Saying What You Want in Chinese - Exercises

Practice saying what kind of thing you want in Chinese

Lesson Transcript

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

我想要(pause with a tap of the finger)的鞋子。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào (pause with a tap of the finger) de xiézi.)

绿色 (lǜsè)

我想要绿色的鞋子。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào lǜsè de xiézi.)

"I want green shoes."

We use 绿色 (lǜsè) in this sentence because it means "green" (lǜsè), which matches the object in the picture.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

我想要(pause with a tap of the finger)的猫。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào (pause with a tap of the finger) de māo.)

黑色 (hēisè)

我想要黑色的猫。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào hēisè de māo.)

"I want a black cat."

We use 黑色 (hēisè) in this sentence because it means "black" (hēisè), which matches the color of the cat in the picture.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

我想要(pause with a tap of the finger)的苹果。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào (pause with a tap of the finger) de píngguǒ.)

红色 (hóngsè)

我想要红色的苹果。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào hóngsè de píngguǒ.)

"I want a red apple."

We use 红色 (hóngsè) in this sentence because it means "red" (hóngsè), which matches the color of the apple in the picture.

Unscramble the words to make a sentence.

Ready?

你 (nǐ)

你想 (Nǐ xiǎng)

你想要 (Nǐ xiǎng yào)

你想要什么 (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme)

你想要什么样 (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng)

你想要什么样的？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de)

你想要什么样的椅子？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de yǐzi?)

"What kind of chair do you want?"

你想要什么样的椅子？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de yǐzi?)

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

我想要有趣(书 or 的书)。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào yǒuqù (shū or de shū).)

的书 (de shū)

我想要有趣的书。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào yǒuqù de shū.)

"I want an interesting book."

We use 的书 because when you use an adjective like 有趣 (yǒuqù) — "interesting" — before a noun, you need 的 (de) to connect it. Just saying 有趣书 is incorrect in Chinese.

This follows the pattern: [adjective] + 的 + noun

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

你想要什么(样的 or 的样)包？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme (yàng de or de yàng) bāo?)

样的 (yàng de)

你想要什么样的包？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de bāo?)

"What kind of bag do you want?"

We use 什么样的 because it's a fixed structure that means "what kind of."

The 的 must go after 样 (yàng) — not before the whole phrase.

The correct pattern is: 什么样的 + nou.

Let's translate some sentences into Chinese.

Translate "I want a light phone." into Chinese.

我 (wǒ) — the subject, meaning "I,"

followed by

想要 (xiǎng yào) — a verb phrase meaning "want" or "would like,"

轻的 (qīng de) — "light" with 的, used to describe the noun,

followed by

手机 (shǒujī) — the noun meaning "phone."

We use the pattern 我想要 + Adjective phrase + 的 + Noun to express what kind of thing we want.

Here, 轻的手机 means "a light phone," where 轻的 is the adjective phrase.

This lets us be specific about what kind of object we want.

我想要轻的手机。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào qīng de shǒujī.)

"I want a light phone.

Translate "What kind of sofa do you want?" into Chinese.

你 (nǐ) — the subject, meaning "you,"

followed by

想要 (xiǎng yào) — meaning "want" or "would like,"

什么样的 (shénme yàng de) — a fixed phrase meaning "what kind of,"

followed by

沙发 (shāfā) — the noun meaning "sofa."

We use the question pattern 你想要什么样的 + noun？ to ask what kind of thing someone wants.

Here, 什么样的沙发 means "what kind of sofa."

This pattern helps us get more specific information.

你想要什么样的沙发？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de shāfā?)

"What kind of sofa do you want?

Translate "I want hot food." into Chinese.

我 (wǒ) — the subject, meaning "I,"

followed by

想要 (xiǎng yào) — meaning "want" or "would like,"

热的 (rè de) — "hot" with 的, used to describe the noun,

followed by

饭 (fàn) — often means "rice" or "meal," but here we're using it more generally to mean "food."

Again, we're using the pattern 我想要 + Adjective phrase + 的 + Noun.

Here, 热的饭 means "hot food."

Using 的 after an adjective lets us turn it into a phrase that describes the noun clearly.

我想要热的饭。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào rè de fàn.)

"I want hot food.

Listen to me as I speak. Which sentence pattern is used to talk about what someone wants?

我想要绿色的鞋子。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào lǜsè de xiézi.)

Let's listen one more time.

我想要绿色的鞋子。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào lǜsè de xiézi.)

Did you hear 绿色的鞋子?

绿色 (lǜsè) means "green," and 的 (de) links it to the noun 鞋子 (xiézi), "shoes."

This is a typical adjective + 的 + noun phrase used with 我想要, meaning "I want."

We're using the pattern:

我想要 + adjective + 的 + noun

How about...?

你想要什么样的椅子？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de yǐzi?)

Let's listen one more time.

你想要什么样的椅子？ (Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de yǐzi?)

Did you hear 什么样的椅子?

This phrase means "what kind of chair." It uses the fixed structure 什么样的 (shénme yàng de) to ask about qualities or types of something.

This is the pattern for asking:

你想要 + 什么样的 + noun？

It's how we ask "What kind of [thing] do you want?"

Next…

我想要有趣的书。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào yǒuqù de shū.)

One more time.

我想要有趣的书。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào yǒuqù de shū.)

Did you hear 有趣的书?

有趣 (yǒuqù) means "interesting." We use 的 (de) to link it to the noun 书 (shū), meaning "book."

This is the same structure:

我想要 + adjective + 的 + noun

And...

我想要热的饭。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào rè de fàn.)

One more time.

我想要热的饭。 (Wǒ xiǎng yào rè de fàn.)

Did you hear 热的饭?

热 (rè) means "hot," and 的 (de) turns it into a descriptive phrase. 飯 (fàn) means "meal" or "food."

Again, we see the same pattern:

我想要 + adjective + 的 + noun

Thank you for watching.

Now you know how to say what kind of thing you want in Chinese.

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

再见。(Zàijiàn.)

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