Basic states and preparation | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Basic states and preparation to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

我感觉好多了。

wǒ gǎnjué hǎo duō le I am feeling better.

我很忙。

wǒ hěn máng I am very busy.

我现在准备好了。

wǒ xiànzài zhǔnbèi hǎo le I am ready now.

我没准备好。

wǒ méi zhǔnbèi hǎo I am not ready.

我需要更多时间。

wǒ xūyào gèng duō shíjiān I need more time.

你有时间吗？

nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma Do you have time?

Word by Word

我 “我” means “I” or “me” and identifies the speaker in forms such as “我感觉好多了” and “我很忙”。It is commonly placed before a statement to say what the speaker feels, needs, or is doing. You use it when talking about yourself.

感觉 “感觉” means “feel” in “我感觉好多了”, describing the speaker’s condition. It follows “我” here and introduces how the speaker feels. A reusable pattern is “我感觉 + a condition”; you use it to describe your current feelings or state.

好多 In “好多了”, “好多” contributes the idea of “much better” or “a lot better”; the whole expression means that the condition has improved. It is used with “我感觉” to describe recovery or improvement. You can use “好多了” when telling someone that you feel significantly better than before.

了 The “了” in “好多了” shows a changed state: the speaker is now much better. In “准备好了”, it also marks the resulting state of being ready. You use this form when reporting an improvement or a completed change of state.

很 “很” means “very” in “我很忙” and comes before “忙” to express the degree of being busy. A reusable pattern is “我很 + a description”. You use it when clearly describing a strong degree of a current state.

忙 “忙” means “busy” in “我很忙”, describing the speaker’s current state. Together with “很”, it gives the simple statement “I am very busy”. You use “很忙” when telling someone that you are occupied and may not be available.

现在 “现在” means “now” in “我现在准备好了” and places the statement in the present moment. It appears after “我” and before the state being described. You use it when emphasizing that a situation is true at this moment.

准备 “准备” expresses the idea of preparing or getting ready in “准备好了” and “没准备好”. With “好”, the expression “准备好” means “be ready” or “get prepared”. You use it before an activity or event when discussing whether someone is ready.

好 In “准备好”, “好” completes the idea of being ready or prepared; with “了”, “准备好了” means that the person is now ready. In “没准备好”, the same combination means that the preparation is not complete. You use “准备好” to state or ask about readiness.

没 “没” means “not” in “没准备好”, negating the state of being ready. It comes before “准备好” to say that the preparation has not reached the ready state. You use it when telling someone that you are not ready yet.

需要 “需要” means “need” in “我需要更多时间” and takes “更多时间” as what is needed. A reusable pattern is “我需要 + something”. You use it when stating that you require something, such as additional time.

更多 “更多” means “more” in “更多时间” and shows that the amount of time needed is additional. It comes before “时间”, the thing being measured. You use the pattern “更多 + noun” when asking for or describing an increased amount.

时间 “时间” means “time” in “我需要更多时间” and “你有时间吗”. It can be the object of “需要” or part of “有时间”, which asks about available time. You use it when discussing how much time is needed or whether someone is available.

你 “你” means “you” in “你有时间吗” and identifies the person being addressed. It comes before the statement about that person’s available time. You use it when asking or telling the other person something directly.

有 “有” means “have” in “你有时间吗”, where “有时间” means to have time available. It comes before “时间” to ask whether the person has availability. You use “有时间” when checking if someone can make time for something.

吗 “吗” marks “你有时间吗” as a yes-or-no question. It comes at the end of the sentence after the statement “你有时间”. You use it at the end of a question when asking whether the preceding statement is true.

Grammar Points

没 + 有 → 没有

我没有更多时间。

wǒ méi yǒu gèng duō shíjiān

I don't have more time.

The verb 有 is negated with 没有, not 不有. 没 combines directly with 有.

很 + 形容词

我现在很忙。

wǒ xiànzài hěn máng

I am very busy now.

很 comes before an adjective when describing a state or condition.

Chinese Vocabulary

感觉 verb

gǎnjué feel

我感觉好多了。

更多 det

gèng duō more

我需要更多时间。

好多了 phrase

hǎo duō le much better

我感觉好多了。

很 adv

hěn very

我很忙。

忙 adj

máng busy

我很忙。

没 adv

méi not; have not

我没准备好。

你 pron

nǐ you

你有时间吗?

时间 noun

shíjiān time

你有时间吗?

我 pron

wǒ I; me

我感觉好多了。

现在 adv

xiànzài now

我现在准备好了。

需要 verb

xūyào need

我需要更多时间。

准备好 phrase

zhǔnbèi hǎo be ready; get ready 准备好了

我现在准备好了。

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

be ready; get ready

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准备好了

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much better

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好多了

feel

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感觉