Chinese for English speakers Beach · Lesson 1

Like and hate

Chinese for like/hate — 爬山真酷 (Mountain climbing is really cool) — opinion expressions with 真 and tag questions with 对吧?

Conversation

  1. Rocky Rocky

    爬山真酷，

    pá shān zhēn kù,

    Mountain climbing is really cool,

    Tip: 爬山 <páshān> = mountain climbing, to climb a mountain 真 <zhēn> = real, true 酷 <kù> = cool

  2. Rocky Rocky

    对吧?

    duì ba?

    isn't it?

  3. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    哎哟！我真讨厌爬山。

    āiyō! wǒ zhēn tǎo yàn pá shān.

    oh, I actually hate mountain climbing.

    Tip: 哎哟 <āiyō> = interjection of disappointment 讨厌 <tǎoyàn> = to hate

  4. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    啥？你讨厌爬山？

    shá? nǐ tǎo yàn pá shān?

    What?! You hate mountain climbing?

    Tip: 啥<shá> = interjection of surprise, short form of 什么 <shénme>

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does 对吧 mean?

Tag question — 'right? / isn't it?'. Adds confirmation to a statement. 真酷, 对吧? = 'really cool, right?'.

What is 真?

'Really / truly' — intensifier before adjectives: 真酷 (really cool), 真好 (really good), 真累 (really tired).

What is 爬山?

'Mountain climbing / hiking'. 爬 (climb) + 山 (mountain). Popular activity in China, especially in famous mountain ranges.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Chinese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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