Getting Ready for Cloudy Weather | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Getting Ready for Cloudy Weather to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

外面看起来是阴天。

Wàimiàn kàn qǐlái shì yīntiān. It looks cloudy outside.

带一件暖和的外套。

Dài yí jiàn nuǎnhuo de wàitào. Take a warm coat with you.

风吹起来冷吗？

Fēng chuī qǐlái lěng ma? Does the wind feel cold?

今天又冷又有风。

Jīntiān yòu lěng yòu yǒu fēng. It is cold and windy today.

我也需要我的帽子。

Wǒ yě xūyào wǒ de màozi. I need my hat too.

它在门边。

Tā zài ménbiān. It is by the door.

我出门前会把它戴上。

Wǒ chūmén qián huì bǎ tā dài shàng. I will put it on before I leave.

这样你就准备好散步了。

Zhèyàng nǐ jiù zhǔnbèi hǎo sànbù le. Then you will be ready for the walk.

Word by Word

外面 “外面” means outside or outdoors here, referring to the area beyond the speaker’s current place. It appears at the beginning of “外面看起来是阴天” to set the location being described. Use it as the location in expressions about what is happening outside.

看起来 “看起来” means looks or seems based on what can be observed, as in “外面看起来是阴天”. It combines “看” with “起来” as one expression describing an apparent situation. Use it before a description of how something appears.

是 “是” links the subject with the description “阴天” in “看起来是阴天”, meaning that the weather appears to be cloudy. It identifies what the observed situation is. Use it between a subject and a noun or description when stating what something is.

阴天 “阴天” means cloudy weather in this dialogue. In “看起来是阴天”, it identifies the weather seen outside. Use it to describe a day or weather situation with clouds.

带 “带” means take or bring something with you in “带一件暖和的外套”. It tells the listener to have the coat along when leaving. Use it before the item that someone takes with them.

件 “件” is the measure word used for the coat in “一件暖和的外套”. It counts an item of clothing in this expression. Use it between “一” and a clothing noun when counting one such item.

暖和 “暖和” means warm in “暖和的外套”, describing the coat as providing warmth. The form “暖和” is connected to “外套” by “的”. Use it before “的” to describe the warmth of clothing or another thing.

的 “的” connects the description “暖和” to the noun “外套” in “暖和的外套”. It shows that the word before it describes the noun after it. Use the pattern “description + 的 + noun” for a descriptive phrase.

外套 “外套” means coat or outer jacket in “一件暖和的外套”. It is the clothing item the listener is told to take. Use it as the noun for a coat worn over other clothes.

风 “风” means wind in “风吹起来冷吗？”. It is the thing whose effect is being asked about. Use it as the subject when talking about wind and how it feels.

吹 “吹” means blow in “风吹起来”, describing the wind moving through the air. Together with “起来”, it forms the expression used to ask how the wind feels when it blows. Use it for wind or air blowing.

起来 In “吹起来”, “起来” helps describe the situation as experienced when the wind blows. The complete phrase “吹起来” is what refers to the wind blowing in the question. Use it after “吹” when describing how the blowing feels or appears.

冷 “冷” means cold in “风吹起来冷吗？”, asking whether the blowing wind feels cold. It also describes the weather in “又冷又有风”. Use it after a subject or in a paired description of weather.

吗 “吗” marks “风吹起来冷吗？” as a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end of this question. Use it at the end of a statement when turning it into a question that expects a yes-or-no answer.

今天 “今天” means today in “今天又冷又有风”. It specifies that the weather description applies to the current day. Use it as a time expression at the beginning of a sentence about today’s conditions.

又 In “又冷又有风”, the first “又” connects two conditions that occur together: being cold and having wind. Here it does not mean “again”. Use the paired pattern “又 + description + 又 + description” for two simultaneous qualities or conditions.

有 In “又冷又有风”, “有” means there is or there are wind conditions, rather than personal possession. It introduces “风” as something present today. Use “有 + noun” to say that something exists or is present.

我 “我” means I or me in “我也需要我的帽子”. It identifies the speaker as the person who needs the hat. Use it as the subject when speaking about yourself.

也 “也” means also or too in “我也需要我的帽子”. It adds the need for the hat to the previously mentioned need for a coat. Use it before the verb or description that is shared with another person or situation.

