use of 个 in a question

[maybe]

hi, I'm an italian student and I'm studying chinese at university. I've a problem with the use of 个, if I write (in a conversation between A and B):

A:这是一个家? or 这是家?

B:对, 这是我家

A:你家在哪人?

B:它在上海

A:伤害在哪人?

B:上海在中国

it's a simple conversation but I don't know if use 个 or not in first sentence

II I don't know how make this question:

how many chinese people are in milan?

多少在米兰有中国人?

is this the correct way?

thank you soo much, sorry for my bad english (I studied french at school!) and chinese

[edelweis]

I don't know whether 家 can be used to mean "a house" when there is no indication of the owner. Also I am not sure of the difference between using 一个 or not in the first question. Someone with more advanced Chinese will need to answer those.

A:这是一个家? or 这是家?

I'm a bit surprised that you don't use 是不是 or 吗 or 吧 in this question...

If your meaning is "is this a house?", I would write 这是不是房子? or 这是不是一个房子?

A:你家在哪人?

Please note 人 is not the same as 儿. 哪人 means "which person".

You probably will need to type "naer" to write 哪儿.

A:伤害在哪人?

Pinyin input methods require you to be careful and read back what you've written

how many chinese people are in milan?

多少在米兰有中国人?

多少 should take the place of the number.

If you know how to write "there are 5 Chinese people in Milan", just replace 五个 with 多少.

[maybe]

ops sorry, I forget 吗, so I could write:

这是不是一个家? or 这是一个家吗?

and yes, I will need to type 哪儿 in fact I was surprised when I see 哪人 sorry

多少 should take the place of the number.

If you know how to write "there are 5 Chinese people in Milan", just replace 五个 with 多少.

so the right sentence is:

米兰有五个中国人。

so the question will be: 在米兰有多少中国人?

right? or not?

thank you so much!

ps. a sentence like "the student called David is my older brother" I translate in:

学生叫大卫是我哥哥

can I?

[Danny2312]

.....

[maybe]

okok, that's not the right way but if I am forced to use 多少 in this sentence what would be the way?

I think 在米兰有多少中国人? is right, no?

thanks for your help

[Danny2312]

.....

[Guoke]

A:这是你家吗？

B:是的, 这是我家

A:你家在哪儿?

B:我家在上海

A:上海在哪儿?

B:上海在中国。

[xiaocai]

在米兰有多少中国人?

It sounds right to me. Or you can say 有多少中国人在米兰? Though I'd still prefer your way.

[kenny2006]

A:这个是你家（house）?

B:对, 这是我家

A:你家在哪里?

B:（它 not necessary ）在上海

A:上海在哪里?

B:上海在中国

在米兰有多少中国人?

有多少中国人在米兰?

are the same

[travelgirl]

Danny i don't think you can say 多少个

[Danny2312]

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[daofeishi]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but:

Anyway, if you're talking about grammar, 个is not wrong, but 间 would be better, and the question should be written as "这是不是一间家？“

I have never heard 间 used as a measure word for 家. The few times 家 is used with a measure word, it is as far as I know 个. The sentence "这是不是一间家“ sounds very ungrammatical to me. I would translate "is that your house as" 这是你家吗？/这是你的房子吗？

多少在米兰有中国人? It should be written as "米兰有几个中国人？“.

it's not wrong to say '多少位/个中国人'.

As far as I know, 几 is only used as a quantifier for a small number of people. Asking 米兰有几个中国人 would be like asking "how many dozens of Chinese people are there in Chicago." It sounds weird to me. Neither would you use the polite measure word 位, would you? I would say 米兰有多少(个)中国人, where the 个 is optional with 多少.

个is fine, 个is the best 量词(sorry I don't know what it's called in English) to use when you do not know which 量词 is appropriate.

That is like saying it is fine to say "I is happy", because "is" is the best form of "to be" to use if you don't know which one is appropriate.

“看，那个商店前的那个面包车，有个狗被锁在里面。 "

[xiaocai]

一间家 sounds a bit funny to me as well.

I think 多少个中国人 is fine too. You do not need to use the polite form here as you are not referring to people of higher levels, nor are you directly addressing the other party of the conversation. It may be a bit overly polite if you use 位 here. And 个 here, I think, can be dropped to make the sentence sound more natural.

@maybe

I think it would be a good idea to also give the English (or Italian if you prefer) translation of the sentences you want to check, so we may have better idea of what you want to say.

@Danny2312

I know you are trying to be helpful. However, with all due respects, I just want to say that, there are many people on these forums who are quite new to Chinese and when it comes to answering their questions, I think we have to be responsible. If you are not sure, you can still attempt, but you need to make it clear that your answers may not be accurate and maybe other forum members can help you verify them.

[Danny2312]

.....

[xiaocai]

一粒橙? It is definitely not Mandarin then, in either way.

[Danny2312]

.....

[creamyhorror]

一粒橙? It is definitely not Mandarin then, in either way.

We use 粒 for round objects in Singaporean Mandarin too (一粒苹果). I've read it's an import from Hokkien, where 粒 is used like that. It always makes mainlanders laugh. Well, what can I say, different standards (or errors if you prefer).

I don't think I've heard 一间家 here before, but I believe "jit geng chu" (一间厝) ("a house") is said in Hokkien. Maybe some process of importation from a dialect occurred in Malaysia?

I'm not definite about 几个 for big numbers, but I sense it can be used informally, e.g. in 世界上有几个人?

This is why I've tried to refrain from answering questions purely based on what I know in colloquial Singaporean Mandarin, because it often doesn't match Mainland standards. That's probably what's happening here.

[xiaocai]

Well, almost everywhere in China has their own "bastardised" Mandarin, including Beijing. You certainly don't tell people the Mandarin word for water tap is 撅尾巴管儿. I am not saying that colloquial form is not allowed, but should be used with extreme caution when the person is new to Chinese.

[Danny2312]

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[edelweis]

@maybe: regarding your other question

ps. a sentence like "the student called David is my older brother" I translate in:

学生叫大卫是我哥哥

That should be:

叫大卫的学生是我哥哥