Using a Shared Office | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Using a Shared Office to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

我可以在这个共享办公室工作吗？

Wǒ kěyǐ zài zhège gòngxiǎng bàngōngshì gōngzuò ma? Can I work in this shared office?

选一个空桌子。

Xuǎn yí ge kōng zhuōzi. Choose an open desk.

我可以用门边的那张。

Wǒ kěyǐ yòng ménbiān de nà zhāng. I can use the one near the door.

用完后把它收拾干净。

Yòng wán hòu bǎ tā shōushi gānjìng. Leave it clean when you finish.

我需要一个安静的地方。

Wǒ xūyào yí ge ānjìng de dìfang. I need a quiet place.

试试墙边的桌子。

Shìshi qiángbiān de zhuōzi. Try the desk by the wall.

我离开前会收好我的东西。

Wǒ líkāi qián huì shōu hǎo wǒ de dōngxi. I will clear my things before I leave.

这样桌子就能留给下一个人使用。

Zhèyàng zhuōzi jiù néng liú gěi xià yí ge rén shǐyòng. That keeps the desk ready for the next person.

Word by Word

我 “我” identifies the speaker as “I” in “我可以在这个共享办公室工作吗？”. It commonly appears before a modal or action to show who can or will do something, such as when saying what you can do.

可以 “可以” asks for permission in “我可以在这个共享办公室工作吗？”, meaning “may I”. It commonly comes before a verb, and you can use it when asking whether an action is allowed.

在 “在” places the action in a location in “在这个共享办公室工作”, meaning “in” or “at”. The reusable pattern is 在 + place + action, for example when saying where you work.

这 “这” points to the office as “this” office in “这个共享办公室”. It commonly comes before a measure word and noun when referring to something nearby or currently being discussed.

个 “个” is the general measure word in “这个共享办公室”, between “这” and the noun phrase. A common pattern is 这/那 + 个 + noun when pointing to one thing.

共享 “共享” means “shared” and describes the office in “共享办公室”, indicating that the space is used by several people. It commonly comes before a noun to describe something available for common use, such as a shared workplace.

办公室 “办公室” means “office”, the place where the speaker wants to work in “这个共享办公室”. It commonly names a workplace after 在 when describing where someone works.

工作 “工作” means “work” in “在这个共享办公室工作”. It is the action placed after the location, and it can be used when talking about working in a particular place.

吗 “吗” turns “我可以在这个共享办公室工作” into a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end of a statement when asking for confirmation or permission.

选 “选” means “choose” in the instruction “选一个空桌子”. It commonly comes before the thing being chosen, and you can use it when directing someone to choose an available option.

空 “空” means “empty” or “available” in “空桌子”, describing a desk that is not occupied. It commonly comes before a noun when identifying an available place or object.

桌子 “桌子” means “desk” or “table” in “选一个空桌子”. It names the work surface being selected, and it can be used with a measure word when referring to one desk or table.

用 “用” means “use” in “我可以用门边的那张”. It commonly comes before the object being used, and you can use it when saying which desk, tool, or item you will use.

门边 “门边” means “beside the door” in “门边的那张”, identifying the desk by its location. The pattern place + 的 + noun is useful for describing which object is near a particular place.

的 “的” links the location “门边” to the desk phrase in “门边的那张”, meaning “the one by the door”. A common reusable pattern is a description + 的 + noun or noun phrase.

那 “那” points to a specific desk as “that” one in “那张”. It commonly combines with a measure word to identify an item that has already been mentioned or is understood from the situation.

张 “张” is the measure word used in “那张” for the flat desk. It commonly follows a demonstrative or number before a flat object such as a desk, table, or sheet.

用完 “用完” means “finish using” in “用完后”, referring to completing the use of the desk. It commonly combines with 后 to describe what should happen after an item has been used.

后 “后” means “after” in “用完后”. It follows an action to form a time expression, useful for giving an instruction about what to do after that action.

把 “把” places the item being dealt with before the action in “把它收拾干净”. The reusable pattern is 把 + object + action or result, used when explaining what should happen to a specific item.

