Lessons in the Shanghai Dialect

Notes.

（1) There are many different ways of saying “father” and “mother,” but these will have to be explained later.
（2) Laung° is really the character °Zaung. It has the latter sound when used in the adverb “above,” which is °Zaung-deu, 上頭.
（3) The seventh sentence of the first exercise is correct grammatically, but would not be used in polite speech. The usual way of asking a gentleman where he lives is to say Sien-sang °foo laung° la° °‘a-°li, 先生府上拉那裏.
（4) In the eleventh sentence of the first exercise the expression yoong° sing means “to be diligent” or “to pay attention.”
（5) In the second sentence of the second exercise Mr. Tsang is translated Tsang Sien-sang. Tsang is a common surname in Chinese. The Sien-sang follows the surname.
（6) Doong (同) is generally used with ih-dau (一淘), Doong coming before the noun, and ih-dau after it. Thus °Ngoo doong °ngoo kuh bang-yeu ih-dau tau° °Zaung-°he chi°.

LESSON VIII
Potential and Subjunctive Moods, and some Interrogative Adverbs

“May” or “can” is expressed by °khau-°i (可以). Thus “I may or can eat” is °ngoo °khau-°i chuh (我可以吃). When physical ability is implied nung-keu° (能彀) is frequently used. Thus “I have the physical ability to do,” is °ngoo nung-keu° tsoo° (我能彀做). When acquired ability is to be expressed we° (會) is generally used. Thus: “I have the ability to speak Chinese” is °ngoo we° wo° Tsoong-kok wo° (我會話中國話).

The Subjunctive Mood is expressed exactly like the Indicative Mood except that some word meaning “If” is placed at the beginning of the clause, and that the particle meh (末) is generally placed at the end of the clause.

“If” is zak (若), zak-s° (若使), zak-zen (若然), °thaung-zen (倘然), °thaung-s° (倘使). Thus “If I go, I will call you,” is expressed zak-zen °ngoo chi° meh, °ngoo iau° kyau° noong° (若然我去末我要叫儂).

Very often the word implying “If” is omitted at the beginning of the clause, and the condition is implied simply by the use of the meh (末) the end of the clause. Thus: “When he has finished it, come and tell me” is yi tsoo° °hau meh, le te° °ngoo wo° (伊做好末來對我話).

“How” is °na-nung (那能). Thus “How do you know”, is noong° °na-nung °hyau-tuh? (儂那能曉得).

“When?” is °kyi-z (幾時). Thus “When did you come?” is noong° °kyi-z le kuh? (儂幾時來個). “When did you arrive?”, is noong° kyi-z tau°? (儂幾時到). Beginners in Chinese often make the mistake of using °kyi-z as the ordinary adverb of time. To express such a sentence as “When I come he will go,” we say °ngoo le-°ts meh yi iau° chi° (我來仔末伊要去), the past participle being used, and meh implying that it is conditional. It is incorrect to say °ngoo °kyi-z le, yi iau° chi°. Let it be remembered that °kyi-z is only used in asking a question.

We have the °kyi-z used after the verb in such a sentence as noong° tau°-ts °kyi-z tse? (儂到仔幾時哉) meaning, “How long since you arrived?” or yi chi°-°ts °kyi-z tse? (伊去仔幾時哉) meaning, “How long since he went?”

VOCABULARY.

To sell, ma° 賣 or ma°-theh 賣脫.
To see, khoen° 看 or khoen°-kyien° seen 看見.
To walk, °tseu 走.
To run, bau 跑.
To know, °hyau-tuh 曉得.
To know a person, nyung°-tuh 認得.
To understand, °toong 懂 or ming-bak 明白.
A pagoda, ih zoo° thah 一座塔.
A sedan chair, ih °ting jau°-°ts 一頂轎子.
A visitor or guest, ih we° khak-nyung 一位客人.
A doctor, ih we° laung tsoong 一位郞中 or ih we° i-sung 一位醫生.
A grave mound, ih kuh °vung-san 一個墳山.
A mouth, ih kuh °kheu 一個口 or ih tsang °ts 一張嘴.
A doorway, ih kuh mung-°kheu (Mouth of the door) 一個門口 or mung-°kheu-deu 一個門口頭.
An ear, ih tsak °nyi-°too 一隻耳朵.
A nose, ih kuh bih-deu 一個鼻頭.
An eye, ih tsak °ngan-tsing 一隻眼晴.
A face, ih kuh mien°-khoong 一個面孔.

Boo (部) is the classifier used with carriages, and vehicles on wheels.

A carriage, ih boo °mo-tsho 一部馬車.
A ricsha, ih boo toong-yang-tsho 一部東洋車. (Lit. East of the Ocean carriage.) Japan is known as the land East of the Ocean, and ricshas were first used there.
A wheelbarrow, ih boo tsho-°ts 一部車子 or °siau-tsho 小車.
Short, °toen 短.
Long, dzang 長.
Fast, kwha° 快.
Slow, man° 慢.
To-morrow, ming-tsau 明朝.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Noong° ming-bak va°? ’Veh ming-bak.
(2) Tsoong-kok wo°, noong° we° wo° va°? °Ngoo ’veh we° wo°.
(3) Tsoong-kok su noong° we° dok va°? °Ngoo ’veh we° dok.
(4) °Tshing sien-sang ming-tsau le.
(5) Noong° °kyi-z khau-°i chi°? °Ngoo ming-tsau khau-°i chi°.
(6) Di°-tsak °mo ’veh nung-keu° bau le kwha°.
(7) Zak-zen sien-sang le meh, noong° te° yi wo° °ngoo °Zaung-°he chi° tse.
(8) Chi° kyau° ih boo toong-yang-tsho.
(9) Di°-zoo° thah noong° khoen°-kyien° hyih meh?
(10) Mok-ziang° °zoo-ts °siau-tsho-°ts tau° °Zaung-°he chi° tse.
(11) Di-°kuh nyung noong° nyung°-tuh va°? ’Veh nyung°-tuh.
(12) Noong° °na-nung chi° kuh? °Ngoo °zoo-ts °mo-tsho chi kuh.
(13) Iau° noong° chi° °tshing i-sung le.
(14) °Tshing sien-sang wo° le man° °tien.
(15) Zah-zen sien-sang wo° le kwha° meh, °ngoo ’veh °toong.
(16) Di°-kung °baung °z dzang kuh, di°-°po tau °z °toen kuh.
(17) Khak-nyung tau°-°ts mung-°kheu-deu iau° °tshing yi °li-hyang° °zoo.
(18) I-kuh °siau-noen kuh mien°-°khoong ’man °hau khoen°.
(19) Nyung °yeu °liang tsak °nyi-°too, °liang tsak °ngan-tsing, ih kuh bih-deu, °lau ih tsang-°ts.
(20) Di°-zoo° vaung-°ts °i-kyung ma°-theh tse.

