About This Lesson
Use Renewing a library book to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我想续借一本我借的书。
Wǒ xiǎng xùjiè yì běn wǒ jiè de shū。 I'd like to renew a book I borrowed.
B
你可以通过网上账户续借。
Nǐ kěyǐ tōngguò wǎngshàng zhànghù xùjiè。 You can renew it through your online account.
A
我今天登录不了我的账户。
Wǒ jīntiān dēnglù bùliǎo wǒ de zhànghù。 I can't get into my account today.
B
我们可以在服务台帮助你。
Wǒmen kěyǐ zài fúwùtái bāngzhù nǐ。 We can help you at the desk.
A
我需要带借书证吗？
Wǒ xūyào dài jièshūzhèng ma? Do I need my library card?
B
带上你的借书证，这样我们就能找到你的记录。
Dài shàng nǐ de jièshūzhèng,zhèyàng wǒmen jiù néng zhǎodào nǐ de jìlù。 Bring your card so we can find your record.
A
那之后我今天可以续借这本书吗？
Nà zhīhòu wǒ jīntiān kěyǐ xùjiè zhè běn shū ma? Can I renew the book today after that?
B
可以，除非别人已经申请借这本书。
Kěyǐ,chúfēi biérén yǐjīng shēnqǐng jiè zhè běn shū。 You can, unless someone else has requested it.Word by Word
我
我 means “I” or “me” here: the speaker says 我想续借一本我借的书. It is used as the subject before an intention or action, such as when a library user explains what they want.
想
想 expresses the speaker’s wish to renew the book in 我想续借一本我借的书. It commonly comes before an action to state what someone wants to do, especially when making a request at a library desk.
续借
续借 means to renew a borrowed book in 我想续借一本我借的书. It is used before the item being renewed, as when asking library staff to extend a loan.
本
本 is the classifier used with a book in 一本我借的书. It comes before the noun 书 when counting or identifying one book, including when discussing a library loan.
借
借 identifies the book that the speaker borrowed in 我借的书. It appears before 的 to describe which book is meant, a useful pattern when identifying a previously borrowed item.
的
的 links the description 借 to the noun 书 in 我借的书, meaning “the book that I borrowed.” This pattern places a description before 的 and the described noun after it, as when specifying a particular book.
书
书 means “book” in 一本我借的书 and 这本书. It can be used after the classifier 本 when referring to one book, such as a book borrowed from a library.
你
你 means “you” in 你可以通过网上账户续借 and several other lines. It identifies the person receiving the library staff member’s instructions, and it commonly appears before an ability or action statement.
可以
可以 means that the listener is able or permitted to renew the book in 你可以通过网上账户续借. It is placed before the action to give permission or describe an available method, as when explaining library procedures.
通过
通过 means “through” or “via” in 通过网上账户, identifying the channel used for renewing the book. It commonly comes before a method or service, as when telling someone to complete an action through an online account.
网上
网上 means “online” in 网上账户, specifying that the account is accessed on the internet. It is used before a service or resource to identify an online channel, such as an online library account.
账户
账户 means “account” in 网上账户 and 我的账户. It refers here to the user’s library account, which the user needs to access in order to renew a book.
今天
今天 means “today” in 我今天登录不了我的账户. It gives the time of the difficulty and commonly appears before the action or situation being described, such as reporting a problem on the current day.
登录
登录 means “log in” in 登录不了我的账户. It names the action the speaker cannot complete with the account, and it is used when discussing access to an online account or service.
不了
不了 shows that the speaker cannot complete the action in 登录不了我的账户. Together with the action before it, it describes an inability or unsuccessful attempt, a useful form when reporting that access to an account is not possible.
我们
我们 means “we” or “us” in 我们可以在服务台帮助你. Here it refers to the library staff offering help, and it is used as the subject before 可以 and the service they can provide.
在
在 marks the place where the help is available in 在服务台. It commonly comes before a location, so staff can tell a visitor where an action or service will happen.
服务台
服务台 means “service desk” in 在服务台帮助你. It identifies the library desk where the staff can assist the user, and it can be used after 在 to state the location of help.
帮助
帮助 means “help” in 服务台帮助你, where the staff help the user at the desk. It can come before the person receiving help, as when offering assistance with a library problem.
