Making Requests in Chinese - Exercises

Lesson Transcript

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

"Move the chair over there."

把椅子(pause with a tap of the finger)到那边去。 (Bǎ yǐzi (pause with a tap of the finger) dào nàbian qù.)

搬 (bān)

把椅子搬到那边去。 (Bǎ yǐzi bān dào nàbian qù.)

"Move the chair over there."

We use 搬 (bān) here because it means "to move something from one place to another," which fits this sentence about relocating a chair.

We don't use 跑 (pǎo) here because that means "to run," which doesn't apply to an object. We also don't use 游 (yóu), which means "to swim."

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

"Put this book back on the bookshelf."

把这本书(pause with a tap of the finger)回书架上。 (Bǎ zhè běn shū (pause with a tap of the finger) huí shūjià shang.)

放 (fàng)

把这本书放回书架上。 (Bǎ zhè běn shū fàng huí shūjià shang.)

"Put this book back on the bookshelf."

We use 放 (fàng) because it means "to put" or "to place," and here we're talking about putting a book back on the shelf.

穿 (chuān) means "to wear" and is used for clothing, so it doesn't make sense here. 跳 (tiào) means "to jump" and doesn't fit the context either.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

"Close the door properly before leaving."

把门(pause with a tap of the finger)好再走。 (Bǎ mén (pause with a tap of the finger) hǎo zài zǒu.)

关 (guān)

把门关好再走。 (Bǎ mén guān hǎo zài zǒu.)

"Close the door properly before leaving."

We use 关 (guān) because it means "to close," and we're telling someone to close the door properly before leaving.

唱 (chàng) means "to sing," and 学 (xué) means "to study" — neither of those actions works with the object "door," so they are incorrect choices in this context.

Unscramble the words to make a sentence.

Ready?

别 (Bié)

别在 (Bié zài)

别在教室里 (Bié zài jiàoshì li)

别在教室里吃 (Bié zài jiàoshì li chī)

别在教室里吃东西。 (Bié zài jiàoshì li chī dōngxi.)

"Don't eat in the classroom."

别在教室里吃东西。 (Bié zài jiàoshì li chī dōngxi.)

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

"Don't throw the toys on the floor."

别把玩具(说 or 丢)在地上。 (Bié bǎ wánjù (shuō or diū) zài dìshang.)

丢 (diū)

别把玩具丢在地上。 (Bié bǎ wánjù diū zài dìshang.)

"Don't throw the toys on the floor."

We use 丢 (diū) here because it means "to throw" or "to toss away," which makes sense when talking about toys being thrown on the ground.

说 (shuō) means "to speak" or "to say."

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

"Hang the clothes behind the door."

把衣服(挂 or 跑)在门后面。 (Bǎ yīfu (guà or pǎo) zài mén hòumian.)

挂 (guà)

把衣服挂在门后面。 (Bǎ yīfu guà zài mén hòumian.)

"Hang the clothes behind the door."

We use 挂 (guà) here because it means "to hang," which fits when you're placing clothing 衣服 (yīfu) on a hook or rod behind a door 门后面 (mén hòumian).

跑 (pǎo) means "to run."

Let's translate some sentences into Chinese.

Translate "Take the trash out." into Chinese.

把 (bǎ) is a structural particle used to emphasize the object being acted on,

followed by

垃圾 (lājī) is the object, meaning "trash,"

带出去 (dài chūqù) is the verb phrase meaning "take out," where 带 (dài) means "to carry" and 出去 (chūqù) means "out."

把垃圾带出去。 (Bǎ lājī dài chūqù.)

"Take the trash out.

Translate "Don't talk in the library." into Chinese.

别 (bié) is the negative imperative marker, meaning "don't,"

followed by

在图书馆 (zài túshūguǎn) is a location phrase meaning "in the library,"

说话 (shuōhuà) is the verb meaning "to speak" or "to talk."

别在图书馆说话。 (Bié zài túshūguǎn shuōhuà.)

"Don't talk in the library.

Translate "Don't forget to bring your student ID." into Chinese.

别 (bié) is the negative imperative, meaning "don't,"

followed by

忘了 (wàng le) is a verb phrase meaning "forgot" or "forget," with 了 (le) indicating a completed action,

带 (dài) is the verb meaning "to bring,"

followed by

你的学生证 (nǐ de xuéshēngzhèng) is the object phrase meaning "your student ID."

别忘了带你的学生证。 (Bié wàng le dài nǐ de xuéshēngzhèng.)

"Don't forget to bring your student ID.

Listen to me as I speak. Which grammar pattern do you hear in these sentences?

把椅子搬到那边去。 (Bǎ yǐzi bān dào nàbian qù.)

Let's listen one more time.

把椅子搬到那边去。 (Bǎ yǐzi bān dào nàbian qù.)

Did you catch 把 (bǎ)?

把, meaning "to take (an object and do something with it)," moves the object before the verb.

In this case, the object is 椅子 (yǐzi) – the chair – and the action is moving it to 那边 (nàbian) — over there.

How about...?

别在教室里吃东西。 (Bié zài jiàoshì li chī dōngxi.)

Let's listen one more time.

别在教室里吃东西。 (Bié zài jiàoshì li chī dōngxi.)

Did you hear 别 (bié)?

别 is used here to give a negative command. It means "don't."

The speaker is saying: Don't eat food in the classroom — 教室里 (jiàoshì li).

Next…

别把玩具丢在地上。 (Bié bǎ wánjù diū zài dìshang.)

One more time.

别把玩具丢在地上。 (Bié bǎ wánjù diū zài dìshang.)

Can you spot both patterns?

We have 别 (bié) for "don't," and 把 (bǎ) to move the object 玩具 (wánjù) — toy — before the verb 丢 (diū) — throw.

Altogether: "Don't throw the toy on the floor."

And...

把垃圾带出去。 (Bǎ lājī dài chūqù.)

One more time.

把垃圾带出去。 (Bǎ lājī dài chūqù.)

Did you catch 把 (bǎ) again?

We use it to shift the object 垃圾 (lājī) — trash — before the action 带出去 (dài chūqù) — take out.

This sentence tells someone to take the trash out.

Thank you for watching.

Now you know how to give clear instructions and requests in Chinese.

...and now you can move on to the next lesson in the pathway.

再见。(Zàijiàn.)

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