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I need to write a brief self-introduction to find a well-fitting host family for a trip to China, but my language ability is very limited (I'm in my second year of learning Mandarin).

What is a simple way to write "I would like to look around/it would be fun to explore", "I enjoy people watching and am looking forward to learning more about Chinese culture", "I'm shy but I enjoy getting to know people/but I want to make friends", and "I'm half Chinese"?

I tried looking it up first but didn't have much success. It seems like my own (or google translate's) word-for-word English to Chinese translation might be very awkward and there are some words I just haven't learned yet. I would appreciate any other recommendations for writing a self introduction because I know mine is very awkward.

你好!【我姓___,我叫____。】/ 【我姓名_____。】 我十六岁,和我现在在十年级学生。我的家在美国,我是_____高中的学生。现在我的中文不好,但是我要我的中文在进步中。 我是中美混血。我有妈妈,爸爸,一个姐姐,和一个妹妹。我的家人也有一只狗叫 Sophie。我都非常爱家人。 我害羞,但是我乐于与不同的人接触,而且我想要交到更多的朋友。我乐于观察人们做事,并且期待学到更多的中国文化。

我的爱好是听音乐,画画,和看书。我很喜欢写故事和诗歌。我成立了我的学校的kpop社团。

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    Show us what you have so far on your translations and then we can help.
    – Mou某
    Apr 7, 2018 at 5:06
  • I wasn't able to use more eloquent suggestions, because it would be strange to my teacher if she read my introduction and it did not accurately reflect my ability at all. I appreciate all the suggestions very much!
    – amelon
    Apr 7, 2018 at 16:56

2 Answers 2

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I would like to look around China.
我想到中国四处转转。

It would be fun to explore China.
探索中国肯定会很好玩。

I enjoy people-watching and am looking forward to learning more about Chinese culture.
我乐于观察人们做事,并且期待学到更多的中国文化。

I'm shy but I enjoy getting to know people and I want to make friends.
我害羞,但是我乐于与不同的人接触,而且我想要交到更多的朋友。

I'm half Chinese.
我有一半中国血统。

为什么你的父母不帮你写?他们当中应该有一个人会讲中文吧!

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  • Thank you! I used the sentences in my summary. My parents can't help me because my mom was born in America and only remembers how to speak a few phrases, or only remembers after I learn how to speak it first.
    – amelon
    Apr 7, 2018 at 16:42
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你好!【我姓___,我叫____。】/ 【我姓名_____。】 我十六岁,和我现在在十年级学生。

你好!我叫___ 今年十六岁,现在是十年级学生。

English grammar and Chinese grammar might have difference, but basic writing rules still apply to both. For example, "My name is XX, I am 16 years old, I am a grade ten student" may not be grammatically incorrect, but any decent writer would know to avoid repeating the subject too many times within a series of related sentences and write "My name is XX, I am a 16 years old grade ten student"

"和"(and) in "我现在在十年级学生" is not needed, and this sentence has no verb (I now at ten grade student). The correct structure is " I am a ten grade student" (现在十年级学生)

我的家在美国,我是_____高中的学生。

Again, you use 我 to start two sentences in a row, but the subject in the first sentence is "我的家" and the subject in the second sentence is "我", therefore not omitting 我 is correct.

If you wrote "我住在美国,(我)是_____高中的学生。" then the subject in the first and second sentence would both be "我". In this case, you should omit the second 我 in the second sentence.

现在我的中文不好,但是我要我的中文在进步中。

现在我的中文不好,但我会让我的中文进步的。

我要 sounds like a command, better use 我会让 (I would make)

在进步中 (is improving) is incorrect in this context, you cannot "make your Chinese is improving" ; you can only make "your Chinese to improve"

Use final particle '的' to indicate the sentence is completed and add tone of 'keenness' in your speech

我是中美混血。我有妈妈,爸爸,一个姐姐,和一个妹妹。

我是中美混血。我家中有妈妈,爸爸,一个姐姐和一个妹妹。

"我有妈妈,爸爸" Everyone have father and mother. Your sentence didn't indicate the fact that you are living with them as one family. What you really wanted to say was :"In my family there's my father and mother..."

我的家人也有一只狗叫 Sophie。我都非常爱家人。

我家中还有一只狗叫 Sophie。我非常爱我的家人。

"我的家人也有一只狗" means "having a dog, same as everyone else"; I think you wanted to say "还" (also) meaning "in addition of all the human family member, we also have a pet dog"

我害羞,但是我乐于与不同的人接触,而且我想要交到更多的朋友。

我(有点)害羞,但是我(仍然)乐于与不同的人接触,(也)想要交到更多的朋友。

add "有点" (a little) before "害羞" So that people wouldn't think you are 'too shy'

add "仍然" to indicate despite the fact that you are shy, you still are willing to reach out to people.

"(也)想要交到更多的朋友。" is better than "(而且)我想要交到更多的朋友。"

我(乐于)观察人们做事,并且期待学到更多的中国文化。

我(喜欢)观察人们做事,也很期待学到更多的中国文化。

You already used 乐于 in the previous sentence, use 喜欢 this time so you wouldn't repeat 乐于 too soon.

Beside, '乐于' could also mean "willing to" ; while "喜欢" can only mean "like to" . I think it is want you wanted to say.

In this casual format, use "也很" is better, because it is more colloquial than 并且,

我的爱好是听音乐,画画,和看书。我很喜欢写故事和诗歌。我成立了我的学校的kpop社团。

我的爱好是听音乐,画画,和看书。(也)很喜欢写故事和诗歌。我(还)(创立)了我的学校的kpop社团。

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  • I could rewrite your introduction completely and make it sounds like native speaking, but that would not reflect your current ability.
    – Tang Ho
    Apr 8, 2018 at 4:15
  • Thank you for such thorough feedback! I realized that my writing was rather weak (with repeated wording and simple sentences), but I didn't know how to improve it. I'll make the changes now.
    – amelon
    Apr 8, 2018 at 19:22

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