About This Lesson
Use Apologizing for changing plans to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
对不起，我需要改变我们的计划。
duìbuqǐ, wǒ xūyào gǎibiàn wǒmen de jìhuà. I'm sorry, I need to change our plan.
B
我很高兴你在我出发前告诉了我。
wǒ hěn gāoxìng nǐ zài wǒ chūfā qián gàosu le wǒ. I'm glad you told me before I left.
A
突然发生了一件意外的事。
tūrán fāshēng le yí jiàn yìwài de shì. Something unexpected came up.
B
没关系。我们可以选另一天。
méi guānxi. wǒmen kěyǐ xuǎn lìng yì tiān. That's all right. We can choose another day.
A
这周晚些时候你方便吗？
zhè zhōu wǎn xiē shíhou nǐ fāngbiàn ma? Would later this week work for you?
B
这周晚些时候我可以。
zhè zhōu wǎn xiē shíhou wǒ kěyǐ. Later this week is fine for me.
A
我可以把新计划发给你。
wǒ kěyǐ bǎ xīn jìhuà fā gěi nǐ. I can send you the new plan.
B
这样可以帮助我调整我的日程。
zhèyàng kěyǐ bāngzhù wǒ tiáozhěng wǒ de rìchéng. That helps me adjust my schedule.Word by Word
对不起
对不起 is the complete apology expression used here to apologize for changing the plan. 对、不、起 are its components, and together they form this conventional expression rather than a literal word-by-word sentence. Use it when acknowledging that your action may inconvenience someone.
我
我 means “I” or “me” and refers to the speaker in 我需要改变我们的计划. It also appears as the speaker in 我可以把新计划发给你. Use it when referring to yourself as the person doing or experiencing something.
需要
需要 means “need to” in 我需要改变我们的计划, showing that changing the plan is necessary for the speaker. It comes before the action that is needed. Use it to state a necessary action or requirement.
改变
改变 means “change” in 改变我们的计划, referring to making the shared plan different. It comes before the thing being changed. Use it when discussing a change to a plan or arrangement.
我们
我们 means “we” or “our” in 我们的计划 and refers to the speaker and listener together. Here it identifies the plan shared by both people. Use it before 的 when describing something belonging to the speaker and other people together.
的
的 marks possession in 我们的计划, linking 我们 to the thing that belongs to both people. The resulting phrase means “our plan.” Use it between a person or group and the thing connected with them.
计划
计划 means “plan” in 我们的计划 and refers to the arrangement the two people had made. It is the object affected by 改变. Use it when talking about an intended arrangement or course of action.
很
很 adds the degree “very” or “quite” to 高兴 in 我很高兴你在我出发前告诉了我. It makes 高兴 a natural description of the speaker’s feeling here. Use it before a feeling or quality when describing its degree.
高兴
高兴 means “glad” or “happy” in 我很高兴你在我出发前告诉了我. Here it expresses the speaker’s positive reaction to receiving the information before leaving. Use it to describe being pleased about a person, event, or action.
你
你 means “you” and refers to the person being addressed in 你在我出发前告诉了我. It also marks the recipient in 发给你. Use it when addressing one person directly.
在
在 introduces the time point in 在我出发前, showing when the telling happened in relation to leaving. It is part of the time expression that comes before the main action. Use it to introduce a place or a time connected with an event.
出发
出发 means “set off” or “leave” in 我出发前. It names the event used as the reference point for the earlier telling. Use it when referring to beginning a journey or leaving a place.
前
前 means “before” in 出发前 and places the telling earlier than the leaving event. It follows the event used as the time reference. Use it after an event or time expression to indicate an earlier time.
告诉
告诉 means “tell” in 告诉了我 and describes giving information to the speaker. The person receiving the information follows it here as 我. Use it when saying that someone tells another person something.
了
了 follows 告诉 in 告诉了我 and presents the telling event as completed. It shows that the information had already been given before the speaker left. Use it after an action when presenting that event as completed.
突然
突然 means “suddenly” in 突然发生了一件意外的事 and shows that the event appeared unexpectedly. It comes before 发生 to describe how the event occurred. Use it before an action or event that happens without warning.
发生
发生 means “happen” or “occur” in 发生了一件意外的事. It describes an event taking place, here an unexpected matter. Use it when talking about something that takes place or comes about.
件
件 is the classifier in 一件意外的事 for counting an event or matter. It stands between 一 and the noun phrase being counted. Use it when counting a matter, incident, or similar event.
意外
意外 describes the matter in 意外的事 as unexpected. It comes before 的事 to specify what kind of matter occurred. Use it when describing an event that was not expected.
事
事 means “matter,” “thing,” or “event” in 一件意外的事. It is the noun being counted by 件 and described by 意外的. Use it when referring generally to a matter or event.
