About This Lesson
Use Staying inside during bad weather to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
天气看起来很糟。
tiānqì kàn qǐlái hěn zāo The weather looks bad.
B
暴风雨可能要来了。
bàofēngyǔ kěnéng yào lái le A storm may be coming.
A
我们要待在室内吗？
wǒmen yào dāi zài shìnèi ma Should we stay inside?
B
我们在这里等它过去吧。
wǒmen zài zhèlǐ děng tā guòqù ba Let's wait here until it passes.
A
暴风雨停止后我们可以出去吗？
bàofēngyǔ tíngzhǐ hòu wǒmen kěyǐ chūqù ma Can we go out after it stops?
B
我们可以再看看天气，然后再决定。
wǒmen kěyǐ zài kànkan tiānqì, ránhòu zài juédìng We can check the weather again and decide then.
A
我们可以一边等，一边泡点茶。
wǒmen kěyǐ yìbiān děng, yìbiān pào diǎn chá We can make some tea while we wait.
B
这样可以帮助我们打发时间。
zhèyàng kěyǐ bāngzhù wǒmen dǎfa shíjiān That will help pass the time.Word by Word
天气
In “天气看起来很糟”, “天气” means the weather or outdoor conditions. It commonly appears as the subject of a description, and you would use it when discussing current conditions with someone.
看起来
In “天气看起来很糟”, “看起来” means “looks” or “seems”. “看” contributes the idea of looking, while “起来” helps form the expression for the impression something gives. Use it when describing how something appears to you.
很
In “天气看起来很糟”, “很” marks the degree of “糟”, giving the meaning “very bad” here. It is placed before a descriptive word, and you would use it when describing the weather’s strongly negative condition.
糟
In “天气看起来很糟”, “糟” describes the weather as bad or awful. It follows “很”, so the phrase presents a strong negative description. Use it when warning someone that conditions are poor.
暴风雨
In “暴风雨可能要来了”, “暴风雨” means a storm. It is the weather event being discussed and can serve as the subject of a statement about what the storm may do. Use it when warning someone about severe weather.
可能
In “暴风雨可能要来了”, “可能” expresses possibility, so the speaker is saying that a storm may be coming without stating it as certain. It comes before the prediction, and you would use it when giving an uncertain weather forecast.
要
In “暴风雨可能要来了”, “要” shows that the storm is expected to arrive soon. It comes before “来” to present the event as impending. Use it when something appears likely to happen shortly.
来
In “暴风雨可能要来了”, “来” means come toward the relevant place, so the storm is approaching. It follows “要” in this expression and describes the storm’s movement toward the people’s location. Use it when a person or event is approaching.
了
In “暴风雨可能要来了”, “了” marks a change in the situation: the storm is now on its way or has become imminent. It follows “来” at the end of the statement, giving the arrival information a current new-situation meaning. Use it when reporting a newly changed situation.
我们
In “我们要待在室内吗？” and the other planning lines, “我们” means “we” or “us”; here it is the subject of shared actions. It comes before what the group may do. Use it when making a plan together with other people.
待
In “我们要待在室内吗？”, “待” means stay or remain. It is followed by the location phrase “在室内”, which specifies where the staying happens. Use it when deciding to remain in a place, such as staying inside during bad weather.
在
In “待在室内” and “在这里等”, “在” marks a location. In the first phrase it introduces where someone stays, and in the second it introduces where the waiting happens. Use it before a place when saying where someone is or does something.
室内
In “我们要待在室内吗？”, “室内” means indoors or inside a building. It follows “在” to identify the place where the speakers will stay. Use it when discussing remaining inside, especially during bad weather.
吗
In “我们要待在室内吗？”, “吗” turns the preceding statement into a yes-or-no question. It appears at the end and asks whether staying inside is the proposed action. Use it when asking whether something is the case, possible, or acceptable.
这里
In “我们在这里等它过去吧”, “这里” means here and identifies the speakers’ current location. It follows “在” and tells the other person where the waiting should happen. Use it when asking someone to stay or act at the present place.
等
In “等它过去” and “一边等”, “等” means wait. In the first phrase it introduces the storm as the event being awaited, while in the second it describes waiting during another activity. Use it when someone must wait through a delay or until an event changes.
它
In “等它过去”, “它” means “it” and refers back to the storm already mentioned. It lets the speaker avoid repeating “暴风雨” while identifying what the speakers are waiting to pass. Use it to refer back to an already mentioned thing or event.
过去
In “等它过去”, “过去” means pass or go past, so the storm passes and the waiting can end. It follows “它” and describes the event’s movement beyond the current situation. Use it when waiting for bad weather or another difficult event to pass.
