Making a Quiet Cafe Plan | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Making a Quiet Cafe Plan to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

你想在咖啡馆见面吗？

Nǐ xiǎng zài kāfēiguǎn jiànmiàn ma? Would you like to meet at a cafe?

听起来很放松。

Tīng qǐlái hěn fàngsōng. That sounds relaxing.

你喜欢哪家咖啡馆？

Nǐ xǐhuan nǎ jiā kāfēiguǎn? Which cafe do you like?

我喜欢公园附近那家安静的咖啡馆。

Wǒ xǐhuan gōngyuán fùjìn nà jiā ānjìng de kāfēiguǎn. I like the quiet one near the park.

我们在那里见面，享受安静的时光吧。

Wǒmen zài nàlǐ jiànmiàn, xiǎngshòu ānjìng de shíguāng ba. Let's meet there and enjoy the quiet.

我可以带一本书。

Wǒ kěyǐ dài yì běn shū. I can bring a book.

我们可以在那里读一会儿书。

Wǒmen kěyǐ zài nàlǐ dú yíhuìr shū. We can read there for a while.

那样可以好好休息一下。

Nàyàng kěyǐ hǎohāo xiūxi yíxià. That would be a nice break.

Word by Word

你 “你” refers to the person being addressed: “you.” Here it is the subject of the question “你想在咖啡馆见面吗？”. It is used before an action when asking a friend about their plan or preference.

想 “想” means “want to” in this question about meeting. It comes before the planned action in “想在咖啡馆见面”. Use it before an action to ask or state what someone wants to do.

在 “在” marks the place where the meeting happens in “在咖啡馆见面”. It comes before a place phrase and then the action. Use it when locating an activity at a place.

咖啡馆 “咖啡馆” means “cafe,” the place the friends are considering. In “在咖啡馆见面”, it follows “在” to name the meeting place. Use it when talking about meeting or spending time at a cafe.

见面 “见面” means “meet” or “meet one another” here. In “在咖啡馆见面”, it describes the planned activity. Use it when making arrangements to meet someone.

吗 “吗” marks “你想在咖啡馆见面吗？” as a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end of the question. Use it after a statement when asking whether it is true or acceptable.

听起来 The whole expression “听起来” means “sounds” or “seems” based on what has been heard. “听” contributes hearing, while “起来” contributes the impression that arises; together they form “听起来很放松”. Use “听起来” before a description when reacting to an idea or report.

很 “很” adds degree to “放松” in “很放松”, giving the meaning “quite” or “very relaxing.” It comes before the description. Use it to express the degree of a quality in a natural-sounding description.

放松 “放松” describes the cafe plan as relaxing in “听起来很放松”. Here it expresses the comfortable feeling the plan seems to give. Use it when describing a calm activity or experience.

喜欢 “喜欢” means “like” and expresses a preference in “你喜欢哪家咖啡馆？” and “我喜欢公园附近那家安静的咖啡馆”. It comes before the thing that is liked. Use it when choosing between places or expressing a personal preference.

哪 “哪” means “which” in the question “哪家咖啡馆”. It asks the listener to identify one option. It comes before the classifier and noun when asking which place or thing.

家 “家” is the classifier used with the cafe in “哪家咖啡馆” and “那家安静的咖啡馆”. It stands between a question or pointing word and the cafe noun. Use it when referring to a particular cafe or similar business.

我 “我” means “I” or “me” and is the speaker in “我喜欢公园附近那家安静的咖啡馆” and “我可以带一本书”. It appears before the action or ability being expressed. Use it to state your own preference, plan, or ability.

公园 “公园” means “park” in “公园附近”. It identifies the place used as a reference point for locating the cafe. Use a place noun before “附近” when describing what something is near.

附近 “附近” means “near” or “nearby” in “公园附近”, showing that the cafe is close to the park. It follows the reference place here. Use a place noun plus “附近” to describe a nearby location.

那 “那” means “that” and points to the cafe selected by the speaker in “那家安静的咖啡馆”. It comes before the classifier and noun. Use it when identifying a specific place or thing that is already understood in the conversation.

安静 “安静” means “quiet” and describes the cafe in “安静的咖啡馆”. It appears before “的” and the noun it describes. Use it to describe a place or period of time with little noise.

