A Story

It's time to admit to the world: I'm learning Chinese. Mandarin, specifically. It's been on the list of things I'd like to do forever, but there was never really enough time... until I realized that there never will be enough time, so I might as well get started now!

I hope to write a note in the future about my motivation, learning strategies, and experiences, but today I want to share with you a short story that I wrote--my first writing project in Chinese! There's virtually no plot, and it's more like "here are some things I can say" than anything else, so don't say I didn't warn you. An English translation follows.

现在早上。猫，狗，马等兽走早饭。

一只猫在吃蛋。一只猫在吃面包。马在吃苹果。

这只狗快乐。这只狗在喝咖啡！

那个女孩有二十个方形的饺子。方形！

这个男孩比那个女孩很胖。他有四十个饺子！

下雨了。猫琳雨。猫冷。冷是蓝色的。

天晴了。爸爸热。热是红色的。

爸爸说：我叫爸爸！我五十七岁。我会说英文。

儿子说：我想要吃面条。面条是我的必需。我昨天没有吃面条。我想念面条。我经常吃面条！

爸爸说：我们买了红色的樱桃和黄色的芒果。我刚才吃面条。我没有面条。

儿子说：那个男孩有四十个饺子。我想要五个面条。我行中国。

爸爸说：是的，你行中国。

It's morning. Cats, dogs, horses, and other animals are going to breakfast.

One cat eats eggs. One cat eats bread. Horses eat apples.

This dog is happy. This dog is drinking coffee!

That girl has twenty square dumplings. Square!

This boy is very fat compared to that girl. He has forty dumplings!

It's raining. Cat is getting wet in the rain. Cat is cold. Cold is blue.

It's sunny. Dad is hot. Hot is red.

Dad says: My name is Dad! I'm fifty-seven years old. I can speak English.

Son says: I want to eat noodles. Noodles are my essential. I didn't eat noodles yesterday. I usually eat noodles!

Dad says: We bought red cherries and yellow mangoes. I just ate noodles. We don't have noodles.

Son says: That boy has forty dumplings. I want five noodles. I'm going to China.

Dad says: Yes, you're going to China.