VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

为什么 wèishénme

q.pron. ▸ why

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā jīntiān wèishénme méi lái shàngkè?
  他今天为什么没来上课？
  He today why not come to attend-class?
  Why (did)n’t he come to attend-class today?
• Wèishénme nǐ jīntiān xīnqíng bù hǎo?
  为什么你今天心情不好？
  Why you today mood not good?
  Why (is that:) you today (-) mood (is) not good?

2.

事情 shìqing

n. ▸ thing; matter; affair

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ yǒu hěn duō shìqing yào zuò.
  我有很多事情要做。
  I have very many things need to do.
  I have very many things (that I) need to do.
• Zhè jiàn shìqing hěn zhòngyào.
  这件事情很重要。
  This “jian” thing very important.
  This “jian” (of) thing (is) very important.

3.

周末 zhōumò

n. ▸ zhōumò

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè ge zhōumò nǐ yǒu kòng ma?
  这个周末你有空吗？
  This “ge” weekend you have free-time -ma?
  (Do) you have free-time (on) this “ge” (of) weekend?
• Wǒ zhōumò xǐhuan zài jiā kàn diànyǐng.
  我周末喜欢在家看电影。
  I weekend like “zai(in/on/at...)” home watching movie.
  I like watching movie(s) at home (on) weekend(s).

4.

干杯 gānbēi

dry cup; cheers

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, gānbēi!
  祝你生日快乐，干杯！
  Wish you happy birthday, “dry-cup”!
  Wish you happy birthday, “cheers”!
• Wǒmen yìqǐ nǔlì ba, gānbēi.
  我们一起努力吧，干杯。
  We together work-hard -ba, “dry-cup”.
  (Let) us work-hard together, “cheers”.

5.

因为 yīnwèi

conj. ▸ because

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Yīnwèi jīntiān shì xīngqī liù, suǒyǐ wǒ kěyǐ shuì lǎnjiào.
  因为今天是星期六，所以我可以睡懒觉。
  Because today is Saturday, so I can sleep-lazy-sleep.
  Because today is Saturday, so I can sleep-in.
• Tā hěn máng, yīnwèi tā yǒu hěn duō gōngzuò yào zuò.
  他很忙，因为他有很多工作要做。
  He very busy, because he has very much work need to do.
  He (is) very busy, because he has very much work (that he) needs to do.

6.

所以 suǒyǐ

conj. ▸ so; therefore; hence

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Yīnwèi tā shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ jīntiān bù néng lái shàngbān.
  因为他生病了，所以今天不能来上班。
  Because he get-sick -le, so today not can come to work.
  Because he (has) got-sick, so (he) today cannot come (here) to do-work.
• Tā hěn lèi, suǒyǐ xiǎng zǎo diǎn huí jiā xiūxi.
  她很累，所以想早点回家休息。
  She very tired, so want to early “dian” return home to rest.
  She (is) very tired, so (she) wants to return home “a little bit” earli(er) to rest.

7.

飞机 fēijī

n. ▸ plane

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Fēijī yòu wǎndiǎn le.
  飞机又晚点了。
  Plane again to-be-behind-time -le.
  (The) plane is-behind-time again.
• Wǒ yào zuò fēijī qù Shànghǎi.
  我要坐飞机去上海。
  I need to “sit” plane go to Shanghai.
  I need to “take” (the) plane go to Shanghai.

8.

火车 huǒchē

n. ▸ train

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xǐhuan zuò huǒchē lǚyóu.
  我喜欢坐火车旅游。
  I like “sit” train to travel.
  I like(,) “taking” train(,) traveling.
• Qǐngwèn, huǒchē shang de cèsuǒ zài nǎr?
  请问，火车上的厕所在哪儿？
  Please-ask, train-surface -de- bathroom “zai(in/on/at...)” where?
  Please(-allow-me-to-)ask, where is (the) bathroom (on the) train-surface?

9.

啊 a

interj. ▸ ah; oh

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• A, wǒ jīntiān hǎo lèi ’a!
  啊，我今天好累啊！
  Ah, I today so-very tired -a!
  Ah, I (am) so-very tired today!
• A, nǐ jīntiān zěnme zhème piàoliang?
  啊，你今天怎么这么漂亮？
  Oh, you today how-come “this” pretty?
  Oh, how-come you (are) “so” pretty today?

10.

远 yuǎn

adj. ▸ far

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn yuǎn.
  我家离学校很远。
  My home “li” school very far.
  My home “being away from” (the) school (is) very far.
• Zhèlǐ lí shì zhōngxīn yuǎn ma?
  这里离市中心远吗？
  Here “li” city center far -ma?
  (Is) here “being away from” (the) city center far?

11.

