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Lesson 4: At the Restaurant (3/3)

在饭店

Learn how to use 想, 要, 会, and 能 through the topic of restaurants and hobbies.

11 words2 grammar points1 dialogues~14 min
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Vocabulary11 words

菜càiNoun
  • vegetablecan also mean a dish in general, but in HSK 1 it usually means 'vegetable'

Examples

这个菜好吃。

zhègecàihǎochī。

This dish is delicious.

我要买菜。

wǒyàomǎicài。

I want to buy vegetables.

唱歌chànggēVerb
  • to sing

Examples

我喜欢唱歌。

wǒxǐhuanchànggē。

I like to sing.

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.

会huìVerb
  • 1.to know how to; canRefers to a skill that can be learned.
  • 2.will (indicating likelihood in the future)

Examples

我会说中文。

wǒhuìshuōzhōngwén。

I can speak Chinese.

明天我会来。

míngtiānwǒhuìlái。

I will come tomorrow.

看kànVerb
  • to look; to watch; to readCan be used for watching TV, reading a book, or seeing someone.

Examples

看书。

kànshū。

Read a book.

看电视。

kàndiànshì。

Watch TV.

了liǎoParticle
  • marks a completed action or a change of situationUsed at the end of a sentence or after a verb.

Examples

我吃了。

wǒchīle。

I have eaten.

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

我能吃饭。

wǒnéngchīfàn。

I can eat.

你能说中文吗?

nǐnéngshuōzhōngwénma?

Can you speak Chinese?

喜欢xǐhuanVerb
  • to likeexpresses fondness or preference

Examples

我喜欢你。

wǒxǐhuannǐ。

I like you.

我喜欢看书。

wǒxǐhuankànshū。

I like reading.

想xiǎngVerb
  • to wantindicates a personal intention or wish

Examples

我想去中国。

wǒxiǎngqùzhōngguó。

I want to go to China.

我想喝茶。

wǒxiǎnghēchá。

I want to drink tea.

要yàoVerb
  • 1.to needIndicates an essential need or a request.
  • 2.to wantExpresses a stronger desire than (xiǎng).

Examples

我要一杯水。

wǒyàoyìbēishuǐ。

I want a glass of water.

我要学习。

wǒyàoxuéxí。

I want to study.

游泳yóuyǒngVerb
  • to swim

Examples

夏天我喜欢游泳。

xiàtiānwǒxǐhuanyóuyǒng。

I like to swim in summer.

Grammar

Wanting or Needing to Do Something

S + 想/要 + 动词

想 (want) and 要 (need) are placed before a verb to express the subject's wish or need.

我想看电影。

wǒxiǎngkàndiànyǐng。

I want to watch a movie.

他要吃饭。

tāyàochīfàn。

He needs 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.

我会游泳。

wǒhuìyóuyǒng。

I know how to swim.

你能唱歌吗？

nǐnéngchànggēma？

Can you sing?

Dialogues

At the Restaurant

Minh and Linh are at a restaurant, talking with the waiter.

服务
服务员

两位想吃什么？

liǎngwèixiǎngchīshénme？

What would the two of you like to eat?

Mi
Minh

我要一个菜，你呢？

wǒyàoyígècài，nǐne？

I would like one vegetable dish. What about you?

Li
Linh

我想吃鱼。服务员，这里能听音乐吗？

wǒxiǎngchīyú。fúwùyuán，zhèlǐnéngtīngyīnyuèma？

I want to eat fish. Waiter, can we listen to music here?

服务
服务员

可以，我们饭店晚上有音乐。

kěyǐ，wǒmenfàndiànwǎnshàngyǒuyīnyuè。

Yes, our restaurant has music in the evening.

Mi
Minh

太好了！吃完饭，我们去看电影吧？

tàihǎole！chīwánfàn，wǒmenqùkàndiànyǐngba？

Wonderful! After we eat, shall we go watch a movie?

Li
Linh

好啊，我会唱歌，但是不会游泳。

hǎoa，wǒhuìchànggē，dànshìbúhuìyóuyǒng。

Sure, I know how to sing, but I do not know how to swim.