它 “它” means “it” and refers to the desk in “把它收拾干净”. It is useful when referring back to a known non-person object instead of repeating its name.

收拾 “收拾” means “tidy up” in “把它收拾干净”. It commonly comes before the item or place being organized, and here it describes tidying the shared desk before leaving.

干净 “干净” means “clean” as the desired result in “把它收拾干净”. It can follow an action to state that the object should become clean, especially when giving a cleaning instruction.

需要 “需要” means “need” in “我需要一个安静的地方”. It commonly comes before the thing or place that is needed, and you can use it to state a practical requirement.

安静 “安静” means “quiet” and describes the place in “一个安静的地方”. It commonly comes before a noun when identifying a place or setting without much noise.

地方 “地方” means “place” in “一个安静的地方”. A useful pattern is 一个 + description + 的地方 when asking for or describing a suitable place.

试试 “试试” means “try” in the suggestion “试试墙边的桌子”. It gives a light suggestion to test an option, and it commonly comes before the place or item to try.

墙边 “墙边” means “beside the wall” in “墙边的桌子”, identifying the desk by location. The pattern place + 的 + noun can be reused to describe an object near a wall or another landmark.

离开 “离开” means “leave” in “我离开前会收好我的东西”. It refers to departing from the shared office, and it commonly appears before a place or in a time expression with 前.

前 “前” means “before” in “离开前”. It follows an action to say that another action happens earlier, which is useful when giving a preparation instruction.

会 “会” means “will” in “我离开前会收好我的东西”, showing the speaker’s future intention. The reusable pattern is subject + 会 + action when stating a plan or promise.

收好 “收好” means “put away properly” in “收好我的东西”, emphasizing that the belongings should be put away in a satisfactory condition. It commonly comes before the items being stored, especially when preparing to leave a shared space.

东西 “东西” means “things” or “belongings” in “我的东西”. It refers here to the speaker’s personal items, and it commonly follows a possessive expression such as 我的 when talking about what someone owns or has with them.

这样 “这样” means “this way” and refers to the action just described in “这样桌子就能留给下一个人使用”. It commonly introduces the consequence of an action, useful when explaining why a particular way of doing something helps.

就 “就” marks the result in “这样桌子就能留给下一个人使用”, meaning that the desk can then be left for another person. A common pattern is a preceding condition or action + 就 + result.

能 “能” means “can” or “be able to” in “桌子就能留给下一个人使用”. It describes what becomes possible as a result, and it commonly comes before the action that is possible.

留给 “留给” means “leave for” in “留给下一个人使用”, showing that the desk remains available for another person. The reusable pattern is 留给 + recipient + action, when something is kept for someone else to use or receive.

下一个 “下一个” means “next” in “下一个人”, identifying the person who uses the desk after the current user. It commonly comes before a noun when referring to the next person or item in a sequence.

人 “人” means “person” in “下一个人”, referring to the next user of the desk. It commonly follows a description such as 下一个 when identifying someone in a sequence.

使用 “使用” means “use” in “留给下一个人使用”, describing what the next person will do with the desk. It commonly follows a person or comes before an object when talking about using something for a practical purpose.

Grammar Points

动词 + 结果补语：收拾干净

我收拾干净。

Wǒ shōushi gānjìng.

I clean it up completely.

“干净”放在动词“收拾”后面，说明动作完成后的结果。

动词 + 结果补语：收好

我收好东西。

Wǒ shōu hǎo dōngxi.

I put away my things properly.

“好”放在动词“收”后面，表示东西被妥善收好、状态达到要求。

Chinese Vocabulary

安静 adj

ānjìng quiet

地方 noun

dìfang place

工作 verb

gōngzuò to work

共享办公室 noun

gòngxiǎng bàngōngshì shared office

空 adj

kōng empty; available

门边 noun

ménbiān beside the door

试试 verb

shìshi to try

收拾干净 phrase

shōushi gānjìng to clean up

我 pron

wǒ I; me

需要 verb

xūyào to need

选 verb

xuǎn to choose

桌子 noun

zhuōzi desk; table

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to clean up

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收拾干净

shared office

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共享办公室

desk; table

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桌子

place

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地方