Chinese for English speakers House · Lesson 12

Time to go home!

Chinese modal 该 — 我该走了 (I should go now) — for obligation/should.

Conversation

  1. Meera Meera

    已经九点了！

    yǐ jīng jiǔ diǎn le!

    It's already 9!

    Tip: 已经~了 <yǐjīng...le> = have already ...

  2. Meera Meera

    我该走了！

    wǒ gāi zǒu le!

    I have to go now!

    Tip: 该 <gāi> = should, shall 走 <zǒu> = to leave, to go

  3. Rocky Rocky

    好吧，

    hǎo ba,

    Fine,

  4. Rocky Rocky

    那我们明天再聊。

    nà wǒ men míng tiān zài liáo.

    we will talk again tomorrow then.

    Tip: 再 <zài> = again, one more time 聊 <liáo> = to have a chat, to discuss

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does 该 mean?

'Should / ought to'. 该走了 = 'should go now'. 你该睡觉了 = 'you should sleep'.

What does 了 at sentence end mean?

Indicates change of state or completed action. 我走了 = 'I'm leaving (now)' (change).

Chinese for 'it's already X o'clock'?

已经 + time + 了: 已经九点了 = 'it's already 9'. 已经 (already).

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.