About This Lesson
Use Preparing tea and snacks for a guest to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我们的客人很快就到了。
Wǒmen de kèrén hěn kuài jiù dào le. Our guest will arrive soon.
B
我们应该给客人喝咖啡还是茶？
Wǒmen yīnggāi gěi kèrén hē kāfēi háishì chá? Should we serve coffee or tea?
A
今晚喝茶可能更好。
Jīnwǎn hē chá kěnéng gèng hǎo. Tea is probably better this evening.
B
我来用水壶烧点水。
Wǒ lái yòng shuǐhú shāo diǎn shuǐ. I'll boil some water in the kettle.
A
请给我们的客人用大杯子。
Qǐng gěi wǒmen de kèrén yòng dà bēizi. Please use the large mug for our guest.
B
你要我也准备点心吗？
Nǐ yào wǒ yě zhǔnbèi diǎnxin ma? Would you like me to prepare snacks too?
A
请把一些饼干放在小盘子里。
Qǐng bǎ yìxiē bǐnggān fàng zài xiǎo pánzi lǐ. Put some biscuits on the small plate, please.
B
客人到之前，一切都会准备好。
Kèrén dào zhīqián, yíqiè dōu huì zhǔnbèi hǎo. Everything will be ready before they arrive.Word by Word
我们
我们 means “we” or “us” here and contributes “our” in the phrase 我们的客人. Before 的, it identifies the people connected with the guest. Use it when referring to yourself together with other people.
的
的 links 我们 to 客人 in 我们的客人 and marks the relationship as “our guest.” It commonly follows a person or group to show connection or possession before a noun. Use it when saying who something belongs to or is associated with.
客人
客人 means “guest” in 我们的客人 and 客人到之前. It names the person being welcomed into the home. Use it when talking about someone visiting or being received.
很快
很快 means “soon” in 很快就到了, describing the guest’s arrival as happening shortly. It is placed before the event or verb it describes. Use it when telling someone that something will happen after only a short time.
就
就 adds the sense that the arrival in 很快就到了 is expected to happen promptly or very soon. Here it appears after 很快 and before 到. Use it before an action when you want to present that action as quick or expected.
到
到 means “arrive” in 到了 and refers to reaching the place where the speakers are. It is the action connected with the guest’s expected arrival. Use it for arriving at a place or reaching a destination.
了
The sentence-final 了 in 很快就到了 presents the arrival as an upcoming change, fitting the meaning “will arrive soon.” It does not mean that the guest has already arrived at the time of the statement. Use this ending when announcing that a situation is about to change.
应该
应该 means “should” in 我们应该给客人喝咖啡还是茶？, asking what the speakers ought to serve. It comes before the action being considered. Use it when making a recommendation or asking about the appropriate choice.
给
给 introduces the person who receives or benefits from the action in 给客人喝 and 给我们的客人用. Here it shows that the drink or mug is intended for the guest. Use it before a person when describing something done for or given to that person.
喝
喝 means “drink” in 喝咖啡还是茶 and 喝茶. It takes the beverage as the following object. Use it when offering, choosing, or talking about drinking a beverage.
咖啡
咖啡 means “coffee” and is one of the beverage choices in 我们应该给客人喝咖啡还是茶？. It functions as the object of 喝. Use it when naming coffee as a drink.
还是
还是 means “or” in the question 我们应该给客人喝咖啡还是茶？ and presents two alternatives for the listener to choose between. It appears between the alternatives in this question. Use it when asking someone to choose one option or another.
茶
茶 means “tea” in 喝茶 and is the second beverage option in the serving question. It follows 喝 when describing the drink. Use it when offering or discussing tea.
今晚
今晚 means “this evening” or “tonight” in 今晚喝茶可能更好. It sets the time for the suggestion about drinking tea. Place it before an activity when specifying that the activity is for tonight.
可能
可能 means “probably” or “possibly” in 茶可能更好 and makes the recommendation less absolute. It comes before the evaluation 更好. Use it when giving an opinion or prediction with some uncertainty.
更
更 marks comparison in 更好, making the meaning “better” rather than simply “good.” Here it presents tea as the preferable choice for the evening. Use it before an adjective when comparing an option with another possibility.
好
好 is the evaluative part of 更好 and means “good” in the sense of “better” in this sentence. Together with 更, it describes tea as the preferable choice. Use it to evaluate an option, plan, or situation.
我
我 means “I” or “me” in 我来用水壶烧点水 and identifies the speaker who will do the action. It is the subject before 来. Use it when stating that you will perform an action yourself.
来
来 means “let me” or “I’ll take care of it” in 我来用水壶烧点水, rather than describing movement toward a place. It introduces an action the speaker volunteers to do. Use it after 我 when offering to handle a task.
用
用 means “use” or “with” in 用水壶烧点水 and identifies the kettle as the tool for heating the water. It comes before the object or instrument used for an action. Use it when explaining what tool or method you use.
水壶
水壶 means “kettle” in 用水壶烧点水 and names the tool used for heating the water. It follows 用 in this sentence. Use it when talking about preparing hot water with a kettle.
