My African Friend is Learning Chinese | Common Mistakes
Guys, what’s up? How is going your Chinese learning? I have been very busy with personal and professional issues.
Life is Shanghai and other parts of China is gradually coming back to normal.
- Find more audios on this site and books on my Amazon and Barnes & Noble homepage.
I just met my African friend (from Ghana) a few days ago. We had a brief chat. I observed something interesting, the common mistakes while learning Chinese and thought of sharing with you people.
Discover Chinese culture-
Well, it was January when I met him for the first time. He had been in China for 3 years and been learning Chinese since the beginning.
So, I asked him (in Jan) how his Chinese learning was going on.
He said Hen Hao (很好).
- 很好 (Hěn hǎo): very good
Although he was just expressing his feelings, it’s weird to say “very good”. It might be interpreted as “boasting”.
If someone asks you the same, you can say:
- Hai Keyi (还可以, Hái kěyǐ): It’s okay. Not bad
- Hai Xing Ba (还行吧, Hái xíng ba): It’s alright
Anyways, this was in January.
Then I met him a few days ago. I asked him the same question.
He said: Cha Bu Duo (差不多, Chà bù duō).
I was surprised. I asked him what he really meant.
He said “so-so”.
Well, Cha Bu Duo does not mean “so-so”.
If you have to say “it’s okay”, just say Hai Keyi (还可以).
Cha Bu Duo (差不多) has so many meanings, including “almost” or “nearly equal to”.
- 差不多 (chà bù duō): almost
Example:
- 差不多5点了 (Chà bù duō 5 diǎnle)。It’s nearly five o’clock.
-Kexin