About This Lesson
Use Planning a Photo Walk to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
明天你想一起去散步拍照吗？
Míngtiān nǐ xiǎng yìqǐ qù sànbù pāizhào ma? Would you like to come on a photo walk tomorrow?
B
我需要多练习摄影。
Wǒ xūyào duō liànxí shèyǐng. I could use more practice with photography.
A
早上的光线应该更适合拍街头照片。
Zǎoshang de guāngxiàn yīnggāi gèng shìhé pāi jiētóu zhàopiān. Morning light should be better for street photos.
B
我们应该先拍什么？
Wǒmen yīnggāi xiān pāi shénme? What should we photograph first?
A
我们可以先拍老建筑。
Wǒmen kěyǐ xiān pāi lǎo jiànzhù. We can start with old buildings.
B
我会带上我的小相机和一块备用电池。
Wǒ huì dàishàng wǒ de xiǎo xiàngjī hé yí kuài bèiyòng diànchí. I'll bring my small camera and an extra battery.
A
我们在街上热闹起来之前见面吧。
Wǒmen zài jiēshang rènào qǐlái zhīqián jiànmiàn ba. Let's meet before the streets get busy.
B
然后我们可以晚些时候比较我们拍的照片。
Ránhòu wǒmen kěyǐ wǎn xiē shíhou bǐjiào wǒmen pāi de zhàopiān. Then we can compare our photos later.Word by Word
明天
明天 means “tomorrow,” the day after today. Here it sets the time for the planned photo walk in 明天你想一起去散步拍照吗？ A common reuse pattern is time expression + sentence, as in this dialogue.
你
你 means “you,” referring to the person being invited. Here it is the subject of 想 in 明天你想一起去散步拍照吗？ It is used when speaking directly to one person.
想
想 means “want to” here and introduces the activity the other person may want to do. It is followed by the activity phrase 一起去散步拍照. A common pattern is 想 + an action or activity.
一起
一起 means “together,” showing that the speaker and listener will do the activity with each other. Here it modifies 去散步拍照 in 明天你想一起去散步拍照吗？ Use 一起 before an action when emphasizing shared activity.
去
去 means “go” here and is part of the plan to go and do the activity in 去散步拍照. It connects movement with the following activity. A common pattern is 去 + an activity or place.
散步
散步 means “take a walk” in this dialogue. It is one of the planned activities in 一起去散步拍照. Use 散步 when talking about walking for leisure or relaxation.
拍照
拍照 means “take photos” here and names the other activity in 一起去散步拍照. It is used as an action after 去 and is also related to the later form 拍街头照片. Use 拍照 when discussing taking pictures without naming a particular object.
吗
吗 turns 明天你想一起去散步拍照 into a yes-or-no question. It appears at the end of the sentence and asks whether the listener wants to join. Use 吗 at the end of a straightforward question.
我
我 means “I” or “me,” referring to the speaker. Here it is the subject in 我需要多练习摄影。 It is used when the speaker talks about their own needs or actions.
需要
需要 means “need” here, describing something the speaker feels is necessary. It is followed by 多练习摄影 in 我需要多练习摄影。 A common pattern is 需要 + a thing or an action.
多
多 means “more” here and shows that the speaker wants or needs a greater amount of practice. It modifies 练习 in 多练习摄影. It is commonly placed before an action to indicate doing more of it.
练习
练习 means “practice” here and refers to practicing photography. In 多练习摄影, it is followed by the activity being practiced. A common reuse pattern is 练习 + a skill or activity.
摄影
摄影 means “photography,” the skill that the speaker wants to practice in 多练习摄影. It functions as the activity after 练习. Use it when referring to photography as a skill or field.
早上
早上 means “morning” here and identifies the time associated with the light in 早上的光线. It forms a time-based description before the noun. A common pattern is time + 的 + noun.
的
In 早上的光线, 的 links 早上 to 光线 and makes the phrase mean “morning light.” It shows that the first part describes the following noun. Use time or place + 的 + noun to form a description.
光线
光线 means “light,” specifically the light being considered for taking photos. It is the subject of 早上的光线应该更适合拍街头照片。 The word is useful when discussing the quality or suitability of light.
应该
应该 means “should” here, expressing the speaker’s expectation that the morning light will be more suitable. It comes before 更适合 in 早上的光线应该更适合拍街头照片。 A common pattern is 应该 + an expected situation or action.
更
更 means “more” or “even more” here and marks a comparison: the morning light is expected to be more suitable. It modifies 适合 in 应该更适合拍街头照片. Use 更 before an adjective or suitability expression when comparing conditions.
适合
适合 means “be suitable for” here, describing what kind of light works well for taking street photos. It is followed by the action 拍街头照片. A common pattern is 适合 + a person, thing, or action.
拍
拍 means “photograph” or “take a picture” here. Its object is 街头照片 in 拍街头照片, so the phrase means “take street photos.” Use 拍 before the thing being photographed.
街头
街头 means “street” or “street-side” here and describes the kind of photos in 街头照片. It comes directly before 照片 to specify their subject or setting. A common pattern is a place-related word + noun.
照片
照片 means “photo” or “photograph,” and here it is part of 街头照片, meaning street photos. It is the object of 拍 in 拍街头照片. Use 照片 when referring to a finished picture.
我们
我们 means “we” or “us,” referring to the speaker and the listener together. Here it is the subject in 我们应该先拍什么？ It is used when the speaker includes both people in the action or plan.