没关系
没关系 is the complete reassurance meaning “it’s all right” or “no problem.” 没 and 关系 are the components that together form this conventional expression, so the meaning is understood as a whole. Use it when responding to an apology or saying that something is not a problem.
可以
可以 means “can” or “is possible” in 我们可以选另一天. It shows that choosing another day is an available option. Use it before an action to say that the action is possible or permitted.
选
选 means “choose” in 选另一天 and describes selecting a different day for the plan. It comes before the chosen option. Use it when selecting one option from available possibilities.
另
另 means “another” or “different” in 另一天, showing that the selected day is not the original one. It helps specify an alternative choice before 天. Use it when referring to an additional or different option.
天
天 means “day” in 另一天 and identifies the time unit being chosen. Here it refers to an alternative calendar day for the plan. Use it when talking about a day or counting days.
这
这 means “this” in 这周 and points to the week connected with the current planning conversation. It comes before 周 to identify the specific week. Use it before a noun when pointing to something near the current time or situation.
周
周 means “week” in 这周晚些时候. It identifies the calendar period in which the alternative time is being discussed. Use it with a time expression when arranging something during a week.
晚些时候
晚些时候 means “later” in 这周晚些时候 and refers to a time after the current point within this week. It functions as the time expression for the proposed arrangement. Use it when suggesting a later time without naming a precise day or hour.
方便
方便 means “convenient” or “available” in 这周晚些时候你方便吗？ Here it asks whether the proposed time works for the other person’s schedule. Use it when checking whether a time or arrangement suits someone.
吗
吗 marks the yes-or-no question in 这周晚些时候你方便吗？ It turns the preceding statement into a direct question about availability. Use it at the end of a question when expecting a yes-or-no answer.
把
把 introduces the object being handled in 把新计划发给你. It places 新计划 before the action 发 and highlights what is being sent. Use 把 when presenting an object before an action that affects or moves it.
新
新 means “new” in 新计划 and describes the plan as the updated one. It comes before 计划 to identify which plan is being sent. Use it before a noun when distinguishing a recently changed or newly available item.
发
发 means “send” in 发给你 and describes sending the new plan to the listener. The recipient is expressed by 给你. Use it when sending information or an item to another person.
给
给 marks the recipient in 发给你, showing that you is the person who receives what is sent. It follows 发 and comes before the recipient. Use it to identify who receives an action or item.
这样
这样 means “this way” or “in this manner” in 这样可以帮助我调整我的日程. It refers back to the just-mentioned arrangement or action and presents its helpful result. Use it to refer to a method, action, or arrangement already understood from the context.
帮助
帮助 means “help” in 帮助我调整我的日程 and describes the benefit of the new plan for the speaker. It is followed by the person helped, 我, and the action they can carry out, 调整我的日程. Use it when saying that something supports a person in doing an action.
调整
调整 means “adjust” in 调整我的日程 and refers to changing the schedule so it fits the new plan. It comes before the thing being adjusted. Use it when making a schedule, plan, or arrangement fit a changed situation.
日程
日程 means “schedule” in 我的日程 and refers to the speaker’s planned activities or available times. It is connected to 我 through 的. Use it when discussing the schedule that needs to be checked or changed.
Grammar Points
需要 + 动词
我们需要改变计划。
wǒmen xūyào gǎibiàn jìhuà.We need to change the plan.
需要后面直接接动词，表示必须做某事；英语通常用 need to + verb。
突然 + 动词
突然发生意外。
tūrán fāshēng yìwài.An unexpected event suddenly happened.
突然通常放在动词前，说明动作或事件发生得出乎意料。
Chinese Vocabulary
出发
verb
chūfā
leave; set off
你在我出发前告诉了我。
对不起
intj
duìbuqǐ
I'm sorry
对不起,我需要改变我们的计划。
发生
verb
fāshēng
happen; occur
突然发生了一件意外的事。
改变
verb
gǎibiàn
change
我需要改变我们的计划。
高兴
adj
gāoxìng
glad; happy
我很高兴你在我出发前告诉了我。
告诉
verb
gàosu
tell
你在我出发前告诉了我。
计划
noun
jìhuà
plan
改变我们的计划。
没关系
phrase
méi guānxi
that's all right; no problem
没关系。
突然
adv
tūrán
suddenly
突然发生了一件意外的事。
我们
pron
wǒmen
we; us
改变我们的计划。
需要
verb
xūyào
need
我需要改变我们的计划。
意外
adj
yìwài
unexpected; unexpected event
突然发生了一件意外的事。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
suddenly
Show Answer
突然leave; set off
Show Answer
出发glad; happy
Show Answer
高兴tell