SECTION: GETTING STARTED

English:	Hello
Pinyin:	n菒 h菐o
Literally:	you good

Hello is a combination of two words - the word for you and the word for good.

English:	You
Pinyin:	n菒

English:	Good
Pinyin:	h菐o

So to say hello in Mandarin, you literally say you good:

English:	Hello
Pinyin:	n菒 h菐o
Literally:	you good

To convert that into the question How are you?, or literally You good?, all you have to do is add the following syllable at the end:

English:	(Add this word to make a statement into a question)
Pinyin:	mah / muh

English:	How are you?
Pinyin:	n菒 h菐o ma
Literally:	you good +?

In China, you'd only ask this in formal situations. Chinese don't use this phrase as casually as Americans do. Here are some simple responses:

English:	Good (a positive answer)
Pinyin:	h菐o

English:	Very
Pinyin:	h臎n

English:	Very good
Pinyin:	h臎n h菐o
Literally:	(same)

English:	I
Pinyin:	w菕

English:	I'm very good
Pinyin:	w菕 h臎n h菐o
Literally:	I very good

English:	Not
Pinyin:	b霉

English:	Not good
Pinyin:	b霉 h菐o
Literally:	(same)

English:	Again
Pinyin:	z脿i

English:	To see
Pinyin:	ji脿n

English:	Goodbye
Pinyin:	z脿i ji脿n
Literally:	again see

Again, if you're new to Mandarin, don't be worried if you are unable to pronounce these words perfectly. You'll find that with repeated exposure/listening, your ability to recognize and reproduce Chinese tones will become easier.

• combination [,kɔmbi´neiʃən]   n.结合；联合；团体   (初中英语单词)
• convert [kən´və:t, ´kɔnvə:t]   v.转变 n.改变信仰者   (初中英语单词)
• formal [´fɔ:məl]   a.正式的；外表的   (初中英语单词)
• phrase [freiz]   n.短语；词组；措词   (初中英语单词)
• unable [ʌn´eibəl]   a.不能的；无能为力的   (初中英语单词)
• ability [ə´biliti]   n.(办事)能力；才干   (初中英语单词)
• literally [´litərəli]   ad.逐字地；实际上   (高中英语单词)
• syllable [´siləbəl]   n.音节；只言片语   (高中英语单词)
• positive [´pɔzətiv]   a.确定的   (高中英语单词)
• perfectly [´pə:fiktli]   ad.理想地；完美地   (高中英语单词)
• repeated [ri´pi:tid]   a.反复的；重复的   (高中英语单词)
• reproduce [,ri:prə´dju:s]   v.繁殖；复制；翻版   (高中英语单词)