yào

FromLesson 1inHardcore Chinese

Usages of yào

你nǐ　要yào　水shuǐ　吗ma？nǐ yào shuǐ ma?

Do you want water?

我wǒ　要yào　茶chá。wǒ yào chá.

我wǒ　要yào　喝hē　水shuǐ。wǒ yào hē shuǐ.

I want to drink water.

你nǐ　要yào　喝hē　茶chá　吗ma？nǐ yào hē chá ma?

Do you want to drink tea?

我wǒ　不bú　要yào　茶chá。wǒ bú yào chá.

I don’t want tea.

我wǒ　要yào　吃chī　米饭mǐfàn。wǒ yào chī mǐfàn.

I want to eat rice.

你nǐ　要yào　一yì　杯bēi　水shuǐ　吗ma？nǐ yào yì bēi shuǐ ma?

Do you want a cup of water?

我wǒ　不bú　要yào　水shuǐ，我wǒ　要yào　一yì　杯bēi　茶chá。wǒ bú yào shuǐ,wǒ yào yì bēi chá.

I don’t want water; I want a cup of tea.

你nǐ　要yào　这zhè　本běn　书shū　吗ma？nǐ yào zhè běn shū ma?

Do you want this book?

你nǐ　现在xiànzài　要yào　吃chī　早饭zǎofàn，　还是háishi　先xiān　去qù　公司gōngsī？nǐ xiànzài yào chī zǎofàn, háishi xiān qù gōngsī?

Do you want to eat breakfast now, or go to the company first?

我们wǒmen　慢慢mànmàn　地de　走zǒu，　我wǒ　还hái　要yào　看kàn　一下yíxià。wǒmen mànmàn de zǒu, wǒ hái yào kàn yíxià.

Let’s walk slowly; I still want to take a look.

我wǒ　要yào　挂失guàshī　银行卡yínhángkǎ。wǒ yào guàshī yínhángkǎ.

I want to report the bank card as lost.

朋友péngyou　要yào　一yí　个gè　双人间shuāngrénjiān。péngyou yào yí gè shuāngrénjiān.

My friend wants a double room.

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Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.

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