的 “的” links the description “安静” to the noun in “安静的咖啡馆”. It shows that the word before it describes the noun after it; the same pattern appears in “安静的时光”. Use it between a description and the thing being described.

我们 “我们” means “we” or “us” and refers to the two friends together in “我们在那里见面” and “我们可以在那里读一会儿书”. It comes before the action. Use it when describing a shared plan or activity.

那里 “那里” means “there” and refers back to the cafe that has just been selected. In “在那里见面” and “在那里读一会儿书”, it identifies the location of both activities. Use it to point to a place already known from the conversation.

享受 “享受” means “enjoy” in “享受安静的时光”. It is followed by the time or experience being enjoyed. Use it when describing taking pleasure in a calm period or activity.

时光 “时光” refers to the time or moments spent together in “安静的时光”. Here it is the peaceful time the friends plan to enjoy. Use it when talking about a period of time viewed as an experience.

吧 “吧” marks “享受安静的时光吧” as a suggestion. It comes at the end of the proposed action and gives the sentence a friendly, inviting tone. Use it when suggesting a plan to another person.

可以 “可以” means “can” or “may” in “我可以带一本书” and “我们可以在那里读一会儿书”. It comes before an action to express that it is possible or allowed. Use it when offering an option or describing a possible shared activity.

带 “带” means “bring” in “我可以带一本书”. It describes taking the book along to the planned cafe meeting. Use it before the item that someone will bring.

一 “一” means “one” in “一本书”. It gives the quantity of the book. It comes before the classifier “本” when stating that there is one book.

本 “本” is the classifier for the book in “一本书”. It comes after the number and before “书”. Use the pattern “一 + 本 + 书” when referring to one book.

书 “书” means “book” and is the item in “我可以带一本书”. It follows the number and classifier in that phrase. Use it when talking about a book someone brings or reads.

读 “读” means “read” in “读一会儿书”. It describes the activity the friends can do at the cafe. Use it before the reading material, as in the dialogue's exact phrase “读一会儿书”.

一会儿 The whole expression “一会儿” means “for a while” or a short period of time in “读一会儿书”. Within it, “一” contributes the idea of one and “会儿” contributes a short period; together they express a brief duration. Use it after an action when saying that the action will continue for a short time.

那样 “那样” means “that way” or “like that” and refers to the suggested plan in “那样可以好好休息一下”. It points back to the arrangement of meeting, bringing a book, and reading. Use it when evaluating or commenting on a plan already mentioned.

好好 “好好” means “well” or “properly” in “好好休息一下”. It encourages the person to take the rest properly and fully. Use it before an action when encouraging someone to do it attentively or thoroughly.

休息 “休息” means “rest” or “take a break” in “好好休息一下”. It describes the benefit of spending quiet time at the cafe. Use it with “一下” when suggesting a short rest.

一下 “一下” makes “休息一下” refer to resting for a short while. It follows the action “休息” and keeps the suggestion light and limited in duration. Use it after an action when proposing that someone do it briefly.

Grammar Points

想 + 动词

我想见面。

Wǒ xiǎng jiànmiàn.

I want to meet.

想放在另一个动词前，表示“want to”。后面的动词不需要加“to”。

在 + 地点 + 动词

在咖啡馆见面。

Zài kāfēiguǎn jiànmiàn.

Meet at the cafe.

在后面先说地点，再说动作；中文常用这个顺序表示在哪里做某事。

Chinese Vocabulary

安静 adj

ānjìng quiet

放松 adj

fàngsōng relaxing; relaxed

附近 noun

fùjìn nearby; near

公园 noun

gōngyuán park

见面 verb

jiànmiàn meet

咖啡馆 noun

kāfēiguǎn cafe

哪 det

nǎ which

那里 pron

nàlǐ there

听起来 verb

tīng qǐlái sound; seem

听起来很放松。

喜欢 verb

xǐhuan like

想 verb

xiǎng want to; would like to

你想在咖啡馆见面吗?

在 prep

zài at; in

你想在咖啡馆见面吗?

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

nearby; near

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附近

there

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那里

park

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公园

meet

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见面