About This Lesson
Use Preparing the room for a quiet evening to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
最近天黑得更早了。
Zuìjìn tiān hēi de gèng zǎo le. It is getting dark earlier these days.
B
我会在晚饭前把窗帘拉上。
Wǒ huì zài wǎnfàn qián bǎ chuānglián lā shàng. I will close the curtains before dinner.
A
你也能把小暖气打开吗？
Nǐ yě néng bǎ xiǎo nuǎnqì dǎkāi ma? Could you switch on the small heater too?
B
我可以把它调到低档。
Wǒ kěyǐ bǎ tā tiáo dào dī dàng. I can set it to low.
B
不过，房间现在已经很舒服了。
Búguò, fángjiān xiànzài yǐjīng hěn shūfu le. But the room already feels comfortable.
A
我想让房间今晚感觉温馨一点。
Wǒ xiǎng ràng fángjiān jīnwǎn gǎnjué wēnxīn yìdiǎn. I want the room to feel cozy this evening.
B
一盏光线柔和一点的灯也许可以做到，而且不会让房间太暖。
Yì zhǎn guāngxiàn róuhé yìdiǎn de dēng yěxǔ kěyǐ zuòdào, érqiě bú huì ràng fángjiān tài nuǎn. A softer lamp might do that without making it too warm.
A
柔和的灯光让房间显得更安静了。
Róuhé de dēngguāng ràng fángjiān xiǎnde gèng ānjìng le. The softer light makes the room feel much calmer.
B
那我们吃完饭后就可以放松了。
Nà wǒmen chī wán fàn hòu jiù kěyǐ fàngsōng le. Then we can relax after we eat.Word by Word
最近
‘最近’ means recently or these days, referring here to the current period when it is becoming dark earlier. It is commonly placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the time. Use it when talking about a recent change or situation.
天黑
‘天黑’ means that it becomes dark or that the sky gets dark. Here it describes the evening getting dark earlier than before. It is useful when talking about the time of day or changing daylight.
得
‘得’ connects ‘天黑’ with the degree phrase ‘更早’, showing how early the situation happens. A reliable pattern is to place it between an action or state and a following degree or result description. Use it to describe the degree of an action or change.
更
‘更’ means more or even more, and here it shows that darkness comes earlier than it did before. It is used before a describing word when making a comparison. Use it when describing an increased degree or a further change.
早
‘早’ means early, and in this dialogue it describes the earlier time when it gets dark. Together with ‘更’, it gives the meaning earlier than before. Use it when talking about timing.
了
The ‘了’ at the end of ‘最近天黑得更早了’ shows that the situation has changed and is now different. It marks a new or changed condition rather than simply naming an action. Use it when reporting a noticeable change in the current situation.
我
‘我’ means I or me, referring to the speaker who will close the curtains. It is the subject of the planned action here. Use it when stating what you yourself will do or can do.
会
‘会’ means will here, showing the speaker’s intention to close the curtains before dinner. It commonly comes before an action to describe a future plan. Use it when making or describing a plan.
在
‘在’ introduces the time phrase ‘晚饭前’, locating the action before dinner. It can introduce a time or place connected with an action. Use it to say when or where something happens.
晚饭
‘晚饭’ means dinner, and here it provides the time reference for closing the curtains. It is used with a time expression to anchor another action. Use it when discussing the evening meal or timing around it.
前
‘前’ means before, and after ‘晚饭’ it gives the meaning before dinner. It commonly follows an event or time expression to locate an earlier time. Use it when scheduling something before another event.
把
‘把’ introduces ‘窗帘’ as the object being handled and places it before the action and its result. The dialogue uses it in the structure ‘把窗帘拉上’, focusing on what happens to the curtains. Use this structure when an action clearly changes or handles a specific object.
窗帘
‘窗帘’ means curtains, the object that the speaker will pull closed. It is a household word used when discussing windows and room light. Use it when talking about adjusting the room by handling the curtains.
拉上
‘拉上’ means to pull something into a closed position, here referring to closing the curtains. In this expression, ‘拉’ contributes the pulling action and ‘上’ shows that the action reaches the closed or joined result. Use it when pulling curtains or another object closed.
你
‘你’ means you and refers to the person being asked to switch on the heater. It is the person addressed in the question. Use it when asking or telling the other person about an action.
也
‘也’ means also or too, adding the heater to the other room-preparation actions. It usually appears before the action or description that is being added. Use it when including one more person, object, or action.
