Changing Picnic Plans Because of Weather | Learn Chinese in English

About This Lesson

Use Changing Picnic Plans Because of Weather to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

天气可能会改变我们的计划。

tiān qì kě néng huì gǎi biàn wǒ men de jì huà The weather may change our plans.

如果下雨，野餐可能会很难进行。

rú guǒ xià yǔ, yě cān kě néng huì hěn nán jìn xíng The picnic could be difficult if it rains.

我们要取消野餐，还是改在室内安排点活动？

wǒ men yào qǔ xiāo yě cān, hái shì gǎi zài shì nèi ān pái diǎn huó dòng Should we cancel or plan something indoors instead?

我们灵活一点，改在室内见面吧。

wǒ men líng huó yì diǎn, gǎi zài shì nèi jiàn miàn ba Let's stay flexible and meet inside.

听起来比在外面淋湿好多了。

tīng qǐ lái bǐ zài wài miàn lín shī hǎo duō le That sounds better than getting wet outside.

我们还是可以在附近一起吃午饭。

wǒ men hái shì kě yǐ zài fù jìn yì qǐ chī wǔ fàn We can still have lunch together nearby.

我会给其他人发消息，告诉他们计划变了。

wǒ huì gěi qí tā rén fā xiāo xi, gào sù tā men jì huà biàn le I will message the others about the change.

这样能帮助大家做好计划，尤其是在天气变化的时候。

zhè yàng néng bāng zhù dà jiā zuò hǎo jì huà, yóu qí shì zài tiān qì biàn huà de shí hou That helps everyone plan, especially with the weather changing.

Word by Word

天气 “天气” means the weather in this dialogue. In “天气可能会改变我们的计划”, it is the subject of the possible change. It is commonly used as the topic or subject when discussing outdoor plans.

可能 “可能” expresses possibility: the weather may change the plans. It appears before “会改变” to show that this is a possible situation, not a certainty. Use it before an action or situation when its occurrence is uncertain.

会 In “天气可能会改变”, “会” presents “改变” as a possible future or expected event. Together with “可能”, it contributes to the meaning “may change”. It commonly comes before a verb when talking about what may happen.

改变 “改变” means to change something, here referring to changing the plans. In “改变我们的计划”, the thing being changed follows the verb. Use it when one situation, decision, or action makes another thing different.

我们 “我们” means we or us, referring to the speakers and their group. In “我们的计划”, it identifies whose plans are being discussed. It can appear before a verb as the subject or before “的” as the possessor.

的 In “我们的计划”, “的” links “我们” with “计划” and marks the relationship as “our plans”. It is placed after the possessor and before the noun being described. This is a common way to show possession or modification.

计划 “计划” means the plan in “我们的计划”. Here it is the thing that the weather may change. It can refer to an arrangement or intended activity that people have made in advance.

如果 “如果” means if and introduces the condition in “如果下雨”. The condition comes before the result, which is that the picnic may be difficult to carry out. Use it to connect a possible situation with its consequence.

下雨 “下雨” means it rains or rain falls, describing the weather condition in “如果下雨”. It functions as the situation introduced by “如果”. It is useful when discussing plans that depend on the weather.

野餐 “野餐” means picnic, the planned outdoor activity in this dialogue. It is the activity that may be difficult to continue if it rains and may be cancelled. It can be used as the subject or object of a planning verb.

很 In “很难进行”, “很” adds degree to “难”, giving the meaning that the picnic may be quite difficult to carry out. It appears before the describing word. This placement is common when describing the degree of a condition.

难 “难” means difficult in “很难进行”. It describes the picnic as difficult to proceed when it rains. It can come before an action to say that carrying out that action is difficult.

进行 “进行” means take place or proceed in “野餐可能会很难进行”. It describes the continuation or carrying out of an activity. It commonly follows the activity or event that is going to proceed.

要 In “我们要取消野餐，还是改在室内安排点活动？”, “要” asks what action the group should take. It introduces the first choice, which is cancelling the picnic. It commonly comes before a verb when asking about an intended or necessary action.

