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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

女nǚNoun
Illustration for 女
  • 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。

shēngnánshēngnǚdōuyíyàng。

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

女学生很多。

nǚxuéshēnghěnduō。

There are many female students.

女人nǚrénNoun
Illustration for 女人
  • 1.woman
  • 2.wife

Examples

她是一个好女人。

tāshìyígèhǎonǚrén。

She is a good woman.

我的女人很漂亮。

wǒdenǚrénhěnpiàoliang。

My wife is very beautiful.

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

Examples

他是我男人。

tāshìwǒnánrén。

He is my husband.

那个男人很高。

nàgenánrénhěngāo。

That man is very tall.

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

Examples

他是男生。

tāshìnánshēng。

He is a male student.

她有一个男孩。

tāyǒuyígènánhái。

She has a baby boy.

子ziNoun
Illustration for 子
  • 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。

tāshìwǒdeérzi。

He is my son.

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

Examples

这个孩子很可爱。

zhègeháizihěnkěài。

This child is very cute.

我的孩子在上学。

wǒdeháizizàishàngxué。

My child is going to school.

老lǎoAdjective
Illustration for 老
  • 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。

wǒyéyehěnlǎole。

My grandfather is very old.

他是老王。

tāshìlǎowáng。

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

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

Examples

三天后我就回来。

sāntiānhòuwǒjiùhuílái。

I'll be back in three days.

他在后面。

tāzàihòumiàn。

He is behind.

妹妹mèimeiNoun
Illustration for 妹妹
  • younger sister

Examples

我有一个妹妹。

wǒyǒuyígèmèimei。

I have a younger sister.

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

Examples

老人需要照顾。

lǎorénxūyàozhàogù。

Elderly people need care.

他是位老人。

tāshìwèilǎorén。

He is an elderly person.

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

Examples

我有书。

wǒyǒushū。

I have a book.

两liǎngNumeral
Illustration for 两
  • 1.two (quantity)
  • 2.both
  • 3.a few (an indefinite amount)

Examples

我家有两口人。

wǒjiāyǒuliǎngkǒurén。

There are two people in my family.

他们两个都是学生。

tāmenliǎnggèdōushìxuéshēng。

Both of them are students.

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。

nàgenǚrénshìwǒmāma。

That woman is my mother.

他不是老人。

tābúshìlǎorén。

He is not an old man.

Possessive structure with 的

名词 + 的 + 名词(领属关系)

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。

zhèshìmāmademāma。

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?

nǐhǎo!zhèshìnǐdejiārénma?

Hello! Is this your family?

小南
小南

是,这是我妈妈。

shì,zhèshìwǒmāma。

Yes, this is my mom.

小林
小林

你妈妈很好看!后面的孩子是谁?

nǐmāmahěnhǎokàn!hòumiàndeháizishìshéi?

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

小南
小南

那是我的妹妹。她还小。

nàshìwǒdemèimei。tāháixiǎo。

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

小林
小林

哦,后面的老人是谁?

ò,hòumiàndelǎorénshìshéi?

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。

nàshìwǒmāmademāma。tājīnniánbāshísuì。

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

小林
小林

那个男人是谁?

nàgenánrénshìshéi?

Who’s that man?

小南
小南

那是我爸爸。那个女人是我妈妈的妹妹。

nàshìwǒbàba。nàgenǚrénshìwǒmāmademèimei。

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?

nǐjiāyǒujǐgenánde,jǐgenǚde?

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。

liǎnggènánde,liǎnggènǚde。bàbahéwǒshìnánde,māmahémèimeishìnǚde。

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