Shu Shu's Mandarin Lesson #1

Happy New Year, B.D.T.B. blog readers! I hope 2009 is a peaceful and productive year for all of us. Do you make New Year's resolutions? I do. This year, my resolution is to practice Mandarin Chinese more often. Now that Shu Shu the dragon has come to live with us I have another friend to practice with! He is a Chinese dragon and speaks Mandarin fluently. If you are interested in learning a little Chinese, look for a new series of posts called "Shu Shu's Mandarin Lessons." Each month he will teach us a few useful phrases! He will give us the Chinese and the meaning followed by the pronunciation and tone in Pinyin.

新年快樂 = Happy New Year
新 Xīn (sounds like "shin") = New
年 Nián (pronounced like nee-an) = Year
快樂 Kuàilè (Kuai rhymes with "buy." Le sounds like "luh") = Happy, Merry

你喜歡我的褲子嗎 = Do you like my pants?
你 Nǐ (sounds like "knee") = You
喜歡 Xǐhuan (Xi sounds like "she") = Like
我的 Wǒde (Wo sounds like "woe." De sounds like "duh") = My, Mine
褲子 Kùzi (Ku sounds like "coo." Zi sounds like "zuh") = Pants, Trousers
嗎 (?) Ma = Question particle. It turns statements into questions.

貓咪在哪裡 = Where is kitty?
貓咪 Māomī (pronounced like "mow mee") = Kitty
在 Zài (rhymes with "spy") = At, Located
哪裡 Nǎlǐ (pronounced like "nah lee") = Where?

Thank you Teacher!