Describing Cough Symptoms Before Calling a Clinic | Learn Chinese in English

Chinese lesson set in a contemporary Shanghai everyday setting: At home before calling a clinic, two adults organize cough symptoms, recent changes, worries, and questions about urgent help..

EN → ZH / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Describing Cough Symptoms Before Calling a Clinic to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

我需要给诊所打电话，因为我的咳嗽没有好转。

wǒ xūyào gěi zhěnsuǒ dǎ diànhuà, yīnwèi wǒ de késou méiyǒu hǎozhuǎn. I need to call the clinic because my cough is not getting better.
B

告诉他们哪些情况变了，以及你最担心什么。

gàosu tāmen nǎxiē qíngkuàng biàn le, yǐjí nǐ zuì dānxīn shénme. Tell them what has changed and what worries you most.
A

咳嗽变得更严重了，我感觉有点发热，而且很累。

késou biàn de gèng yánzhòng le, wǒ gǎnjué yǒudiǎn fārè, érqiě hěn lèi. It has gotten worse, and I feel feverish and tired.
B

说一下什么时候开始的，以及之前有没有什么对你有帮助。

shuō yíxià shénme shíhou kāishǐ de, yǐjí zhīqián yǒu méiyǒu shénme duì nǐ yǒu bāngzhù. Mention when it started and whether anything has helped.
A

我还需要知道，如果今晚情况变得更严重，我该怎么办。

wǒ hái xūyào zhīdào, rúguǒ jīnwǎn qíngkuàng biàn de gèng yánzhòng, wǒ gāi zěnme bàn. I also need to know what to do if it gets worse tonight.
B

问问如果你需要尽快得到帮助，应该去哪里。

wènwen rúguǒ nǐ xūyào jǐnkuài dédào bāngzhù, yīnggāi qù nǎlǐ. Ask where you should go if you need help quickly.
A

打电话前，我会把要点写下来。

dǎ diànhuà qián, wǒ huì bǎ yàodiǎn xiě xiàlái. I will write the main points down before I call.
B

这样应该能让你们双方的通话更清楚。

zhèyàng yīnggāi néng ràng nǐmen shuāngfāng de tōnghuà gèng qīngchu. That should make the call clearer for both of you.

