Hello everyone!!

[Christopher]

你们好！

I've been studying chinese for a couple of months now. It's a short introductory course and I have just been set my first proper piece of homework. I was wondering if you could help check it for me. Hope that it's not to much to ask!!

My task was to write a short letter (150 - 200 characters long) to introduce myself and talk about my family, hobbies and ask a couple of questions. I like to know if what I've written makes sense!!

小强：

你好，我的名字是克里斯托弗。我是英国人，今年十九，是约克大学的学生。我的专业是生物化学。我会说英语和一点儿汉语。

我家有六口人， 爸爸，妈妈，妹妹，两口弟弟和我。你家有几口人？我妈妈是老师，我爸爸是职员。我妹妹和两口弟弟中学的学生。

我打羽毛球和做柔术。 你喜不喜欢打羽毛球？我天天多练习写汉字。

祝万事如意

克里斯托弗

2006年4月6日

Here is what I hope it means:

Dear Xiao Qiang,

Hello, my name is Christopher. I am British, 19 years old and I am a student at York university. I study biochemistry. I can speak English and a little chinese.

In my family there are six people, dad, mum, little sister, two younger brothers and me. How many people are in your family? My mum is a teacher and my dad is an office worker. My brothers and sister middle school students.

I play badminton and do jiu jitsu. Do you like to play badminton? Everyday I practice writing characters.(I pretty sure that bit doesn't make sense).

All the best,

Christopher

[skylee]

You may wish to consider those coloured -

亲爱的小强：

你好，我的名字是克里斯托弗。我是英国人，今年十九岁(it is fine without 岁, though)，是约克大学的学生。我的专业是生物化学。我会说英语和一点儿汉语。

我家里有六个人， 爸爸、妈妈、妹妹、两个弟弟和我。你家里有几个人？我妈妈是老师，我爸爸是文员。我妹妹和两个弟弟都是中学生。

我爱打羽毛球和做柔术(perhaps it is better to say 练柔术？）。 你喜不喜欢打羽毛球？我天天都练习写汉字。

祝万事如意

克里斯托弗

2006年4月6日

BTW, there is a famous cinematographer called Christopher Doyle and his Chinese name is 杜可风. And I think 可风 is a very nice name for christopher.

[ameliasj]

I think it is better to use 柔道 instead of 柔术.

小强：

你好，我的名字是克里斯托弗。我是英国人，今年十九，是约克大学的学生。我的专业是生物化学。我会说英语和一点儿汉语。

我家有六口人， 爸爸，妈妈，妹妹，两个弟弟和我。你家有几口人？我妈妈是老师，我爸爸是职员。我妹妹和两个弟弟都是中学生。

我平时喜欢打羽毛球和练柔道。 你喜不喜欢打羽毛球？我天天都要练习写汉字。

祝万事如意

克里斯托弗

2006年4月6日

[Fiona Lau]

小强：

你好，我叫克里斯托弗。我是英国人，今年十九岁，是约克大学的学生。我的专业是生物化学。我会说英语和一点儿汉语。

我家有六个人， 爸爸、妈妈、妹妹、两个弟弟和我。你家有几个人？我妈妈是老师，我爸爸是公司职员。我妹妹和两个弟弟都是中学生。

我打羽毛球和练柔道。 你喜欢打羽毛球吗？我天天都会练习写汉字。

祝万事如意

克里斯托弗

2006年4月6日

[imron]

I think it is better to use 柔道 instead of 柔术

Not unless he practises Judo - which he doesn't. He said he practises Jujitsu, so 柔术 would be correct. Although Judo is based on Jujitsu, they are separate martial arts.

[imron]

Although I've just realised 柔术 also refers to the art contortion... so I guess whatever happens there's going to be confusion.

[roddy]

Worth pointing out that the vast majority of textbooks will teach you to use 口 in 我家有六口人, although 个 is just as usable.

Good effort though!

[Christopher]

Thank you all for your help!!!

谢谢

[beaver]

小强：

你好，我的名字是克里斯托弗。我是英国人，今年十九岁，是约克大学的学生。我的专业是生物化学。我会说英语和一点（to make it more concise）汉语。

我家有六口人， 爸爸，妈妈，妹妹，两个弟弟（do we need to say AND ME in Chinese? I guess not. Obviously you are included in your family. And by the way, if there are three boys in the family, and I'm one of them. Do I say I have three brothers or two in English? That baffles me）。你家有几口人？我妈妈是老师，我爸爸则（meaning while）是文职人员。我妹妹和两个弟弟是中学的学生。

我打羽毛球和练（practise）柔术。 你喜不喜欢打羽毛球？我天天都练习写汉字。

祝万事如意

克里斯托弗

2006年4月6日

[Lu]

And by the way, if there are three boys in the family, and I'm one of them. Do I say I have three brothers or two in English? That baffles me

You say: 'I have two brothers (because you are not your brother)'; but I think something like 'We are with three brothers' also works (Maybe a native speaker can correct my grammar in this one).

[Christopher]

You could say something like: I am one of three brothers.

Even that doesn't seem quite right

I would just stick with saying I have two brothers. It is easier and makes more sense!!