Use the examples with their context and limits. Recall a sentence before reading the model. Original teaching additions accompany examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA); see the course reference provenance.
Meet a new classmate
Greet someone, exchange names, and ask about an identity.
Build the meaning
Use 我叫…… for your name and 我是…… for an identity. Say 你叫什么名字？ to ask a name.
Add 吗 to a statement to ask a yes–no question. Answer the question given: 你是老师吗？ — 不是，我是学生。
Useful words in context
- 你好 nǐ hǎo — hello. 你好！我叫林安。
- 名字 míngzi — name. 你叫什么名字？
- 学生 xuésheng — student. 我是学生。
- 老师 lǎoshī — teacher. 你是老师吗？
- 谢谢 xièxie — thank you. 谢谢你！
Read for meaning
你好！我叫林安。我是学生。王力是老师。
Hello! My name is Lin An. I am a student. Wang Li is a teacher.
Listen to a different passage
Ask a partner to read this with the script closed. Use the online practice for browser playback.
你好！我叫王力。我是学生。你叫什么名字？
Hello! My name is Wang Li. I am a student. What is your name?
Speak and write
Greet a new classmate, give your name, and ask their name. Use real or fictional names.
Write a greeting, your name, and your identity. Use a fictional role if you wish.
One speaking model: 你好！我叫林安。你叫什么名字？
One writing model: 你好！我叫林安。我是学生。
- A greeting makes sense in the situation.
- 我叫 introduces the name.
- 我是 introduces an identity.
Check the distinction: 叫 gives a name; 是 gives an identity. Use 我叫林安 and 我是学生, rather than swapping the two verbs.