先
先 means “first” here and places one action before later actions. It comes before 拍 in 我们应该先拍什么？ A common pattern is 先 + action when planning the order of activities.
什么
什么 means “what” here and fills the object position after 拍 in 我们应该先拍什么？ The question asks which thing should be photographed first. Use 什么 when asking about an unknown thing.
可以
可以 means “can” or “be able to” here, presenting starting with old buildings as an available plan. It is followed by 先拍老建筑 in 我们可以先拍老建筑。 A common pattern is 可以 + action to suggest or allow an action.
老
老 means “old” here and describes the buildings chosen as the first subjects. It comes before 建筑 in 老建筑. Use an adjective before a noun when specifying its characteristic.
建筑
建筑 means “building” or “buildings” here, referring to the old buildings the speakers plan to photograph. It is the object of 拍 in 先拍老建筑. Use 建筑 when talking about buildings as structures or subjects.
会
会 means “will” here and marks the speaker’s planned action of bringing equipment. It comes before 带上 in 我会带上我的小相机和一块备用电池。 A common pattern is subject + 会 + action for a future plan or expected action.
带上
带上 means “bring along” here, with the sense of taking something with oneself. Its objects are 我的相机 and 一块备用电池 in 我会带上我的小相机和一块备用电池。 Use 带上 before the things someone plans to take along.
小
小 means “small” here and describes the camera in 小相机. It comes directly before 相机. Use an adjective before a noun to describe its size or another characteristic.
相机
相机 means “camera,” the piece of equipment the speaker plans to bring in 我会带上我的小相机和一块备用电池。 It is one of the objects after 带上. Use 相机 when referring to a camera as an object.
和
和 means “and” here and joins the camera with the extra battery in 小相机和一块备用电池. It connects two items of the same role in the sentence. Use 和 between nouns or noun phrases that are being listed together.
块
块 is the classifier used for the battery in 一块备用电池. It appears between the number 一 and the noun phrase 备用电池. Use a measure word in this position when counting the battery in this dialogue.
备用
备用 means “spare” or “backup” here and describes the battery as one kept for use if needed. It comes before 电池 in 备用电池. Use it before an item that is held in reserve.
电池
电池 means “battery,” the extra item the speaker will bring in 一块备用电池. It follows the classifier 块 and is joined to the camera with 和. Use 电池 when referring to a battery used to power equipment.
在
在 means “at” or “on” here and introduces the location phrase 街上 in 在街上热闹起来之前. It indicates where the streets are becoming lively. A common pattern is 在 + location.
街上
街上 means “on the street” here and identifies the place in 在街上热闹起来之前. The form includes 街 with 上 to express the street as a location. Use 街上 when describing something happening on the street.
热闹
热闹 means “busy” or “lively” here, describing the streets becoming active. It appears before 起来 in 街上热闹起来. Use it for a place with a lively, active atmosphere.
起来
起来 shows a change beginning in 热闹起来, meaning “begin to become lively” or “get busy.” It follows 热闹 and marks the start of that state. A common pattern is an adjective or description + 起来 for a change into that condition.
之前
之前 means “before” here and places the meeting before the streets become busy. It follows the clause 在街上热闹起来 in 在街上热闹起来之前. A common pattern is a clause or event + 之前 to mark an earlier time.
见面
见面 means “meet” here, referring to the two people meeting in person. It is the main action in 我们在街上热闹起来之前见面吧。 Use 见面 when arranging or describing a meeting between people.
吧
吧 softens the sentence and makes it a suggestion in 我们在街上热闹起来之前见面吧. It appears at the end after the proposed action. Use 吧 when suggesting an action in a friendly way.
然后
然后 means “then” here and introduces the next step after the earlier activities. It comes at the beginning of 然后我们可以晚些时候比较我们拍的照片. Use 然后 to connect actions in sequence.
晚些时候
晚些时候 means “later” or “at a later time” here, referring to when the speakers will compare their photos. It appears before 比较 in 晚些时候比较我们拍的照片. Use it as a time expression for a later point in the plan.
比较
比较 means “compare” here, referring to looking at the two people’s photos and comparing them. Its object is 我们拍的照片 in 比较我们拍的照片. A common pattern is 比较 + the things being compared.
Grammar Points
先……，然后……
先拍老建筑，然后比较街头照片。
Xiān pāi lǎo jiànzhù, ránhòu bǐjiào jiētóu zhàopiān.First photograph old buildings, then compare the street photos.
Use 先 and 然后 to show the order of two actions. Chinese places these time adverbs before the verb.
V之前
见面之前带上相机。
Jiànmiàn zhīqián dài shàng xiàngjī.Bring the camera before meeting.
之前 follows the action or event that must happen later: 见面之前 means “before meeting.”
Chinese Vocabulary
多练习
phrase
duō liànxí
practice more
光线
noun
guāngxiàn
light
街头照片
noun
jiētóu zhàopiān
street photos
明天
adv
míngtiān
tomorrow
拍
verb
pāi
take a photo of; photograph
散步拍照
phrase
sànbù pāizhào
go for a walk and take photos
摄影
noun
shèyǐng
photography
适合
verb
shìhé
be suitable for
先
adv
xiān
first
需要
verb
xūyào
need
一起
adv
yìqǐ
together
早上
noun
zǎoshang
morning
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
go for a walk and take photos
Show Answer
散步拍照street photos
Show Answer
街头照片need
Show Answer
需要photography