I’m learning Chinese, and would love to have some people to chat with. I’m not good, for sure, but I really enjoy it a lot!

你好叫我BartsBigBugBag！我是美国人，我是社会主义者。我明年希望去中国陆游。我是学生的汉语。你说汉语吗？你怎么样？你现在做什么？你明白我的汉语吗？谢谢你！

  • Better Red Than DeadEnglish
    31·
    10 months ago

    For greeting, you could also say (in person): 吃饭了吗? / 吃了吗?

    if you know them a bit better

    • Bartsbigbugbag@lemmy.mlOP
      4·
      10 months ago

      That’s a great one I hadn’t learned yet. Instead they had me asking what time people eat, which seemed a bit formal and specific. This sort of more casual conversation is exactly what I need to not sound like a robot or Google translate.

      • Better Red Than DeadEnglish
        5·
        10 months ago

        It is a remnant from the Northern Song Dynasty, as a form of etiquette and being polite, to not to disturb them while eating.

        “凡往见人，入门必问主人食否 […] 度无所妨，乃命展剌。有妨则少俟。”

        “Whoever you visit, you should ask them if they have eaten or not […] if they are about to eat, don’t enter the house until after they finish the meal. Otherwise, you would be intruding.”

        From the book “Lü Convention” 《吕氏乡约》