# First Steps in Chinese

**Language:** Chinese  
**CEFR Level:** A1  

> Listen in as 若汐 and 亦辰 talk about ordering food and buying things at a market in real, everyday Chinese. By the end of this course their conversation will feel easy to follow, and you'll be ready to join in.

**Setting:** Set in a vibrant community center in Jing'an, Shanghai, where Yichen has set up a temporary workshop for a Sichuan opera costume exhibition, and Ruoxi conducts her neighborhood health-visit rounds. Over daily tea, coffee, and local market runs, they help each other navigate the neighborhood while sharing stories of their respective crafts.

## Lessons

### 1. Offering a drink politely

Ruoxi offers Yichen some tea and asks if they can practice Chinese tones, prompting Yichen to demonstrate the four basic tones.

### 2. Distinguishing Chinese tones

Ruoxi practices repeating the four tones and discusses with Yichen how different tones change the meanings of Chinese words.

### 3. Asking about Pinyin

Yichen reassures Ruoxi about learning tones and explains the role of Pinyin as a tool for pronunciation rather than writing.

### 4. Introducing yourself

Ruoxi expresses her relief at not having to write characters yet and practices introducing herself to Yichen.

### 5. Stating where you are from

Ruoxi shares that she is British and asks Yichen about his background, leading him to share that he is from Sichuan.

### 6. Practicing tricky Chinese initials

Yichen helps Ruoxi practice the difficult "q" and "x" sounds, while Ruoxi points out another challenging sound she struggles with.

### 7. Practicing difficult vowel sounds

Yichen guides Ruoxi through pronouncing the "zh" and "ü" sounds by giving her helpful tips on mouth positioning.

### 8. Suggesting a trip to buy food

Ruoxi associates her pronunciation practice with her love for eating fish, prompting Yichen to suggest a trip to the market to buy some.

### 9. Asking if items are available

Ruoxi asks Yichen if the market has coffee, and Yichen encourages her to ask about the price of a cup.

### 10. Asking the price of items

Ruoxi asks about the price of different items at the market, and Yichen helps her compare the costs.

### 11. Ordering food and drinks

Ruoxi practices ordering noodles and tea, and Yichen praises her natural phrasing.

### 12. Asking if someone is free

After Yichen gives Ruoxi feedback on her tones, Ruoxi asks if he is free tomorrow to meet at his exhibition.

### 13. Asking about locations

Ruoxi asks Yichen where the exhibition is being held and realizes it is at a community center she visits every day.

### 14. Saying see you tomorrow

Yichen and Ruoxi wrap up their conversation and bid each other farewell until the next day.