About This Lesson
Use Using a Shared Kitchen to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗？
wǒ kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ xǐ wǒ de bēizi ma? Can I wash my cup here?
B
用左边的水槽。
yòng zuǒbian de shuǐcáo. Use the sink on the left.
A
我想保持这个地方干净。
wǒ xiǎng bǎochí zhège dìfang gānjìng. I want to keep the space clean.
B
请做完后擦桌子。
qǐng zuò wán hòu cā zhuōzi. Please wipe the table after you finish.
A
垃圾要放进这个垃圾桶吗？
lājī yào fàng jìn zhège lājītǒng ma? Does trash go in this bin?
B
把它放进门旁边的垃圾桶。
bǎ tā fàng jìn mén pángbiān de lājītǒng. Put it in the bin by the door.
A
我现在就处理它。
wǒ xiànzài jiù chǔlǐ tā. I will take care of it now.
B
这样厨房就能保持整洁，方便大家使用。
zhèyàng chúfáng jiù néng bǎochí zhěngjié, fāngbiàn dàjiā shǐyòng. That keeps the kitchen ready for everyone.Word by Word
我
我 means “I” or “me”; here it refers to the speaker in 我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗？ and 我想保持这个地方干净。It is commonly placed before an action or ability expression when talking about yourself.
可以
可以 means “can” or “be allowed to”; in 我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗？ it asks whether the speaker has permission. It commonly comes before an action, especially when asking if something is permitted.
在
在 marks the place where an action happens; in 在这里 it means “at” or “in.” It is commonly placed before a location, as in 在这里洗我的杯子.
这里
这里 means “here,” the place where the speaker wants to wash the cup. It commonly follows 在 to identify the location, as in 在这里.
洗
洗 means “wash”; here it describes washing the cup in 洗我的杯子. It is commonly placed before the thing being washed, and it is useful when asking or talking about a cleaning action.
我的
我的 means “my” and identifies the cup as belonging to the speaker in 我的杯子. It is placed before a noun to show possession, as in 我的杯子.
杯子
杯子 means “cup”; here it is the thing being washed in 洗我的杯子. It can follow a possessive expression such as 我的 and can be used as the object of an action.
吗
吗 is placed at the end of 我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗？ to turn it into a yes-or-no question. It is useful when asking for confirmation or permission after a complete statement.
用
用 means “use”; in 用左边的水槽 it gives an instruction to use the sink on the left. It is commonly placed before the thing or tool being used.
左边
左边 means “the left side”; in 左边的水槽 it identifies which sink to use. It can come before 的 and a noun to describe the noun’s location or side.
的
的 links 左边 to 水槽 in 左边的水槽, showing that the sink is the one on the left; it also links 我 to 杯子 in 我的杯子. It commonly connects a possessor or description to the noun that follows.
水槽
水槽 means “sink”; here it is the thing to use in 用左边的水槽. It can follow a location description such as 左边的 and serve as the object of 用.
想
想 means “want to”; in 我想保持这个地方干净 it introduces the speaker’s intention. It commonly comes before the action or goal that the speaker wants to carry out.
保持
保持 means “keep” or “maintain”; here it describes maintaining the place in a clean condition in 保持这个地方干净. It commonly comes before a place or thing and the state to be maintained.
这个
这个 means “this” and points to the shared place in 这个地方. It is commonly placed before a noun to identify something nearby or currently being discussed.
地方
地方 means “place” or “space”; here 这个地方 refers to the shared kitchen area. It can follow a demonstrative such as 这个 to identify a particular place.
干净
干净 means “clean”; in 保持这个地方干净 it describes the condition the place should remain in. It commonly follows 保持 when describing a state that someone wants to maintain.
请
请 means “please” and makes 请做完后擦桌子 a polite request. It is commonly placed before the requested action when giving a courteous instruction.
做完
做完 means “finish doing”; in 做完后 it refers to finishing the task before wiping the table. It can be followed by 后 to introduce an action that happens afterward.
后
后 means “after”; in 做完后 it places the wiping action after the finishing action. It commonly follows an action or time expression to show what happens later.
擦
擦 means “wipe”; here it is the requested action in 擦桌子. It is commonly placed before the surface or object being wiped, and it is useful in practical cleaning instructions.
