Elementary | Forks and Spoons

In modern China, the middle class is growing and cars are crowding the roads of all major cities. Parking is limited, and knowing how to ask if there are any parking spaces left is a valuable skill for drivers (and passengers!). Learn how to ask about parking in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1933

In recent years, both Shanghai and Beijing have been zealously extending their subway lines, making transport by subway a convenient, realistic options for most city dwellers. The only caveat is that you need to know where to change subway lines, and you need to learn how to talk about it in Mandarin Chinese! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1929

Whether you're a tourist with a plethora of heavy bags or a mafia gangster with some relatively sensitive cargo, it's important to be able to ask the driver to open the trunk of a car. Today's lesson will teach you how to say this highly useful phrase in Mandarin Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1926

Whether you've just gotten off a 12-hour flight or been up all night partying, sometimes you just want some peace and quiet on your taxi ride home. Unfortunately for you, the cab driver is a Beijing opera enthusiast and has different plans. Learn how to (politely) ask someone to turn down the music in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1923

Whether you're shopping for furniture or buying low-quality knick-knacks at the fake market, it always helps to know what your product is made of to help determine a fair price. There's nothing worse than realizing your shiny dragon statue is made of cheap plastic! Learn how to talk about materials in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1920

Once you get past the initial niceties and compliments that inevitably take place during a conversation, your newfound Chinese friend will most likely ask you where you've learned such exemplary Mandarin. Today's lesson will teach you how to respond to this question while still preserving the image of your impeccable language skills. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1916

Modern China has reinvented the convenience store. Or rather, it has borrowed Japan's reinvention of the convenience store. But in any case, it's new heights of convenience. These stores are now places you can pick up fresh (?) food and even have it heated on your way out. Learn this lesson and finally find out what they've been asking you every time you buy food! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1909

So are you looking for a tour guide, or are you just looking for a friend of a friend to show you around the city for free? No matter; those two are the same word in Chinese! Learn how to get help finding a tour guide in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1906

True, asking for a fork is pretty much "giving up" when you're living in China, but there are times when it's not so frowned upon. And a spoon is basically always OK; eating soup with chopsticks is not for everyone. Learn this key vocabulary in our Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1900

Noisy, crowded restaurants and cafeterias are especially common in China; it is the largest country in the world, after all. This alone may not be too jarring for a newly-arrived foreigner, but you may be a bit more surprised when a group of strangers asks to sit at your table with you! Learn how to politely ask to sit with people (and how to respond to such requests) in today's ChinesePod lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1897