Planning a Movie Night at Home | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Planning a Movie Night at Home to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

在家看电影怎么样？

zài jiā kàn diànyǐng zěnme yàng? How about a movie at home?

听起来不错，也很轻松。

tīng qǐlái bú cuò, yě hěn qīngsōng. That sounds nice and easy.

我们选一部时间短的电影吧。

wǒmen xuǎn yí bù shíjiān duǎn de diànyǐng ba. Let's choose a short movie.

这样我们就能在太晚之前看完。

zhèyàng wǒmen jiù néng zài tài wǎn zhīqián kàn wán. Then we can finish before it gets late.

我可以带一些水果。

wǒ kěyǐ dài yìxiē shuǐguǒ. I can bring some fruit.

有点清淡的小吃就好了。

yǒudiǎn qīngdàn de xiǎochī jiù hǎo le. A light snack would be nice.

我也带茶，好吗？

wǒ yě dài chá, hǎo ma? Should I bring tea too?

茶也不错。

chá yě bú cuò. Tea would be nice too.

Word by Word

在 “在” means “at” or “in” and places the activity in a location; here it introduces “家” in “在家”. It is commonly used before a place to say where an action happens, such as when planning an activity at home.

家 “家” means “home” here, the place where the friends will watch the movie. It follows “在” to form the location phrase “在家”, and it can be used when talking about being at or returning to home.

看 “看” means “watch” in “看电影”, referring to watching a movie. It comes before the thing being watched and can be reused before a movie, television program, or other visual content.

电影 “电影” means “movie” and is the activity the friends are planning to watch. It follows “看” in “看电影” and can be used as the object of verbs such as watching, choosing, or bringing up as a plan.

怎么样 “怎么样” asks how an idea seems, so here it means “How about it?” or “How about watching a movie at home?” It commonly comes at the end of a proposed activity to invite the other person’s opinion.

听起来 “听起来” means “sound” or “seem when heard” in “听起来不错”. “听” contributes the idea of hearing, while “起来” helps express the impression that arises from what was heard. This construction is used before an evaluation of a suggestion, plan, or description.

不错 “不错” gives a positive evaluation, meaning “nice” or “not bad” in “听起来不错”. It can follow “听起来” or another subject to say that an idea or thing is viewed favorably, such as when responding to a suggestion.

也 “也” means “also” or “too” and adds another positive point in “不错，也很轻松”, while in “茶也不错” it adds tea to the acceptable choices. It is used when including an additional quality, person, item, or option.

很 “很” expresses a high degree or helps form the adjective description “很轻松”, meaning “very easy” or “quite relaxing” here. It commonly comes before an adjective when describing how something is.

轻松 “轻松” means “easy” or “relaxing” here and describes the movie plan as uncomplicated. It can be used after a subject or after “很” to evaluate an activity, plan, or situation.

我们 “我们” means “we” or “us” and includes both friends in the shared plan. It comes before “选” as the subject of a proposed joint action and can be used before a verb when talking about something the speaker and listener will do together.

选 “选” means “choose” in the decision about which movie to watch. It comes before the selected item and can be used when deciding between movies, food, drinks, or other options.

一部 “一部” means “one” together with a measure phrase used for a movie, as in “一部时间短的电影”. It is placed before the movie noun when selecting or counting one movie.

时间 “时间” means “time” here, specifically the duration of the movie in “时间短的电影”. Together with “短”, it describes how long the movie lasts rather than naming a clock time.

短 “短” means “short” in “时间短”, describing the movie’s duration. It follows “时间” in this phrase and can be used to describe something that does not last long.

的 “的” links the description “时间短” to the noun “电影” in “时间短的电影”. It commonly follows a descriptive phrase and comes before the noun that the description modifies.

吧 “吧” softens “我们选一部时间短的电影吧” into a suggestion: “Let’s choose a short movie.” It is commonly placed at the end of a sentence when proposing a shared action in a friendly way.