(一) 儂明白否? 勿明白.
(二) 中國話儂會話否? 我勿會話.
(三) 中國書儂會讀否? 我勿會讀.
(四) 請先生明朝來.
(五) 儂幾時可以去? 我明朝可以去.
(六) 第隻馬勿能彀跑來快.
(七) 若然先生來末儂對伊話我上海去哉.
(八) 去叫一部東洋車.
(九) 第座塔儂看見歇末?
(十) 木匠坐之小車子到上海去哉.
(十一) 第個人儂認得否? 勿認得.
(十二) 儂那能去個? 我坐馬車去個.
(十三) 要儂去請醫生來.
(十四) 請先生話來慢點.
(十五) 若然先生話來快末我勿懂.
(十六) 第根棒是長個, 第把刀是短個.
(十七) 客人到之門口頭請伊裏向坐.
(十八) 伊個小囝個面孔蠻好看.
(十九) 人有兩隻耳朵, 兩隻眼睛, 一個鼻頭佬一張嘴.
(二十) 第座房子已經賣脫哉.

(Translate into Chinese)

(l) Please take a seat.
(2) When will that teacher come?
(3) He said he will come to-morrow.
(4) Have you seen my dog?
(5) Ask the visitor to come in.
(6) The sheep is on the grave mound.
(7) I wish to ride in a sedan chair, and go into the city.
(8) When the doctor comes, come and call me.
(9) Call two ricshas.
(10) How long have you been in China?
(11) If men had no eyes they would not be able to see.
(12) If the pupil is not diligent he will not be able to learn Chinese.
(13) I do not know how to say this.
(14) When will the doctor come?
(15) To-morrow he will come.
(16) The road to Shanghai is very long.
(17) If you do not understand you can ask the teacher to speak more slowly.
(18) The ears of that dog are very long.
(19) The child runs very fast.
(20) Do you know my friend? I do not.

(一) 請坐.
(二) 伊個先生幾時要來?
(三) 伊話伊明朝要來.
(四) 我個一隻狗儂看見歇末?
(五) 請客人進來.
(六) 第隻羊拉墳山上.
(七) 我要坐轎子到城裏去.
(八) 醫生來之末來叫我.
(九) 去叫兩部東洋車.
(十) 儂到之中國幾時哉?
(十一) 若然人無沒眼睛伊拉勿能彀看見.
(十二) 苦然學生子勿用心伊勿會學中國話.
(十三) 第個我勿曉得那能話個.
(十四) 醫生幾時要來?
(十五) 伊明朝要來.
(十六) 到上海路是蠻長.
(十七) 若然儂勿懂末儂可以請先生話來慢點.
(十八) 伊隻狗個耳朵是蠻長.
(十九) 笫個小囝跑來蠻快.
(二十) 我個朋友儂認得否? 勿認得.

Notes.

（1) In the sixth sentence of the first exercise, notice that the adjective kwha° is turned into an adverb by the le coming before it. Adjectives are often used with verbs in this way.
（2) In the twelfth sentence of the first exercise, notice the expression for travelling in a carriage. In Chinese you “sit a carriage.”
（3) In the first sentence of the second exercise we have the usual polite expression for asking one to be seated °Tshing °zoo. This should be said as soon as a guest or stranger enters the room, but of course is not used in speaking to inferiors, In such cases it is enough to say °zoo-°zoo (坐坐).
（4) Notice the difference between °ma (買) to buy, and ma° (賣) to sell. To our ears the sounds are hard to distinguish. The only difference is in the tones.
（5) The new term for ricsha is ih boo waung bau tsho 黃跑車, a yellow running carriage.

LESSON IX
The Use of Dzak, Reduplication of Verbs, Reflexive Pronouns

In expressing the carrying of the action of the verb into effect dzak (着) is often used after it. Thus: zing-dzak (尋着) means that a thing has been actually found. Zing means ‘to find’. There are a great many active verbs which can take the dzak after them. For example we have tuh-dzak (得着), meaning a thing has been obtained. Tuh means ‘to get’. Bang°-dzak (掽着) means a person or thing has been met. Bang° (掽) means ‘to strike against’.

Verbs are often repeated for emphasis. We have had an example of this in the expression °zoo °zoo, meaning “sit down” Thus khoen° khoen° (看看) means “Look, look.”

In many cases ih (一) is inserted between the verbs, as khoen° ih khoen°. In such cases the last verb is changed into a verbal noun. Literally it would be “Look a look.”

The Reflexive Personal Pronouns hardly require any explanation. They are formed by adding z°-ka (自家) after the Personal Pronouns. Thus “I myself” would be °ngoo z°- ka (我自家). “You yourself” would be noong° z°-ka (儂自家) and so on for the rest.