Word by Word

我 In this dialogue, 我 means “I” and refers to the person speaking. It commonly appears before the verb or description of the speaker’s action or state.
需要 需要 means “need” in 我需要给诊所打电话, expressing that the speaker considers the call necessary. It can be followed by a noun or by an action, such as 给诊所打电话.
给 给 marks 诊所 as the recipient of the phone call in 给诊所打电话. The reusable pattern is 给 + person or place + action when identifying whom an action is directed toward.
诊所 诊所 means “clinic,” the place the speaker plans to contact. With 打电话, 给诊所 identifies the place being called, which is useful when arranging medical help.
打电话 打电话 means “make a phone call” in 给诊所打电话. Within this expression, 打 contributes the action of making the call and 电话 identifies the phone call; 给 + recipient + 打电话 is a reusable pattern for saying whom to call.
因为 因为 means “because” and introduces the reason for needing to call. The reusable pattern is 因为 + reason, followed by the situation it explains.
的 的 links 我 to 咳嗽 in 我的咳嗽, showing that the cough is associated with or belongs to the speaker. A common reusable pattern is person or noun + 的 + noun.
咳嗽 咳嗽 means “cough” here and names the symptom being discussed. It can be used as the subject of a description, as in 我的咳嗽没有好转, when reporting a symptom to a clinic.
没有 没有 negates 好转 in 咳嗽没有好转, saying that the cough has not improved. The reusable pattern is 没有 + verb or change, especially when reporting that an expected improvement has not occurred.
好转 好转 means “improve” or “get better” when describing the cough. It follows 没有 here, and a condition or symptom can be described as 好转 when its state improves.
告诉 告诉 means “tell” in 告诉他们, asking the listener to give information to them. The reusable pattern is 告诉 + person + information.
他们 他们 means “them” and refers to the clinic staff who will receive the information. It appears after 告诉 as the people being told, so it can be used as the object after a verb.
哪些 哪些 means “which” or “what ones” in 哪些情况, asking which situations have changed. It is placed before a noun when selecting or identifying items from more than one possibility.
情况 情况 means “situation” or “condition” in 哪些情况变了. It names the circumstances being reported and can serve as the subject of a description of change.
变 变 means “change” or “become different” in 哪些情况变了. Here it describes the situations as having changed, and the reusable form 变了 presents that changed situation as relevant now.
了 了 in 变了 marks the change in the situation as something that has occurred and is now relevant. After a verb or description, it can show that a new situation has come about.
以及 以及 means “and” or “as well as” and joins the question about changed situations with the question about what causes the most worry. It is useful for linking parallel pieces of information in an organized statement.
你 你 means “you” and refers to the person whose symptoms and worries are being discussed. It can appear before a verb, as in 你最担心什么, to identify the person involved.
最 最 means “most” in 你最担心什么, asking about the greatest worry. It is placed before the expression whose degree is highest, such as 担心.
担心 担心 means “worry about” or “be concerned about” in 你最担心什么. It is followed by 什么 here, and the reusable pattern is 担心 + person, thing, or question word.
什么 什么 means “what” in 担心什么 and asks what the person is worried about. It commonly follows a verb when asking the object or topic of that action.
变得 变得 means “become” or “get” in 变得更严重, linking the condition to its new description. The reusable pattern is 变得 + adjective or description when describing a change of state.
更 更 means “more” or “even more” in 变得更严重, showing that the condition is more serious than before. It is placed before a descriptive word such as 严重 to describe an increased degree.
严重 严重 means “serious” or “severe” in 变得更严重. It describes the worsening condition and follows 更 in the reusable pattern 更 + description.
感觉 感觉 means “feel” or “sense” in 我感觉有点发热. It introduces the speaker’s personal experience, followed here by a physical state and another description of feeling.
有点 有点 means “a little” or “somewhat” in 有点发热, indicating a limited degree. In this expression, 有 contributes the idea of having or experiencing something and 点 contributes a small amount; 有点 + description is a reusable pattern for a mild state.
发热 发热 means “feel feverish” or “have a fever” in 感觉有点发热. It is used after 有点 to describe the physical symptom being reported, without adding a stronger medical conclusion.
而且 而且 means “and moreover” and adds tiredness to the feeling of being feverish. The reusable pattern is one statement + 而且 + another statement when adding a further related point.
很 很 means “very” in 很累 and marks the degree of the tiredness. It commonly appears before a descriptive word, as in 很 + 累.
累 累 means “tired” in 很累, describing the speaker’s condition. The form 很累 is a reusable way to describe being tired with an intensified degree.
说 说 means “say” or “tell” in 说一下什么时候开始的, asking the listener to provide information. It can be followed by the information to be communicated, such as 什么时候开始的.
一下 一下 in 说一下 softens the request and suggests giving the information briefly or casually. The reusable pattern is verb + 一下 when making a light, less abrupt request.
什么时候 什么时候 means “when” in 什么时候开始的 and asks for the time at which the symptom began. It can be placed before a verb to ask when that action or event happened.
开始 开始 means “start” or “begin” in 什么时候开始的. It follows 什么时候 here to ask when the symptom began, and it can describe the beginning of an activity or condition.
