About This Lesson
Use Borrowing a Pen and Notebook to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我可以用一支笔吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yòng yì zhī bǐ ma? Can I use a pen?
B
从杯子里拿黑色的那支。
Cóng bēizi lǐ ná hēisè de nà zhī. Take the black one from the cup.
A
我还需要一个笔记本。
Wǒ hái xūyào yí ge bǐjìběn. I need a notebook too.
B
抽屉里有一个旧的。
Chōuti lǐ yǒu yí ge jiù de. There is an old one in the drawer.
A
我只需要写一个简短的清单。
Wǒ zhǐ xūyào xiě yí ge jiǎnduǎn de qīngdān. I only need to write a short list.
B
用完后把它们都拿回来。
Yòng wán hòu bǎ tāmen dōu ná huílái. Bring both back when you finish.
A
我会把它们放在你的桌上。
Wǒ huì bǎ tāmen fàng zài nǐ de zhuō shàng. I will put them on your desk.
B
这样就很容易找到它们了。
Zhèyàng jiù hěn róngyì zhǎodào tāmen le. That makes them easy to find.Word by Word
我
我 means “I” in 我可以用一支笔吗？, referring to the speaker. It commonly comes before an action or need, as in 我需要……. Use it when talking about yourself to another person.
可以
可以 means “can” or “may” in 我可以用一支笔吗？, asking for permission to use something. It comes before the action, as in 可以用……. Use it when politely asking whether an action is allowed.
用
用 means “use” in 我可以用一支笔吗？. It comes before the object being used, as in 用一支笔. Use it when talking about using a tool, object, or resource.
一
一 means “one” in 一支笔, indicating one pen. Here it is followed by the classifier 支 before the noun 笔. Use the pattern 一 + classifier + noun when identifying one item.
支
支 is the classifier used for the pen in 一支笔. It appears between 一 and 笔 to count this type of object. Use the pattern 一支 + pen-like writing instrument when referring to one such item.
笔
笔 means “pen” in 一支笔. It follows the classifier 支 in this noun phrase. Use 笔 when asking for or referring to a pen, as in 用一支笔.
吗
吗 turns 我可以用一支笔 into the question 我可以用一支笔吗？. It is placed at the end of this yes-or-no question. Use it when asking whether something is permitted or true.
从
从 means “from” in 从杯子里拿黑色的那支, marking the place from which the pen should be taken. It commonly comes before a location, as in 从……里. Use it when describing where something starts or is taken from.
杯子
杯子 means “cup” in 从杯子里拿黑色的那支. It is the container identified as the source location for taking the pen. Use it after 从 and before 里 when saying that something is taken from inside a cup.
里
里 means “inside” in 从杯子里, showing that the pen is inside the cup. It follows the container noun 杯子 in this location phrase. Use the pattern place + 里 for something located inside a place or container.
拿
拿 means “take” in 从杯子里拿黑色的那支, telling someone to take the indicated pen. It comes after the source phrase and before the object. Use it when telling someone to take or hold an object.
黑色
黑色 means “black” in 黑色的那支, identifying the pen by its color. It modifies the following noun phrase through 的. Use 黑色的 + object when describing a black object.
的
的 links 黑色 to 那支 in 黑色的那支, making the color description identify the pen. Here the full phrase means “that black one,” rather than 的 carrying the meaning by itself. Use adjective or descriptive word + 的 + noun phrase when identifying an object by a description.
那
那 means “that” in 黑色的那支, pointing to the particular pen being selected. It appears before the classifier 支 in this noun phrase. Use 那 + classifier + noun when indicating a specific item.
还
还 means “also” or “in addition” in 我还需要一个笔记本, adding a notebook to the pen already mentioned. It appears before the verb 需要. Use 我还需要…… when saying that you need one more thing.
需要
需要 means “need” in 我还需要一个笔记本. It is followed by the thing that is needed, here 一个笔记本. Use 需要 + object when stating a practical need.
个
个 is the general classifier in 一个笔记本. It comes between 一 and 笔记本 to count one notebook. Use 一 个 + noun for one item when the general classifier is appropriate.
笔记本
笔记本 means “notebook” in 一个笔记本. It follows the classifier 个 in this noun phrase. Use it when asking for or referring to a notebook for writing.
抽屉
抽屉 means “drawer” in 抽屉里有一个旧的. It identifies the place where the old notebook is located. Use it with 里 to say that something is inside a drawer.
有
有 means “there is” in 抽屉里有一个旧的, introducing something located in the drawer. The location comes before 有 in this pattern: 抽屉里有……. Use location + 有 + item when telling someone that an item exists in a place.
旧
旧 means “old” in 一个旧的, describing the notebook available in the drawer. With 的, the description refers to the old one without repeating 笔记本. Use 旧的 when identifying an older item by its condition or age.
只
只 means “only” in 我只需要写一个简短的清单, limiting the speaker’s need to writing one short list. It comes before 需要 in this sentence. Use 只需要 + action or object when saying that something is all that is needed.
