About This Lesson
Use Letting a parent with a baby go first to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
不好意思，带着宝宝和婴儿车排队一定很难应付。
bù hǎo yì si, dài zhe bǎo bao hé yīng'ér chē páiduì yídìng hěn nán yìngfu. Excuse me, this line must be hard to manage with a baby and a stroller.
B
确实挺难的。
quèshí tǐng nán de. It has been tricky.
B
我们等候的时候，我尽量让婴儿车不动，也让宝宝保持安静。
wǒmen děnghòu de shíhou, wǒ jǐnliàng ràng yīng'ér chē bú dòng, yě ràng bǎo bao bǎochí ānjìng. I am trying to keep the stroller still and the baby calm while we wait.
A
你想排到我前面吗？
nǐ xiǎng pái dào wǒ qiánmian ma? Would you like to go before me?
B
你真体贴。你确定吗？
nǐ zhēn tǐtiē. nǐ quèdìng ma? That is very considerate. Are you sure?
A
我确定。
wǒ quèdìng. I am sure.
A
我不着急。
wǒ bù zháojí. I am not in a hurry.
A
看起来确实很难应付。
kàn qǐlái quèshí hěn nán yìngfu. This looks hard to manage.
B
那真的会帮到我们。
nà zhēn de huì bāng dào wǒmen. That would make a real difference.
A
那只会让我多等一会儿。
nà zhǐ huì ràng wǒ duō děng yíhuìr. It will only add a short wait for me.
B
在宝宝变得更加坐立不安之前排到你前面，会对我们有帮助。
zài bǎo bao biàn de gèngjiā zuòlì bù'ān zhīqián pái dào nǐ qiánmian, huì duì wǒmen yǒu bāngzhù. Going ahead of you would help us before the baby gets more restless.
A
我也希望有人会给我同样的帮助。
wǒ yě xīwàng yǒurén huì gěi wǒ tóngyàng de bāngzhù. I would hope someone would offer the same help to me.
B
我很感谢你。这样等候就轻松多了。
wǒ hěn gǎnxiè nǐ. zhèyàng děnghòu jiù qīngsōng duō le. I appreciate it. This makes the wait much less stressful.Word by Word
不好意思
不好意思 is a polite way to get someone’s attention here, like “excuse me.” In the expression 不好意思, 不 contributes negation, 好 means “good,” and 意思 refers to one’s feeling or intention; together they form a conventional polite expression. It is useful when opening a conversation with a stranger in a public place.
带
带 means to have or manage something with you here, as in 带着宝宝和婴儿车. It introduces the person or things being brought along. Use it before a person or object when describing what someone is carrying, bringing, or looking after.
着
着 marks the accompanying state in 带着宝宝和婴儿车: the person is carrying or managing them while lining up. It follows 带 to connect the action with the continuing situation. This form is useful when describing something that remains with someone during another activity.
宝宝
宝宝 means “baby” here and is the affectionate word used for the child. It appears as the person being managed in 带着宝宝和婴儿车 and later as the child who may become restless. It is commonly used when talking about a baby in everyday conversation.
和
和 joins the two things being managed in 带着宝宝和婴儿车: the baby and the stroller. It connects nouns or noun phrases in a list. Use it between items that are included together.
婴儿车
婴儿车 means “stroller,” the wheeled equipment being managed in the line. 婴儿 identifies a baby and 车 identifies a vehicle or cart, forming the object name. It is useful when discussing transporting a baby in public.
排队
排队 means to wait in a line or queue, as in 带着宝宝和婴儿车排队. It describes joining an ordered line for a service or activity. Use it when talking about waiting with other people in places such as shops or stations.
一定
一定 indicates a strong expectation in 一定很难应付: the speaker is saying that the situation must surely be difficult. It comes before the description being judged. Use it when drawing a confident conclusion from the situation.