VOCABULARY

To teach, kau° 敎.
To write, °sia 寫.
To ask, mung° 問.
To pay, foo° 付.
To build, °zau 造.
To look for, zing 尋.
To hear, thing 聽 or thing kyien° (heard) 聽見.
To know a Chinese character, suh 識.
To strike against, bang° 掽.
To get, tuh 得.
A mason, ih kuh nyi-°s ziang° 一個泥水匠.
A water buffalo, ih tsak °s-nyeu 一隻水牛.
An apple, ih tsak bing °koo 一隻蘋果.
A dining table, ih tsak chuh-van°-de-°ts 一隻吃飯檯子.
An office desk, ih tsak °sia-z°-de-°ts 一隻寫字檯子.
A Chinese character, ih kuh z° 一個字.
A drawer of a table, ih tsak tsheu-thi 一隻抽屜; ih tsak tsheu-teu 一隻抽斗.
An unmarried woman, ih kuh °siau-°tsia 一個小姐.
Tea, dzo 茶.
Now, yien°-°dze 現在.
Not yet, ’veh zung 勿曾.
Still not yet, wan ’veh zung 還勿曾.
Why? we°-sa° 爲啥 or we°-sa°-°lau 爲啥佬.
Because, iung-we° 因爲 or we°-ts 爲之.

In using iung-we° the particle °lau (佬) is generally added at the end of the clause. Thus: “Why did you not go? Because I did not want to go” is noong° we°- °sa ’veh chi°? Iung we° °ngoo ’veh iau° chi° °lau (儂爲啥勿去? 因爲我勿要去佬.)

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Tshing sien-sang kau° °ngoo dok Tsoong-kok su.
(2) Yien°-°dze °ngoo iau° ‘auh °sia Tsoong-kok z°.
(3) Noong° °ma-°ts ih tsak °sia-z°-de, doong-dien foo° meh? ’Veh zung.
(4) Di°-kuh z° °ngoo ’veh suh.
(5) Zak-zen noong° ’veh suh meh °khau-°i mung° sien-sang.
(6) Vaung-°ts °zau °hau meh? Wan ’veh zung.
(7) °Ngoo kuh sen°-°ts °tshing noong° theh °ngoo zing zing-khoen°.
(8) Sen°-°ts °i-kyung zing-dzak tse.
(9) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau ’veh zung chi°? Iung-we° °ngoo iau° dok su °lau.
(10) °Tshing sien-sang chuh dzo.
(11) °Tshing sien-sang yoong° dzo.
(12) Zak-zen nyung m-meh °nyi-°too, yi-la ’veh nung-keu° thing.
(13) °Ngoo ’veh zung tau° Tsoong-kok le, °s-nyeu ’veh zung khoen°-kyien° hyih.
(14) Nyi-°s-ziang° bang°-dzak hyih meh? ’Veh zung.
(15) °Sia-°z-de-°ts laung° kuh su °z sa° nyung kuh? °Z °ngoo-z°-ka kuh.
(16) °Ngoo kyau° noong° faung° °ngoo-kuh i-zaung la° tsheu-thi °li, noong° we°-sa° ’veh zung faung° kuh?
(17) Chi° khoen° khoen° sien-sang le meh.
(18) °Ngoo kuh san° noong° zing-dzak meh? Zing-’veh-dzak.
(19) Zak-zen m-meh sien-sang meh, noong° z°-ka °khau-°i dok su.
(20) Iau° °ngoo foo° doong-dien meh, kyau° yi-la z°-ka le nau.

(一) 請先生教我讀中國書.
(二) 現在我要學寫中國字.
(三) 儂買之一隻寫字檯銅錢付末? 勿曾.
(四) 第個字我勿識.
(五) 若然儂勿識末可以問先生.
(六) 房子造好末? 還勿曾.
(七) 我個扇子請儂忒我尋尋看.
(八) 扇子已經尋着哉.
(九) 儂爲啥佬勿曾去? 因爲我要讀書佬.
(十) 請先生吃茶.
(十一) 請先生用茶.
(十二) 若然人無沒耳朵, 伊拉勿能彀聽?
(十三) 我勿曾到中國來, 水牛勿曾看見歇.
(十四) 泥水匠掽着歇末? 勿曾.
(十五) 寫字檯子上個書是啥人個? 是我自家個.
(十六) 我叫儂放我個衣裳拉抽屜裏, 儂爲啥勿曾放個?
(十七) 去看看先生來末?
(十八) 我個傘儂尋着末? 尋勿着.
(十九) 若然無沒先生末, 儂自家可以讀書.
(二十) 要我付銅錢末, 叫伊拉自家來拿.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Why don’t you pay it?
(2) Why do you do this?
(3) When will you do it?
(4) I don’t want it now.
(5) When did you go?
(6) I do not want to go now, but I will go to-morrow.
(7) Does the teacher teach well?
(8) Does the pupil write well?
(9) Why do you not look for my fan? Because I have already found it.
(10) This carpenter can make a dining table.
(11) Go, see if the doctor has come.
(12) They themselves said they wished to build a new house.
(13) I told the table boy to go to the city and buy me four chairs, a trunk, a bed, and an office desk.
(14) When the teacher comes, ask him please to be seated and to take some tea.
(15) If one does not study he is unable to know characters.
(16) My office desk has three drawers.
(17) This unmarried girl also wishes to study.
(18) Have you bought the apples? They cannot be obtained.
(19) Do you know whether the guest has already arrived? I do not know.
(20) Can you obtain these? They are unobtainable.

(一) 儂爲啥勿付個?
(二) 第個儂爲啥做個?
(三) 儂幾時要做個?
(四) 現在勿要.
(五) 儂幾時去個?
(六) 現在勿要去, 明朝要去.
(七) 先生教來好否?
(八) 學生子寫來好否?
(九) 儂爲啥佬勿尋我個扇子? 因爲已經尋着哉.
(十) 第個木匠可以做一隻吃飯檯.
(十一) 去看看醫生來末.
(十二) 伊拉自家話, 伊拉要造新個房子.
(十三) 我叫細崽到城裏去, 買四把椅子, 一隻箱子, 一隻牀佬一隻寫字檯.
(十四) 先生來仔末請伊坐坐佬吃茶.
(十五) 若然一個人勿讀書, 伊勿會識字.
(十六) 我個寫字檯有三隻柚屜.
(十七) 第個小姐也要讀書.
(十八) 苹果買好末? 買勿着.
(十九) 客人已經到儂曉得否? 我勿曉得.
(二十) 第個儂可以得着否? 得勿着.

