Lesson 1: Meeting for the First Time

你好

Learn 是 + N and 不是 + N through Meeting for the First Time.

11 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~12 min

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Vocabulary11 words

不bùAdverb

not, nonegates an action or quality in the present or future

Examples

我不去。

wǒbúqù。

I am not going.

他不是老师。

tābúshìlǎoshī。

He is not a teacher.

好hǎoAdjective

1.good; well; fine
2.OK; all right (used to express agreement)Used as an interjection to express agreement or approval.

Examples

你的中文很好。

nǐdezhōngwénhěnhǎo。

Your Chinese is very good.

老师lǎoshīNoun

teacher

Examples

我们的老师很好。

wǒmendelǎoshīhěnhǎo。

Our teacher is very good.

吗maParticle

a question particle (turns a statement into a yes/no question)Placed at the end of a sentence to turn a statement into a question.

Examples

你好吗？

nǐhǎoma？

How are you?

你nǐPronoun

Examples

你好吗？

nǐhǎoma？

How are you?

您nínPronoun

you (polite form, used respectfully for elders or people of higher status)

Examples

您好！请问您找谁？

nínhǎo！qǐngwènnínzhǎoshuí？

Hello! May I ask who you are looking for?

人rénNoun

person, humanThe root word for a human being in general.

Examples

我是人。

wǒshìrén。

I am a person.

是shìVerb

to bea linking verb: A is B

Examples

我是学生。

wǒshìxuéshēng。

I am a student.

我wǒPronoun

I, me

Examples

我是越南人。

wǒshìyuènánrén。

I am Vietnamese.

我有一个哥哥。

wǒyǒuyígègēge。

I have an older brother.

学生xuéshengNoun

student

Examples

我是大学生。

wǒshìdàxuéshēng。

I am a university student.

中国ZhōngguóNoun

China

Examples

我想去中国旅游。

wǒxiǎngqùzhōngguólǚyóu。

I want to travel to China.

Grammar

Affirmative sentences with "to be" (是)

S + 是 + N

Use "是" to introduce yourself or others; it means "to be". Structure: Subject + 是 + Noun. This is the simplest way to talk about identity, occupation, or nationality.

我是学生。

wǒshìxuéshēng。

I am a student.

他是老师。

tāshìlǎoshī。

He is a teacher.

Negative sentences with "to not be" (不是)

S + 不是 + N

Use "不是" before a noun to negate a "是" sentence; it means "to not be". Structure: Subject + 不是 + Noun.

我不是老师。

wǒbúshìlǎoshī。

I am not a teacher.

她不是中国人。

tābúshìzhōngguórén。

She is not Chinese.

Dialogues

Meeting for the First Time

A student and a teacher meet for the first time in class.

小林

你好！

nǐhǎo！

Hello!

小南

你好！你是学生吗？

nǐhǎo！nǐshìxuéshēngma？

Hello! Are you a student?

小林

是，我是学生。你也是学生吗？

shì，wǒshìxuéshēng。nǐyěshìxuéshēngma？

Yes, I am a student. Are you a student too?

小南

不，我不是学生。我是老师。

bù，wǒbúshìxuéshēng。wǒshìlǎoshī。

No, I am not a student. I am a teacher.

小林

哦，您好！

ò，nínhǎo！

Oh, hello, sir!

小南

你好。你是中国人吗？

nǐhǎo。nǐshìzhōngguórénma？

Hello. Are you Chinese?

小林

我是越南人。

wǒshìyuènánrén。

I'm Vietnamese.