Lesson 6: Directions and Surroundings

左右前后

Learn A + 离 + B + 远/近 and 在 + 方位词 through Directions and Surroundings.

4 words3 grammar points1 dialogues~12 min

Vocabulary4 words

机场chǎngNoun
  • airport

Examples

我去机场。

chǎng

I am going to the airport.

右边yòubianNoun
  • right side; the rightRefers to the right-hand side of the speaker or of the object mentioned.

Examples

银行在右边。

yínhángzàiyòubian

The bank is on the right.

中间zhōngjiānNoun
  • middle; in the centerRefers to a central position or the time between two events.

Examples

书在桌子中间。

shūzàizhuōzizhōngjiān

The book is in the middle of the table.

左边zuǒbianNoun
  • left side; the leftRefers to the left-hand side of the speaker or of the object mentioned.

Examples

图书馆在左边。

shūguǎnzàizuǒbian

The library is on the left.

Grammar

Asking About the Distance Between Two Places

Địa điểm A + 离 + Địa điểm B + 远/近

"离" marks distance from a reference point (it does not mean "far"; "far" is 远).

机场离火车站远吗?

chǎnghuǒchēzhànyuǎnma

Is the airport far from the train station?

我家离车站不远。

jiāchēzhànyuǎn

My home isn't far from the station.

Describing the Location of a Thing or Person

... 在 + Địa điểm tham chiếu + 方位词 (前面/后面/旁边/中间/左边/右边)

Used to specify the location of a thing or person relative to another reference point. '在' means 'at'. Direction words 方位词 such as '前面' (in front), '旁边' (next to), and '中间' (in the middle) are placed after the reference location.

车站在商店的旁边。

chēzhànzàishāngdiàndepángbiān

The station is next to the shop.

车在我的前面。

chēzàideqiánmiàn

The car is in front of me.

The preposition 从 (from)

从 + 地点/时间 + 动词

从 (cóng) marks where or when an action starts. The 从 + place phrase always comes before the main verb.

我从火车站来。

cónghuǒchēzhànlái

I’ve come from the train station.

他从家里去机场。

cóngjiālichǎng

He goes to the airport from home.

Dialogues

Asking the Way to the Station

A passerby asks Xiao Lin the way to the bus station.

路人
路人

你好,请问车站在哪儿?

hǎoqǐngwènchēzhànzàinǎr

Hello, excuse me, where is the bus station?

小林
小林

车站离这里不太远。你从这条路走。

chēzhànzhèlitàiyuǎncóngzhètiáozǒu

The station isn't far from here. Take this road.

路人
路人

是在前面吗?

shìzàiqiánmiànma

Is it up ahead?

小林
小林

对,车站就在前面,商店的旁边。

duìchēzhànjiùzàiqiánmiànshāngdiàndepángbiān

Right, the station is just ahead, next to the shop.

路人
路人

谢谢!那旁边有火车站吗?

xièxiepángbiānyǒuhuǒchēzhànma

Thank you! Is there a train station nearby?

小林
小林

有,火车站就在车站的左边。不远。

yǒuhuǒchēzhànjiùzàichēzhàndezuǒbianyuǎn

Yes, the train station is just left of the bus station. Not far.

路人
路人

去机场也走这条路吗?

chǎngzǒuzhètiáoma

Do I take this road to the airport too?

小林
小林

不是。去机场要坐汽车。机场很远。

shìchǎngyàozuòchēchǎnghěnyuǎn

No. For the airport you need the bus — the airport is far.

路人
路人

商店在火车站和车站的中间吗?

shāngdiànzàihuǒchēzhànchēzhàndezhōngjiānma

Is the shop between the train station and the bus station?

小林
小林

对。火车站在左边,车站在右边,商店在中间。

duìhuǒchēzhànzàizuǒbianchēzhànzàiyòubianshāngdiànzàizhōngjiān

Right. The train station is on the left, the bus station on the right, and the shop in the middle.