Using Paper to Write New Words | Learn Chinese in English

Chinese lesson set in a contemporary Shanghai everyday setting: In a language classroom, one person forgets a notebook, uses paper, writes new words, and checks them after class..

EN → ZH / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Using Paper to Write New Words to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

我忘了带笔记本。

wǒ wàng le dài bǐjìběn I forgot to bring my notebook.
B

你可以用这张纸。

nǐ kěyǐ yòng zhè zhāng zhǐ You can use this paper.
A

谢谢。我想写新词。

xièxie. wǒ xiǎng xiě xīn cí Thank you. I want to write the new words.
B

好主意。我也会写这些词。

hǎo zhǔyi. wǒ yě huì xiě zhèxiē cí Good idea. I will write them too.
A

下课后我们可以检查这些词吗？

xiàkè hòu wǒmen kěyǐ jiǎnchá zhèxiē cí ma Can we check them after class?
B

我们可以一起读这些词。

wǒmen kěyǐ yìqǐ dú zhèxiē cí We can read them together.

Word by Word

我 “我” means “I” or “me”; in “我忘了带笔记本” it identifies the person who forgot, and in “我想写新词” it identifies the person who wants to write. It commonly appears before the action being described, as in these dialogue sentences. Use it when telling someone about your own action or intention.
忘 “忘” expresses forgetting; in “我忘了带笔记本” it refers to forgetting to bring the notebook. The action that was forgotten follows it in “忘了带笔记本”. Use it when explaining that you failed to remember something important to bring or do.
了 In “我忘了带笔记本”, “了” shows that the forgetting has occurred. Here it follows “忘” and presents the situation as an already completed event. Use this form when reporting that something has already happened.
带 “带” means to bring or take something along; in “带笔记本” it means bringing the notebook with you. The thing being brought follows “带”. Use it when talking about bringing an item to a place or taking it along.
笔记本 “笔记本” means “notebook”; in “带笔记本” it is the item that was supposed to be brought. It can follow “带” to name the thing being brought. Use it when referring to a notebook used for writing in class.
你 “你” means “you”; in “你可以用这张纸” it refers to the person being offered permission to use the paper. It appears before the action in this sentence. Use it when addressing one person directly.
可以 “可以” means “can” or “may”; in “你可以用这张纸” it gives permission to use the paper, and in “我们可以检查这些词吗” it asks whether the activity is possible. It comes before the action word. Use it to offer permission or ask about doing something.
用 “用” means “use”; in “用这张纸” it describes using the paper for writing. The thing being used follows it. Use it before an object when explaining what material or tool someone will use.
这 “这” means “this”; in “这张纸” it identifies the paper being offered as a particular nearby paper. It comes before the measure word and noun. Use it to point out a specific thing.
张 “张” is the measure word used in “这张纸” for the sheet of paper. It appears between “这” and “纸” in this noun phrase. Use it with flat objects when counting or identifying them.
纸 “纸” means “paper”; in “这张纸” it names the material being offered for use. In the dialogue it is the object of “用”. Use it when talking about paper for writing or other activities.
谢谢 “谢谢” means “thank you”; in the dialogue it thanks the other person for offering paper. It can stand by itself as a polite response to help or an offer. Use it when acknowledging someone’s kindness.
想 “想” means “want to” in “我想写新词”, expressing the speaker’s intention to write the new words. It comes before the action “写”. Use “想” before an action when stating what you want to do.
写 “写” means “write”; in “写新词” and “写这些词” it describes putting the words into written form. The thing being written follows it. Use it before an object when talking about writing words or other things.
新 “新” means “new”; in “新词” it describes the words as new to the lesson or learner. It comes before the noun it describes. Use it before a noun when identifying something as new.
词 “词” means “word”; in “新词” it refers to the new words, and in “这些词” it refers back to those words. It can follow a describing word or a demonstrative expression. Use it when discussing vocabulary being written, checked, or read.
好 “好” means “good”; in “好主意” it gives a positive evaluation of the suggestion. It comes before “主意” to describe the idea. Use it when approving an idea or suggestion.
主意 “主意” means “idea” or “suggestion”; in “好主意” it names the idea that the speaker approves. Together with “好”, it responds positively to the suggestion. Use it when discussing or evaluating an idea.
也 “也” means “also” or “too”; in “我也会写这些词” it shows that the speaker will do the same writing activity. It comes before “会” in this sentence. Use it when adding your action to someone else’s action.
会 “会” means “will” in “我也会写这些词”, expressing a future action the speaker intends to carry out. It comes before the action “写”. Use it before a verb when saying that someone will do something.
这些 “这些” means “these”; in “这些词” it refers to the words already being discussed in the lesson. It comes before the noun “词”. Use it to identify several specific things in the current context.
下课 “下课” refers to the class ending; in “下课后” it provides the event used to set the time for the next activity. It combines with “后” to mean after class. Use it when arranging something for the time when class has ended.
后 “后” means “after” in “下课后”, placing the activity after the class ends. It follows the event “下课” in this time expression. Use it after an event or time expression to describe what happens later.
我们 “我们” means “we” or “us”; in “我们可以检查这些词吗” and “我们可以一起读这些词” it identifies the people who will do the activity together. It appears before “可以” as the subject. Use it when proposing or describing an action involving yourself and other people.
检查 “检查” means “check”; in “检查这些词” it refers to reviewing the words after class. The thing being checked follows it. Use it before an object when reviewing whether something is correct or understood.
吗 “吗” is a question particle; at the end of “我们可以检查这些词吗” it turns the statement into a yes-or-no question. It comes at the end of the sentence. Use it after a statement when asking whether something is possible or acceptable.
一起 “一起” means “together”; in “一起读这些词” it shows that the people will read the words as a shared activity. It comes before the action “读”. Use it before a verb when people perform an activity together.
读 “读” means “read”; in “读这些词” it describes reading the words together. The material being read follows it. Use it before an object when talking about reading words or other written material.

Grammar Points

忘了 + 动词

我忘了带笔记本。

wǒ wàng le dài bǐjìběn

I forgot to bring the notebook.

“了”表示动作或状态已经发生；“忘了带”表示没有记得带来。

时间短语 + ，+ 主语 + 动词

下课后，我们一起读这些新词。

xiàkè hòu wǒmen yìqǐ dú zhèxiē xīn cí

After class, we read these new words together.

时间短语“下课后”可放在句首，先说明动作发生的时间。

Chinese Vocabulary

笔记本 noun
bǐjìběn notebook
词 noun
cí word
带 verb
dài bring
你 pron
nǐ you
忘 verb
wàng forget 忘了
我 pron
wǒ I
写 verb
xiě write
谢谢 intj
xièxie thank you
新 adj
xīn new
用 verb
yòng use
这 det
zhè this
纸 noun
zhǐ paper

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

notebook

Show Answer笔记本

thank you

Show Answer谢谢

forget

Show Answer忘了