Lesson 2: People in the Family

家人

Learn 是 + N / S + 不是 + N and Possessive structure with 的 through People in the Family.

12 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~10 min

Vocabulary12 words

孩子háiziNoun
  • 1.child
  • 2.child (of one's parents)

Examples

这个孩子很可爱。

zhègeháizihěnài

This child is very cute.

我的孩子在上学。

deháizizàishàngxué

My child is going to school.

hòuNoun
  • 1.after; behind (in time or position)
  • 2.queen; empress (archaic)
  • 3.Hou (a surname)

Examples

三天后我就回来。

sāntiānhòujiùhuílái

I'll be back in three days.

他在后面。

zàihòumiàn

He is behind.

lǎoAdjective
  • 1.old (of people)
  • 2.old, worn (of things)
  • 3.a prefix added before a surname or family rank to show familiarity and closeness

Examples

我爷爷很老了。

yehěnlǎole

My grandfather is very old.

他是老王。

shìlǎowáng

He is Old Wang (a friendly form of address).

老人lǎorénNoun
  • 1.elderly personShows respect.
  • 2.older personThe opposite of a young person.

Examples

老人需要照顾。

lǎorényàozhào

Elderly people need care.

他是位老人。

shìwèilǎorén

He is an elderly person.

liǎngNumeral
  • 1.two (quantity)
  • 2.both
  • 3.a few (an indefinite amount)

Examples

我家有两口人。

jiāyǒuliǎngkǒurén

There are two people in my family.

他们两个都是学生。

menliǎngdōushìxuéshēng

Both of them are students.

妹妹mèimeiNoun
  • younger sister

Examples

我有一个妹妹。

yǒumèimei

I have a younger sister.

nánNoun
  • 1.male, man
  • 2.baron (the fifth rank of nobility)

Examples

他是男生。

shìnánshēng

He is a male student.

她有一个男孩。

yǒunánhái

She has a baby boy.

男人nánrénNoun
  • 1.man
  • 2.husband (informal, in spoken language)

Examples

他是我男人。

shìnánrén

He is my husband.

那个男人很高。

genánrénhěngāo

That man is very tall.

Noun
  • 1.woman, female
  • 2.daughter, used in formal expressions about children (e.g. 一儿一女 one son and one daughter)

Examples

生男生女都一样。

shēngnánshēngdōuyàng

Whether it's a boy or a girl, it's all the same.

女学生很多。

xuéshēnghěnduō

There are many female students.

女人rénNoun
  • 1.woman
  • 2.wife

Examples

她是一个好女人。

shìhǎorén

She is a good woman.

我的女人很漂亮。

derénhěnpiàoliang

My wife is very beautiful.

yǒuVerb
  • to have; there isThe negative form uses 没有 (méiyǒu) or 没 (méi).

Examples

我有书。

yǒushū

I have a book.

ziNoun
  • 1.sonread as zǐ (3rd tone), unlike the neutral-tone "zi" suffix
  • 2.childread as zǐ (3rd tone), unlike the neutral-tone "zi" suffix
  • 3.a noun suffix (with no independent meaning)e.g. 桌子 (table), 椅子 (chair), 孩子 (child)

Examples

他是我的儿子。

shìdeérzi

He is my son.

Grammar

Affirmative/negative sentences with 是

S + 是 + N / S + 不是 + N

Use '是' (shì) to affirm identity, occupation, or relationship. Use '不是' (bú shì) to negate. This is the most basic structure for introducing yourself or others.

那个女人是我妈妈。

gerénshìma

That woman is my mother.

他不是老人。

shìlǎorén

He is not an old man.

Possessive structure with 的

Danh từ + 的 + danh từ (chỉ quan hệ sở hữu)

Place '的' (de) after a noun referring to a person or thing to show possession or a relationship. For example: '妈妈的孩子' means 'mom's child'.

男人的孩子很小。

nánréndeháizihěnxiǎo

The man's child is very young.

这是妈妈的妈妈。

zhèshìmadema

This is mom's mother.

Dialogues

People in the Family

Two children look at photos and talk about their families.

小林
小林

你好!这是你的家人吗?

hǎozhèshìdejiārénma

Hello! Is this your family?

小南
小南

是,这是我妈妈。

shìzhèshìma

Yes, this is my mom.

小林
小林

你妈妈很好看!后面的孩子是谁?

mahěnhǎokànhòumiàndeháizishìshéi

Your mum looks lovely! Who’s the child behind her?

小南
小南

那是我的妹妹。她还小。

shìdemèimeiháixiǎo

That's my younger sister. She's still little.

小林
小林

哦,后面的老人是谁?

òhòumiàndelǎorénshìshéi

Oh, who is the elderly person behind?

小南
小南

那是我妈妈的妈妈。她今年八十岁。

shìmademajīnniánshísuì

That's my mom's mother. She's eighty this year.

小林
小林

那个男人是谁?

genánrénshìshéi

Who’s that man?

小南
小南

那是我爸爸。那个女人是我妈妈的妹妹。

shìbagerénshìmademèimei

That’s my dad. That woman is my mum’s younger sister.

小林
小林

你家有几个男的,几个女的?

jiāyǒugenándegede

How many males and how many females are there in your family?

小南
小南

两个男的,两个女的。爸爸和我是男的,妈妈和妹妹是女的。

liǎngnándeliǎngdebashìnándemamèimeishìde

Two males and two females. Dad and I are the men; Mum and my sister are the women.