Mandarin and Beijing Olympics 2008

Headed for the Olympics in Beijing? Time to brush up on some Mandarin, then -- or learn a few phrases to begin with. Check out this Mandarin primer from About.com's Qiu Gui Su for some key Olympics phrases, bearing in mind while working on wrapping your tongue around phrases like xiàn dài wu xiàng (modern pentathlon) that the effort to speak the lingo in any country goes far toward making one's travel life much mo' better:

• Mandarin Olympic Phrases

Me and Mandarin have not even a nodding acquaintance -- mon dieu, my patois perplexity hits new heights of conjugation confusion when I'm merely forced to speak in any tense but the present even in familiar romance languages; I am so lame linguistically that I could spend days just learning how to ask for directions (Qingwèn, huochezhàn zài nali? Excuse me, where is the train station?) in a new-to-me language, much less comprehending enough to become remotely coherent in conversation. However, I think even I could perfect a few phrases with Qiu-Gui's terrific mp3 audio clips and clear, precise Mandarin lessons. Check it out:

• About.com's Mandarin Language

Related reading: Travel and Language | Say What? ... Website Pronounces Words | Yo Suis Perdu | Beijing Olympics

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