之前 之前 means “before” or “previously” in 之前有没有什么对你有帮助, referring to an earlier time. It can mark an earlier period before the situation now being discussed.
有 有 means “have” or “there is” in 有没有什么对你有帮助, asking whether something helpful existed or occurred earlier. The reusable question pattern is 有没有 + noun or phrase to ask whether something is present or available.
对 对 marks the person affected by or benefiting from something in 对你有帮助. The reusable pattern is 对 + person + 有帮助 when saying that something is helpful for someone.
帮助 帮助 means “help” or “assistance” in 对你有帮助. It appears after 有 and describes whether something has been helpful to the person marked by 对.
还 还 means “also” in 我还需要知道, adding another thing the speaker needs. It commonly appears before the verb or action that is being added to the discussion.
知道 知道 means “know” in 我还需要知道 what to do in the worsening situation. It can be followed by a question-word clause, such as 我该怎么办, to identify the information someone wants to know.
如果 如果 means “if” and introduces the possible condition 今晚情况变得更严重. The reusable pattern is 如果 + condition, followed by the action or result to consider.
今晚 今晚 means “tonight” and sets the time of the possible worsening situation. It can be placed before a condition or action to specify that it concerns the coming night.
该 该 means “should” or “ought to” in 我该怎么办, asking what action is appropriate. The reusable pattern is subject + 该 + verb when considering the right action in a situation.
怎么办 怎么办 means “what to do” or “how to deal with it” in 我该怎么办. In this expression, 怎么 asks how and 办 contributes the idea of handling a situation; it is reusable when asking for an appropriate response to a problem.
问问 问问 means “ask” or “inquire” in 问问如果你需要尽快得到帮助，应该去哪里. The repeated form makes the suggestion sound light and conversational, and 问问 can be followed by a question or information to find out.
尽快 尽快 means “as soon as possible” in 尽快得到帮助, emphasizing that help should be obtained without unnecessary delay. The reusable pattern is 尽快 + verb when a quick action is important.
得到 得到 means “receive” or “obtain” in 得到帮助, referring to successfully receiving help. It commonly comes before a noun such as 帮助 to describe what is received.
应该 应该 means “should” or “ought to” in 应该去哪里, asking for the appropriate place to go. The reusable pattern is 应该 + verb when discussing the recommended action.
去 去 means “go” in 应该去哪里 and describes movement to a destination. It commonly appears before a place or question word, as in 去哪里.
哪里 哪里 means “where” in 去哪里 and asks for the destination. It can follow 去 when asking where someone should go.
前 前 means “before” in 打电话前 and places one action earlier than another in time. The reusable pattern is action or event + 前, meaning before that action or event.
会 会 means “will” in 我会把要点写下来, marking the speaker’s planned action. The reusable pattern is subject + 会 + verb for an intended or expected future action.
把 把 highlights 要点 as the object that will be handled in 把要点写下来. The reusable pattern is 把 + object + verb or result, keeping the handled object before the action.
要点 要点 means “main points” or “key points” and is the information the speaker plans to write down. It appears as the object in 把要点写下来, a useful pattern for recording important information.
写下来 写下来 means “write down” in 把要点写下来. 写 contributes the action of writing and 下来 indicates that the information is put down and recorded; the reusable pattern is 把 + information + 写下来.
这样 这样 means “this way” and refers to writing down the main points before the call. It can introduce the result of a just-mentioned method, as in 这样能让你们双方的通话更清楚.
能 能 means “can” or “be able to” in 这样能让..., showing that the action can produce the stated result. It commonly appears before a verb or verb phrase to express possibility or ability.
让 让 means “make” or “let” in 让你们双方的通话更清楚, describing an action that causes a result. The reusable pattern is 让 + person or thing + description or action.
你们 你们 means “you both” or “you all” and refers here to the two people involved in the call. It can be used as the person or group affected by an action, as in 让你们双方的通话更清楚.
双方 双方 means “both sides” or “both parties” in 双方的通话, referring to the two participants in the conversation. The reusable pattern is 双方 + 的 + noun when describing something shared by both parties.
通话 通话 means “phone conversation” or “call” in 双方的通话. It names the communication event and can be modified by 双方的 when referring to a call involving both sides.
清楚 清楚 means “clear” in 让你们双方的通话更清楚, describing the call as easier to understand. It follows 更 here, and 让 + person or thing + 更清楚 is a reusable pattern for describing an action that improves clarity.

Grammar Points

动词 + 下来

写下来

xiě xiàlái

to write down

“下来”放在动词后，表示把内容记录下来；“写下来”是常用搭配。

怎么办

怎么办

zěnme bàn

What should one do?

用于询问遇到情况时应采取什么行动，相当于英语的“What should one do?”

Chinese Vocabulary

帮助 verb
bāngzhù help; to help
打电话 verb
dǎ diànhuà to make a phone call
担心 verb
dānxīn to worry
发热 verb
fārè to have a fever; to feel feverish
咳嗽 noun
késou cough
好转 verb
hǎozhuǎn to get better; to improve
开始 verb
kāishǐ to start; to begin
累 adj
lèi tired
情况 noun
qíngkuàng situation; condition
严重 adj
yánzhòng serious; severe
怎么办 phrase
zěnme bàn what to do; what should one do
诊所 noun
zhěnsuǒ clinic

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to have a fever; to feel feverish

Show Answer发热

to make a phone call

Show Answer打电话

what to do; what should one do

Show Answer怎么办

serious; severe

Show Answer严重