Notes.

（1）In the seventh sentence of the first exercise notice the khoen° after the reduplicated verb zing. This gives the force of try to look for it. “Look, look, see.” Khoen° is used after many verbs in this way. Thus: Tsoo° tsoo° khoen° 做做看 means “try to do it.” °Sia °sia khoen° 寫寫看 means “try to write it.” Wo° wo° khoen° 話話看 means, “try to say it.” S° S° khoen° 試試看 means “try to do it.”
（2) In the tenth and eleventh sentences of the first exercise we have two ways of asking a person to drink tea. The second is the polite form. Literally it means that you ask a person “to use tea.”
（3) In the nineteenth sentence of the first exercise, notice the use of meh for euphony after sien-sang, and so also in the twentieth after doong-dien.
（4) In the eighteenth sentence of the first exercise, notice the way in which ’veh comes between the zing and the dzak. This means “seek not find” or “it can not be found.” So also in the second exercise in the eighteenth sentence “They cannot be obtained” should be translated °ma-’veh dzak? and in the twentieth sentence “They are unobtainable” should be tuh-’veh-dzak.

LESSON X
Divisions of Time. More Adverbs

“An hour” in Chinese is ih °tien tsoong (一點鐘) or ih kuh tsoong-deu (一個鐘頭). Literally “one point of the clock.” This is a foreign division of time. The Chinese divide the day into twelve periods of two hours each, known as z-zung (時辰). Now, the divisions into hours has become very familiar.

Ih °tien tsoong may also mean “one o’clock,” and the other hours are indicated in the same way by the change of the numeral. Thus “Two o’clock” is °liang °tien tsoong (兩點鐘). Two hours would be °liang kuh tsoong deu (兩個鐘頭) or °liang °tien tsoong koong foo (兩點鐘功夫). “Three o’clock” is san °tien tsoong (三點鐘), etc.

“A day” is usually ih nyih 一日. The character nyih literally means “sun.” In speaking of the heavenly body, in the colloquial, deu is added to the nyih, making the expression nyih-deu (日頭). Sometimes the word thien (天), meaning “Heaven,” is used for “day.” Thus san thien means “three days.” No classifier is introduced between the numeral and the nyih or the thien. Thus we have for “four days” s° nyih (四日) or s° thien (四天).

“A week” is ih kuh °li-pa° (一個禮拜) or ih °li-pa° (一禮拜). This, of course, is a foreign division of time which has been adopted into Chinese. It takes its name from the name of Sunday, which is usually °li-pa°-nyih (禮拜日). Lit. “the day of ceremonial worship.” °Li means ceremony, pa° is to worship. The other days of the week are formed with the addition of the numerals as follows: Monday is °li-pa°-ih (禮拜一). Tuesday is °li-pa°-nyi°. Wednesday is °li-pa°-san. Thursday °li-pa°-s°. Friday °li-pa°-°ng and Saturday °li-pa°-lok.

A new way of expressing the days of the week is by the use of the words sing-ji (星期) meaning the star period. Thus: Sunday is sing-ji nyih (星期日), Monday, sing-ji ih (星期一), Tuesday, sing-ji nyi° (星期二), and so on for the other days.

“A month” is ih kuh nyoeh (一個月). Lit. “a moon.” The Chinese year is made up of twelve lunar months. The first month is called tsung nyoeh (正月), the second, nyi° nyoeh (二月), the third, san nyoeh (三月) and so forth.

“A year” is ih nyien (一年). No classifier is used between the numeral and the word “year”, nyien.

“How many?” or “How much?” is °kyi-hau°? (幾化). Thus °kyi-hau° nyung le? (幾化人來) means “How many men came?” °Kyi-hau° °s (幾化水) means “How much water?”

°Kyi is often used without the hau°. In such cases it is followed by the classifier of the noun. Thus “How many men came?” might be °kyi kuh nyung le? (幾個人來). “How many horses have you?” noong° °yeu °kyi tsak °mo? (儂有幾隻馬).

“Where?” is °‘a-°li (那裏). Thus “Where are you going?” is noong° tau° °‘a- °li chi°? (儂到那裏去). “Where are you?” is noong° la°-°‘a-°li? (儂拉那裏).

Sa° meaning “what” with di°-faung meaning “place” also expresses “Where?” Thus sa° di°-faung? (啥地方). We also have sa° dzang-hau°? (啥塲化) meaning “What place?” or “Where?” but this refers to a more circumscribed area than di°- faung. We also have sa° °‘oo-daung° (啥戸蕩) used much in the same way as sa° dzang-hau°.

VOCABULARY

A fish, ih diau ng 一條魚.
To return, °tsen-le 轉來, Lit. To come back; °tsen-chi° 轉去, Lit. To go back.
To come out or forth, tsheh-le 出來.
To go out, tsheh chi° 出去.
To thank, zia° 謝.
Near, °jung 近.
To-day, kyung-tsau 今朝.
Yesterday, zau-nyih 昨日.
A painter, ih kuh tshih-ziang° 一個漆匠.
Thus, zeh-ke° 實蓋 or zeh-ke°-nung 實蓋能.
Then (used as a conjunction), nan-meh 難末.
Only, pi-koo° 必過.
South, nen 南.
Immediately, zieu° 就.
Time, z-‘eu° 時候, zung-kwaung 辰光 or koong-foo 工夫.
But, dan°-°z 但是, dok-°z 獨是.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Tshing sien-sang ming-tsau °kyeu °tien-tsoong le.
(2) Kyung-tsau °z °li-pa°-ih, ming-tsau °z °li-pa°-nyi°.
(3) Di°-kuk nyoeh °yeu san-seh nyih.
(4) Ih °li-pa° °yeu tshih nyih.
(5) Noong°-kuh bang-°yeu dzu° la° sa° di°-faung? La° dzung °li. La° dzung °li, sa° dzang-hau°? °Jung nen mung.
(6) °Ngoo-kuh tau noong° faung° la°-°‘a-°li?
(7) Zau-nyih °ngoo dok-ts °ng °tien-tsoong su, nan-meh tsheh-chi° °tseu loo°.
(8) °Kyi °pung su °z noong°-kuh °lau °kyi °pung °z yi-kuh?
(9) I-kuh nyung °yeu °kyi-kuh ‘eu-°ts? Yi pih-koo° °yeu ih-kuh.
(10) Noong° tau°-ts Tsoong-kok °kyi-kuh nyoeh tse? °Ngoo le-ts san kuh nyoeh.
(11) Noong° °kyi-z iau° °tsen-chi°? °Li-pa°-san iau° °tsen-chi°.
(12) °Zaung-°he °kyi-z °tsen-le kuh? Zau-nyih °tsen-le kuh.
(13) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau ’veh tsheh-chi° °tseu °tseu? °Iung-we° m-meh koong-foo °lau.
(14) Zia° zia° noong° chi° °tshing i-sung le.
(15) °Ngoo dok-°hau-ts su zieu° iau° chuh van.
(16) °Z zeh-ke° va°? °Z zeh-ke° kuh.

