Beginner Season 2
This pathway focuses on the conversation skills you need for daily life in China.
Beginner

Curriculum

Beginner Season 2

Season 2 of the Beginner series will teach you beginner level Chinese to help you live in China. You’ll learn how to get through customs, get online, ask for a date and more! The situations presented in this season focus on the daily activities that you’ll face while living or traveling through China. You’ll also learn cultural tips that will help you avoid common mistakes made by students.

Lesson Title Topic Function Conversation in target language Cultural Insight Vocabulary Expressions Grammar
1 Enter the Traveller airport custom going through custom 我的护照。
签证在哪儿?
在这儿。
谢谢!
types of visas 护照,签证,海关,签字,哪儿,这儿,那儿,谢谢 签证在哪儿?
Where is your visa?
Here, There and Where
2 Can you eat spicy chinese food? hungry going out to eat 我很饿。
我也饿了。
我们吃什么?
吃四川菜吧。
Real Chinese Food 饿,饱,食物,饭店,四川菜,东北菜,广东菜,新疆菜 我很饿
"I'm very hungry."
(Subject) + 很 "very" + (Adjective)
3 let:s light this chinese firecracker celebration fireworks 那些是什么?
我买的花。
你又买了?
对,还有一些鞭炮。
Chinese New Year 春节,除夕,电视,花,鞭炮,饺子,家,年夜饭 那些是什么?
"What are those?"
these and those
4 What's your chinese sign? blessing wish someone a happy holiday 新年快乐!
你属什么?
我属老虎。
我们一样!
The Chinese Calendar 新年快乐,属,岁,虎,兔,龙,蛇,生日 新年快乐!
"Happy New Year!"
holiday/activity + 快乐 "happy"
5 the tastiest drink in china drinks requesting for something 你想喝什么?
可乐。
要冰吗?
随便。
Chinese Beverages 喝,冰,果汁,水,茶,雪碧,啤酒,咖啡,可乐,随便 你想喝什么?
"What do you want to drink?"
(Subject) + 想 "want" + (Simple Verb) + (Object)
6 the hunt for wireless internet in china internet going online 你们有wifi吗?
有。
密码多少?
34567.
Late Night Internet Cafe 网络,网吧,密码,笔记本,电脑,电子邮件,传真机,电话 你们有wifi吗?
"Do you have wireless?"
(Subject) + 有 "to have" + (Object)
7 the elusive chinese toilet asking for restroom inquiry 你们有洗手间吗?

