Description
In this episode, we’ve learned how to count from 11-99 in Taiwanese and talked about some cultural differences on thinking about numbers, counting age and using the calendar.(These show notes use tables and rich formatting. Please visit the episode webpage for an optimal viewing experience.)
tsa̍p-it
tsa̍p-jī
tsa̍p-sann
tsa̍p-sì
tsa̍p-gōo
11
12
13
14
15
tsa̍p-la̍k
tsa̍p-tshit
tsa̍p-peh
tsa̍p-káu
jī-tsa̍p
16
17
18
19
20
*Syllables that require tone changes are greyed out.
Note that the “one” and “two” are different from the form we’ve learned in the previous episode. For 11, 21, 31, 41, and so on, we use “it”, and for 12, 20, 22, 32, and so on, we use “jī”.
jī-tsa̍p-it
jī-tsa̍p-jī
jī-tsa̍p-sann
jī-tsa̍p-sì
jī-tsa̍p-gōo
21
22
23
24
25
jī-tsa̍p-la̍k
jī-tsa̍p-tshit
jī-tsa̍p-peh
jī-tsa̍p-káu
sann-tsa̍p
26
27
28
29
30
From 30 onwards, the numbers are quite regular:
sì-tsa̍p
gōo-tsa̍p
la̍k-tsa̍p
tshit-tsa̍p
peh-tsa̍p
káu-tsa̍p
40
50
60
70
80
90
Numbers are a great place where you can practice hearing the tone changes. You can also check out our Pronounce it Like a Pro series where we have an episode focused just on tone changes.
SENTENCES AND VOCABULARY
TAIWANESE
ENGLISH
--gue̍h
-month (as a suffix)
Pronunciation note: when you are talking about a specific month, “--gue̍h” is in the neutral tone unless followed by a date. This means the last syllable of the numbered month keeps its original tone, and then “--gue̍h” loses its original tone and is “neutralized” to a shorter and lighter syllable that often sounds similar to a third or fourth tone.
It--gue̍h / Tsiann--gue̍h
January; the 1st month of the (lunar) calendar
Jī--gue̍h
February; the 2nd month of the (lunar) calendar
Tsa̍p-it--gue̍h
November; the 11th month of the (lunar) calendar
Lí kuí huè?
How old are you?
huè
year(s) old
tsi̍t huè
1 year old
nn̄g huè
2 years old
jī-tsa̍p-gōo huè
25 years old
tsa̍p-jī senn-siùnn
the 12 animal zodiac
Culture note: in Taiwan, every year is assigned an animal sign as part of the zodiac. There are a total of 12 symbolic animals associated with a 12-year cycle. It is also used in India and Vietnam but some animals are different from the ones used in Taiwan.
CULTURAL POINTS ON AGE IN TAIWAN
1. “Tâi-uân huè” The Taiwanese way of counting age
Traditionally, when a baby is born, Taiwanese people start counting the age from one, not zero. Everyone ages one more year together during the Lunar New Year, which is usually late-January or in February. Nowadays, the western way of calculating age is used for official purposes.
2. “Tsa̍p-jī senn-siùnn” The 12-animal zodiac
Another interesting thing about the calendar year and talking about age in Taiwan is that every year is assigned an animal sign as part of the zodiac. There are a total of 12 symbolic animals associated with a 12-year cycle.
When talking about age, instead of asking or saying how many years old someone is, some Taiwanese people would just use their zodiac sign.
3. Avoiding the number 9
In Taiwan, some people believe that any age ending in 9 will be a year where there’s a high risk of a major accident or disaster. So, they avoid celebrating a birthday when they’re 19, 29, 39 years old and so on.
For example at the age of 39, some people will say something like “38 + 1” years old. It’s just like at the restaurant, when the host wants to avoid saying 4 guests/people (“sì ê lâng” which sounds like “dead people” in Taiwanese), they will say “3 + 1” guests. Some others would just skip that year, and say they are already 40 years old.
TONE 8 - WU̍T
In this episode, we’ve talked about eating at “stir-fry places” in Taiwan, asking for recommendations, and also the price.
(These show notes use tables and rich formatting. Please visit the episode webpage for an optimal viewing experience.)
SENTENCES AND VOCABULARY
TAIWANESE
ENGLISH
Ū...
Published 02/25/20
In this episode, we’ve talked about personal pronouns like “you” and “I”, the “exclusive we” and “inclusive we”, and also how to express possession in Taiwanese.
Please visit the episode webpage for a detailed outline of the episode!
Published 02/18/20