写
写 means “write” in 写一个简短的清单. It is followed by the thing being written, 一个简短的清单. Use 写 + object when talking about writing a note, list, or other text.
简短
简短 means “short” or “brief” in 一个简短的清单, describing the list as brief. It comes before 的清单 to modify the noun. Use 简短的 + written item when describing something that is brief.
清单
清单 means “list” in 一个简短的清单. It is the object of 写, so it is the thing the speaker plans to write. Use 写清单 or 写一个清单 when making a list.
用完
用完 means “finish using” in 用完后, referring to finishing the use of the pen and notebook. It combines 用 with 完 to show that the use has reached its end. Use 用完 + object or 用完后 when talking about returning or handling something after use.
后
后 means “after” in 用完后把它们都拿回来, placing the return after the use is finished. It follows 用完 to form the time phrase 用完后. Use an action or event + 后 before describing what happens afterward.
把
把 introduces the objects affected by the action in 把它们都拿回来 and 把它们放在你的桌上. It places the object before the action and highlights what will be returned or placed. Use 把 + object + action when describing how an object is handled or moved.
它们
它们 means “them” in 把它们都拿回来 and 把它们放在你的桌上, referring to the pen and notebook together. It follows 把 because these are the objects affected by the actions. Use it for multiple non-human objects already known from the conversation.
都
都 means “both” in 把它们都拿回来, showing that the pen and notebook should both be returned. It appears after the object pronoun 它们 and before the action. Use object + 都 when saying that every relevant item is included.
回来
回来 means “back” in 拿回来, indicating that the objects should be brought back to the shared place or the speaker. It follows 拿 and completes the movement pattern 拿回来. Use a movement verb + 回来 when an object or person returns toward the relevant place.
会
会 means “will” in 我会把它们放在你的桌上, expressing the speaker’s future intention. It comes before 把 and the planned action. Use 我会 + action when promising or stating what you will do.
放
放 means “put” or “place” in 把它们放在你的桌上. It is followed by the object and the location where the objects will be placed. Use 放在 + place when saying where something will be put.
在
在 marks the location in 放在你的桌上, showing where the objects will be placed. Here it follows 放 and comes before the location phrase. Use 放在 + location for a placement action.
你
你 means “you” in 你的桌上, referring to the person whose desk is being mentioned. With 的, it forms 你的, meaning “your.” Use 你 when addressing one person directly.
桌
桌 means “desk” or “table” in 你的桌上. It is the surface identified as the place where the pen and notebook will be put. Use 桌上 when referring to something located on a desk or table.
上
上 means “on” in 桌上, showing that the objects will be placed on the desk’s surface. It follows 桌 in this location phrase. Use place + 上 to describe something on top of or on the surface of that place.
这样
这样 means “this way” in 这样就很容易找到它们了, referring to putting the items on the desk. It connects that arrangement with the helpful result that follows. Use 这样 + result when explaining what happens because something is done in a particular way.
就
就 marks the resulting consequence in 这样就很容易找到它们了, meaning that this arrangement thereby makes finding them easy. It comes before the result phrase. Use 这样就…… when saying that doing something this way leads directly to a result.
很
很 means “quite” or “very” in 很容易, strengthening the description of how easy it is to find the items. It comes before the adjective 容易. Use 很 + adjective when describing a noticeable degree of a quality.
容易
容易 means “easy” in 很容易找到它们, describing finding the pen and notebook as requiring little effort. It is followed by the action 找到它们 that is easy. Use 容易 + action when saying that an action is easy to do.
找到
找到 means “find” in 找到它们, with the result of locating the pen and notebook. It comes before the object 它们. Use 找到 + object when saying that an item has been located.
了
了 marks a changed state at the end of 这样就很容易找到它们了, showing that with the items on the desk, they are now easy to find. It appears at the end of the sentence after the resulting description. Use sentence-final 了 when describing a new situation or change that now applies.
Grammar Points
用完后，……
用完后，它们都拿回来。
Yòng wán hòu, tāmen dōu ná huílái.After using them, bring them all back.
用完后 means “after finishing using.” 完 shows that the action is completed before the next action.
都 + 动词
它们都拿回来。
Tāmen dōu ná huílái.Bring them all back.
都 comes before the verb and shows that all the items in the subject group share the action.
Chinese Vocabulary
杯子
noun
bēizi
cup
笔记本
noun
bǐjìběn
notebook
抽屉
noun
chōuti
drawer
从
prep
cóng
from
还
adv
hái
also; too
黑色
adj
hēisè
black
拿
verb
ná
to take
那支
phrase
nà zhī
that one
我
pron
wǒ
I; me
需要
verb
xūyào
to need
一支笔
phrase
yì zhī bǐ
a pen
用
verb
yòng
to use
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
notebook
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笔记本cup
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杯子a pen
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一支笔drawer