桌子
桌子 means “table”; here it is the surface to wipe in 擦桌子. It can follow 擦 as the object of the cleaning action.
垃圾
垃圾 means “trash” or “garbage”; in 垃圾要放进这个垃圾桶吗？ it is the thing whose correct bin is being asked about. It can be the topic of a question about where something should go.
要
要 indicates what is expected or supposed to happen in 垃圾要放进这个垃圾桶吗？. It commonly comes before an action to ask whether that action is the appropriate one here.
放进
放进 means “put into,” emphasizing movement into a container; here it appears in 放进这个垃圾桶 and 放进门旁边的垃圾桶. It is commonly followed by the destination that receives the object.
垃圾桶
垃圾桶 means “trash bin”; here it is the destination for the trash in 这个垃圾桶 and 门旁边的垃圾桶. It can follow 放进 and can be described by a demonstrative or location phrase.
把
把 marks the object that will be dealt with before the action in 把它放进门旁边的垃圾桶. The reusable pattern is 把 + object + action, useful when giving a clear instruction about what to do with something.
它
它 means “it”; here it refers to the trash in 把它放进门旁边的垃圾桶. It appears after 把 and before the action when the object is already understood.
门
门 means “door”; in 门旁边 it serves as the reference point for the bin’s location. It can be followed by a location expression to identify something near the door.
旁边
旁边 means “beside” or “next to”; in 门旁边 it says that the bin is next to the door. It commonly follows the reference object whose nearby location is being described.
现在
现在 means “now”; in 我现在就处理它 it identifies the time when the speaker will deal with the trash. It commonly appears before the action to set its time.
就
就 emphasizes that the action will happen immediately in 现在就处理它. It can follow a time expression to show that the action takes place right away.
处理
处理 means “deal with” or “take care of”; here it refers to handling the trash in 处理它. It commonly takes the thing being handled after it, and it is useful when responding to a practical task.
这样
这样 means “this way” or “like this”; here it refers back to putting the trash in the correct bin in 这样厨房就能保持整洁，方便大家使用。It is commonly used to introduce the result or benefit of an action just mentioned.
厨房
厨房 means “kitchen”; here it is the place that can remain tidy in 厨房就能保持整洁. It can be the subject of a statement about the condition or use of the kitchen.
能
能 means “can” or “be able to”; in 厨房就能保持整洁 it expresses the resulting possibility that the kitchen can stay tidy. It commonly comes before the action or state that is possible.
整洁
整洁 means “neat” or “tidy”; here it describes the condition of the kitchen in 保持整洁. It commonly follows 保持 when talking about maintaining an orderly space.
方便
方便 means “make convenient” here; in 方便大家使用 it means making it convenient for everyone to use the kitchen. It can come before a person or group and the action that becomes easier for them.
大家
大家 means “everyone” or “everybody”; here it refers to all the people who use the shared kitchen in 方便大家使用. It can come before an action to show what a group of people can do.
使用
使用 means “use”; in 方便大家使用 it refers to everyone using the kitchen. It commonly follows the person or group who performs the action, as in 大家使用.
Grammar Points
保持 + 宾语 + 形容词
保持地方干净
bǎochí dìfang gānjìngKeep the place clean.
“保持”后面可以接对象和形容词，表示让某处持续处于某种状态。
Chinese Vocabulary
保持
verb
bǎochí
keep; maintain
我想保持这个地方干净。
杯子
noun
bēizi
cup
我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗?
擦
verb
cā
wipe
请做完后擦桌子。
地方
noun
dìfang
place; space
我想保持这个地方干净。
干净
adj
gānjìng
clean
我想保持这个地方干净。
垃圾
noun
lājī
trash; garbage
垃圾要放进这个垃圾桶吗?
垃圾桶
noun
lājītǒng
trash bin; garbage bin
垃圾要放进这个垃圾桶吗?
水槽
noun
shuǐcáo
sink
用左边的水槽。
洗
verb
xǐ
wash
我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗?
这里
adv
zhèlǐ
here
我可以在这里洗我的杯子吗?
桌子
noun
zhuōzi
table
请做完后擦桌子。
左边
noun
zuǒbian
left side
用左边的水槽。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
clean
Show Answer
干净here
Show Answer
这里place; space
Show Answer
地方left side