Original Text · Elementary · Lesson 2

Names.

VOL. 02 NETCHAI ORIGINAL TEXT
Elementary · Lesson 2

01Vocabulary

01
叫(v.)
jiào
to be called (a name)
02
是(v.)
shì
to be; is/am/are
03
公司(n.)
gōngsī
company
04
的(part.)
de
possessive particle (of)
05
翻译(v./n.)
fānyì
interpreter/translator; to interpret/translate
06
姓(v./n.)
xìng
surname; one's surname is …
07
什么(pron.)
shénme
what; what kind of; interrogative pronoun
08
认识(v.)
rènshi
to know; to get acquainted with
09
高兴(adj.)
gāoxìng
happy; pleased
10
贵姓(n.)
guì xìng
honorable surname; polite expression used when asking someone's last name
11
总经理(n.)
zǒng jīnglǐ
general manager; CEO; head of a company
12
久仰(v.)
jiǔyǎng
I have long heard of your great reputation
13
大名(n.)
dàmíng
honorable name; respectful term for someone's name
14
名字(n.)
míngzi
name; full name
15
日语(n.)
rì yǔ
Japanese language
16
科长(n.)
kēzhǎng
section chief; department manager
17
助手(n.)
zhùshǒu
assistant

02Proper Nouns

01
杨金
yáng jīn
Personal name
02
立日
lì rì
Liри (company name)
03
北京
běi jīng
Beijing
04
下松
xià sōng
Xiasong (company name)

03Key Sentences

01
我wǒ叫jiào杨yáng金jīn，是shì立lì日rì公gōng司sī的de翻fān译yì。
My name is Yang Jin. I am the interpreter for Liри Company.
02
你nǐ姓xìng什shén么me？
What is your last name?
03
认rèn识shi你nǐ，很hěn高gāo兴xìng。
Nice to meet you.
04
您nín贵guì姓xìng？
May I ask your name?
05
久jiǔ仰yǎng大dà名míng。
I have long heard of your great reputation.
06
你nǐ叫jiào什shén么me名míng字zi？
What is your name?
07
她tā是shì日rì语yǔ翻fān译yì吗ma？
Is she a Japanese interpreter?
08
她tā不bú是shì日rì语yǔ翻fān译yì，她tā是shì田tián中zhōng科kē长zhǎng的de助zhù手shǒu。
She is not a Japanese interpreter; she is Section Chief Tanaka's assistant.

04Dialogue

SCENE 1
yáng jīn杨金
我wǒ叫jiào杨yáng金jīn，是shì立lì日rì公gōng司sī的de翻fān译yì。你nǐ姓xìng什shén么me？
lǐ lán李兰
我wǒ姓xìng李lǐ，叫jiào李lǐ兰lán。认rèn识shi你nǐ，很hěn高gāo兴xìng。
yáng jīn杨金
认rèn识shi你nǐ，我wǒ也yě很hěn高gāo兴xìng。
SCENE 2
yáng jīn杨金
先xiān生sheng，您nín贵guì姓xìng？
hé zǒng何总
我wǒ姓xìng何hé，叫jiào何hé友yǒu朋péng，是shì北běi京jīng下xià松sōng公gōng司sī的de总zǒng经jīng理lǐ。
yáng jīn杨金
久jiǔ仰yǎng大dà名míng。
hé zǒng何总
你nǐ叫jiào什shén么me名míng字zi？
yáng jīn杨金
我wǒ叫jiào杨yáng金jīn，是shì立lì日rì公gōng司sī的de翻fān译yì。
hé zǒng何总
你nǐ认rèn识shi李lǐ兰lán吗ma？
yáng jīn杨金
认rèn识shi，她tā是shì日rì语yǔ翻fān译yì吗ma？
hé zǒng何总
不bù，她tā不bú是shì日rì语yǔ翻fān译yì，她tā是shì田tián中zhōng科kē长zhǎng的de助zhù手shǒu。

05Grammar

POINT 01

(1) How to ask someone's name

  1. 您nín贵guì姓xìng？
  2. 你nǐ叫jiào什shén么me名míng字zi？
  3. 你nǐ姓xìng什shén么me？

① is used when asking someone's name upon first meeting. ② is used by a superior speaking to a subordinate, or among young people. ③ is used casually among young people.

※ When asking about a third person's name, use "他姓什么？" or "他叫什么？" — never "他贵姓？".
POINT 02

(2) How to answer when asked your name

In Chinese, use "姓" when giving your surname, and "叫" when giving your given name or full name.

  1. 我wǒ姓xìng佐zuǒ藤téng。
  2. 我wǒ叫jiào一yī郎láng。
  3. 我wǒ叫jiào佐zuǒ藤téng一yī郎láng。
POINT 03

(3) Questions using interrogative pronouns

These are sentences formed with interrogative pronouns such as "什么" (what) and "谁" (who). The word order is the same as a declarative sentence — simply place the interrogative pronoun where the unknown information goes.

  1. 你nǐ叫jiào什shén么me？
  2. 谁shéi是shì田tián中zhōng？
  3. 他tā们men去qù哪nǎ儿er？
POINT 04

(4) The "是" sentence (1)

① Affirmative   Pattern: Subject + 是 + Noun
A sentence in which the verb "是" forms the predicate together with other words or phrases is called a "是" sentence. "是" means "to be" and expresses relationships or identifications. It works similarly to the English verb "be," but unlike English, "是" does not change according to person, tense, or number.

  1. 我wǒ是shì田tián中zhōng。
  2. 我wǒ们men是shì翻fān译yì。

② Negative   Pattern: Subject + 不是 + Noun
"不" is a negation adverb meaning "not." Adding "不" before "是" creates "不是," meaning "is not."

  1. 他tā不bú是shì我wǒ爸bà爸ba。
  2. 我wǒ不bú是shì总zǒng经jīng理lǐ。

③ Question   Pattern: Subject + 是 + Noun + 吗？

  1. 你nǐ是shì日rì语yǔ翻fān译yì吗ma？
POINT 05

(5) Adjectival predicate sentences

A sentence in which an adjective forms the main element of the predicate, describing the nature or state of a person or thing, is called an "adjectival predicate sentence." The verb "是" is not used in the predicate of such sentences.

Subject + Predicate (adjective)

  1. 他tā不bú太tài高gāo兴xìng。
  2. 他tā很hěn忙máng。

06Translation

Scene 1.

杨金My name is Yang Jin. I am the interpreter for Liри Company. What is your last name?
李兰My surname is Li. My name is Li Lan. It's a pleasure to meet you.
杨金It's a pleasure to meet you too.

Scene 2.

杨金Excuse me, sir — may I ask your name?
何总My surname is He. My name is He Youpeng. I am the general manager of Beijing Xiasong Company.
杨金I have long heard of your great reputation.
何总What is your name?
杨金My name is Yang Jin. I am the interpreter for Liри Company.
何总Do you know Li Lan?
杨金Yes, I do. Is she a Japanese interpreter?
何总No, she is not a Japanese interpreter. She is Section Chief Tanaka's assistant.