取消 “取消” means cancel in “取消野餐”. The picnic is the activity that would be stopped because of the weather. It commonly comes before the event, appointment, or plan being cancelled.

还是 In “取消野餐，还是改在室内安排点活动？”, “还是” means or and connects two alternatives. The speaker is asking the group to choose between cancelling and changing the plan. It is commonly used between choices in an alternative question.

改 “改在室内安排点活动” means to switch the plan so that an indoor activity is arranged instead. “改” shows a change from the original picnic plan. It can be followed by a new place or arrangement and the action that will happen there.

在 In “在室内安排点活动”, “在” introduces the place where the activity will be arranged. It comes before the location “室内”. A location introduced by “在” commonly comes before the related action.

室内 “室内” means indoors or inside a building in “在室内安排点活动”. It gives the new location for the changed plan. It commonly follows “在” when specifying an indoor place.

安排 “安排” means arrange or plan in “安排点活动”. The activity is what the speakers will organize indoors. It commonly comes before the event, task, or activity being organized.

点 In “安排点活动”, “点” means some or a little, giving an unspecified small amount of activities. It comes before “活动” here rather than meaning a point or dot. It is commonly placed before a noun when referring to an unspecified amount.

活动 “活动” means activity in “安排点活动”. It refers to something the friends could organize indoors instead of the picnic. It can be the object of a verb such as arranging or planning.

灵活 “灵活” means flexible in “灵活一点”. Here it encourages the group to adapt the plan to the weather. It can describe a person’s approach or a plan that can change when circumstances change.

一点 In “灵活一点”, “一点” means a little and softens the suggestion to be flexible. It follows “灵活” to adjust the degree of the description. It is commonly used after a describing word when requesting a small change in degree.

见面 “见面” means meet in person in “改在室内见面”. It describes the friends meeting at the new indoor location. It is commonly used for a planned meeting between people.

吧 The final “吧” in “改在室内见面吧” marks the sentence as a suggestion. It makes the proposal sound less forceful and invites agreement. It commonly appears at the end of a proposed action.

听起来 “听起来” means sounds or seems from hearing in “听起来比在外面淋湿好多了”. It combines “听”, related to hearing, with “起来”, which here contributes the resulting impression. The whole expression commonly comes before an evaluation of how something seems.

比 “比” introduces the comparison in “比在外面淋湿好多了”. The indoor plan is compared with getting wet outside. A reusable comparison pattern places the thing being compared after “比” and the evaluation afterward.

外面 “外面” means outside in “在外面淋湿”. It identifies the outdoor place where getting wet could happen. It commonly follows “在” when used as a location.

淋湿 “淋湿” means get wet from rain in “在外面淋湿”. It describes the unwanted result of staying outside in rainy weather. It is useful when explaining what rain may do to a person or thing.

好多 In “好多了”, “好多” means much better in comparison with the other option. The full expression evaluates meeting indoors more positively than getting wet outside. Here it is part of a comparison, not the meaning “many”.

了 The “了” in “好多了” marks a changed evaluation or new state: the indoor option now sounds much better. It does not by itself mean that an action was completed here. It commonly appears after an adjective or evaluation when the situation has changed.

可以 “可以” means can or be able to in “我们还是可以在附近一起吃午饭”. It says that lunch together remains possible despite the changed picnic plan. It commonly comes before the action that is still possible.

附近 “附近” means nearby in “在附近一起吃午饭”. It identifies a place close to the speakers where they can have lunch. It commonly follows “在” when giving a nearby location.

一起 “一起” means together in “一起吃午饭”. It shows that the speakers will do the activity jointly. It commonly comes before the verb or activity shared by the people involved.

吃 “吃” means eat in “吃午饭”. It is the action performed with “午饭” as the meal. It commonly comes before the food or meal being eaten.

午饭 “午饭” means lunch in “吃午饭”. It is the meal the friends can still share nearby. It commonly follows “吃” when naming the meal.