需要
需要 means “need” in 我需要带借书证吗？, where the speaker asks whether bringing a library card is necessary. It commonly comes before the needed item or action when asking about requirements.
带
带 means “bring” in 需要带借书证吗？, referring to bringing the library card to the desk. It commonly comes before the item someone should bring, especially when asking about what to take with them.
借书证
借书证 means “library card” in 带借书证 and 你的借书证. It identifies the card used to locate the library user’s record, making it relevant when receiving help at the service desk.
吗
吗 is the question particle at the end of 我需要带借书证吗？. It turns the preceding statement into a yes-or-no question, which the speaker uses to ask about a library requirement.
带上
带上 means “bring along” in 带上你的借书证, emphasizing that the card should be taken with the user to the desk. The reusable pattern is 带上 followed by the item that should accompany someone.
这样
这样 means “this way” or “so” in 这样我们就能找到你的记录. It connects bringing the card with the intended result, a useful way to explain how one action will make another action possible.
就
就 marks the expected result in 这样我们就能找到你的记录. With 能, it shows that bringing the card will thereby allow the staff to find the record, as in an instruction followed by its practical result.
能
能 means “can” or “be able to” in 就能找到你的记录. It expresses the staff’s ability to locate the record after receiving the card and commonly comes before the action that can be completed.
找到
找到 means “find” or “locate” in 找到你的记录, with the form presenting the record as successfully located. It commonly comes before the object being found, such as a person’s library record.
记录
记录 means “record” in 你的记录, referring here to the library’s record for the user. It is used after a possessive expression when staff need to locate someone’s information.
那
那 means “that” in 那之后, referring back to the preceding step of bringing the library card and receiving help. It is commonly used with 之后 to refer to a later point after an earlier event.
之后
之后 means “afterward” or “after that” in 那之后. It places the question about renewing the book after the earlier step, and it can follow a previously mentioned event or condition.
这
这 means “this” in 这本书, identifying the particular book being discussed at the library desk. It appears before the classifier 本 and noun 书 when pointing to a specific book.
除非
除非 means “unless” in 除非别人已经申请借这本书, introducing the exception to the permission to renew the book. It is useful when explaining that an action is possible except under a stated condition.
别人
别人 means “someone else” or “other people” in 别人已经申请借这本书. It distinguishes another library user from the current speaker and listener, especially when explaining who may affect the book’s availability.
已经
已经 means “already” in 别人已经申请借这本书. It shows that the request to borrow the book happened before the current decision, and it commonly appears before the action that has already taken place.
申请
申请 means “request” or “apply for” in 申请借这本书, where someone else has requested to borrow this book. It is used before the requested service or action when describing a formal request that can affect whether renewal is allowed.
Grammar Points
通过 + 名词
通过网上账户续借书。
tōngguò wǎngshàng zhànghù xùjiè shū。Renew a book through the online account.
通过 means “through” or “by means of” and comes before the method or channel used for an action.
除非 + 条件
除非带上借书证，别人登录不了。
chúfēi dài shàng jièshūzhèng,biérén dēnglù bùliǎo。Unless someone else brings the library card, they cannot log in.
除非 introduces an exception or necessary condition. The main clause describes what cannot happen without it.
Chinese Vocabulary
帮助
verb
bāngzhù
help
我们可以在服务台帮助你。
登录不了
verb
dēnglù bùliǎo
cannot log in
我今天登录不了我的账户。
服务台
noun
fúwùtái
service desk
我们可以在服务台帮助你。
借
verb
jiè
borrow
我想续借一本我借的书。
借书证
noun
jièshūzhèng
library card
我需要带借书证吗?
今天
adv
jīntiān
today
我今天登录不了我的账户。
书
noun
shū
book
我想续借一本我借的书。
通过
prep
tōngguò
through; by means of
你可以通过网上账户续借。
网上账户
noun
wǎngshàng zhànghù
online account
你可以通过网上账户续借。
需要
verb
xūyào
need
我需要带借书证吗?
续借
verb
xùjiè
renew a borrowed item
我想续借一本我借的书。
账户
noun
zhànghù
account
我今天登录不了我的账户。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
cannot log in
Show Answer
登录不了online account
Show Answer
网上账户account
Show Answer
账户renew a borrowed item