problem.
M：你不是不會開車嗎？
M: Nǐ bùshì bù huì kāichē ma?
M: Aren’t you unable to drive?
L：呃... 騙你啦！我只是沒有駕照。
L: È... Piàn nǐ la! Wǒ zhǐshì méiyǒu jiàzhào.
L: Uh… I was kidding! I just don’t have a license.
M：沒有駕照... 這樣可以嗎？
M: Méiyǒu jiàzhào... Zhèyàng kěyǐ ma?
M: You don’t have a license… is that OK?
Literal: No license... this way can?
L：還好吧，沒有人知道
L: Hái hǎo ba, méiyǒu rén zhīdào
L: It’s alright (suggestion), nobody knows.
M：好吧，那... 我們走吧。你知道怎麼去嗎？
M: Hǎo ba, nà... Wǒmen zǒu ba. Nǐ zhīdào zěnme qù ma?
M: Fine… so, let’s go. Do you know how to go there?
L：我當然知道啊！沒問題的！
L: Wǒ dāngrán zhīdào a! Méi wèntí de!
L: Of course I know! No problem!
M：好！走！
M: Hǎo! Zǒu!
M: Ok! Let’s go!
Literal: Good! Walk!
Thank you for listening!
