Lesson 3: Apologies and Compliments

对不起

Learn 太 + 形容词 + 了 and 主语 + 要 + 动词 through Apologies and Compliments.

12 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~12 min

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Vocabulary12 words

休息xiūxiVerb

to rest

Examples

我休息一下。

wǒxiūxiyíxià。

I'll rest for a while.

今天jīntiānNoun

today

Examples

今天很热。

jīntiānhěnrè。

It is very hot today.

我们今天上课。

wǒmenjīntiānshàngkè。

We have class today.

送sòngVerb

1.to give, to present (a gift)
2.to see someone off
3.to send, to deliver (mail, goods)

Examples

我送你一本书。

wǒsòngnǐyìběnshū。

I'll give you a book.

我去送他。

wǒqùsòngtā。

I'm going to see him off.

还háiAdverb

1.still; yet
2.to return; to give back (pron. huán)

Examples

我还在学习。

wǒháizàixuéxí。

I am still studying.

请还我书。

qǐnghuánwǒshū。

Please give me back the book.

累lèiAdjective

tired

Examples

工作后我很累。

gōngzuòhòuwǒhěnlèi。

After work I am very tired.

真zhēnAdverb

1.really; truly
2.indeed; sure enough

Examples

这个真好看！

zhègezhēnhǎokàn！

This is really good-looking!

你是真的吗？

nǐshìzhēndema？

Are you for real?

吧baNoun

1.bar (a place serving drinks, internet, etc.)a loanword from the English 'bar'.
2.(onomatopoeia) a snap/click/tapping sound — used in the reduplicated 吧嗒 to describe the sound of puffing a pipe, not a standalone verb
3.(modal particle) softens suggestions/requests or marks suppositione.g. 我们走吧 (let's go), 好吧 (okay then), …吧? (…right?)

Examples

我们去酒吧喝东西。

wǒmenqùjiǔbāhēdōngxi。

Let's go to the bar for a drink.

他在吧嗒吧嗒地抽烟斗。

tāzàibādabādadechōuyāndòu。

He is puffing away on his pipe.

太tàiAdverb

too, excessivelyindicates a degree beyond the normal level

Examples

太好了！

tàihǎole！

That's great!

要yàoVerb

1.to needIndicates an essential need or a request.
2.to wantExpresses a stronger desire than (xiǎng).
3.will, be about toe.g. 要下雨了 (it's going to rain), 快要…了 (about to…)

Examples

我要一杯水。

wǒyàoyìbēishuǐ。

I want a glass of water.

我要学习。

wǒyàoxuéxí。

I want to study.

了leParticle

1.marks a completed action or a change of situationUsed at the end of a sentence or after a verb.
2.now (indicating a new change or new situation)

Examples

我吃了。

wǒchīle。

I have eaten.

天气冷了。

tiānqìlěngle。

The weather has turned cold.

多duōAdjective

1.many, muchan adjective indicating a large quantity
2.how (much)an adverb in questions such as 'how much'
3.more than, -odd (indicating a surplus)e.g. 二十多 (twenty-odd), 一个多小时 (over an hour)

Examples

人很多。

rénhěnduō。

There are a lot of people.

你多大？

nǐduōdà？

How old are you?

走zǒuVerb

1.to walk; to goOn foot.
2.to leaveTo depart from a place.

Examples

我们走。

wǒmenzǒu。

Let's go.

走路。

zǒulù。

to walk

Grammar

Too... (emphasizing degree)

S + 太 + 形容词 + 了

This structure is used to emphasize, praise, or complain about the degree of an adjective. It usually comes with '了' at the end of the sentence.

你的中文太好了！

nǐdezhōngwéntàihǎole！

Your Chinese is so good!

我今天太高兴了。

wǒjīntiāntàigāoxìngle。

I'm so happy today.

About to / planning to do something

主语 + 要 + 动词

'要' goes before the main verb to express an intention, a plan in the near future, or a change about to happen.

我现在要休息一下。

wǒxiànzàiyàoxiūxiyíxià。

I'm going to rest for a bit now.

明天我要送他一本书。

míngtiānwǒyàosòngtāyìběnshū。

Tomorrow I’ll give him a book.

Dialogues

Apologies and Compliments

Two friends, Xiao Lin and Xiao Nan, meet before class.

小林

对不起，小南，我来晚了。

duìbuqǐ，xiǎonán，wǒláiwǎnle。

Sorry, Xiao Nan, I'm late.

小南

没关系。你帮我太多了，今天还送我书。

méiguānxi。nǐbāngwǒtàiduōle，jīntiānháisòngwǒshū。

It’s nothing. You help me so much, and today you even gave me a book.

小林

你的中文太好了！

nǐdezhōngwéntàihǎole！

Your Chinese is so good!

小南

谢谢。你要多休息，别太累了。

xièxie。nǐyàoduōxiūxi，biétàilèile。

Thanks. You should rest more and not get too tired.

小林

好的。我们去学校吧。

hǎode。wǒmenqùxuéxiàoba。

OK. Let’s go to school.

小南

太好了！走吧！

tàihǎole！zǒuba！

Great! Let's go!