很
很 adds the degree “very” in 很难应付, making the difficulty stronger. It appears before the adjective 难. This is a common way to give an adjective a degree in a description.
难
难 means “difficult” in 很难应付, describing the effort required to manage the situation. Here it works with 应付 to describe a demanding circumstance rather than a difficult object. It can be placed before a verb or activity when saying that doing it is difficult.
应付
应付 means to handle or cope with a demanding situation in 很难应付. The difficulty comes from managing the line together with the baby and stroller. It is useful for describing how someone deals with a problem or difficult circumstance.
确实
确实 confirms that the earlier description is true in 确实挺难的: the speaker agrees that the situation really is difficult. It commonly appears before the statement being confirmed. Use it when acknowledging that someone’s assessment is accurate.
挺
挺 means “quite” or “rather” in 挺难的, giving the description a moderate but clear degree. It comes before the adjective 难. This is a useful conversational pattern for saying that something is fairly difficult or notable.
的
的 links the preceding description to the time expression 时候 in 等候的时候, giving the meaning “when we wait.” It turns the preceding event into the time setting for the next action. This form is useful after a clause or action when specifying when something happens.
我们
我们 means “we” or “us” in 我们等候的时候 and refers to the speaker and the baby together. Its exact role depends on the verb: it is the group that waits here. Use it when referring to oneself together with other people.
等候
等候 means “wait” in 我们等候的时候, referring to staying in the line until it moves forward. It describes the waiting activity that provides the time setting. It is useful when talking about waiting for a service, event, or result.
时候
时候 means “time” or “when” in 等候的时候. Together with the preceding action, it identifies the period during which the speaker is trying to keep things calm. Use it after an action or clause to refer to the time when something happens.
我
我 means “I” or “me” and refers to the speaker in 我尽量让婴儿车不动 and 我确定. Its form stays the same whether the speaker performs an action or is described as certain. Use it to refer to yourself.
尽量
尽量 means “as much as possible” in 我尽量让婴儿车不动, showing that the speaker is making the greatest practical effort. It comes before the action being attempted. Use it before a verb phrase when describing an effort to do something as far as possible.
让
让 introduces the result the speaker is trying to cause in 让婴儿车不动 and later in 让我多等一会儿. In the first phrase, it means to keep the stroller from moving; in the second, it means to cause me to wait longer. It is useful before a person or thing followed by the desired action or state.
不
不 negates the following action or state in 让婴儿车不动, meaning that the stroller should not move. It also appears in 不好意思 and 不着急 with different parts of those expressions. Use it before the verb or description that is being negated.
动
动 means “move” in 让婴儿车不动, so the intended state is that the stroller remains still. It follows 不 to form the negative state. Use it when describing movement or the lack of movement of a person or object.
也
也 adds a second parallel action in 也让宝宝保持安静: the speaker is trying to keep the stroller still and also keep the baby calm. It commonly appears before the additional verb or predicate. Use it to add another action or condition that applies as well.
保持
保持 means “keep” or “maintain” in 让宝宝保持安静, describing an effort to preserve a calm state. It is followed here by the state 安静. Use it before a condition or state that someone or something is meant to continue having.
安静
安静 means “quiet” or “calm” in 保持安静, describing the state the baby should remain in while waiting. It follows 保持 as the state being maintained. Use it when describing a person or place with little noise or disturbance.
你
你 means “you” and refers to the person being offered a place ahead in 你想排到我前面吗. It is the person whose preference is being asked about. Use it to address one person directly.
想
想 expresses a want or wish in 你想排到我前面吗, asking whether the person would like to move ahead. It comes before the action the person may want to take. Use it to ask about someone’s desire or intention.
排
排 means to line up or take a place in a queue in 排到我前面. It focuses on taking a position in the line. Use it with a destination or position when describing where someone will join the queue.
到
到 marks reaching the position described in 排到我前面, meaning to get to a place ahead of me in the line. It follows 排 to complete the movement toward that position. This pattern is useful when describing moving or arranging someone into a particular place.
