我的家人
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Show possession using 的, as in 我的家人.
- Talk about existence and possession using 有 and negate it with 没有.
- Ask "how many" with 几 and "how much/how many" with 多少, and know when each is appropriate.
- Use 个 and 口 as beginning measure words with family and people nouns.
- Name immediate family members and describe the size of a family.
- Produce accurate tone pairs across two-syllable words, including new neutral-tone words.
- Complete a short spoken and written exchange describing your own family.
Communication Scenario
After class, Sarah's classmate 大卫 shows her a photo on his phone. He wants to introduce his family, and he asks Sarah about hers. Sarah needs to say who is in her family, say how many people are in it, and figure out whether someone belongs to David or not — all without yet having any grammar system for tense, gender, or plural endings.
- This chapter gives you the language for talking about your family: who they are, how many there are, and whose photo or object something is.
- It also gives you your first true measure-word system, building on the fixed phrases 哪个 and 这个 from Chapter 2.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 3 builds directly on the demonstratives, negation, and question words from Chapter 2. 的 already appeared there in the fixed phrases 我的 and 老师的; this chapter analyzes 的 as a real, productive possession pattern for the first time. It also opens the measure-word system in full, using family vocabulary as the anchor.
Coming Into This Chapter
这/那, 不是 negation, 什么/哪个 questions, and the formulaic use of 的 from Chapter 2.
New in This Chapter
的 as a productive possession marker; 有/没有 for existence and possession; 几 and 多少 for asking quantity; the measure words 个 and 口; and tone-pair practice across two-syllable words.
Looking Forward
Chapter 4 introduces numbers, dates, weekdays, clock time, and the important 一/不 tone-sandhi pattern, building on the counting you begin here.
Core Vocabulary
The words below expand your vocabulary into family and relationships. As before, read the simplified character first, then the Pinyin with tone marks, then the English meaning.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Part/Function | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 的 | de | structural particle | possessive marker | neutral tone; links a possessor to what is possessed |
| 有 | yǒu | verb | to have; there is/are | negated with 没, not 不 |
| 没有 | méiyǒu | verb phrase | to not have; there is/are not | negation of 有; 没 alone is also acceptable in casual speech |
| 几 | jǐ | question word | how many (small numbers) | expects a measure word to follow, as in 几个 |
| 多少 | duōshao | question word | how many/how much | used for larger or unknown quantities; measure word optional |
| 口 | kǒu | measure word | (for counting family members) | used specifically with 人 when counting household size, as in 三口人 |
| 家人 | jiārén | noun | family members | collective noun for one's family |
| 爸爸 | bàba | noun | dad, father | second syllable neutral tone |
| 妈妈 | māma | noun | mom, mother | second syllable neutral tone |
| 哥哥 | gēge | noun | older brother | second syllable neutral tone |
| 姐姐 | jiějie | noun | older sister | second syllable neutral tone |
| 弟弟 | dìdi | noun | younger brother | second syllable neutral tone |
| 妹妹 | mèimei | noun | younger sister | second syllable neutral tone |
| 孩子 | háizi | noun | child | second syllable neutral tone |
| 人 | rén | noun | person, people | counted with 个 in general, 口 within a household count |
| 狗 | gǒu | noun | dog | counted with 只 in later chapters; use 个 informally for now |
Receptive vocabulary (recognize only, do not produce yet): 爷爷 (yéye, paternal grandfather) and 奶奶 (nǎinai, paternal grandmother) may appear in family photos or extended-family discussion. Full extended-family vocabulary is not required for production in this chapter.
Tones and Characters
3.1 Tone pairs across two-syllable words
Many of this chapter's new words are two syllables long, and several end in neutral tone: 爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟, 妹妹, and 孩子. In each of these words, the first syllable carries a full tone and the second syllable is short and light, with no tone mark.