在哪儿
在二层。
The Wash Closet 有,洗手间,在,层 你们有洗手间吗?
"Do you have a bathroom?"
(Subject) + 有 "to have" + (Object)
8 ist that your boyfriend? inviting someone to the movie dating 你有男朋友吗?
没有。
嗯,你想去看电影吗?
嗯,好的。
Chinese Love Connection 电影
喝咖啡
买东西自信
单身
没有。
"No, I don't."
(Subject) + 没有 "not to have" + (Object)
9 a trip to the cinema Let's go making suggestions 我们走吧。
去哪儿?
去看电影!
哦,对,快走吧。
Movie Madness 电影,去,哪儿,看 快走吧。
"Hurry up."
(action verb) + 吧 "(modal particle)"
(sentence) + 吧 "(modal particle)"
10 the early chinese customer time asking when 你们什么时候开门?
九点。
现在几点?
八点。
Nap Time! 什么时候, 几点, 现在,关门, 开门, 小时,分钟, 你们什么时候开门?
"When do you open?"
(subject) + 什么时候 "when" + (verb object)
11 paying the bill money, change, units of currency asking how much 服务员,多少钱?
50块。
给你50。
整好。
Money, Money, Money! 服务员, 多少, 钱, 整好, 给, 块, 毛 服务员,多少钱?
"Waiter, how much money?"
多 少, duōshǎo ("how many," or "how much") is a compound of the words 多 (duō) and 少 (shǎo), meaning "many" and "few," or "much" and "little," respectively.
12 patiently waiting in china time frame asking how long 还有多长时间?
半个小时。
那么长?
差不多半个小时。
Many Friends, One Bill 时间,半,多长,差不多,等,排队,那么, 还有多长时间?
"How much longer?"
多长 "how long" can refer to the length of time or space.
13 my mouth is on fire too much expressing excessiveness 服务员,我要一瓶水。
我也要一瓶。
串儿太辣了。
也非常好吃。
Chinese Hot Pot Luck 串, 瓶, 水, 也, 辣, 非常, 太, 矿泉水, 好吃 这个串儿太辣了!
"This kebab is so spicy!"
use 太...了 (tài ...le) to modify adjectives, certain verbs, auxiliary verbs, and phrases, meaning "too" or "excessively."
14 hard of hearing in the living room sound turn down the volue 小声点儿
什么?
我说
什么,我听不见
电视!小声点儿.
Chinese Cacophony 大声,小声,声音, 听不见,看不见,吵,电视 什 么?我听不见。
"What? I can't hear you."
(Verb) + 不 "not" + (verb/adjective)
15 credit cards in china credit card purchasing with credit card 可以刷卡吗?
可以。是信用卡吗?
对,国际信用卡。
哦,不可以。国际信用卡不可以。
Frugal Spending in China 可以,刷卡,信用卡,国际,现金,密码,ATM机 可以刷卡吗?
"Can I use my bankcard?"
(subject) + 可以 "can" + (verb)
(subject) + 可以 "can" + (preposition) + (verb)
16 the most expensive dvd in china bargain power bargaining DVD多少钱?
8块
8块?太贵了!
你想付多少?
6块
7块怎么样?
Chinese DVDs – Pricey! 多少钱,块、贵、便宜、想、付 你想付多少?
"How much do you want to pay?"
想 "to want to" + (verb) + (objective)
17 the chinese inconvenience store convenience store asking what is available 你们有烟吗?
没有。
你们有啤酒吗?
没有
你们有什么?
有方便面。
The Chinese 7-11 烟、啤酒、方便面、牛奶、可乐、冰红茶、冰绿茶、果汁、土豆片 你们有烟吗?
"Do you have any cigarettes?"
review of 有 "to have",没有 "not to have"
18 the cute chinese cat pet asking for the name 你的猫真可爱,她叫什么?
她叫咪咪。
咪咪,过来。
n/a 猫,狗,金鱼,小猫,小狗,可爱,淘气,乖 她叫什么?
"What is her name?"
review of 叫 "to be called"
19 signing up for chinese classes registration registering 我要注册。
好,在这儿签字。
哪儿?
这儿。
好,现在呢?
交费。500块钱。
Chinese Registration 注册、签字、交费、填单子 在这儿签字
"Sign your name here."
在 "at" + 这儿 "here"、那儿 "there"、哪儿 "where"、上面 "on top of"、下面 "under" to form prep. phrases
20 chinese lover's quarrel apology being late 不好意思,我迟到了。
没事。
你带钥匙了吗
哦,我忘了!
A Chinese Apology 不好意思,迟到,没事,带,钥匙,忘,对不起,没关系 我忘了
"I forgot."
to show the emergence of a new situation:
adj. +了
v + 了
v+object+t了
21 the missing boyfriend boyfriend and girlfriend indicating frequency 他在哪儿?
谁?
你男朋友。
哦,他经常迟到,我们先点吧。
Ordering at restaurant 谁,男朋友,女朋友,经常,帅,浪漫,可爱,酷,先,点 他经常迟到
"He's usually late."
经常 "often" is used to mean something happens in a high frequency. It is an adverb so we use it before a verb.
22 the chinese professional professions asking about professions 你做什么工作?
我是老师
你教什么?
我教数学和体育。
Working or studying in China? 做,工作,老师,教,数学,体育,工程师,经理 你教什么?
"What do you teach?"
(subject) + (verb) +什么 "what"
23 the cheapest way to travel in china transportation getting around town 我们怎么去?
坐出租车吧?
出租车太贵了。
地铁呢?
好。
Getting Around a Chinese City 坐,出租车,地铁,公交车,开车,自行车,走路 我们怎么去?
"How are we going to get there?"
怎么 "how" + (verb)
24 the chinese currency exchange currency exchanging foreign currency 我能换钱吗?
你要换美元?

换成人民币?

换多少?
400美元
没问题
Chinese Currency 换钱,换,换成,美元,人民币,存,取,办 换成人民币?
"Change into Renminbi?
(verb) + 成 "to complete" + (object)
action into / the object is what you want to get after the action
25 caught red handed phone conversation exclusiveness 喂,Chris在吗?
您是?
我是他女朋友
你打错了
打错了?不可能!
这里只有我老公叫Chris.
Wireless Tech in China 喂,在,找,打错了,打不通,没电了,信号 这里只有我老公叫 Chris.
"The only person here by the name of Chris is my husband."
"Only to have" 只有 is an adv phrase. means only, you can look at it as 只+有.