VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

正在 zhèngzài

adv. ▸ suggesting in process of (doing something)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xiànzài zhèngzài máng.
  我现在正在忙。
  I now “zhengzai” busy.
  I now am being busy.
• Wǒ zhèngzài kàn nǐ gěi wǒ fā de yóujiàn.
  我正在看你给我发的邮件。
  I “zhengzai” read you to me sent -de- email.
  I am reading (the) email (that) you sent to me.

2.

要不要 yào bu yào

should (or) not should

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Yào bu yào dǎ ge diànhuà wènwen?
  要不要打个电话问问？
  Should-not-should make “ge” phone-call ask-ask?
  Should (I) make (one) “ge” (of) phone-call to ask “really quick”?
• Yào bu yào wǒ bāng nǐ ná xíngli?
  要不要我帮你拿行李？
  Should-not-should I help you take luggage?
  Should (I) help you take (the) luggage (or) not should (I)?

3.

祝贺你 zhùhè nǐ

congratulations to you

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhùhè nǐ zhǎodào le xīn gōngzuò!
  祝贺你找到了新工作！
  Congratulations to you find -le new job!
  Congratulations to you (for) finding (a) new job!
• Zhùhè nǐ dāng bàba le!
  祝贺你当爸爸了！
  Congratulations to you be dad -le!
  Congratulations to you (for) becoming (a) dad!

4.

跟 gēn

prep. ▸ with

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ méiyǒu gēn nǐ kāi wánxiào.
  我没有跟你开玩笑。
  I not with you make-joke.
  I (was) not jok(ing) with you.
• Nǐ xiǎng gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù ma?
  你想跟我一起去吗？
  You want to with me together go -ma?
  (Do) you want to go with me together?

5.

生活 shēnghuó

n. ▸ life

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xǐhuan jiǎndān de shēnghuó.
  我喜欢简单的生活。
  I like simple -de- life.
  I like simple life.
• Wǒ zài Zhōngguó de shēnghuó hěn yǒu yìsi.
  我在中国的生活很有意思。
  I “zai” China -de- life very interesting.
  My life in China (is) very interesting.

6.

生活 shēnghuó

v. ▸ to live

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zài zhèlǐ shēnghuó le wǔ nián.
  我在这里生活了五年。
  I “zai” here live -le 5 years.
  I (have) lived here (for) 5 years.
• Shēnghuó zài dà chéngshì hěn fāngbiàn.
  生活在大城市很方便。
  Live “zai” big city very convenient.
  Living in big cities (is) very convenient.

7.

还 hái

adv. ▸ additionally

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ chī le sānmíngzhì, hái xiǎng chī diǎn shuǐguǒ.
  我吃了三明治，还想吃点水果。
  I eat -le sandwich, additionally want to eat “dian” fruit.
  I ate (some) sandwich, (and I) additionally want to eat “a little bit” (of) fruit.
• Jīntiān fēng dà, hái xià yǔ.
  今天风大，还下雨。
  Today wind big, additionally go-down rain.
  Today (-) (the) wind (is) big, (and it) additionally is raining.

8.

遇到 yùdào

v. ▸ to meet; to come across; to encounter; to be confronted with

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zài lùshang yùdào Zhāng Lǎoshī le.
  我在路上遇到张老师了。
  I “zai” road-surface meet Zhang Teacher -le.
  I met Teacher Zhang on (the) road.
• Wǒ yǐqián méi yùdào guo zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng.
  我以前没遇到过这种情况。
  I time-before not encounter this kind situation.
  I (in) the-past (have) not encountered this kind (of) situation.

9.

宠物 chǒngwù

n. ▸ pet

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ jiāli yǎng chǒngwù le ma?
  你家里养宠物了吗？
  You home-inside raise pet -le -ma?
  (Is there) (any) pet being-raised (in) your home-inside?
• Wǒ jiā fùjìn xīn kāi le yì jiā chǒngwù yīyuàn.
  我家附近新开了一家宠物医院。
  My home nearby-place new open -le one “jia” pet hospital.
  (In) my home(’s) nearby-places (there is) one “jia” (of) new(ly) open pet hospital.

10.

动物 dòngwù

n. ▸ animal

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ zuì xǐhuan shénme dòngwù?
  你最喜欢什么动物？
  You the-most like what animal?
  What animal (do) you like the-most?
• Wǒ shàng zhōumò qù le dòngwùyuán.
  我上周末去了动物园。
  I last weekend go -le zoo.
  I last weekend went to (the) zoo.

11.