Notice the pattern: the same syllable is said twice, but only the first repetition keeps its full tone. 妈妈 is mā (first tone) + ma (neutral), not mā mā. This reduced second syllable is a real, predictable feature of these words, not a casual shortcut, and you should practice it the same way every time you say the word.
Also review the tone pair in 没有 (méi yǒu): second tone followed by third tone. When you say the two syllables together at a natural pace, the second tone dips slightly less than it would as a standalone syllable, but you do not need to memorize a separate rule for this yet — simply practice the two syllables smoothly, one after another.
3.2 New characters in this chapter
The characters below are the words or word-parts you met in this chapter's vocabulary.
3.3 A first measure-word component: 口
口 means "mouth" on its own, but as a measure word it is used specifically to count people within a household, as in 三口人 ("three people," referring to a family). You will also see 口 appear as a small component inside other characters later in the course, where it often relates to openings, containers, or speech. Treat this as a pattern to notice, not a rule that predicts every character containing 口.
You are not expected to handwrite every character in this chapter. Continue applying the top-before-bottom and left-before-right principles from Chapter 2 to any handwriting practice you do.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
3.4 的 for possession
Purpose: show that something belongs to someone, or describe a relationship between people.
的 links a possessor to the thing or person possessed. The pattern is possessor + 的 + possessed noun, which is the reverse order of the equivalent English phrase.
The basic pattern is: [possessor] + 的 + [noun]。 You already used this pattern formulaically in Chapter 2 with 我的 and 老师的. Now you can build it with any possessor and any noun.
- 这是我的家人。 Zhè shì wǒ de jiārén. These are my family members.
- 那是大卫的爸爸。 Nà shì Dàwèi de bàba. That is David's father.
With very close relationships, such as immediate family or close friends, speakers sometimes drop 的: 我爸爸 ("my dad") is just as natural as 我的爸爸. Both forms are correct in this chapter; a fuller discussion of when 的 may be omitted comes in a later volume.
3.5 有 and 没有 for existence and possession
Purpose: say that someone has something, or that something exists.
有 is negated with 没 or 没有, never with 不. This is one of the most important early exceptions in Mandarin negation.
- 我有一个哥哥。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge gēge. I have an older brother.
- 大卫没有妹妹。 Dàwèi méiyǒu mèimei. David does not have a younger sister.
Note that 一 is pronounced yí here, shifting to second tone before the fourth-tone measure word 个. This is an early preview of the full 一 sandhi pattern, which is taught formally in Chapter 4.
3.6 几 and 多少 for asking "how many"
Purpose: ask about a quantity, choosing the right question word for the expected size of the number.
几 is used for numbers a speaker expects to be small, usually under about ten, and it is normally followed by a measure word. 多少 is used for larger or completely unknown quantities, and a measure word after it is optional.
- 你家有几口人？ Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén? How many people are in your family?
- 我家有四口人。 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén. There are four people in my family.
- 你的学校有多少学生？ Nǐ de xuéxiào yǒu duōshao xuésheng? How many students does your school have?
Family size is small and countable, so 几 with the measure word 口 is the natural choice: 几口人. A school's student population is large and open-ended, so 多少 is the natural choice, and no measure word is needed before 学生. As you meet more nouns, ask yourself whether the expected number is small and countable or large and open-ended.
3.7 个 and 口 as measure words
Purpose: correctly link a number to a noun using the appropriate measure word.
Mandarin nouns cannot normally be counted with a number alone; a measure word must sit between the number and the noun. 个 is the broadest, most common measure word and works with most people and many objects. 口 is used specifically for counting people within a household.
The basic pattern is: [number] + [measure word] + [noun]。 一个哥哥 (one older brother), 三口人 (three people, as in household size). Do not say *一哥哥 or *三人 when counting a household — the measure word cannot be skipped.
This chapter only asks you to use 个 and 口. A wider set of measure words develops starting in Chapter 9, once you have more nouns to count.
Model Dialogue
Setting: After class, 大卫 shows Sarah a family photo on his phone.