前面
前面 means “in front” or “ahead” in 排到我前面, identifying the position before the speaker in the line. It follows the person used as the reference point. Use it to describe a location or position ahead of someone or something.
吗
吗 turns 你想排到我前面吗 into a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end of the sentence rather than changing the main word order. Use it when asking whether a statement or proposal is true or accepted.
真
真 means “really” or “truly” in 你真体贴, emphasizing the speaker’s sincere praise. It comes before the description 体贴. Use it before an adjective or description when stressing that it genuinely applies.
体贴
体贴 means considerate, especially attentive to another person’s needs, in 你真体贴. Here it praises the offer to let the parent and baby go ahead. It is useful when thanking or complimenting someone for thoughtful behavior.
确定
确定 means “be sure” or “be certain” in 你确定吗 and 我确定. In the question it asks for confirmation, and in the reply it states that the speaker is certain. Use it when checking or expressing confidence about a decision or fact.
着急
着急 means to be in a hurry or feel anxious in 我不着急. The negation shows that the speaker does not mind waiting longer. Use it when explaining whether time pressure or worry is affecting you.
看起来
看起来 means “look” or “seem” in 看起来确实很难应付, presenting the difficulty as an impression based on observation. 看 contributes looking, while 起 and 来 together form the appearance-result expression. It is useful before a description when saying how a situation appears.
那
那 refers back to the proposed arrangement in 那真的会帮到我们, meaning “then” or “that.” It connects the offer to its expected benefit for the parent and baby. Use it at the start of a response when drawing a conclusion from what was just said.
真的
真的 means “really” or “genuinely” in 那真的会帮到我们, emphasizing that the help would be meaningful. It comes before the result being emphasized. Use it when confirming that an effect or feeling is sincere or substantial.
会
会 marks an expected result in 真的会帮到我们 and 会对我们有帮助. Depending on the sentence, it presents the help as something that will or would happen. It commonly appears before the verb or predicate describing the expected result.
帮
帮 means “help” in 帮到我们, referring to the offer’s practical benefit for the parent and baby. Here it is followed by 到 to show that the help reaches the people affected. Use it when describing assistance given to a person.
只
只 limits the effect in 那只会让我多等一会儿, meaning that the offer will only make the speaker wait a little longer. It appears before the expected result. Use it to emphasize that an effect is limited or smaller than it might seem.
多
多 means “more” or “extra” in 多等一会儿, showing that the speaker will wait an additional amount of time. It modifies the waiting action rather than naming a separate object. Use it before an action when describing doing that action for an additional amount.
等
等 means “wait” in 多等一会儿, referring to the extra waiting time the speaker accepts. It follows 多 to describe waiting longer. Use it when talking about waiting for a short period or for something to happen.
一会儿
一会儿 means “a little while” in 多等一会儿, specifying a short additional period. 一 contributes the idea of one, and 会儿 supplies the short period of time; together they form the time expression. It is useful for making a waiting period sound brief.
在
在 introduces the time frame in 在宝宝变得更加坐立不安之前, which means “before the baby becomes more restless.” Here it is part of a temporal construction, not a location phrase. Use it before a time or event when setting the frame for another action.
变
变 means “become” or “change” in 变得更加坐立不安, describing the baby moving into a more restless state. It is followed by 得 and the resulting description. Use it when describing a change from one state to another.
得
得 links 变 to the resulting description in 变得更加坐立不安, showing what state the baby becomes. It follows the change verb and introduces the result or degree. This form is useful after certain verbs when describing the resulting condition.
更加
更加 means “even more” in 变得更加坐立不安, comparing the expected restlessness with the baby’s current state. It comes before the description being intensified. Use it when describing an increase in a quality or condition.
坐立不安
坐立不安 means restless or unable to remain at ease in 变得更加坐立不安. 坐立 suggests sitting and standing, while 不安 contributes the idea of not being at ease; together they describe restlessness. It is useful for describing someone who cannot settle down while waiting or under pressure.