近 jìn

adj. ▸ close; near

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Shūdiàn lí zhèlǐ hěn jìn, bù yuǎn.
  书店离这里很近，不远。
  Bookstore “li” here very close, not far.
  (The) bookstore “being away from” here (is) very close, (it is) not far.
• Wǒ zhù de hěn jìn, jiù zài qiánmiàn, nǐ kàn!
  我住得很近，就在前面，你看！
  I live -de- very close, “exactly” “zai(to be in/on/at...)” front-area, you look!
  I live very close, (it is) “exactly” in the-area-in-front(-of-us), you look!

12.

玩 / 玩儿 wán / wánr

v. ▸ to play; to be entertained; to have fun

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ fàngjià dǎsuàn qù nǎr wánr?
  你放假打算去哪儿玩儿？
  You release-holiday plan to go where to play?
  Where (do) you plan to go have-fun (for) taking(-the-)holiday?
• Nǐ zuìjìn zài wánr shénme yóuxì?
  你最近在玩儿什么游戏？
  You recent-times “zai” play what game?
  What game(s) are you playing (in) recent-times?

13.

灯 dēng

n. ▸ light; lamp

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ néng kāi yí xià dēng ma?
  你能开一下灯吗？
  You can turn-on one “xia” light -ma?
  Can you turn-on (the) light “really quick”?
• Zhè zhǎn dēng bú gòu liàng.
  这盏灯不够亮。
  This “zhan” light not enough bright.
  This “zhan” (of) light (is) not bright enough.

14.

学 xué

v. ▸ to learn; to study

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zuìjìn zài xué jiēwǔ.
  我最近在学街舞。
  I recent-times “zai” learn street-dance.
  I am learning street-dance (in) recent-times.
• Wǒmen xué yǔyán de shíhou yào duō tīng duō shuō duō liànxí.
  我们学语言的时候要多听多说多练习。
  We learn language -de- time should much listen much speak much practice.
  We(, at the) time (when we) learn language(s,) should listen much speak much (and) practice much.

15.

回 huí

v. ▸ to return; to go back to

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ huí jiā le ma?
  你回家了吗？
  You return home -le -ma?
  (Have) you returned home (yet)?
• Wǒ dǎsuàn xià ge yuè huí guó.
  我打算下个月回国。
  I plan next “ge” month return country.
  I plan to go back to (my home) country next “ge” (of) month.

16.

地方 dìfang

n. ▸ place

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè ge dìfang zhēn piàoliang!
  这个地方真漂亮！
  This “ge” place really beautiful!
  This “ge” (of) place (is) really beautiful!
• Wǒ xǐhuan ’ānjìng de dìfang, bù xǐhuan rènao de dìfang.
  我喜欢安静的地方，不喜欢热闹的地方。
  I like quiet -de- place, not like busy-and-noisy -de- place.
  I like quiet places, (and) I (do) not like busy-and-noisy places.

17.

老板 lǎobǎn

n. ▸ boss; owner of a business

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Lǎobǎn, jiàgé néng piányi yì diǎn ma?
  老板，价格能便宜一点吗？
  Boss, price can cheap one “dian” -ma?
  Boss, can (the) price (be) “a little bit” cheaper?
• Wǒ de lǎobǎn hěn zhuānyè, yě hěn yángé.
  我的老板很专业，也很严格。
  I -de- boss very professional, also very strict.
  My boss (is) very professional, (and) also very strict.

18.

可乐 kělè

n. ▸ cola

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐmen xǐhuan hē kělè háishì xuěbì?
  你们喜欢喝可乐还是雪碧？
  You-guys like drink cola or sprite?
  (Do) you-guys like drinking cola or sprite?
• Qǐngwèn zhèr de kělè kěyǐ xùbēi ma?
  请问这儿的可乐可以续杯吗？
  Please-ask here -de- cola can refill-cup -ma?
  Please(-allow-me-to-)ask (that) can (the) cola here (be) refilled?

19.

儿子 érzi

n. ▸ son

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā de ’érzi jīnnián dàxué bìyè le.
  他的儿子今年大学毕业了。
  He -de- son this-year college graduate -le.
  His son this-year (from) college graduated.
• Érzi xǐhuan kàn zúqiú bǐsài.
  儿子喜欢看足球比赛。
  Son like watch soccer game.
  (The) son likes watching soccer game(s).

20.

女儿 nǚ’ér

n. ▸ daughter

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tāmen de nǚ’ér hěn dúlì.
  他们的女儿很独立。
  They -de- daughter very independent.
  Their daughter (is) very independent.
• Wǒ nǚ’ér de mèngxiǎng shì dāng yīshēng.
  我女儿的梦想是当医生。
  My daughter -de- dream is to be doctor.
  My daughter’s dream is to be (a) doctor.