Learn Chinese L4: How many people are there in your family?

Dachuan, Wang Jun and Li Mei are having a picnic by the lake. Seeing many happy families, Wang Jun asks about Dachuan's familiy members.

Dialogue One

dà chuān　nǐ　jiā　yǒu　shén　me　rén
大　川，　你　家　有　　什　 么　 人？
How many people are there in your family, Dachuan?
bà　bɑ　mā　mɑ　mèi mei　hé　wǒ
爸　爸、 妈　 妈、 妹　妹　 和　 我，
hái　yǒu　yì　zhī　xiǎo ɡǒu　tā　jiào　ɡāo　xìnɡ
还　 有　 一　只　 小　狗， 它　叫　“ 高　 兴”。
My father, mother, younger sister and me. There is also a dog named "Gaoxing".
Dialogue Two

lǐ　méi　nǐ　jiā　yǒu　jǐ　kǒu　rén
李　梅，你　家　有　几　口　 人？
How many people are there in your family, Li Mei?
wǒ　jiā　wǔ　kǒu　rén　bà　bɑ　mā　mɑ　jiě　jie　ɡē　ɡe　hé　wǒ
我　家　 五　 口　 人， 爸　爸、 妈　 妈、 姐　姐、 哥　哥　和　我。
nǐ　jiā　ne
你　家　呢？
Five. My father, mother, elder sister, elder brother and me. How about you?
bà　bɑ　mā　mɑ　dì　di　hé　wǒ
爸　爸、 妈　妈、 弟　弟　和　我。
My father, mother, younger brother and me.
Explanation of difficult points


1. Listing in Chinese (and the use of "和")
1)"、"("顿号" dùn hào, meaning "pause symbol"—so you should pause in speech) is used to list more than two things. "、" needs not to be used between the last two things. For instance, you can say "爸爸、妈妈、姐姐、哥哥和我" (bà ba, mā ma, jiě jie, gē ge hé wǒ; father, mother, sister, brother and me). In oral Chinese sometimes "和"(hé) is also omitted.
2) "和" is used when listing two things. "、" is not used in such case.

2. Order matters in Chinese
Note that order matters in Chinese. Pay special attention to listing people from oldest to youngest because it implies importance; the position of "我"(wǒ) can be either at the end or according to age. If you want to list you and some other people (and the age or importance issue does not apply), you would say "我和……"(wǒ hé, me and ...).

3. Family order matters
In Chinese, out of habit, you say "爸爸妈妈"(bà ba mā ma) as opposed to "mom and dad". Similar examples are "爷爷奶奶"(yé ye nǎi nai) and "哥哥姐姐"(gē ge jiě jie).