能
‘能’ means can or could here and is used to ask whether the other person can switch on the heater. In this question, it makes the request less direct. Use it before an action when asking about someone’s ability or availability to do it.
小
‘小’ means small and describes the heater mentioned in the request. It comes before the noun it modifies. Use it to identify an object by its smaller size.
暖气
‘暖气’ means a heater or heating device, the object that the speaker asks to switch on. It is used here as household equipment for warming the room. Use it when discussing indoor heating.
打开
‘打开’ means to open or switch on, and here it refers to turning on the heater. It is used for an action that makes a device or other object active or open. Use it when operating a device or opening something.
吗
‘吗’ is placed at the end of the sentence to make a general yes-or-no question. Here it turns the request about switching on the heater into a question. Use it at the end when asking whether something is the case or can be done.
可以
‘可以’ means can or be able to here, showing that the speaker is able to adjust the heater. It commonly comes before an action that is possible or permitted. Use it when saying that an action is possible or acceptable.
它
‘它’ means it and refers back to the heater already mentioned. It lets the speaker continue talking about that known device without repeating its name. Use it for a previously identified non-person object.
调
‘调’ means to adjust or set, and here it describes changing the heater’s setting. It is used with a target setting introduced by ‘到’. Use it when changing a control, level, or setting.
到
‘到’ means to a target point, and after ‘调’ it introduces the setting that the heater will reach. It shows the result or destination of the adjustment. Use it after an adjustment action when naming the target state or level.
低档
‘低档’ means the low setting or low level of the heater. It is the target setting reached by the adjustment in this dialogue. Use it when selecting a lower setting on a device with levels.
不过
‘不过’ means but or however, introducing a contrast with the suggestion to turn on the heater. Here it softens the disagreement by adding that the room is already comfortable. Use it when presenting a different consideration or a mild correction.
房间
‘房间’ means room, the space whose comfort and atmosphere are being discussed. It is the subject of the following description of how the room feels. Use it when talking about an indoor space.
现在
‘现在’ means now or at present, referring to the room’s current condition. It is placed before the description of that condition. Use it to contrast the present situation with another time.
已经
‘已经’ means already, showing that the room has reached a comfortable condition by now. It commonly appears before the state or action that has been reached. Use it when emphasizing that something is true earlier than expected or by the present time.
很
‘很’ means very or quite and gives the degree of ‘舒服’ in the description of the room. It is placed before a describing word. Use it to make a description stronger or more complete.
舒服
‘舒服’ means comfortable, describing how the room feels at present. Here it expresses the room’s pleasant condition rather than an action. Use it when describing physical comfort or a comfortable environment.
想
‘想’ means want to or would like to, expressing the speaker’s wish for the room to feel cozier. It comes before the desired action or result. Use it when stating a personal intention or preference.
让
‘让’ means make or cause, introducing ‘房间’ as the thing whose feeling is meant to change. It links the object affected with the desired result. Use it in a pattern where one person or thing causes another person or thing to have a certain result.
今晚
‘今晚’ means tonight, setting the time for the desired cozy atmosphere. It specifies when the room should have that feeling. Use it when talking about plans, conditions, or events for tonight.
感觉
‘感觉’ means feel or seem, and here it describes how the room is experienced. It connects the room with the quality ‘温馨一点’. Use it when describing how a person, place, or situation feels.
温馨
‘温馨’ means cozy and warm in a pleasant, home-like way. Here it describes the atmosphere the speaker wants the room to have. Use it when describing a welcoming home or a gentle, comfortable atmosphere.
一点
‘一点’ means a little or slightly, making the desired change in ‘温馨一点’ gentle rather than extreme. It commonly follows a quality to indicate a small degree or adjustment. Use it when asking for or describing a slight change.
一
‘一’ means one, identifying a single lamp in ‘一盏灯’. In this phrase it comes before the measure word for the lamp. Use it when counting one item together with its appropriate measure word.
盏
‘盏’ is the measure word used here for a lamp. It appears between ‘一’ and ‘灯’ to count one lamp. Use it when referring to a lamp as a counted light source.
光线
‘光线’ means light or the quality of light, and here it is described as soft. It tells us what kind of light the lamp gives. Use it when describing the light in a room or the way light appears.
柔和
‘柔和’ means soft and gentle, not harsh, and here it describes the lamp’s light. It is part of the description ‘光线柔和一点’. Use it when describing pleasant, gentle light or another non-harsh quality.
的
‘的’ links the description ‘光线柔和一点’ to the noun ‘灯’, making the whole description identify the lamp. It commonly follows a modifier before the noun it describes. Use it to connect a description with a following person, object, or thing.