这样 “这样” means “this way” and here refers to the preceding plan, giving the meaning “then” or “that way”. It can introduce a consequence or result that follows from an earlier suggestion or decision.

就 “就” marks the consequence of the preceding plan in “这样我们就能在太晚之前看完”, meaning “then” or “in that case”. It is often used before the result when a stated situation makes that result possible.

能 “能” means “can” or “be able to” in “我们就能…看完”, expressing that finishing the movie is possible. It comes before a verb when describing ability or possibility.

太 “太” means “too” or “excessively” and raises the degree of “晚” in “太晚”, meaning “too late”. It comes before an adjective when describing an excessive degree.

晚 “晚” means “late” and refers to the time becoming late in “太晚之前”. It can describe a time or situation that occurs later than is suitable.

之前 “之前” means “before” and sets the time limit in “太晚之前”, meaning before it becomes too late. It follows the reference time or event and is used to mark when something must happen.

完 “完” shows that an action is completed; in “看完”, it means watching the movie through to the end. It follows an action verb when the speaker wants to emphasize that the action has been finished.

我 “我” means “I” or “me” and is the person offering to bring fruit and tea. It comes before “可以” and the action verb, and it can be used as the subject when stating what the speaker can do.

可以 “可以” means “can” or “may” here, expressing that bringing fruit is possible or acceptable for the speaker. It comes before the action verb “带” and can be used before a verb to discuss a possible or permitted action.

带 “带” means “bring” or “take along” in “带一些水果”, referring to carrying something to the movie gathering. It comes before the item being brought and is useful when offering to bring food, drinks, or other things.

一些 “一些” means “some” and gives an unspecified amount of “水果”. It comes before the noun and can be used when referring to an amount without saying exactly how much.

水果 “水果” means “fruit” and is the food the speaker offers to bring. It follows “一些” as the item being brought and can be used when discussing food choices or snacks.

有点 “有点” means “a little” or “somewhat” and softens the description “清淡” in “有点清淡的小吃”. It commonly comes before an adjective to express a small degree of a quality.

清淡 “清淡” means “light” or “mild in flavor” when describing “小吃”. It is used with food or drinks when choosing something that is not strongly flavored or heavy.

小吃 “小吃” means “snack” and refers here to a light food item for the movie night. It can follow a description such as “清淡” or a quantity expression when discussing what food to have.

好 “好” means “good” or “okay” and contributes the idea that the suggested snack would be suitable in “有点清淡的小吃就好了”. In the full expression, “好” gives the proposed result an approving evaluation, while “了” presents the situation as settled or resulting.

了 “了” helps present “有点清淡的小吃就好了” as a satisfactory resulting situation: a light snack would be just right. Here it is part of “就好了”, rather than marking that the snack has already been eaten.

茶 “茶” means “tea” and is the drink the speaker suggests bringing. It can be used as the item after “带” when offering to bring a beverage.

吗 “吗” is a question particle at the end of “我也带茶，好吗？”, turning the statement into a yes-or-no question and asking for approval. It is commonly placed at the end of a question when checking whether a suggestion is acceptable.

Grammar Points

动词 + 完

看完

kàn wán

finish watching

完 follows a verb to show the action is completed, as in 看完 (finish watching).

动词短语 + 之前

看电影之前

kàn diànyǐng zhīqián

before watching a movie

之前 follows a verb phrase to mean “before doing” something.

Chinese Vocabulary

不错 adj

bú cuò not bad; nice

带 verb

dài bring

看电影 phrase

kàn diànyǐng watch a movie

看完 verb

kàn wán finish watching

轻松 adj

qīngsōng easy; relaxed

时间短 phrase

shíjiān duǎn short in duration

听起来 verb

tīng qǐlái sound; sound like

选 verb

xuǎn choose

在家 phrase

zài jiā at home

怎么样 phrase

zěnme yàng how about it; what do you think

这样 adv

zhèyàng this way; then

之前 prep

zhīqián before

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

before

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之前

not bad; nice

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不错

at home

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在家

this way; then

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这样