Learning Guitar in Free Time | Learn Chinese in English

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Use Learning Guitar in Free Time to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

我最近开始学吉他。

wǒ zuìjìn kāishǐ xué jítā. I recently started learning guitar.

你在上课吗？

nǐ zài shàngkè ma? Are you taking lessons?

我下班后在网上上课。

wǒ xiàbān hòu zài wǎngshàng shàngkè. I'm taking online lessons after work.

初学者学这个难吗？

chūxuézhě xué zhège nán ma? Is it difficult for a beginner?

节奏很难，但我很喜欢。

jiézòu hěn nán, dàn wǒ hěn xǐhuān. The rhythm is hard, but I enjoy it.

你多久练习一次？

nǐ duōjiǔ liànxí yí cì? How often do you practice?

我的房间安静时，我在晚上练习。

wǒ de fángjiān ānjìng shí, wǒ zài wǎnshàng liànxí. I practice in the evening when my room is quiet.

固定时间练习应该能帮助你进步。

gùdìng shíjiān liànxí yīnggāi néng bāngzhù nǐ jìnbù. A regular time should help you improve.

Word by Word

我 “我” refers to the speaker, meaning “I” or “me,” as in “我最近开始学吉他” and “我很喜欢”。It commonly appears before an action or feeling to show who is involved.

最近 “最近” means “recently” in “我最近开始学吉他”, placing the start of the activity in the near past. It is commonly placed before the action or event it describes, as in “最近开始”。

开始 “开始” means “start” or “begin” in “开始学吉他”, showing that the learning activity has begun. A useful pattern is “开始” followed by an action, such as “开始学习”。

学 “学” means “learn” or “study” in “学吉他”, where the object being learned is “吉他”。It commonly comes before the subject or skill being learned, as in “学吉他”。

吉他 “吉他” means “guitar” in “学吉他”, naming the instrument being learned. It can follow “学” to identify what someone is learning.

你 “你” means “you” and refers to the person being asked about in “你在上课吗？” and “你多久练习一次？”。It commonly appears at the beginning of a question when asking about the other person’s action or habit.

在 “在” marks an ongoing action in “你在上课吗？” and “我下班后在网上上课”。It is placed before the action, as in “在上课”; in “在网上”, it instead forms the location phrase “online”。

上课 “上课” means “take lessons” or “attend class” in “你在上课吗？” and “在网上上课”。It can follow “在” to describe an ongoing lesson and can follow a time or place phrase such as “网上”。

吗 “吗” turns “你在上课” into the yes-or-no question “你在上课吗？”。It is placed at the end of a question when asking whether the statement is true.

下班 “下班” means “finish work” or “get off work” in “下班后”, identifying the event after which the lessons happen. It commonly combines with “后” to form a time expression such as “下班后”。

后 “后” means “after” in “下班后”, showing that the online lessons happen after finishing work. A useful pattern is an event followed by “后”, such as “下班后”。

网上 “网上” means “online” or “on the internet” in “在网上上课”, describing where the lessons take place. It commonly follows “在” when stating that an activity happens online.

初学者 “初学者” means “beginner” in “初学者学这个”, referring to someone who is new to the activity. It can be placed before an action to identify the learner, as in “初学者学这个”。

这个 “这个” means “this” or “this thing” in “初学者学这个”, referring here to the activity or subject being discussed. It commonly comes before “难吗” when asking whether something is difficult.

难 “难” means “difficult” or “hard” in “学这个难吗？”, asking about the difficulty of learning the subject. It can appear after the subject being evaluated, followed by “吗” for a yes-or-no question.

节奏 “节奏” means “rhythm” in “节奏很难”, identifying the part of guitar learning that is difficult. It can be followed by an adjective such as “难” to describe its difficulty.

很 “很” adds degree in “很难”, making the description “quite difficult” or “very difficult” in this dialogue. It commonly comes directly before an adjective, as in “很难”。

但 “但” means “but” in “但我很喜欢”, linking the difficulty of the rhythm with the speaker’s positive feeling. It commonly introduces a contrasting statement after the first point.

喜欢 “喜欢” means “like” or “enjoy” in “我很喜欢”, describing the speaker’s positive feeling about the activity. It commonly comes before the thing or activity that someone likes; here the object is understood from the preceding context.

多久 “多久” asks “how often” in “你多久练习一次？”, asking about the frequency of practice. The reusable pattern is “多久” + action + “一次”, as in the dialogue form “多久练习一次”。

练习 “练习” means “practice” in “多久练习一次” and “晚上练习”, referring to repeated training for the guitar. It can be followed by “一次” when asking how often the activity happens.

一次 “一次” means “one time” or “once” in “练习一次”, and it helps ask how many times the practice happens over a period. The pattern “多久练习一次” asks for the frequency of an activity.

的 “的” links “我” with “房间” in “我的房间”, meaning “my room”。It is commonly placed between a person or possessor and the thing connected to them.

房间 “房间” means “room” in “我的房间安静时”, identifying the place whose condition is being described. It can follow a possessive phrase such as “我的” and be followed by an adjective such as “安静”。

安静 “安静” means “quiet” in “房间安静时”, describing the condition of the room. It can appear before “时” to form a time condition: “安静时”。

时 “时” means “when” or “at the time that” in “我的房间安静时”, introducing the condition for the practice. It commonly follows a short situation or description and comes before the main action.

晚上 “晚上” means “evening” or “night” in “我在晚上练习”, giving the time when the speaker practices. It can follow “在” in a time phrase such as “在晚上”。

固定 “固定” means “regular” or “fixed” in “固定时间”, describing a time that stays consistent. It commonly comes before a noun, as in “固定时间”。

时间 “时间” means “time” in “固定时间”, referring to the regular time for practice. It can be preceded by “固定” to describe a consistent schedule.

应该 “应该” means “should” in “应该能帮助你进步”, expressing the speaker’s expectation that the regular practice time will be useful. It comes before the expected action or ability, here before “能帮助”。

能 “能” means “can” or “be able to” in “能帮助你进步”, indicating that the regular time is expected to have the ability to help. It commonly comes before an action, as in “能帮助”。

帮助 “帮助” means “help” in “帮助你进步”, showing that one thing supports another person’s improvement. A useful pattern is “帮助” + person + action or result, as in “帮助你进步”。

进步 “进步” means “improve” or “make progress” in “帮助你进步”, referring to getting better at the activity. It commonly follows “帮助你” to describe the result someone is supported in achieving.

Grammar Points

下班后 + 动作

下班后上课。

xiàbān hòu shàngkè.

I attend class after work.

下班后放在动作前，表示“after work”; Chinese commonly places time phrases before the verb.

多久 + 动词 + 一次

多久练习一次？

duōjiǔ liànxí yí cì?

How often do you practice?

多久……一次 asks about frequency. 一次 comes after the verb to mean “once.”

Chinese Vocabulary

初学者 noun

chūxuézhě beginner

多久 adv

duōjiǔ how often; how long

吉他 noun

jítā guitar

节奏 noun

jiézòu rhythm

开始 verb

kāishǐ to start; to begin

难 adj

nán difficult; hard

上课 phrase

shàngkè to attend class; to take lessons

网上 adv

wǎngshàng online; on the internet

喜欢 verb

xǐhuān to like; to enjoy

下班后 phrase

xiàbān hòu after work

学 verb

xué to learn; to study

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

how often; how long

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多久

online; on the internet

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网上

guitar

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吉他

to like; to enjoy

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喜欢