(一) 請先生明朝九點鐘來.
(二) 今朝是禮拜一, 明朝是禮拜二.
(三) 第個月有三十日.
(四) 一禮拜有七日.
(五) 儂個朋友住拉啥地方? 拉城裏. 拉城裏啥場化? 近南門.
(六) 我個刀儂放拉那裏?
(七) 昨日我讀之五點鐘書, 難末出去走路.
(八) 幾本書是儂個佬幾本是伊個?
(九) 伊個人有幾個兒子? 伊必過有一個.
(十) 儂到之中國幾個月哉? 我來之三個月.
(十一) 儂幾時要轉去? 禮拜三要轉去.
(十二) 上海幾時轉來個? 昨日轉來個.
(十三) 儂爲啥佬勿出去走走? 因爲無沒工夫佬.
(十四) 謝謝儂去請醫生來.
(十五) 我讀好之書就要吃飯.
(十六) 是實蓋否? 是實蓋個.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Where have you put my shoes?
(2) I put them in the box.
(3) I do not want to study on Sunday, but I will study on Monday.
(4) How many weeks are there in a month?
(5) How many peaches have you eaten?
(6) How many dollars did you give your servant?
(7) What time is it now?
(8) Where do you live?
(9) When you have bought the fish, return immediately.
(10) The guest will stay here four months, and then will return.
(11) Please tell the painter to come.
(12) The teacher, having taught for three hours, left immediately.
(13) Why do you do it this way? Because the teacher told me to do it thus.
(14) I wish to do it, but I have no time to do it.
(15) Go see what time it is now.

(一) 我個鞋子儂放拉那裏?
(二) 我放拉箱子裏.
(三) 禮拜日勿要讀書, 禮拜一佬讀個.
(四) 一個月有幾個禮拜?
(五) 儂吃之幾隻桃子?
(六) 儂撥之儂個用人幾塊洋錢?
(七) 現在是幾點鐘?
(八) 儂住拉啥地方?
(九) 買好之魚就轉來.
(十) 客人要住四個月, 難末轉去哉.
(十一) 謝謝儂叫漆匠來.
(十二) 先生教之三點鐘工夫, 就轉去.
(十三) 儂爲啥實蓋做? 因爲先生教我實蓋做.
(十四) 我要做個, 但是無沒工夫.
(十五) 去看現在幾點鐘.

Notes.

(1) “Thank you” is expressed by repeating the Zia°. Thus “Thank you” is Zia°-zia° noong°. In speaking to an equal or superior, the Noong° would be dropped. Often in Chinese when you ask a person to do a thing for you, you preface the request by thanking the person. Thus Zia°-zia° noong chi° tan °ngoo-kuh san° le (謝謝儂去擔我個傘來) means “Thank you, go bring my umbrella.”
(2) Koong-foo has the double sense of “work” or “time.” Thus: Tsoo° koong-foo means to do work. But M-meh koong-foo means “I have no time.” You never say Sa° koong-foo, meaning “What time?” but Sa s-‘eu°? or Sa° zung-kwaung? In asking what time it is by the clock the usual expression is °Kyi °tien-tsoong?
(3) The force of the question in the third sentence of the First Exercise is due to the fact that some Chinese months have thirty days and some have twenty-nine. A month of thirty days is called Doo° nyoeh (大月), “a large month,” and one with twenty-nine days is called a small month °Siau nyoeh (小月). In order to make the seasons come right, an intercalary month is put in about every three years. This in Chinese is called Nyung° nyoeh (閏月).
(4) Notice the elliptical form of expression in the seventh sentence of the First Exercise. Literally it means “Yesterday I read five hours’ book.”
(5) In the third sentence of the Second Exercise the Chinese idiom is peculiar. You say °Li-pa° nyih ’veh iau° dok su, °li-pa°-ih °lau dok kuh. Literally “Sunday not want to study, Monday and study.”
(6) In the eleventh sentence of the Second Exercise, the “please” should be translated Zia°-zia° noong°.

LESSON XI
The Passive Voice, and Adverbs of Place and Time

Peh (撥) (Mandarin 被) is used to form the Passive, and is the regular and proper form of the Passive. Thus: the verb °tang (打) means to “Strike.” °Ngoo °tang yi (我打伊) means “I strike him.” To put this into the Passive we would say °ngoo peh yi °tang (我撥伊打). Literally “I gave him strike,” or “I was struck by him.”

“Here” is expressed by leh-°li or °tsh-di° (垃裏, 此地) or di°-deu (第頭). °Tsh-di° means literally “this place.”

“There” is leh-la° (垃拉) or i-deu (伊頭) or i-kwhe° (伊塊). “I am here” is °ngoo leh-li° (我垃裏). “I am there” is °ngoo leh-la° (我垃拉).