地球 dìqiú

n. ▸ earth

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Dìqiú shang yǒu hǎiyáng、shān hé sēnlín.
  地球上有海洋、山和森林。
  Earth-surface “exist” oceans, mountains and forests.
  (The) earth-surface “exists” oceans, mountains and forests.
• Dìqiú lí Huǒxīng yǒu duōshao guāngnián?
  地球离火星有多少光年？
  Earth “be-away-from” Mars “exist” how-many light-years?
  How-many light-years “is there” (from) Earth being-away-from Mars?

12.

看到 kàndào

v. ▸ to see

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ kàndào wǒ de shǒujī le ma?
  你看到我的手机了吗？
  You see my cell-phone -le -ma?
  (Have) you seen my cellphone?
• Nǐ cāi wǒ jīntiān kàndào shéi le?
  你猜我今天看到谁了？
  You guess I today see who -le?
  You guess who I saw today?

13.

听到 tīngdào

v. ▸ to hear

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ tèbié gāoxìng.
  听到这个消息，我特别高兴。
  Hear this “ge” news, I especially happy.
  (I) heard this “ge” (of) news, I (am) especially happy.
• Wǒ gāngcái tīngdào shǒujī xiǎng le.
  我刚才听到手机响了。
  I just-now hear cellphone ring.
  I just-now heard my cell phone (has) rang.

14.

饺子 jiǎozi

n. ▸ dumpling

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ huì bu huì bāo jiǎozi?
  你会不会包饺子？
  You know-how-to-not-know-how-to wrap dumplings?
  (Do) you know-how-to make dumplings?
• Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme xiànr de jiǎozi?
  你喜欢吃什么馅儿的饺子？
  You like eat what filling -de- dumplings?
  What filling’s dumplings (do) you like eating?

15.

清楚 qīngchu

adj. ▸ clear

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ tīng de qīngchu wǒ shuōhuà ma?
  你听得清楚我说话吗？
  You listen -de- clear I speak -ma?
  Are you able-to hear-clear I speak?
• Lǎoshī de fāyīn tèbié qīngchu.
  老师的发音特别清楚。
  Teacher -de- pronunciation especially clear.
  (The) teacher’s pronunciation (is) especially clear.

16.

宿舍 sùshè

n. ▸ dormitory building; dormitory room

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zhù zài xuéxiào de liúxuéshēng sùshè li.
  我住在学校的留学生宿舍里。
  I live “zai” school -de- overseas-student dormitory-inside.
  I live in (the) school’s overseas-student dormitory-inside.
• Sùshè li yǒu kōngtiáo hé xǐyījī ma?
  宿舍里有空调和洗衣机吗？
  Dormitory-inside “exist” air-conditioner and washing-machine -ma?
  (Does the) dormitory “exist” air-conditioner and washing-machine?

17.

走路 zǒulù

v. ▸ to walk

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ měitiān zǒulù qù shàngbān.
  我每天走路去上班。
  I every day walk go to work.
  I every day walk to go to work.
• Zǒulù qù dìtiězhàn zhǐyào èrshí fēnzhōng.
  走路去地铁站只要二十分钟。
  Walk go to subway-station only need 20 minutes.
  Walking to go to (the) subway-station only takes 20 minutes.

18.

刮风 kuā fēng

v. phr. ▸ to blow wind

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Guā fēng le, yīfu dōu shōu jìnlai le ma?
  刮风了，衣服都收进来了吗？
  Blow-wind -le, clothes all put-away enter-come -le -ma?
  (It has) blown-wind (already), (has the) clothes all (been) put-away-(and-put-)inside?
• Wàimiàn yòu guā fēng, yòu xià yǔ, tài lěng le!
  外面又刮风，又下雨，太冷了！
  Outside -you- blow-wind, -you- go-down wind, too cold -le!
  Outside (it) blows-wind, (and also) goes-down rain, (it is) too cold!

19.

快乐 kuàilè

adj. ▸ happy

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ kuàilè ma?
  你快乐吗？
  You happy -ma?
  (Are) you happy?
• Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè!
  祝你生日快乐！
  Wish you birthday happy!
  Wish you happy birthday!

20.

伤心 shāngxīn

adj. ▸ feeling sad because of misfortune or disappointment

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Bié shāngxīn, yíqiè dōu huì hǎo qǐlai de!
  别伤心，一切都会好起来的！
  Not sad, everything all will good-“qilai” -de!
  (Do) not (be) sad, everything all will get-better (indeed)!
• Kàndào nǐ shāngxīn, wǒ yě hěn nánguò.
  看到你伤心，我也很难过。
  See you sad, I also very feeling-bad.
  (I) see you (are) sad, (and) I also (am) very feeling-bad.