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87 [eighty-seven]

Past tense of modal verbs 1

87 [sewe en tagtig]	Verlede tyd van modale werkwoorde 1

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The Chinese language

The Chinese language has the most speakers worldwide. However, there is not one individual Chinese language. Several Chinese languages exist. They all belong to the family of Sino-Tibetan languages. A total of approximately 1.3 billion people speak Chinese. The majority of those people live in the People's Republic of China and in Taiwan. There are many countries with Chinese-speaking minorities. The largest Chinese language is High Chinese. This standardized high-level language is also called Mandarin. Mandarin is the official language of the People's Republic of China. Other Chinese languages are often only referred to as dialects. Mandarin is also spoken in Taiwan and Singapore. Mandarin is the native language of 850 million people. It is understood by almost all Chinese-speaking people, however. For this reason, speakers of different dialects use it for communication. All Chinese people use a common written form. The Chinese written form is 4,000 to 5,000 years old. With that, Chinese has the longest literary tradition. Other Asian cultures have borrowed the Chinese written form as well. Chinese characters are more difficult than alphabetic systems. Spoken Chinese, however, is not as complicated. The grammar can be learned relatively easily. Therefore, learners can make good progress pretty quickly. And more and more people want to learn Chinese! As a foreign language, it is becoming increasingly meaningful. By now, Chinese languages are offered everywhere. Have the courage to learn it yourself! Chinese will be the language of the future…

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We had to water the flowers.	O_s m_e_ d_e b_o_m_ n_t_o_i_ Ons moes die blomme natgooi. O__ m___ d__ b_____ n_______ Ons moes die blomme natgooi. ___ ____ ___ ______ ________ Ons moes die blomme natgooi.
We had to clean the apartment.	O_s m_e_ d_e w_o_s_e_ o_r_i_. Ons moes die woonstel opruim. O__ m___ d__ w_______ o______ Ons moes die woonstel opruim. ___ ____ ___ ________ _______ Ons moes die woonstel opruim.
We had to wash the dishes.	O_s m_e_ d_e s_o_t_l_o_d w_s_ Ons moes die skottelgoed was. O__ m___ d__ s__________ w___ Ons moes die skottelgoed was. ___ ____ ___ ___________ ____ Ons moes die skottelgoed was.

Did you have to pay the bill?	M_e_ j_l_e d_e r_k_n_n_ b_t_a_? Moes julle die rekening betaal? M___ j____ d__ r_______ b______ Moes julle die rekening betaal? ____ _____ ___ ________ _______ Moes julle die rekening betaal?
Did you have to pay an entrance fee?	M_e_ j_l_e ’_ i_g_n_s_o_i b_t_a_? Moes julle ’n ingangsfooi betaal? M___ j____ ’_ i__________ b______ Moes julle ’n ingangsfooi betaal? ____ _____ __ ___________ _______ Moes julle ’n ingangsfooi betaal?
Did you have to pay a fine?	M_e_ j_l_e ’_ b_e_e b_t_a_? Moes julle ’n boete betaal? M___ j____ ’_ b____ b______ Moes julle ’n boete betaal? ____ _____ __ _____ _______ Moes julle ’n boete betaal?

Who had to say goodbye?	W_e m_e_ a_s_e_d n_e_? Wie moes afskeid neem? W__ m___ a______ n____ Wie moes afskeid neem? ___ ____ _______ _____ Wie moes afskeid neem?
Who had to go home early?	W_e m_e_ v_o_g h_i_ t_e g_a_? Wie moes vroeg huis toe gaan? W__ m___ v____ h___ t__ g____ Wie moes vroeg huis toe gaan? ___ ____ _____ ____ ___ _____ Wie moes vroeg huis toe gaan?
Who had to take the train?	W_e m_e_ h_e_d_e t_e_n n_e_? Wie moes hierdie trein neem? W__ m___ h______ t____ n____ Wie moes hierdie trein neem? ___ ____ _______ _____ _____ Wie moes hierdie trein neem?

We did not want to stay long.	O_s w_u n_e l_n_ b_y n_e_ Ons wou nie lank bly nie. O__ w__ n__ l___ b__ n___ Ons wou nie lank bly nie. ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ____ Ons wou nie lank bly nie.
We did not want to drink anything.	O_s w_u n_k_ d_i_k n_e_ Ons wou niks drink nie. O__ w__ n___ d____ n___ Ons wou niks drink nie. ___ ___ ____ _____ ____ Ons wou niks drink nie.
We did not want to disturb you.	O_s w_u n_e p_a n_e_ Ons wou nie pla nie. O__ w__ n__ p__ n___ Ons wou nie pla nie. ___ ___ ___ ___ ____ Ons wou nie pla nie.

I just wanted to make a call.	E_ w_u n_u n_u n_t ’_ o_r_e_ m_a_. Ek wou nou nou net ’n oproep maak. E_ w__ n__ n__ n__ ’_ o_____ m____ Ek wou nou nou net ’n oproep maak. __ ___ ___ ___ ___ __ ______ _____ Ek wou nou nou net ’n oproep maak.
I just wanted to call a taxi.	E_ w_u ’_ t_x_ b_l_ Ek wou ’n taxi bel. E_ w__ ’_ t___ b___ Ek wou ’n taxi bel. __ ___ __ ____ ____ Ek wou ’n taxi bel.
Actually I wanted to drive home.	E_ w_u e_n_l_k h_i_ t_e b_s_u_r h_t_ Ek wou eintlik huis toe bestuur het. E_ w__ e______ h___ t__ b______ h___ Ek wou eintlik huis toe bestuur het. __ ___ _______ ____ ___ _______ ____ Ek wou eintlik huis toe bestuur het.

I thought you wanted to call your wife.	E_ d_g / d_g / h_t g_d_n_ j_ w_u j_u v_o_ b_l_ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou jou vrou bel. E_ d__ / d__ / h__ g_____ j_ w__ j__ v___ b___ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou jou vrou bel. __ ___ _ ___ _ ___ ______ __ ___ ___ ____ ____ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou jou vrou bel.
I thought you wanted to call information.	E_ d_g / d_g / h_t g_d_n_ j_ w_u d_e i_l_g_i_g_t_o_b_n_ b_l_ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou die inligtingstoonbank bel. E_ d__ / d__ / h__ g_____ j_ w__ d__ i_________________ b___ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou die inligtingstoonbank bel. __ ___ _ ___ _ ___ ______ __ ___ ___ __________________ ____ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou die inligtingstoonbank bel.
I thought you wanted to order a pizza.	E_ d_g / d_g / h_t g_d_n_ j_ w_u ’_ p_z_a b_s_e_. Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou ’n pizza bestel. E_ d__ / d__ / h__ g_____ j_ w__ ’_ p____ b______ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou ’n pizza bestel. __ ___ _ ___ _ ___ ______ __ ___ __ _____ _______ Ek dag / dog / het gedink jy wou ’n pizza bestel.

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