In the conversation below, Amanda makes many mistakes that are referred to as "Chinglish." How many can you find?

Billy: How are you?

Amanda: How are you?

Billy: Pretty good, thanks. Say, have you ever traveled outside of China?

Amanda: Yes, I have ever been to your United States.

Billy: Really?

Amanda: Dui. I was go to New York. There has much persons.

Billy: Did you travel alone?

Amanda: No, I go with my second uncle's wife.

Billy: I see. So what did you think of New York?

Amanda: Oh, it was very interested. I was very exciting to be there! And I very liked the food.

Billy: Did you have any trouble while you were there?

Amanda: No. But in the hotel a man said I must to close my TV because the sound was too big.

Billy: And did you?

Amanda: No, I told him I would only listening a little longer.

Billy: Well, thank you for telling me about your trip.

Amanda: No thanks! Welcome to visit my hometown sometime!

Did you find nineteen mistakes? Here they are:

1. How are you?: When someone asks "How are you?" we answer with, "Fine, thanks," or "Not bad," etc. "How are you?" does not mean "Ni hao."

2-3. I have ever been to your United States: This sentence has two problems. First, we only use "ever" with questions ("Have you ever…?") and negative statements ("I haven't ever…" or "I have never…" "Never" means "not ever"). We cannot use it in positive statements such as "I have ever studied English." Just say, "I have done something." Second, we seldom call a place "ours" or "yours" when we use the proper name. "My country," but "the United States." "My hometown," but "Los Angeles" (as in "I live in Los Angeles," with no modifier.)

4. Dui: It's so easy to speak one's own language! But if you can stay in English all the time, you will get more respect.

5. I was go: This is the Number One "Chinglish" problem. We cannot use "be verbs" and "do verbs" together. We must say, "I went." "I was go" might be easier, since you don't have to remember an irregular past tense, but it is never okay to use it. The only time "be" and "do" seem to go together is when we use the continuous: "be doing." But that is a different matter.

We'll continue our explanation next time.