Welcome to our comprehensive guide on learning how to say “this” or “that” in Chinese! Whether you’re looking to communicate formally or informally, this guide will provide you with useful tips, examples, and regional variations (where necessary) to enhance your understanding. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say “This” or “That”
When communicating formally in Chinese, you can use the following phrases to refer to “this” or “that”:
这 (zhè) – This
Tip: The pronunciation for “这” is similar to “juh” (with a rising tone).
- 这个 (zhè gè) – This one (neutral gender)
- 这些 (zhè xiē) – These (plural form of “this”)
- 这样 (zhè yàng) – Like this / in this way
- 这种 (zhè zhǒng) – This kind / this type
那 (nà) – That
Tip: The pronunciation for “那” is similar to “nah” (with a falling then rising tone).
- 那个 (nà gè) – That one (neutral gender)
- 那些 (nà xiē) – Those (plural form of “that”)
- 那样 (nà yàng) – Like that / in that way
- 那种 (nà zhǒng) – That kind / that type
Informal Ways to Say “This” or “That”
When communicating informally, people often use colloquial expressions or shorten certain phrases. Here are some informal ways to say “this” or “that” in Chinese:
这个 (zhè ge) – This One
A colloquial way to say “这个” is “这个儿” (zhè ge r) in some northern Chinese dialects. The additional “儿” sound is a common regional variation.
那个 (nà ge) – That One
Similar to “这个,” in some northern Chinese dialects, “那个” can be pronounced as “那个儿” (nà ge r). Again, the “儿” sound is added for colloquial purposes.
Examples
Formal Examples:
1. Excuse me, may I borrow this one? – 不好意思，我可以借这个吗？(Bù hǎo yì si, wǒ kě yǐ jiè zhè ge ma?)
2. These clothes are too expensive. – 这些衣服太贵了。(Zhè xiē yī fú tài guì le.)
3. I like to eat fruits like this. – 我喜欢吃这样的水果。(Wǒ xǐ huān chī zhè yàng de shuǐ guǒ.)
Informal Examples:
1. Can you pass me this one? – 能给我递这个吗？(Néng gěi wǒ dì zhè ge ma?)
2. That song is my favorite! – 那首歌是我最喜欢的！(Nà shǒu gē shì wǒ zuì xǐ huān de!)
3. Check out that cool car! – 看那辆酷车！(Kàn nà liàng kù chē!)
Remember, these examples provide a basic understanding of how to use “this” and “that” in Chinese sentences. Feel free to adapt them according to your specific context and practice regularly to improve your fluency!