理解问题 — Comprehension questions:
- 大卫家有几口人？ (How many people are in David's family?)
- 狗是谁的？ (Whose dog is it?)
- Does Sarah have an older brother or an older sister? How do you know?
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Mandarin speaker to read the model dialogue above aloud, at a natural pace, twice. On the first listen, notice how many people are in each family. On the second listen, complete the table below.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read the passage aloud yourself, slowly and clearly at first, then at a more natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Mandarin speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
我的家人 — My family:
"我叫林娜。我家有三口人：妈妈、弟弟和我。我没有爸爸，我的爸爸不在这儿。我有一个弟弟，他叫小明。我们没有狗，但是我们有一只猫。"
听力任务 — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 林娜家有几口人？ (How many people are in Lina's family?) | ______ |
| 林娜有哥哥吗？ (Does Lina have an older brother?) | ______ |
| 林娜的弟弟叫什么？ (What is Lina's younger brother's name?) | ______ |
You are not expected to understand every word in this passage (such as 猫, cat, or 在这儿, to be here) — focus on the family-size and sibling questions the task asks about.
Reading Practice
Read the two short family descriptions below aloud, sounding out each character slowly.
理解问题 — Comprehension questions:
- Is the Mark in the first label the same David from Chapter 2's dialogue? What tells you this in the text?
- How many people are in the family described in the second label, and how many are siblings?
Writing Workshop
Write a short introduction of your own family, following the models above. Your introduction should use 的 for possession, at least one 有/没有 sentence, and one 几口人 statement or question.
写作任务 — Writing task: Write four or five short sentences in simplified characters, typing them with Pinyin input if possible, or copying the characters carefully by hand. Handwrite 的, 有, and 几 at least three times each, applying the stroke-direction principles from Chapter 2.
- Introduce your family. Start with 我家有...口人。
- Name family members. Use 我有... or 我没有... for each sibling relationship.
- Show possession. Use 我的... or 我...的... for at least one object or relationship.
- Check your measure words. Confirm you used 口 for household size and 个 elsewhere, and that no number appears directly before a noun without one.
修改清单 — Editing checklist:
- 的 is used accurately to show possession.
- 有 and 没有 are both used correctly, with 没 (not 不) negating 有.
- 几口人 or 多少 is used correctly for the expected size of the quantity.
- Numbers are never placed directly before a noun without a measure word.
- A Chinese period (。) or question mark (？) ends each sentence.
Speaking Practice
控制性练习 — Controlled practice: reading the model dialogue aloud
Read the model dialogue above aloud twice: once slowly, sounding out each tone, and once at a more natural pace. Pay close attention to the reduced second syllable in 爸爸, 妈妈, 姐姐, and 弟弟, and to keeping 没, not 不, in front of 有.
交际任务 — Communicative task: family interview
With a partner or small group, ask and answer 你家有几口人？ and 你有哥哥/姐姐/弟弟/妹妹吗？, responding with accurate 有/没有 sentences and at least one 的 possession statement.
独立练习 — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing your own family in four or five sentences, including your family's size with 口 and at least one sibling relationship with 有 or 没有. Listen back and check the tone of 没有 and the reduced syllables in any kinship terms you used.
Culture and Communication
Asking 你家有几口人？ is a common, everyday question in many Mandarin-speaking contexts and is generally not considered intrusive, unlike some similarly direct personal questions in English-speaking cultures. As with any personal topic, comfort levels vary by individual, setting, and relationship, so read the situation as you would in any language.
Notice that Mandarin does not have a single word for "brother" or "sister" the way English does — 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟, and 妹妹 each specify both gender and relative birth order. This reflects the general importance of birth order in family terminology across many Mandarin-speaking communities, though exact conventions and attitudes toward birth order vary by family, generation, and region.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying *我不有哥哥, applying the general negation pattern from Chapter 2 to 有.
Correction: 有 is always negated with 没 or 没有, never 不: 我没有哥哥。 This is a fixed exception you should memorize now.
