Lesson 4: At the Restaurant (3/3)

在饭店

Learn 想/要 + 动词 and 会/能 + 动词 through At the Restaurant (3/3).

10 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~14 min

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Vocabulary10 words

会huìVerb

1.to know how to; canRefers to a skill that can be learned.
2.will (indicating likelihood in the future)
3.meeting; gathering; associatione.g. 开会 (to have a meeting), 会议 (conference), 晚会 (evening party)

Examples

我会说中文。

wǒhuìshuōzhōngwén。

I can speak Chinese.

明天我会来。

míngtiānwǒhuìlái。

I will come tomorrow.

能néngVerb

1.can, to be able toIndicates ability or permission.
2.to know how to (do something)In the context of a skill.

Examples

我现在能吃饭了。

wǒxiànzàinéngchīfànle。

Now I can eat.

你能说中文吗？

nǐnéngshuōzhōngwénma？

Can you speak Chinese?

饭店fàndiànNoun

1.restaurant
2.hotelIn some contexts, 'hotel' can also refer to a large restaurant.

Examples

我们在饭店。

wǒmenzàifàndiàn。

We are at the restaurant.

唱歌chànggēVerb

to sing

Examples

我喜欢唱歌。

wǒxǐhuanchànggē。

I like to sing.

电影diànyǐngNoun

1.movie, film
2.a movie

Examples

我喜欢看电影。

wǒxǐhuankàndiànyǐng。

I like to watch movies.

这个电影很好。

zhègediànyǐnghěnhǎo。

This movie is very good.

歌gēNoun

1.song
2.to sing

Examples

我喜欢这首歌。

wǒxǐhuanzhèshǒugē。

I like this song.

她歌唱得很好。

tāgēchàngdehěnhǎo。

She sings very well.

饭fànNoun

1.cooked rice
2.meal
3.food, dish

Examples

我吃饭。

wǒchīfàn。

I eat rice.

你想吃什么饭？

nǐxiǎngchīshénmefàn？

What food do you want to eat?

请问qǐngwènPhrase

excuse me, may I askA polite way to begin a question.

Examples

请问，洗手间在哪？

qǐngwèn，xǐshǒujiānzàinǎ？

Excuse me, where is the restroom?

听tīngVerb

to listenused for sounds, music, lectures, etc.

Examples

听音乐。

tīngyīnyuè。

Listen to music.

听我说。

tīngwǒshuō。

Listen to me.

晚上wǎnshàngNoun

evening, nightroughly from sunset until late night

Examples

晚上见。

wǎnshàngjiàn。

See you in the evening.

Grammar

Wanting / going to do something (要)

S + 想/要 + 动词

Use 想 or 要 before a verb to say you want to or are going to do something; 要 carries a stronger 'will/need' nuance than 想.

我想看电影。

wǒxiǎngkàndiànyǐng。

I want to watch a movie.

他要吃饭。

tāyàochīfàn。

He wants to eat.

Knowing How To or Being Able To Do Something

S + 会/能 + 动词

会 is used to talk about a learned skill (knowing how to do something). 能 is used to talk about physical ability or permission (being able to do something). Both are placed before the verb.

我会唱歌。

wǒhuìchànggē。

I can sing.

你能唱歌吗？

nǐnéngchànggēma？

Can you sing?

Dialogues

At the Restaurant

Xiao Ming and Xiao Lin are at a restaurant, talking with the waiter.

服务

服务员

两个人想吃什么？

liǎnggèrénxiǎngchīshénme？

What would you two like to eat?

小明

我要一个菜，你呢？

wǒyàoyígècài，nǐne？

I'll have one dish. What about you?

小林

我想吃肉。请问，这里能听歌吗？

wǒxiǎngchīròu。qǐngwèn，zhèlinéngtīnggēma？

I’d like meat. Excuse me, can we listen to music here?

服务

服务员

能，我们饭店晚上有歌。

néng，wǒmenfàndiànwǎnshàngyǒugē。

Yes, our restaurant has live music in the evening.

小明

太好了！吃了饭，我们去看电影吧？

tàihǎole！chīlefàn，wǒmenqùkàndiànyǐngba？

Great! After we eat, shall we go to a film?

小林

好啊！看了电影，我们去唱歌吧，我很会唱歌！

hǎoa！kànlediànyǐng，wǒmenqùchànggēba，wǒhěnhuìchànggē！

Sure! After the film let’s go singing — I’m good at it!