之前
之前 means “before” in 在宝宝变得更加坐立不安之前, placing the proposed action before the baby becomes more restless. It follows the event that serves as the time reference. Use it after an event or time expression when setting an earlier deadline or point.
对
对 marks the people who benefit in 对我们有帮助, meaning “to” or “for us.” It introduces the group affected by the help. Use it before a person or group when describing how something relates to or benefits them.
有
有 means “have” or “there is” in 对我们有帮助, where the full expression says that something is helpful to us. It links the people affected with the assistance that is present. Use it before a noun when describing having or containing something.
帮助
帮助 means “help” or “assistance” in 对我们有帮助, naming the benefit the offer provides. Together with 有, it describes something as helpful to the people named with 对. It is useful when discussing practical assistance or support.
希望
希望 means “hope” in 我也希望有人会给我同样的帮助, expressing a desired possibility. It introduces the situation the speaker wishes would happen. Use it before a person or event that you want or expect positively.
有人
有人 means “someone” or “there is someone” in 希望有人会给我同样的帮助. It introduces an unspecified person who might offer help. Use it when the identity of the person is unknown or unimportant.
给
给 means “give” or “to” in 给我同样的帮助, marking me as the recipient of the help. It comes before the recipient and the thing given. Use it to show who receives an object, action, or assistance.
同样
同样 means “the same” in 同样的帮助, referring back to the kind of help just offered. It comes before 的 and the noun it describes. Use it when comparing something with an earlier action, object, or quality.
感谢
感谢 means “thank” or “appreciate” in 我很感谢你, expressing gratitude to the person who offered the place. It is followed by the person receiving the thanks. Use it when directly acknowledging someone’s help or kindness.
这样
这样 means “this way” or “like this” in 这样等候就轻松多了, referring to waiting after being allowed to move ahead. It introduces the situation that produces the result. Use it to refer back to a way of doing something that has just been described.
就
就 links the situation to its result in 这样等候就轻松多了, meaning that waiting this way therefore becomes easier. It commonly follows a condition or arrangement and introduces its consequence. Use it to show a direct result or consequence.
轻松
轻松 means relaxed or less stressful in 轻松多了, describing the improved experience of waiting. It is intensified by 多了 to show a noticeable change from before. Use it when describing a situation that feels easier or less burdensome.
了
了 marks the change of state in 轻松多了, showing that the waiting has become much less stressful. It does not simply mark past time here; it highlights the new condition. Use it after a predicate when describing a change or newly established state.
Grammar Points
挺 + 形容词
带着宝宝排队确实挺难应付。
dài zhe bǎo bao pái duì què shí tǐng nán yìng fu.Waiting in line with a baby is indeed quite hard to manage.
挺放在形容词前，表示“quite”或“rather”，语气比“很”更口语化。
看起来 + 形容词
看起来轻松多了。
kàn qǐ lái qīng sōng duō le.It looks much more relaxed.
看起来放在描述前，表示“seems”或“looks”；多了表示程度明显增加。
Chinese Vocabulary
安静
adj
ān jìng
quiet; calm
宝宝
noun
bǎo bao
baby
保持
verb
bǎo chí
to keep; to maintain
不好意思
intj
bù hǎo yì si
excuse me; sorry
带着
verb
dài zhe
to have or carry along
尽量
adv
jǐn liàng
as much as possible; to try one's best
难应付
phrase
nán yìng fu
hard to manage
排队
verb
pái duì
to line up; to wait in line
确实
adv
què shí
indeed; really
挺
adv
tǐng
quite; rather
一定
adv
yí dìng
surely; certainly
婴儿车
noun
yīng'ér chē
stroller
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
excuse me; sorry
Show Answer
不好意思baby
Show Answer
宝宝to keep; to maintain
Show Answer
保持quiet; calm