灯
‘灯’ means lamp or light, and here it is the suggested source of softer light. It is the noun described by the preceding light-quality phrase. Use it when talking about a lamp or a light in a room.
也许
‘也许’ means perhaps or might, presenting the softer lamp as a possible solution rather than a certainty. It introduces a tentative suggestion. Use it when offering an idea without claiming that it will definitely work.
做到
‘做到’ means achieve or manage to do something, and here it refers to achieving the cozy room effect just discussed. It is used when an action or solution reaches a stated aim. Use it when saying that a person or thing succeeds in producing a desired result.
而且
‘而且’ means and moreover, adding another benefit to the suggestion about the softer lamp. It connects the cozy effect with the fact that the room will not become too warm. Use it when adding a further supporting point.
不
‘不’ means not and negates the following description of the room becoming too warm. Here it helps express that the suggested change will avoid an excessive temperature. Use it before a verb or describing phrase to form a negative statement.
太
‘太’ means too or excessively, and here it marks an unwanted high degree of warmth. Together with the negation in the sentence, it means that the room will not become overly warm. Use it before a quality when describing an excessive degree.
暖
‘暖’ means warm, describing the room’s temperature in the phrase about not making it too warm. It is the quality whose degree is limited by ‘太’. Use it when describing warmth in a room or another environment.
灯光
‘灯光’ means the light given off by a lamp, and here it is the subject that makes the room seem quieter. It focuses on the light as part of the room’s atmosphere. Use it when discussing the effect or quality of light.
显得
‘显得’ means seem or appear to have a certain quality, and here the room appears quieter because of the softer light. It is commonly followed by a description of the apparent state. Use it when describing an impression rather than a directly measured fact.
安静
‘安静’ means quiet or peaceful, describing the calmer atmosphere of the room. Here it is the quality the room appears to have under the softer light. Use it when describing a quiet room or a peaceful situation.
那
‘那’ means then or in that case here, linking the suggestion about the lamp to the next result. It signals a conclusion based on what was just said. Use it at the beginning of a response when drawing a consequence or making a plan.
我们
‘我们’ means we or us, referring to the speaker and the other person together. Here it is the subject of the shared plan after dinner. Use it when describing an action done by the speaker together with the listener or another group.
吃完
‘吃完’ means finish eating, and in ‘吃完饭后’ it marks the meal as completed before the next action. ‘吃’ contributes the act of eating, while ‘完’ shows that the eating reaches completion. Use a verb with ‘完’ when emphasizing that an action has been finished.
饭
‘饭’ means food or a meal, and here it is the object of ‘吃完’ in the time expression after the meal. It refers to the meal the speakers will finish eating. Use it when talking about eating or a meal.
后
‘后’ means after, and after the completed meal it places relaxing later in time. It commonly follows an event or completed activity to locate a subsequent action. Use it when describing what happens after something else.
就
‘就’ means then or right afterward here, showing that relaxing follows the meal as the next planned action. It connects a time condition with its resulting action. Use it when expressing what will happen once a stated event is completed.
放松
‘放松’ means relax or unwind, describing what the speakers plan to do after eating. It is the shared result of preparing the room for a quiet evening. Use it when talking about resting after work, a meal, or another activity.
Grammar Points
V完……后
吃完饭后，灯光显得柔和。
Chī wán fàn hòu, dēngguāng xiǎnde róuhé.After finishing dinner, the lighting seems soft.
“完” shows an action is completed; “后” means “after,” forming a time phrase for the following clause.
太 + adjective
暖气太暖。
Nuǎnqì tài nuǎn.The heater is too warm.
“太” before an adjective expresses an excessive degree, meaning “too…”.
Chinese Vocabulary
窗帘
noun
chuānglián
curtains
打开
verb
dǎkāi
to switch on; to open
调到低档
phrase
tiáo dào dī dàng
to set to a low setting
更早
adv
gèng zǎo
earlier
拉上
verb
lā shàng
to close; to pull shut
暖气
noun
nuǎnqì
heater
柔和
adj
róuhé
soft; gentle
舒服
adj
shūfu
comfortable
天黑
verb
tiānhēi
to get dark
晚饭前
phrase
wǎnfàn qián
before dinner
温馨
adj
wēnxīn
cozy; warm and inviting
最近
adv
zuìjìn
recently; these days
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to set to a low setting
Show Answer
调到低档to get dark
Show Answer
天黑comfortable
Show Answer
舒服heater