Lesson 1: Asking About Time and Plans

时间

Learn how to use 现在, time points, 了, 今天是, 月, 号, and 星期 through the topic of time and dates.

14 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~14 min

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Vocabulary14 words

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.

不bùAdverb

not, nonegates an action or quality in the present or future

Examples

我不去。

wǒbùqù.

I am not going.

他不是老师。

tābùshìlǎoshī.

He is not a teacher.

点diǎnNoun

o'clock (in telling time)a unit for measuring time, usually used with a number or 'how many'

Examples

三点钟。

sāndiǎnzhōng。

Three o'clock.

你几点起？

nǐjǐdiǎnqǐ？

What time do you get up?

号hàoNoun

(day of the month)More common than its formal equivalent in everyday speech.

Examples

五号。

wǔhào。

The fifth.

今天几号？

jīntiānjǐhào？

What's the date today?

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.

吗maParticle

a question particle (turns a statement into a yes/no question)Placed at the end of a sentence to turn a statement into a question.

Examples

你好吗?

nǐhǎoma?

How are you?

没méiAdverb

not, did not, have notNegates a state or an action that has already happened.

Examples

我没去。

wǒméiqù。

I did not go.

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.

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.

星期xīngqīNoun

weekA unit of time.

Examples

星期一。

xīngqīyī。

Monday.

下星期。

xiàxīngqī。

Next week.

休息xiūxiVerb

to rest

Examples

我休息一下。

wǒxiūxiyíxià。

I'll rest for a while.

有yǒuVerb

to have; there isThe negative form uses (méiyǒu) or (méi).

Examples

我有书。

wǒyǒushū。

I have a book.

月yuèNoun

monthA unit of time.

Examples

五月。

wǔyuè。

May.

这个月。

zhègeyuè。

This month.

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.

现在是上午十点半了。

xiànzàishìshàngwǔshídiǎnbànle。

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 is' (today is) together with words for month '月', day '号', or day of the week '星期' to talk about the current date. You can use '不' to make it negative.

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 named Linh and Nam are talking in the morning.

Linh

现在几点了？

xiànzàijǐdiǎnle？

What time is it now?

Nam

现在九点半了。今天是星期六。

xiànzàijiǔdiǎnbànle。jīntiānshìxīngqīliù。

It is half past nine now. Today is Saturday.

Linh

上午你有课吗？

shàngwǔnǐyǒukèma？

Do you have class this morning?

Nam

我没有课，我想休息一下。

wǒméiyǒukè，wǒxiǎngxiūxiyíxià。

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

Linh

太好了！下午我们休息两小时吧。

tàihǎole！xiàwǔwǒmenxiūxiliǎngxiǎoshíba。

Wonderful! Let's rest for two hours this afternoon.

Nam

好的。今天是五月二十号，不忙。

hǎode。jīntiānshìwǔyuèèrshíhào，bùmáng。

Okay. Today is May twentieth, not busy.