烧
烧 means “boil” or “heat” in 烧点水 and describes heating the water. It is followed by the amount 点水. Use it when preparing water or another item by heating it.
点
点 means “a little” or “some” in 烧点水 and indicates an unspecified, relatively small amount of water. It comes before the noun 水. Use it before a substance or item when the exact amount is not important.
水
水 means “water” in 烧点水 and is the thing being heated. It follows 烧 and is quantified by 点. Use it when naming water as something to prepare, add, or drink.
请
请 means “please” in 请给我们的客人用大杯子 and 请把一些饼干放在小盘子里. It makes the following instruction more polite. Use it at the beginning of a polite request or instruction.
大
大 means “large” in 大杯子 and describes the size of the mug selected for the guest. It comes before the noun 杯子. Use it before a noun when specifying that something is large.
杯子
杯子 means “cup” or “mug” in 大杯子 and names the container to use for the guest. It follows the size word 大. Use it when referring to a drinking cup or mug.
你
你 means “you” in 你要我也准备点心吗？ and refers to the person being asked. It appears at the beginning of the question as the person whose preference is requested. Use it when addressing one person directly.
要
要 means “want” or “would like” in 你要我也准备点心吗？ and asks whether the listener wants the speaker to prepare snacks as well. It is followed by 我 and the action 准备. Use it when asking whether someone wants another person to do something.
也
也 means “also” or “too” in 也准备点心 and shows that preparing snacks would be an additional task. It comes before the verb 准备. Use it before an action when adding that action to something already being done or considered.
准备
准备 means “prepare” in 准备点心 and describes getting the snacks ready. The thing being prepared follows it. Use it when making food, materials, or arrangements ready for a person or event.
点心
点心 means “snacks” in 准备点心 and names the food being prepared for the guest. It is the object of 准备. Use it when referring to small foods served between or alongside drinks.
吗
吗 is a question particle at the end of 你要我也准备点心吗？ and turns the sentence into a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end rather than before the verb. Use it when asking for confirmation or a simple yes-or-no answer.
把
把 marks the object in 把一些饼干放在小盘子里 and brings the biscuits before the placement action. The phrase then explains what happens to that object and where it is placed. A reusable pattern keeps the thing after 把 and the location after the placement verb.
一些
一些 means “some” in 一些饼干 and gives an unspecified quantity of biscuits. It comes before the noun 饼干. Use it before a countable or uncounted group when the exact amount is not specified.
饼干
饼干 means “biscuits” in 一些饼干 and names the food being placed on the small plate. In the sentence it is the object marked by 把. Use it when talking about biscuits as a snack.
放
放 means “put” or “place” in 放在小盘子里 and describes moving the biscuits to a location. The object comes before it because of 把, and the location follows it. Use it when telling someone where to put or leave an object.
在
在 introduces the location in 放在小盘子里 and connects the placement action with the small plate. It appears after 放 and before the location phrase. Use it after a placement verb when stating where something is put.
小
小 means “small” in 小盘子 and describes the size of the plate. It comes before the noun 盘子. Use it before a noun when specifying that something is small.
盘子
盘子 means “plate” in 小盘子里 and names the place where the biscuits are put. It is followed by 里 to form the location phrase. Use it when referring to a plate used for serving or holding food.
里
里 means “in” or “inside” in 小盘子里 and completes the location phrase for the biscuits. It follows the place noun 盘子. Use it after a container or enclosed place when describing something as being inside it.
之前
之前 means “before” in 客人到之前 and places the preparation earlier than the guest’s arrival. It follows the event that must happen later. Use it to make a time clause before another action or event.
一切
一切 means “everything” in 一切都会准备好 and refers collectively to all the preparations in this situation. It functions as the subject of the prediction. Use it when referring broadly to all relevant things or arrangements.
都
都 means “all” in 一切都会准备好 and shows that the prediction applies to everything mentioned collectively. It follows 一切 and comes before 会. Use it after a broad subject to indicate that all of its members or parts are included.
会
会 means “will” or “is expected to” in 都会准备好 and presents the preparations as a future result. It comes before the verb phrase 准备好. Use it when predicting or stating what is expected to happen later.
Grammar Points
动词 + 了
客人到了。
Kèrén dào le.The guest has arrived.
了 marks a completed action or a change of state. Here, the guest has now arrived.
Chinese Vocabulary
到
verb
dào
arrive
到了
给
prep
gěi
for; to
更好
adj
gèng hǎo
better
还是
conj
háishì
or
喝
verb
hē
drink
很快
adv
hěn kuài
soon
今晚
noun
jīnwǎn
this evening; tonight
咖啡
noun
kāfēi
coffee
可能
adv
kěnéng
probably; possibly
客人
noun
kèrén
guest
烧
verb
shāo
boil; heat
水壶
noun
shuǐhú
kettle
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
guest
Show Answer
客人arrive
Show Answer
到了kettle
Show Answer
水壶this evening; tonight