These adverbs are often used as adverbial nouns and may take prepositions before them. Thus Tau° °di-deu le (到第頭來) means “Come here.” Lit. “To here come.” Tau° i-deu chi° (到伊頭去) means “Go there.” Lit. “To there go.” °Pa la° °tsh-di° (擺拉此地) means “Place it here,” Lit. “Place it at here.” °Pa la° i-kwhe° (擺拉伊塊) means “Place it there.” Lit. “Place it at there.”

VOCABULARY

Half an hour, pen° °tien-tsoong 半點鐘, (pen° means half).
Quarter of an hour, ih khuh 一刻.
A minute, ih fung 一分.
In the morning, °zaung-pen°-nyih 上半日. Lit. Above half day.
In the afternoon, °‘au-pen°-nyih 下半日. Lit. Lower half day.
Night, ya° 夜.
At night, ya°-deu 夜頭 or ya°-°li 夜裏.
Day before yesterday, koo°-nyih-°ts 過日子, zien-nyih-°ts 前日子, i-nyih-°ts 伊日子.
Day after to-morrow, °‘eu nyih 後日.
Early in the morning, °tsau-zung-deu 早晨頭. °Tsau is early.
In the evening, ya°-kwha° 夜快. Lit. Night coming fast.
In the middle of the day or noon, nyih-tsoong 日中.
To cook, sau 燒.
To strike, °tang 打.
To wait, °tung 等. °Tung-ih-°tung means “Wait a little.”
To rest, hyih 歇. Hyih-ih-hyih means “Wait a little.” We also have °tung-ih-hyih.
To remember, kyi° 記 or kyi°-tuh 記得.
To forget, maung°-kyi° 忘記.
An affair (abstract), ih °jien z°-°thi or ih tsaung z°-thi 一樁事體.
A thing or object (concrete), ih-kuh meh-z° 一個物事.
Wind, foong 風.
A loaf of bread, ih-kuh men-deu 一個饅頭.
A mosquito, ih tsak mung-°ts 一個蚊子 or ih kuh mung-°ts.
A boat, ih tsak zen 一隻船.
Many, much, too-hau° 多化, or too 多.
To sting, ting 叮.
To bite, °ngau 咬.
To spoil, wa° 壞, or wa°-theh 壞脫 (completely spoil).
A snake, ih diau zo 一條蛇.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Van° sau °hau meh? Sau °hau tse.
(2) °Ngoo-kuh i-zaung tan tau° °tsh-di° le.
(3) I-zaung tsoo° °hau meh? ’Veh zung, iau° hyih °liang nyih tsoo° °hau.
(4) °Tshing sien-sang ming-tsau °zaung-pen°-nyih zeh °tien-tsoong le.
(5) Van° sau-°hau-ts meh zieu° iau° chuh.
(6) °Ngoo nyih-°li dok tsoong-kok su, ya°-°li dok nga°-kok su.
(7) I-tsak °mo we°-ts °tseu le man° °lau peh la °mo-foo °tang.
(8) Zien-nyih-°ts °ngoo la° °Zaung-°he °ma-ts too-hau° meh-z°.
(9) °Di tsaung z°-°thi °ngoo theh noong° wo°, dan°-°z ’veh iau° peh i-kuh nyung °hyau-tuh.
(10) °Tsau-zung-deu °z °ting °hau dok su kuh zung-kwaung.
(11) °Tung-ih-hyih °ngoo zieu° iau° le.
(12) Noong° dok koo° hyih kuh su kyi°-tuh va?
(13) Ih pen° kyi°-tuh, ih pen° maung°-kyi°.
(14) °Ngoo peh la° mung-°ts ting.
(15) Men-deu peh la° °siau-noen chuh theh tse.
(16) °Ngoo-kuh kyak peh la° zo °ngau-°ts ih °kheu.
(17) Zen peh la° doo° foong °tang wa°.
(18) °Tshing sien-sang di°-deu °zoo.

(一) 飯燒好末? 燒好哉.
(二) 我個衣裳擔到此地來.
(三) 衣裳做好末? 勿曾, 要歇兩日做好.
(四) 請先生明朝上半日十黙鐘來.
(五) 飯燒好之末就要吃.
(六) 我日裏讀中國書, 夜裏讀外國書.
(七) 伊隻馬爲之走來慢咾撥拉馬夫打.
(八) 前日子我拉上海買之多化物事.
(九) 第樁事體我對儂話, 但是勿要撥伊個人曉得.
(十) 早晨頭是頂好讀書個辰光.
(十一) 等一歇我就要來.
(十二) 儂讀過歇個書記得否?
(十三) 一半記得一半忘記.
(十四) 我撥拉蚊子叮.
(十五) 饅頭撥拉小囝吃脫哉.
(十六) 我個脚撥拉蛇咬仔一口.
(十七) 船撥拉大風打壞.
(十八) 請先生第頭坐.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) When will you come, in the morning or in the afternoon?
(2) I do not know; if I have no affairs to attend to, I will come in the morning.
(3) Has the carpenter finished making the table? If so, I will come and look at it.
(4) Place the bed here and the table there.
(5) These fish are cooked badly.
(6) The day after to-morrow I have invited some guests to dinner.
(7) It is already twenty minutes past ten, and my teacher has not yet come.
(8) Do you remember what I told you yesterday? I have forgotten it.
(9) In studying Chinese, you must not forget what you have already learnt.
(10) Please sit down a little while; there are many things I want to say to you.
(11) How did you come? I came in a carriage.
(12) My child was struck by your child.
(13) My face and hands were bitten by mosquitoes.

(一) 儂幾時要來, 上半日呢下半日?
(二) 我勿曉得, 若然嘸沒事體, 要上半日來.
(三) 擡子木匠做好末? 若然做好之末, 我要來看看.
(四) 牀棑拉第頭, 檯子擺拉伊頭.
(五) 魚燒來勿好.
(六) 後日我請幾個客人來吃飯.
(七) 已經十點過廿分哉, 先生還勿曾來.
(八) 我昨日對儂話個儂記得否? 我忘記脫哉.
(九) 讀中國書已經學過拉個, 勿要忘記.
(十) 請坐一歇, 有多化事體要對儂話.
(十一) 儂那能來個, 我坐馬車來個.
(十二) 我個小囝撥儂個小囝打.
(十三) 我個面孔佬手撥拉蚊子叮.