Error: Saying *我家有四人, placing a number directly before a noun.
Correction: A measure word must sit between the number and the noun when counting: 我家有四口人。 Review Language Focus 3.7.
Error: Asking *你家有多少口人？ for family size, which sounds unnatural because family size is a small, countable quantity.
Correction: Use 几 with a measure word for small, expected quantities: 你家有几口人？ Save 多少 for large or unknown quantities, as in 你的学校有多少学生？
Chapter Review
部分 A — 理解 (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- How many people are in David's family, and who are they?
- How many people are in Sarah's family, and who are they?
部分 B — 语法 (Grammar)
1. Rewrite each sentence in the negative using 没有:
- 我有一个弟弟。
- 大卫有姐姐。
2. Fill in the correct question word, 几 or 多少: 你家有______口人？ / 你的学校有______学生？
部分 C — 阅读 (Reading)
1. Return to the two family-introduction labels above and answer:
- 马克家有几口人？ (How many people are in Mark's family?)
- 第二张标签里的人有几个妹妹？ (How many younger sisters does the person in the second label have?)
部分 D — 写作 (Writing)
1. Write four or five sentences introducing your own family, including your family's size with 口 and at least one 的 possession statement.
部分 E — 口语 (Speaking)
1. Interview a partner about their family size and siblings, without reading from a script, and report back one fact you learned.
Tone and Component Recognition Check
Say each word aloud and identify its full tone pattern, noting any neutral-tone syllable: 爸爸, 妈妈, 姐姐, 弟弟, 没有.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 3 Performance Task
Family Introduction Exchange
Complete the following four connected tasks in order, exactly as Sarah and 大卫 do after class.
- Listen to the model dialogue, or a similar exchange read by your instructor or partner, and complete the listening table above.
- Read the two family-introduction labels above and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write your own family introduction, following the writing workshop steps and editing checklist.
- Speak a complete family interview exchange with a partner, recording, or instructor, without reading from a script.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| 的 possession | 的 is used accurately to link a possessor to a person or object. |
| 有/没有 accuracy | 有 is negated correctly with 没 or 没有, never 不. |
| 几/多少 choice | 几 (with a measure word) or 多少 is chosen appropriately for the expected size of the quantity. |
| Measure-word use | 个 and 口 are used correctly, and no number is placed directly before a noun without one. |
| Tone accuracy | Reduplicated kinship terms and the 没有 tone pair are produced with reasonable, intelligible accuracy. |
This task assesses only what this chapter has taught. It does not require the full measure-word system, extended-family vocabulary, or numbers beyond small counting, all of which develop gradually across the volume.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 大卫家有五口人。 (David's family has five people.)
- The dog belongs to David's older sister.
- Sarah has neither an older brother nor an older sister — she says 我没有哥哥，也没有姐姐。
Listening
- Lina's family has three people.
- No, she does not have an older brother; she does not mention a father living with her and has a younger brother instead.
- Her younger brother is called 小明 (Xiǎomíng).
Reading — Comprehension
- Yes — the label names Mark's older brother as 大卫 (David), matching the David from Chapter 2.
- Five people total; the speaker has one older brother and two younger sisters (three siblings).
Chapter Review — 部分 B
- (a) 我没有弟弟。 (b) 大卫没有姐姐。
- 几 / 多少
Chapter Review — 部分 C
- (a) Four people. (b) Two younger sisters.
Tone and Component Recognition Check — Correct answers
爸爸 (bàba) fourth tone + neutral; 妈妈 (māma) first tone + neutral; 姐姐 (jiějie) third tone + neutral; 弟弟 (dìdi) fourth tone + neutral; 没有 (méiyǒu) second tone + third tone.
Looking Ahead
现在你会做什么 — What you can do now
You can show possession with 的, say what you have and don't have with 有 and 没有, ask "how many" with 几 and 多少, and describe your family's size and members using the measure words 个 and 口.