Choosing between a salad and a sandwich | Learn Chinese in English

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Use Choosing between a salad and a sandwich to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

我该选三明治还是沙拉？

wǒ gāi xuǎn sānmíngzhì háishì shālā Should I choose a sandwich or a salad?

沙拉是比较清淡的选择。

shālā shì bǐjiào qīngdàn de xuǎnzé The salad is a lighter option.

我不是很饿。

wǒ bú shì hěn è I am not very hungry.

那它可能更适合你。

nà tā kěnéng gèng shìhé nǐ Then it may suit you better.

你要点什么？

nǐ yào diǎn shénme What are you getting?

我想要大一点的。

wǒ xiǎng yào dà yìdiǎn de I want something bigger.

我会选三明治。

wǒ huì xuǎn sānmíngzhì I will choose the sandwich.

沙拉适合我。

shālā shìhé wǒ The salad works for me.

等服务员回来，我们再点餐吧。

děng fúwùyuán huílái, wǒmen zài diǎncān ba Let's order when the server comes back.

Word by Word

我 “我” means “I” or “me” and refers to the speaker in “我该选三明治还是沙拉？”. It commonly appears before the action or description, as in “我想要大一点的”; use it when talking about yourself.

该 In “我该选三明治还是沙拉？”, “该” asks what the speaker should do. It appears before the action “选” to ask for advice about a choice; use it when deciding what action is appropriate.

选 “选” means “choose” in “我该选三明治还是沙拉？”. It comes before the alternatives being chosen, such as “三明治还是沙拉”; use it when selecting food or another option.

三明治 “三明治” means “sandwich” in “我该选三明治还是沙拉？” and “我会选三明治”. It can follow “选” to name the chosen food; use it when ordering or discussing food choices.

还是 “还是” means “or” in the choice question “三明治还是沙拉”. It links the two alternatives after “选”; use this pattern when asking someone to choose between options.

沙拉 “沙拉” means “salad” in “三明治还是沙拉” and “沙拉是比较清淡的选择”. It can be named as an option or described as a suitable food; use it when discussing or ordering a salad.

是 In “沙拉是比较清淡的选择”, “是” links “沙拉” with the description “比较清淡的选择”. It introduces what something is or how it is characterized; use it to connect a subject with a noun description.

比较 “比较” makes the description in “比较清淡” relatively lighter rather than absolute. It comes before the describing word “清淡”; use it when saying that something is relatively or comparatively a certain way.

清淡 “清淡” describes the salad in “沙拉是比较清淡的选择”, meaning light in flavor. Here it modifies “选择” through “比较清淡的”; use it when describing food with a light taste.

的 In “比较清淡的选择”, “的” connects the description “比较清淡” to the noun “选择”. It follows the describing part and comes before the noun; use this structure when describing an option or thing.

选择 “选择” means “choice” or “option” in “比较清淡的选择”. It is the noun being described by “比较清淡的”; use it when talking about one available option among alternatives.

不 “不” makes “很饿” negative in “我不是很饿”, expressing that the speaker is not very hungry. It comes before the part being negated; use it to give a negative description or state.

很 In “我不是很饿”, “很” means “very” or marks the degree of being hungry. It appears before “饿”; use it to indicate the degree of a description.

饿 “饿” means “hungry” in “我不是很饿”. It describes the speaker’s physical state after “很”; use it when explaining whether you want food or how hungry you are.

那 “那” means “then” or “in that case” in “那它可能更适合你”. It responds to the previous statement “我不是很饿” and introduces a conclusion; use it when drawing a conclusion from what someone has just said.

它 “它” means “it” in “那它可能更适合你”, referring here to the salad already under discussion. It appears before the description “可能更适合你”; use it to refer back to a food or other non-person thing.

可能 “可能” means “may” or “possibly” in “它可能更适合你”. It shows that the speaker is making a possibility rather than a certainty; use it before a description or action when the result is uncertain.

更 “更” means “more” in “更适合你”, showing that the salad may suit the listener better than the alternative. It comes before “适合”; use it when comparing suitability or degree.

适合 “适合” means “suit” or “be suitable for” in “它可能更适合你”. The suitable thing comes before it and the person it suits follows it, as in “适合你”; use it when recommending something for a particular person.

你 “你” means “you” in “更适合你” and “你要点什么？”. It refers to the person being addressed and can follow “适合”; use it when speaking directly to one listener.

要 In “你要点什么？”, “要” asks what the listener wants to order. It comes before the action “点”; use it in a question about what someone wants to get or order.

点 “点” means “order” in “你要点什么？”. It comes before “什么” to ask which food the listener will order; use it at a food counter or restaurant when talking about ordering.

什么 “什么” means “what” in “你要点什么？”, asking the listener to specify the food. It follows “点” as the unspecified object of the action; use it when asking what someone wants or will order.

想 “想” means “want to” or “would like to” in “我想要大一点的”. It introduces what the speaker wants, followed here by “要大一点的”; use it to express a personal wish or preference.

大 “大” means “big” or “large” in “大一点的”. It describes the desired size of the unspecified food; use it before “一点” when asking for something somewhat larger.

一点 “一点” means “a little” or “slightly” in “大一点的”, softening the size comparison to “a little bigger”. It follows “大” to show a small degree; use it when requesting a slight change in size or degree.

会 “会” means “will” in “我会选三明治”, indicating the speaker’s decision or expected action. It comes before “选”; use it to state what you will choose or do.

等 In “等服务员回来”, “等” means “wait until” and introduces the event that must happen first. It is followed by “服务员回来”; use it when postponing an action until someone or something arrives or happens.

服务员 “服务员” means “server” or “waiter” in “服务员回来”. It is the person whose return is awaited; use it when referring to the restaurant worker who takes an order.

回来 “回来” means “come back” or “return” in “服务员回来”. It describes the server’s return to the food counter; use it after a person when saying that they return to the current place.

我们 “我们” means “we” or “us” in “我们再点餐吧”. It refers to the speaker and the listener together; use it before a shared action or suggestion.

再 In “我们再点餐吧”, “再” means “then” or “afterward”, showing that ordering will happen after the server returns. It comes before “点餐”; use it when placing an action after another event.

点餐 “点餐” means “order food” in “我们再点餐吧”. It names the shared action that will happen after the server returns; use it when talking about ordering a meal in a restaurant or at a food counter.

吧 “吧” softens the suggestion in “我们再点餐吧”, making it a gentle proposal to order later. It comes at the end of the sentence; use it when suggesting a shared action.

Grammar Points

等……再……

等服务员回来再点餐。

děng fúwùyuán huílái zài diǎncān

Wait until the server comes back, then order food.

“等……再……”表示先等一个动作完成，然后再做下一件事。

大一点的

我想要大一点的。

wǒ xiǎng yào dà yìdiǎn de

I want something a little bigger.

“大一点的”用“一点”表示程度稍微增加，末尾“的”使短语可以代替名词。

Chinese Vocabulary

比较 adv

bǐjiào relatively; comparatively

点 verb

diǎn to order

饿 adj

è hungry

还是 conj

háishì or; or rather

那 adv

nà then; in that case

清淡 adj

qīngdàn light; not rich or greasy

三明治 noun

sānmíngzhì sandwich

沙拉 noun

shālā salad

适合 verb

shìhé to suit; to be suitable for

我 pron

wǒ I; me

选 verb

xuǎn to choose

选择 noun

xuǎnzé choice; option

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

salad

Show Answer

沙拉

light; not rich or greasy

Show Answer

清淡

relatively; comparatively

Show Answer

比较

or; or rather

Show Answer

还是