Notes.

(1) It will have been noticed that in Lesson VI. Leh-li° was used in the Present Tense Continuous of the Verb, and that Leh-la° was used for the Past Continuous. It was pointed out then that these words really signify “Here” and “There.” The literal sense would be “I am here eating,” and “I was there eating.”
(2) It is very important that beginners should distinguish clearly between meh-z° and z°-°thi. Any concrete object may be called a meh-z°. But an abstract action or affair is always z°-°thi.
(2) In mandarin-speaking districts toong-si 東西 (Lit. “East-West”) is often used for meh-z°, and sometimes it is heard in the Shanghai District.
(3) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise, notice how the °ts is tacked on to the °hau, and not to the sau.
(4) In the tenth sentence of First Exercise notice how the dok su has become a verbal adjective. Lit. “Reading book time.”
(5) In the fifteenth sentence of the First Exercise the force of the theh after chuh is that it has been entirely eaten up. Theh often comes after verbs to express completed action.
(6) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise, °Ngau-°ts ih °kheu means literally “Bitten a mouthful.”
(7) In the seventeenth sentence we have two verbs used together—°tang and wa°. Literally “Beat” or “strike spoil.”
(8) In the seventh sentence of the Second Exercise twenty minutes past ten is expressed zeh °tien koo° nyan° fung. °Tien is a shortened form for °tien-tsoong. Koo° means “passed over” or “beyond.”
(9) In the twelfth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of kuh, It has the force of the relative pronoun, and the translation would be “the books which you have read.”
(10) In the sixth sentence of the Second Exercise “some” may be translated by °kyi-kuh.

LESSON XII
Some Verbal Idioms

We have already explained the use of °khau-°i, nung-keu°, and we°. There are other ways of expressing the possibility and impossibility of doing things in Chinese. For instance one way is by the addition of tuh le or ’veh le after the verb. Thus: Dok-tuh-le (讀得來) means “Able to read.” Dok-’veh-le (讀勿來) means “Unable to read it.” Many verbs of one character admit of this construction. Thus: Wo°-tuh-le means “Able to speak.” Wo°-’veh-le means “Unable to speak.” Tsoo°-tuh-le (做得來), “Able to do.” Tsoo°-’veh-le (做勿來), “Unable to do.”

Verbs made up of two characters do not take tuh-le and ’veh-le after them. Thus we do not hear °hyau-tuh-’veh-le for “Unable to know,” but ’veh we° °hyau-tuh (勿會曉得).

The literal meaning of tuh-le is “Obtain, come,” and the literal meaning of ’veh-le is “Not come.”

We also have the use of tuh-kuh after verbs, expressing possibility, and ’veh-tuh, expressing impossibility. Thus we have tsoo°-tuh-kuh (做得個), meaning “it is possible to do a thing,” and tsoo°-’veh-tuh (做勿得), meaning “it is impossible to do a thing.” With verbs of physical action, we have tuh-°doong (得動) and ’veh-°doong (勿動) used after the verb implying possibility and impossibility. Thus we have °tseu-tuh-°doong (走得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to walk,” and °tseu-’veh-°doong (走勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to walk.” In the same way we have tsoo°-tuh-°doong (做得動) and tsoo°-’veh-°doong (做勿動). ’Veh-°doong literally means “Not move.”

Strange to say we have °zoo-’veh-°doong (坐勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to sit up,” and °zoo-tuh-°doong (坐得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to sit up.”

°Ma-tuh-°doong (買得動) means “Possible to buy.” °Ma-’veh-°doong (買勿動) means “Impossible to buy.”

With verbs of hearing and seeing impossibility is expressed in still another way. Thus we have khoen°-tuh-kyien° (看得見), meaning “It is possible to see,” and khoen°-’veh-kyien° (看勿見) meaning “It is impossible to see it.” Literally translated these expressions are “See, obtain, behold,” and “See, not behold.” We also have khoen°-tuh-tsheh (看得出), meaning to see a thing clearly. Literally “See, obtain, come forth,” and khoen°-’veh-tsheh (看勿出), meaning not to be able to see, or literally “See, not come forth.”

In the same way we have thing-tuh-tsheh (聽得出) and thing-’veh-tsheh (聽勿出) in regard to hearing. Instead of thing-tuh-kyien° and thing-’veh-kyien° we have thing-tuh-dzak (聽得着) and thing-’veh-dzak (聽勿着). Literally “Hear, obtain” and “Hear, not obtain.”

We have already explained the use of °hau after verbs expressing completed action. We also have other words used much in the same way. Thus dok-°hau-tse (讀好哉), dok-wen-tse (讀完哉) or dok-°ba-tse (讀罷哉) all mean the same thing. The verb wen means “to finish.” Accordingly in asking a question tsoo°-°hau-meh (做好末), tsoo°-wen-meh (做完末) and tsoo°-°ba-meh (做罷末), all mean “Have you finished it?”

Verbal nouns are often formed by the addition of deu (頭) or fah (法) after the verb. Thus tsoo°-deu (做頭) or tsoo°-fah (做法) means the manner of doing a thing.

VOCABULARY

To move, to excite, °doong 動.
To hear, thing (聽). Heard, thing-kyien° 聽見
To knock, to strike, khau 敲.
To finish, wen 完.

Kan (間) is the classifier used with rooms.

