“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month” is a quote by Harlan Miller.
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/listen-to.mp3|titles=listen to]
我希望我们能把圣旦节的精神装在罐子里，然后每个月打开一罐。wo3 xi1 wang4 wo3 men5 neng2 ba3 sheng4 dan4 jie2 de5 jing1 shen2 zhuang1 zai4 guan4 zi3 li3, ran2 hou4 mei3 ge5 yue4 da3 kai1 yi2 guan4.
Wo3 （我pronoun, I) xi1 wang4 (希望 verb, wish) wo3 men5 (我们 pronoun, us) neng2 (能auxiliary verb, are able to, express the abilities) ba3 (把 active voice marker or direct object marker) sheng4 dan4 jie2 (圣旦节 Christmas holiday) de5 (particle to connect the attribute and the noun) jing1 shen2 (精神 noun, spirit) zhuang1 (装 verb, put into) zai4 (在 preposition word, at) guan4 zi5 (罐子 noun, jar; zi5 is a habitual word or suffix, that got put after certain words habitually) li3 (里 preposition word, inside, within), ran2 hou4 (然后 transition word, then) mei3 (每 pronoun, each) ge5 (个 measure word for month) yue4 (月 noun, month) da3 kai1 (打开 verb, open) yi2 (一 number, one) guan4 (罐 noun, jar).
Let’s learn the 把 ba3 structure — use ba3 as the direct object marker to show the active voice.
Subject + 把 ba3 + noun + verb
The particle 把 ba3 is used after the subject and before a noun to show that that noun is the object of the sentence. It also means the subject is the person that does the action, so ba3 also works as an active voice marker — the subject takes the noun and does something to it.
For example:
Ta1 ba3 wo3 de5 fan4 chi1 le5.
他把我的饭吃了｡
He ate my meal.
or a more roughly translation
He took my meal and ate it.
Object = my meal
When using the particle 把 ba3, the verb must be a transitive verb which takes objects. The object must be an actual or concrete object or person.
What is the spirit of Christmas? The answer can be varied depend on whom you asked. If you asked a nine years old boy, he might tell you Christmas spirit is his transformer figure toys for those toys keep his spirit high while playing. If you ask the grandma of 22 grand kids, she might tell you that the Christmas spirit is all about shopping, wrapping boxes of toys and mailing them to all over the world. If you ask the champion baker, then he will tell you that Christmas spirit is all about food time line and the joy of baking — gingerbread, Christmas cookies, Christmas pies, cookies exchange, king cake, magic bars, and so much more … But, no matter what is your Christmas spirit, somethings are the same to everyone: Right after Thanksgiving, when people began to focus on Christmas, the world suddenly glowed and transformed! Not just the Christmas trees light up the living room and the Christmas lights sparkle on the rooftop. People anywhere seem happier, kinder and more friendly. However, once Christmas Day is over and after the New Year, people went back to their old selves – busy with mundane and no more Christmas glowing anymore. So, dear readers, do you have the same wish :你希望我们能把圣旦节的精神装在罐子里，然后每个月打开一罐吗。Ni3 xi1 wang4 wo3 men5 neng2 ba3 sheng4 dan4 jie2 de5 jing1 shen2 zhuang1 zai4 guan4 zi3 li3, ran2 hou4 mei3 ge5 yue4 da3 kai1 yi2 guan4 ma5? (Remember that if you want to change a statement to a question, you can just add 吗 ma5 at the end. The magic 吗 ma5 ) Do you wish that we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month?
Let’s continue today’s post with a song – Richard Marx – Christmas spirit
Do you realize that I did not use **end**, but use the word continue ….
Wish your Christmas spirit is up all year long, but hope it is not spending money on presents all year long though …..
Merriest Christmas to you all 🙂