吧
In “我们在这里等它过去吧”, “吧” marks a suggestion. At the end of the sentence, it makes waiting here sound like a shared proposal rather than a strict instruction. Use it when suggesting an action to another person.
停止
In “暴风雨停止后”, “停止” means stop or come to an end. It describes the storm ending before the later action of going out. Use it when talking about weather, activity, or another event coming to an end.
后
In “暴风雨停止后”, “后” means after. It follows “停止” and places the later action after the storm has stopped. Use it after an event or action when explaining when something else will happen.
可以
In “我们可以出去吗？” and “我们可以再看看天气”, “可以” presents an action as possible or acceptable. It comes before the action being considered, such as going out or checking the weather. Use it when proposing an option or asking whether an action is allowed or possible.
出去
In “暴风雨停止后我们可以出去吗？”, “出去” means go out from the current indoor place to the outside. It follows “可以” and is the action whose possibility is being asked about. Use it when discussing leaving home or another inside location.
再
In “再看看天气”, “再” means check again, while in “然后再决定” it places deciding after the preceding check. In both places it signals repetition or a later step and comes before the action. Use it when planning to repeat or postpone an action until later.
看看
In “我们可以再看看天气”, “看看” means take a look at or check. The repeated form presents the checking as a brief look, and “天气” identifies what is being checked. Use it when suggesting a quick check of information or conditions.
然后
In “然后再决定”, “然后” means then or after that. It links checking the weather with the later decision and makes the order of the plan clear. Use it when explaining that one action will follow another.
决定
In “然后再决定”, “决定” means decide. The speakers will decide after checking the weather, so the word refers to choosing what to do based on that information. Use it when making a choice after considering a situation.
一边
In “一边等，一边泡点茶”, the first “一边” introduces one of two actions happening at the same time. The second matching part introduces the other action, so the whole construction means doing both activities simultaneously. Use it when describing two activities carried out together.
泡
In “一边泡点茶”, “泡” means prepare or brew tea by steeping it. It comes before “点茶” and identifies the action done while waiting. Use it when offering or preparing tea for someone.
点
In “泡点茶”, “点” means some or a little and indicates a small or unspecified amount of tea. It comes before “茶” as part of the amount expression. Use it when offering a modest amount of food or drink.
茶
In “泡点茶”, “茶” means tea. It is the drink being prepared with “泡” while the speakers wait. Use it when talking about preparing, offering, or drinking tea.
这样
In “这样可以帮助我们打发时间”, “这样” means this way or this arrangement and refers to the preceding plan of waiting while making tea. It introduces the result or benefit of that plan. Use it when explaining what a previous action or arrangement will achieve.
帮助
In “这样可以帮助我们打发时间”, “帮助” means help. Here it describes the tea-making plan as supporting the speakers in passing the waiting time, and it is followed by the people helped and their action. Use it when explaining how one action supports someone in doing another action.
打发时间
In “这样可以帮助我们打发时间”, “打发时间” means pass the time. “打发” contributes the idea of making time go by, while “时间” is the time being passed; together they describe filling a wait or delay with an activity. Use it when talking about an activity that makes waiting feel shorter.
Grammar Points
看起来 + 形容词
天气看起来糟。
tiānqì kàn qǐlái zāoThe weather looks bad.
中文用“看起来”直接连接形容词，不需要像英语的 be。
等 + 事件 + 过去
我们待室内，等暴风雨过去。
wǒmen dāi shìnèi, děng bàofēngyǔ guòqùWe’ll stay indoors and wait for the storm to pass.
“等”后面可以接事件；“过去”表示事件结束或经过。
Chinese Vocabulary
暴风雨
noun
bàofēngyǔ
storm
A storm may be coming.
待
verb
dāi
to stay
Should we stay inside?
等
verb
děng
to wait
Let's wait here until it passes.
过去
verb
guòqù
to pass; to go by
Let's wait here until it passes.
看起来
verb
kàn qǐlái
to look; to seem
The weather looks bad.
可能
adv
kěnéng
possibly; may
A storm may be coming.
来
verb
lái
to come
A storm may be coming.
室内
noun
shìnèi
indoors; inside
Should we stay inside?
天气
noun
tiānqì
weather
The weather looks bad.
我们
pron
wǒmen
we; us
Should we stay inside?
糟
adj
zāo
bad; awful
The weather looks bad.
这里
pron
zhèlǐ
here
Let's wait here until it passes.
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
possibly; may
Show Answer
可能weather
Show Answer
天气storm
Show Answer
暴风雨indoors; inside