Chinese for English speakers Office · Lesson 3

Star and finish

Chinese 开始 — Meeting starts at 9 — 杨总, 我们几点开会? (Mr. Yang, what time do we meet?).

Conversation

  1. Bob Bob

    杨总，我们几点开会？

    Yáng zǒng, wǒ men jǐ diǎn kāi huì?

    Mr. Yang, what time is the meeting?

    Tip: 杨 <yáng> = common Chinese last name 总 <zǒng> = boss, principal, director 开会<kāihuì> = to have a meeting

  2. Muri Muri

    九点开始。

    jiǔ diǎn kāi shí.

    It is going to start at 9.00.

    Tip: 开始<kāishí> = to start, to begin

  3. Bob Bob

    几点结束？

    jǐ diǎn jié shù?

    What time does it end?

    Tip: 结束<jiéshù> = to end, to finish

  4. Muri Muri

    十点左右吧。

    shí diǎn zuǒ yòu ba.

    More or less at 10.00.

    Tip: 左右<zuǒyòu> = more or less

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does 总 mean as a title suffix?

'General / chief'. 杨总 = Mr. Yang (general manager). 王总, 李总 — common business address.

Chinese for meetings?

开会 (meet/have meeting), 会议 (meeting/conference), 会议室 (meeting room), 视频会议 (video meeting).

Start and end in Chinese?

开始 (start), 结束 (end / finish), 完成 (complete). 几点开始? = 'what time does it start?'.

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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