Lesson 1: Asking About Time and Plans

时间

Learn 现在 + 时间点 + 了 and 今天是 + 月/号/星期 through Asking About Time and Plans.

9 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~14 min

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Vocabulary9 words

现在xiànzàiNoun

nowcan be used as an adverb or a noun

Examples

现在几点？

xiànzàijǐdiǎn？

What time is it now?

我现在去。

wǒxiànzàiqù。

I'm going now.

小时xiǎoshíNoun

hour (unit of time)refers to the unit of an hour, not a time of day

Examples

八小时。

bāxiǎoshí。

Eight hours.

工作八小时。

gōngzuòbāxiǎoshí。

Work eight hours.

半bànNumeral

1.half
2.half (used after a number)
3.semi-, half- (prefix meaning 'half')

Examples

现在是两点半。

xiànzàishìliǎngdiǎnbàn。

It is now half past two.

我吃了半个苹果。

wǒchīlebàngèpíngguǒ。

I ate half an apple.

号hàoNoun

1.(day of the month)More common than its formal equivalent in everyday speech.
2.numbere.g. 号码 (number), 电话号 (phone number), 房间号 (room number)

Examples

五号。

wǔhào。

The fifth.

今天几号？

jīntiānjǐhào？

What's the date today?

星期xīngqīNoun

weekA unit of time.

Examples

星期一。

xīngqīyī。

Monday.

下星期。

xiàxīngqī。

Next week.

月yuèNoun

monthA unit of time.

Examples

五月。

wǔyuè。

May.

这个月。

zhègeyuè。

This month.

课kèNoun

lesson; classCan refer to a class period or a subject.

Examples

今天有两节课。

jīntiānyǒuliǎngjiékè。

There are two class periods today.

上午shàngwǔNoun

morning, forenoonthe time from morning until before noon

Examples

上午好。

shàngwǔhǎo。

Good morning.

上午九点。

shàngwǔjiǔdiǎn。

Nine in the morning.

下午xiàwǔNoun

afternoonusually refers to the time from noon until evening

Examples

下午好。

xiàwǔhǎo。

Good afternoon.

Grammar

Talking About the Current Time

现在 + 时间点 + 了

Use '现在' (now) together with a specific time and the particle '了' to talk about the current moment, emphasizing a change or announcing the time.

现在八点了。

xiànzàibādiǎnle。

It is eight o'clock now.

现在上午十点半了。

xiànzàishàngwǔshídiǎnbànle。

It is half past ten in the morning now.

Talking About Dates and Days of the Week

今天是 + 月/号/星期

Use '今天是' (today is) with a month '月', day '号', or weekday '星期' to state the date.

今天是五月十号。

jīntiānshìwǔyuèshíhào。

Today is May tenth.

今天不是星期一。

jīntiānbúshìxīngqīyī。

Today is not Monday.

Dialogues

Asking About Time and Plans

Two friends, Xiao Lin and Xiao Nan, are talking in the morning.

小林

现在几点了？

xiànzàijǐdiǎnle？

What time is it now?

小南

现在九点半了。今天是星期六。

xiànzàijiǔdiǎnbànle。jīntiānshìxīngqīliù。

It is half past nine now. Today is Saturday.

小林

上午你有课吗？

shàngwǔnǐyǒukèma？

Do you have class this morning?

小南

我没有课，我想休息一下。

wǒméiyǒukè，wǒxiǎngxiūxiyíxià。

I do not have class; I want to rest for a bit.

小林

太好了！今天是几月几号？

tàihǎole！jīntiānshìjǐyuèjǐhào？

Great! What's the date today?

小南

今天是五月二十号。下午我们一起去图书馆吧。

jīntiānshìwǔyuèèrshíhào。xiàwǔwǒmenyìqǐqùtúshūguǎnba。

Today is May 20th. Let's go to the library together this afternoon.