Chinese · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 8 of 12
Plans and invitations
周末有空吗？Zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?
Make plans in Chinese: say what you're going to do with 打算, suggest things with 吧 and 怎么样, say no politely and move a meeting time.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about plans with 打算 (dǎsuan), 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng)
- Suggest something with 吧 (ba), 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) and 要不 (yàobù)
- Say no politely and suggest another time
- Arrange where and when to meet
Listen
In Guangzhou, Ye Qing invites her friend Han Bo to a concert. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Ye Qing
韩博，你这个周末有空吗？
Hán Bó, nǐ zhège zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?
Han Bo, are you free this weekend?
Han Bo
星期六有空。你打算做什么？
Xīngqīliù yǒu kòng. Nǐ dǎsuan zuò shénme?
I'm free on Saturday. What are you planning to do?
Ye Qing
我有两张演唱会的票，星期六晚上七点。你想跟我一起去吗？
Wǒ yǒu liǎng zhāng yǎnchànghuì de piào, xīngqīliù wǎnshang qī diǎn. Nǐ xiǎng gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù ma?
I've got two tickets for a concert, Saturday at seven in the evening. Would you like to come with me?
Han Bo
好啊！在哪儿？
Hǎo a! Zài nǎr?
I'd love to. Where is it?
Ye Qing
在天河体育中心。我们六点在门口见面，怎么样？
Zài Tiānhé Tǐyù Zhōngxīn. Wǒmen liù diǎn zài ménkǒu jiànmiàn, zěnmeyàng?
At the Tianhe Sports Centre. How about meeting at the entrance at six?
Han Bo
六点恐怕不行，我下午要加班。要不改到六点半？
Liù diǎn kǒngpà bù xíng, wǒ xiàwǔ yào jiābān. Yàobù gǎi dào liù diǎn bàn?
I'm afraid six won't work, I have to work overtime that afternoon. How about half past six instead?
Ye Qing
没问题。那我们约六点半，在门口见面。
Méi wèntí. Nà wǒmen yuē liù diǎn bàn, zài ménkǒu jiànmiàn.
No problem. So we'll meet at half past six at the entrance.
Han Bo
好。星期天早上我们一起去喝早茶，怎么样？
Hǎo. Xīngqītiān zǎoshang wǒmen yìqǐ qù hē zǎochá, zěnmeyàng?
Good. And how about going for dim sum together on Sunday morning?
Ye Qing
不好意思，星期天我要去我爸妈家。下次吧。
Bù hǎoyìsi, xīngqītiān wǒ yào qù wǒ bàmā jiā. Xià cì ba.
Sorry, on Sunday I'm going to my parents' place. Maybe next time.
Han Bo
好，那下个周末怎么样？
Hǎo, nà xià ge zhōumò zěnmeyàng?
OK. How about next weekend, then?
Ye Qing
下个周末可以。那星期六晚上，门口见。
Xià ge zhōumò kěyǐ. Nà xīngqīliù wǎnshang, ménkǒu jiàn.
Next weekend is fine. So, see you at the entrance on Saturday evening.
Han Bo
不见不散！
Bú jiàn bú sàn!
See you there!
Understand
Plans: 打算, 要, 想
Chinese talks about the future with a time word and the verb as it is. To show it's a plan, put one of these before the verb: (dǎsuan), to plan to; (yào), to be going to, to have to (a firm plan); (xiǎng), to want to, would like to.
The time word comes at the start or after the person, as always: (xīngqītiān wǒ yào qù wǒ bàmā jiā), on Sunday I'm going to my parents'. (gēn… yìqǐ) means “together with…”: (gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù), go with me.
| Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Nǐ dǎsuan zuò shénme?) | What are you planning to do? |
| (Wǒ xiàwǔ yào jiābān.) | I have to work overtime this afternoon. |
| (Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yìqǐ qù.) | I'd like to go with you. |
| (Xià ge yuè wǒ dǎsuan qù Běijīng.) | Next month I'm planning to go to Beijing. |
Let's…, how about…?
Three ways to suggest something: (ba) at the end means “let's”: (wǒmen yìqǐ qù ba), let's go together. (zěnmeyàng?) at the end asks “how about…?”: (liù diǎn jiànmiàn, zěnmeyàng?), how about meeting at six?
(yàobù) at the start suggests something else, “or how about…”: (Yàobù gǎi dào liù diǎn bàn?) How about half past six instead? (gǎi dào) + a time means “to move to”.
- 我们去喝早茶吧。Wǒmen qù hē zǎochá ba.Let's go for dim sum.
- 星期天怎么样？Xīngqītiān zěnmeyàng?How about Sunday?
- 要不我们改到下个周末？Yàobù wǒmen gǎi dào xià ge zhōumò?How about moving it to next weekend?
Saying yes, saying no
To accept: (hǎo a), (méi wèntí), no problem, or (kěyǐ), that works. To say no politely, start with (bù hǎoyìsi), sorry, or (kǒngpà bù xíng), I'm afraid I can't, and give a reason. (xià cì ba), maybe next time, closes it kindly.
When you've agreed a time and place, friends often say (bú jiàn bú sàn), literally “we won't leave until we've seen each other”: see you there, I'll wait for you.
More in the grammar: Verb + object words (离合词) · Talking about the future
New words
- 打算dǎsuanto plan to; plan
- 演唱会yǎnchànghuìconcert (pop music)
- 票piàoticket · measure word (zhāng): (liǎng zhāng piào), two tickets
- 跟gēnwith · (gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù), go with me
- 门口ménkǒuentrance, doorway · (mén), door, gate + (kǒu), opening
- 见面jiànmiànto meet (up) · (zài ménkǒu jiànmiàn), meet at the entrance
- 怎么样？zěnmeyàng?how about…?; how is it? · at the end of a suggestion
- 恐怕kǒngpàI'm afraid (that) · (kǒngpà bù xíng), I'm afraid I can't
- 要不yàobùhow about…, or else · to suggest something else
- 改gǎito change · (gǎi dào liù diǎn bàn), move it to half past six
- 没问题méi wèntíno problem
- 约yuēto arrange (to meet) · (wǒmen yuē liù diǎn bàn), let's say half past six
- 下次xià cìnext time · (xià cì ba), maybe next time
- 不见不散bú jiàn bú sànsee you there (I'll wait for you)
Practise
1.A friend invites you, but you have to work. What's the polite answer?
2.Match the Chinese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.Put the words in order: would you like to go with me?
Tap the words below in the right order.Would you like to go with me?
4.You want to move the meeting to seven. What do you say?
5.Put the words in order: how about meeting at the entrance?
Tap the words below in the right order.How about meeting at the entrance?
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
你这个周末有空吗？
Nǐ zhège zhōumò yǒu kòng ma?
Are you free this weekend?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.