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Life Talk!

REQ: Help with Chinese

aljensen

aljensen

United States

Is there anyone who can help me with the following sentences, I am wondering if they are correct in Mandarin Chinese?

They are pretty simple.

 Lesson 36 Now Finished {4/05/08)

现在 是 什么 时候 了? What time is it now?
现在 是 三 点。(Right now) It's three.
现在 是 三 点 半。(Right now) It's half past three.
现在 是  四 点。 (Right now) It's four.
现在 是  四 点 二十五  分。(Right now) It's four twenty-five.
现在 是  四 点 半。(Right now) It's half past four.
现在 是 五 点。(Right now) It's five.
现在 是  六 点。(Right now) It's six.
现在 是 六 点二十五  分。Right now it's six twenty-five.
现在 是  六 点 半。(Right now) It's six thirty.
现在 是 六 点  四十 分。(Right now) It's six fifty.
现在 是  七  点 十 分 。(Right now) It's seven ten.
现在 是 九 点 。(Right now) It's nine.
现在 是 九 点 半。(Right now) It's nine thirty.
现在 是 五 点 四十 分。(Right now) It's five forty.
现在 不 好。Now's not good.
从 现在 起  我 吃 中餐。From now on I will eat Chinese food.
从 现在 起  我说 英语。From now on I will speak English.
周 小姐 现在 在  家。Ms. Zou is at home now.
现在 下班 了? Have (you) finished work now?
郑 先生 现在 下班 了? Has Mr. Zheng finished work?

09:39 PM May 28 2008 |

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aileench

aileench

China

1. 现在 是 什么 时候 了? What time is it now? We usually say 现在几点了?

2. 现在 下班 了? Have (you) finished work now? 现在下班了吗?

3.郑 先生 现在 下班 了? Has Mr. Zheng finished work? 郑先生下班了吗?

You did not make any mistake, I just want to try to help make your Chinese more like a chinese saying…

02:01 AM May 29 2008 |

yangli3586099

China

NOW'S not good.If you say 现在不行,it'll be better.

02:24 AM May 29 2008 |

天天eating

China

Ms. Zhou is at home now.

周女士现在在家.

Ms.:女士

Miss 小姐

Mrs: 太太

02:32 AM May 29 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

In the United States we no longer distinguish between Ms. and Miss, maybe it's a British English thing?

Is Ms.:女士 or Miss 小姐 a big deal in China?

To be honest, I didn't know there was a difference between the two (Ms. and Miss) until recently… 

 

04:41 AM May 29 2008 |

aileench

aileench

China

女士 use for both married & unmarried ladies

小姐 only use for unmarried ones..

04:52 AM May 29 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

Yeah the difference is the same in English (I think), but nowadays we just say Ms. 

Miss seems old-fashioned to me (in English). 

05:25 AM May 29 2008 |

aileench

aileench

China

yep, I used to use Ms..

Because I can hardly distinguish whether those ladies married or not.Tongue out

09:06 AM May 29 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

So do you say 女士  a lot?

02:49 PM May 29 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

女士 perhaps you use like ma'am?

ma'am is short of madam, and use it in addressing older women who may or may not be married (if they are strangers).

but it is only used in direct address i.e. speaking directly to the person, not talking about them in third person.

03:01 PM May 29 2008 |

aileench

aileench

China

Yeah, like that. but 女士 can use for both young and older.

You question has reminded me, it seems I do not say 女士 a lot. but used to use it when I write something. It's strange.. But Im sure you can say that.

some suggestion:

1. If you know the people well just call them by their names

2. If you don't know the people just call man as先生,woman as 小姐,

3. If you know the people's name, but you don't familiar with them, just call them like 周小姐、周先生 ect.. when you visit your customer, you should also call him/her like this..it's a kind of respect.

4. 女士 can use for both young and old. just for the people you don't know or you don't familiar with.

5. Chinese customs always call the young one as 小姐, Older one as 大姐(means older sister),  If the woman likes your mom's age, you can call her 阿姨(aunt), If she likes you grandmother's age, you can call her 奶奶. If she is a taxi dirver, we just call her 师傅  (for you only use 1-4 is ok. this one just for you info to understand the Chinese languege culture. )

02:39 AM May 30 2008 |