A room, ih kan 一間.
A bed room, ih kan vaung-kan 一間房間.
A guest room, ih kan khak-daung-kan 一間客堂間.
An office, ih kan °sia-z°-kan 一間寫字間.
A shroff’s room, ih kan tsang°-vaung-kan 一間帳房間.
A study, ih kan su-vaung 一間書房.
A dining room, ih kan chuh-van°-kan 一間吃飯間.
A kitchen, ih kan sau-van°-kan 一間燒飯間 or dzu-vaung 廚房 or tsau°-kan 灶間.
All, °loong-°tsoong 攏總 or koong°-°tsoong 共總.
All in general, most, da-ke 大槪.
Few, °sau 少.
Each, °me 每.
Every, kauh 各.
Other, bih 別.
High, kau 高.
Low, ti 低.
Broad, khweh 闊.
Narrow, ‘ah 狹.
Deep, sung 深.
Shallow, °tshien 淺
Too (denoting excess), thuh 忒.
Above, °zaung-deu 上頭.
Below, °‘au-deu 下頭, °‘au-°ti-deu 下底]頭, °‘au-°ti 下底.
Under, beneath, °ti-°‘au 底下.
Outside, nga°-deu 外頭.
After, °‘eu 後.
Behind, °‘eu-°ti 後底, °‘eu-°ti-deu, 後底頭 °‘eu-deu 後頭.
Before, zien 前, zien-deu 前頭.
Earth, di° 地 or di°-jeu 地球.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Zaung-deu °yeu thien, °‘au-deu °yeu di°.
(2) °Yeu too-hau° z° °ngoo °sia-’veh-le.
(3) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau °tseu le man°-le-°si? Iung-we° °ngoo °tseu ’veh-°doong °lau.
(4) Tsoong-kok wo° zak-zen nyung wo° le kwha° meh, °ngoo thing-’veh-tsheh.
(5) °Yeu-kuh su °ngoo dok ’veh le.
(6) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °kyi-hau° kau, °kyi-hau° kwheh?
(7) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °yeu °kyi kan?
(8) °Yeu ih kan khak-daung, ih kan °sia-z°-kan, ih kan chuh-van°-kan, °lau s° kan vaung-kan.
(9) Di°-kuh meh-z° °yeu sa° yoong°-deu va? ’M-sa° yoong°-deu.
(10) Sa° nyung la° khau mung? °Ngoo ’veh zung thing-kyien° °yeu sa° nyung la° khau mung.
(11) Di° diau loo° thuh ‘ah, °ting °hau noong° °tseu la° zien-deu, °ngoo °tseu la° °‘eu-deu.
(12) °Tshing khak-nyung khak-daung °li °zoo.
(13) Dzoong °Zaung-°he tau° °tsh di° °yeu °kyi-hau° loo°?
(14) Vaung-°ts nga°-deu °z °lang °tien, vaung-°ts °li-hyang° °z nyih °tien.
(15) Di°-diau ‘oo °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z sung °tien, °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z °tshien °tien.
(16) Noong° na°-nung °hyau-tuh di° tsaung z°-thi? Iung-we° °ngoo thing-tuh °yeu nyung wo° °lau.
(17) Ze-voong tsoo° le ’veh °hau, °loong-°tsoong kuh i-zaung thuh doo°.
(18) Kauh nyung °yeu kauh nyung kuh z°-°thi.

(一) 上頭有天, 下頭有地.
(二) 有多化字我寫勿來.
(三) 儂爲啥佬走來慢來死? 因爲我走勿動佬.
(四) 中國話若然人話來快末, 我聽勿出.
(五) 有個書我讀勿來.
(六) 笫宅房子幾化高, 幾化闊.
(七) 第宅房子有幾間.
(八) 有一間客堂, 一間寫字間, 一間吃飯間, 佬四間房間.
(九) 第個物事有啥用頭否? 嘸啥用頭.
(十) 啥人拉敲門? 我勿曾聽見有啥人拉敲門.
(十一) 第條路忒狹, 頂好儂走拉前頭, 我走拉後頭.
(十二) 請客人客堂裏坐.
(十三) 從上海到此地有幾化路?
(十四) 房子外頭是冷點, 房子裏向是熱點
(十五) 第條河有個地方是深點, 有個地方是淺點.
(十六) 儂那能曉得第樁事體? 因爲我聽得有人話佬.
(十七) 裁縫做來勿好, 攏總個衣裳忒大.
(十八) 各人有各人個事體.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Where is your teacher? He is in the study writing.
(2) Did you tell the table boy to bring the tea?
(3) If the carpenter does not make it well, I shall call another man.
(4) This manner of doing it is bad; I want you to do it better.
(5) I walked to Shanghai, and then I could walk no further.
(6) Then what did you do? I called a ricsha and came back.
(7) Is the Master in? He has gone out.
(8) Three days ago I went to see the pagoda.
(9) There is water beneath the earth.
(10) The cat is under the chair.
(11) When I have finished reading the book, I want to learn to write characters.
(12) Tell him to come inside.
(13) This table is too low; I cannot write characters on it.
(14) May I come in? Come right in.

(一) 儂個先生拉啥地方? 拉寫字間裏寫字.
(二) 担茶來, 儂對細崽話否?
(三) 若然木匠做來勿好, 我要叫別人來做.
(四) 實蓋做頭是勿好, 我要儂做來好點.
(五) 我走到上海難末走勿動哉.
(六) 難末儂那能做頭? 我叫之東洋車佬轉來.
(七) 先生垃拉否? 出去拉.
(八) 三日前頭我去看第座塔.
(九) 地底下有水.
(十) 貓拉椅子底下.
(十一) 我讀罷之書要學寫字.
(十二) 叫伊到裏向來.
(十三) 第隻檯子忒低, 勿好寫字.
(十四) 我可以進來否? 進來末哉.

Lessons in the Shanghai Dialect

About This Book

LESSON VIII Potential and Subjunctive Moods, and some Interrogative Adverbs

VOCABULARY.

EXERCISES

LESSON IX The Use of Dzak, Reduplication of Verbs, Reflexive Pronouns

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON X Divisions of Time. More Adverbs

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XI The Passive Voice, and Adverbs of Place and Time

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XII Some Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON VIII
Potential and Subjunctive Moods, and some Interrogative Adverbs

LESSON IX
The Use of Dzak, Reduplication of Verbs, Reflexive Pronouns

LESSON X
Divisions of Time. More Adverbs

LESSON XI
The Passive Voice, and Adverbs of Place and Time

LESSON XII
Some Verbal Idioms