需要 “需要” means need in “我也需要我的帽子”. It expresses that the speaker requires the hat before going outside. Use it before the thing that is needed.

帽子 “帽子” means hat in “我的帽子”. It is the item the speaker says they need and will put on. Use it as the noun for a hat in statements about having, needing, or wearing one.

它 “它” means it in “它在门边”, referring here to the hat just mentioned. It allows the speaker to refer back to that object without repeating “帽子”. Use it for a previously mentioned non-human object.

在 “在” means be located at in “它在门边”. It connects the hat with its location beside the door. Use the pattern “object + 在 + location” to state where something is.

门边 “门边” means by the door or beside the door in “它在门边”. It gives the hat’s location. Use it after “在” when identifying a place next to a door.

出门 “出门” means leave home or go outside in “我出门前会把它戴上”. It describes the action that will happen after the hat is put on. Use it in the time expression “出门前” for something done before leaving.

前 “前” means before in “出门前”. It places the action of putting on the hat earlier than leaving. Use it after an action or time expression to form a before-relationship, as in “出门前”.“

会 “会” signals the speaker’s planned or expected future action in “会把它戴上”. It shows that putting on the hat will happen before leaving. Use it before a verb phrase when saying what someone will do.

把 “把” introduces the object acted on in “把它戴上”, placing the hat before the action and its result. The complete construction focuses on what happens to “它”. Use the pattern “把 + object + verb + result” when the action directly affects a specific object.

戴 “戴” means put on or wear an item such as a hat in “戴上”. Here it describes putting the hat onto oneself. It is used with “上” in the dialogue to form the complete expression “戴上”.“

上 In “戴上”, “上” completes the expression for putting the hat on, emphasizing that it is placed onto the wearer. The meaning comes from the whole expression “戴上”, not from “上” alone. Use it after “戴” when describing putting on a hat or similar item.

这样 “这样” means this way or then in “这样你就准备好散步了”. It refers to the actions just discussed and introduces their consequence. Use it at the beginning of a sentence to connect a previous action with what follows.

你 “你” means you in “这样你就准备好散步了”. It identifies the person who will be ready for the walk. Use it as the subject when addressing one person.

就 “就” marks the expected consequence in “这样你就准备好散步了”. After the preparations are made, the person is then ready for the walk. Use it after a condition or preceding action when presenting the resulting situation.

准备 In “准备好”, “准备” means get ready or prepare. It describes becoming ready for “散步” in this dialogue. Use it in the construction “准备好 + activity or thing” when someone is ready for something.

好 In “准备好”, “好” indicates that the preparation has reached a ready or satisfactory state. It completes the meaning of “准备” in “准备好散步了”. Use it after an action to show that the action has been completed successfully or that the desired state has been reached.

散步 “散步” means take a walk in “准备好散步了”. It names the activity for which the person is ready. Use it as the activity following “准备好” when talking about being ready for a walk.

了 The sentence-final “了” in “准备好散步了” marks the resulting or changed situation: the person is now ready for the walk. It presents readiness as newly established in the conversation. Use it at the end of a sentence when emphasizing that a situation has changed or has now become true.

Grammar Points

又 + 形容词 + 又 + 形容词

今天外面又冷又有风。

Jīntiān wàimiàn yòu lěng yòu yǒu fēng.

Today it is both cold and windy outside.

Use 又…又… to connect two simultaneous qualities or conditions.

动词 + 前

出门前准备好外套。

Chūmén qián zhǔnbèi hǎo wàitào.

Prepare the coat before leaving home.

Place a time phrase ending in 前 before the main action to mean “before doing something.”

Chinese Vocabulary

带 verb

dài to take; to bring

风 noun

fēng wind

今天 noun

jīntiān today

看起来 verb

kàn qǐlái to look; to seem

外面看起来是阴天。

冷 adj

lěng cold

帽子 noun

màozi hat

暖和 adj

nuǎnhuo warm

外面 noun

wàimiàn outside

外套 noun

wàitào coat

需要 verb

xūyào to need

阴天 noun

yīntiān cloudy day

又冷又有风 phrase

yòu lěng yòu yǒu fēng both cold and windy

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

both cold and windy

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又冷又有风

cloudy day

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阴天

outside

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外面

coat

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外套