我 “我” means I or me and identifies the speaker in “我会给其他人发消息”. It is the subject of the action of sending a message. It can be used for the person speaking as subject or object.

给 In “给其他人发消息”, “给” introduces the recipients of the message. The people receiving it, “其他人”, come after “给” and before the sending action. A common reuse pattern places a recipient after “给” before the verb.

其他 “其他” means other in “其他人”. It distinguishes these people from the speakers. It commonly comes before a noun to identify people or things outside the group already being discussed.

人 “人” means person or people in “其他人”. Together, “其他人” refers to the other people who need to know about the changed plan. It commonly follows a word that describes or identifies which people are meant.

发 “发” means send in “发消息”. The message is what is being sent to the other people. It commonly combines with a message or other communication as its object.

消息 “消息” means message in “给其他人发消息”. It is the information the speaker will send about the changed plan. It commonly follows “发” when describing sending a message.

告诉 “告诉他们计划变了” means tell them that the plan has changed. “他们” identifies the people receiving the information, and “计划变了” gives the content. A common reuse pattern places the person after “告诉” and the information after that.

他们 “他们” means they or them in “告诉他们计划变了”. Here it refers to the other people who will receive the update. It functions as the recipient of “告诉”.

变 In “计划变了”, “变” means has changed or become different. It describes the plan’s new state after the original arrangement is altered. It commonly follows the thing that has changed.

这样 “这样” means this way or in this manner in “这样能帮助大家做好计划”. It refers to the proposed way of handling the changed arrangements. It commonly introduces a result or benefit of the method just mentioned.

能 “能” means can in “这样能帮助大家”. It expresses that this approach is capable of helping everyone plan. It commonly comes before the action that is possible or effective.

帮助 “帮助” means help in “帮助大家做好计划”. It takes “大家” as the people helped and “做好计划” as the useful result. It commonly comes before the person receiving help and the action or result involved.

大家 “大家” means everyone in “帮助大家做好计划”. It refers collectively to all the people involved in the picnic plan. It can be the person or group receiving an action such as help.

做好 “做好计划” means get the plans properly prepared or make adequate plans. “做好” presents planning as something brought to a satisfactory result. It commonly comes before the task or preparation that needs to be completed well.

尤其 “尤其” means especially in “尤其是在天气变化的时候”. It highlights changing weather as a particularly important situation for planning. It commonly introduces the situation or point that deserves special attention.

是 Here “是” is part of “尤其是”, which means especially and focuses attention on the following situation. It is not the main verb meaning be in this phrase. The construction “尤其是在” highlights a particular time or circumstance.

变化 “变化” refers to the change in “天气变化的时候”. It identifies the weather changing as the circumstance being discussed. It can describe a change in conditions that affects what people need to plan.

时候 “时候” means time or when in “天气变化的时候”. The whole phrase refers to the time when the weather changes. It commonly follows a situation or event before describing what happens at that time.

Grammar Points

如果……，……

如果下雨，野餐难进行。

rú guǒ xià yǔ, yě cān nán jìn xíng

If it rains, the picnic is difficult to carry out.

如果 introduces a condition; the result follows after the comma.

还是……，还是……？

取消野餐，还是安排室内活动？

qǔ xiāo yě cān, hái shì ān pái shì nèi huó dòng

Cancel the picnic, or arrange an indoor activity?

还是 links alternatives in a question and asks which option is preferred.

Chinese Vocabulary

安排 verb

ān pái to arrange; to plan

改变 verb

gǎi biàn to change

还是 conj

hái shì or; instead

活动 noun

huó dòng activity

计划 noun

jì huà plan

难进行 phrase

nán jìn xíng difficult to carry out

取消 verb

qǔ xiāo to cancel

如果 conj

rú guǒ if

室内 noun

shì nèi indoors; indoor

天气 noun

tiān qì weather

下雨 verb

xià yǔ to rain

野餐 noun

yě cān picnic

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

weather

Show Answer

天气

or; instead

Show Answer

还是

plan

Show Answer

计划

activity

Show Answer

活动