假期 Jiàqī — holidays

去了 vs 去过

qùle vs qùguo

went (this time) vs have been (experience)

去了 is one finished trip. 去过 is “have you ever…?” — it can be more than once.

• 昨天我去了海滩。

  Zuótiān wǒ qùle hǎitān.

  Yesterday I went to the beach.

• 假期我去了博物馆。

  Jiàqī wǒ qùle bówùguǎn.

  On the holidays I went to the museum.

• 你去过中国吗？

  Nǐ qùguo Zhōngguó ma?

  Have you been to China?

• 我去过悉尼歌剧院。

  Wǒ qùguo Xīní gējùyuàn.

  I have been to the Sydney Opera House.

• 他没去过动物园，所以这个周末他想去。

  Tā méi qùguo dòngwùyuán, suǒyǐ zhège zhōumò tā xiǎng qù.

  He hasn’t been to the zoo, so he wants to go this weekend.

• 我们去过蓝山两次。

  Wǒmen qùguo Lánshān liǎng cì.

  We have been to the Blue Mountains twice.

可以 + verb

kěyǐ + verb

can / may do something

What you are allowed to do, or what is possible in that place.

• 在动物园可以拍照。

  Zài dòngwùyuán kěyǐ pāizhào.

  At the zoo you can take photos.

• 在海边可以冲浪。

  Zài hǎibiān kěyǐ chōnglàng.

  At the seaside you can surf.

• 在学校可以说中文。

  Zài xuéxiào kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén.

  At school you can speak Chinese.

• 在博物馆可以学习历史。

  Zài bówùguǎn kěyǐ xuéxí lìshǐ.

  At the museum you can learn history.

• 希望下次我们可以一起来！

  Xīwàng xià cì wǒmen kěyǐ yìqǐ lái!

  I hope next time we can come together!

跟 / 和 … 一起 + activity

gēn / hé … yìqǐ + activity

do something together with someone

跟 and 和 both work here. Put the person after 跟/和, then 一起, then the activity.

• 我跟妈妈一起去逛街。

  Wǒ gēn māma yìqǐ qù guàngjiē.

  I go shopping with my mum.

• 她和哥哥一起打篮球。

  Tā hé gēge yìqǐ dǎ lánqiú.

  She plays basketball with her older brother.

• 他们喜欢跟朋友一起踢足球。

  Tāmen xǐhuan gēn péngyou yìqǐ tī zúqiú.

  They like to play soccer with friends.

• 星期二，我跟我的朋友一起去爬了蓝山。

  Xīngqī'èr, wǒ gēn wǒ de péngyou yìqǐ qù pá le Lánshān.

  On Tuesday I went climbing in the Blue Mountains with my friend.

• 我跟我的男朋友一起去爬了喜马拉雅山。

  Wǒ gēn wǒ de nánpéngyou yìqǐ qù pá le Xǐmǎlāyǎ shān.

  I went climbing in the Himalayas with my boyfriend.

虽然 A，但是 B

suīrán A, dànshì B

although A, but B

A is the “even though” part. B is the surprise or opposite idea.

• 虽然爬山很累，但是风景很美。

  Suīrán páshān hěn lèi, dànshì fēngjǐng hěn měi.

  Although climbing the mountain is tiring, the view is beautiful.

• 虽然我怕鲨鱼，但是我还是去了海滩。

  Suīrán wǒ pà shāyú, dànshì wǒ háishì qùle hǎitān.

  Although I’m afraid of sharks, I still went to the beach.

• 虽然假期不长，但是我想做很多事情。

  Suīrán jiàqī bù cháng, dànshì wǒ xiǎng zuò hěnduō shìqing.

  Although the holiday isn’t long, I want to do a lot of things.

• 这件衣服虽然有点贵，但是质量很好。

  Zhè jiàn yīfu suīrán yǒudiǎn guì, dànshì zhìliàng hěn hǎo.

  Although this piece of clothing is a bit expensive, the quality is very good.

• 虽然他很有钱，但是他不喜欢浪费钱。

  Suīrán tā hěn yǒuqián, dànshì tā bù xǐhuan làngfèi qián.

  Although he is rich, he doesn’t like wasting money.

• 虽然很累，但是很美，三姐妹很有趣。

  Suīrán hěn lèi, dànshì hěn měi, Sān Jiěmèi hěn yǒuqù.

  Although it was tiring, it was beautiful — the Three Sisters are really interesting.

不仅 A，还 B

bùjǐn A, hái B

not only A, but also B

Stack two good (or two similar) points about the same thing.

• 考拉不仅可爱，还很懒。

  Kǎolā bùjǐn kě'ài, hái hěn lǎn.

  Koalas are not only cute, they’re also lazy.

• 中国菜不仅好吃，还很便宜。

  Zhōngguó cài bùjǐn hǎochī, hái hěn piányi.

  Chinese food is not only delicious, it’s also cheap.

• 悉尼不仅有歌剧院，还有很多博物馆。

  Xīní bùjǐn yǒu gējùyuàn, hái yǒu hěnduō bówùguǎn.

  Sydney not only has the Opera House, it also has many museums.

• 听说澳大利亚的海滩不仅美还很蓝。

  Tīngshuō Àodàlìyà de hǎitān bùjǐn měi hái hěn lán.

  I heard Australian beaches are not only beautiful, they’re also very blue.

• 他不仅会中文，还会日文。

  Tā bùjǐn huì Zhōngwén, hái huì Rìwén.

  He not only knows Chinese, he also knows Japanese.

因为 A，所以 B

yīnwèi A, suǒyǐ B

because A, therefore B

A is the reason. B is what happens because of it. English often drops “so”; Chinese keeps 所以.

• 因为我很累，所以我要睡觉。

  Yīnwèi wǒ hěn lèi, suǒyǐ wǒ yào shuìjiào.

  Because I’m tired, I’m going to sleep.

• 因为市中心有很多好吃的东西，所以我很喜欢那里。

  Yīnwèi shìzhōngxīn yǒu hěnduō hǎochī de dōngxi, suǒyǐ wǒ hěn xǐhuan nàlǐ.

  Because the city centre has lots of good food, I really like it there.

• 因为我怕鲨鱼，所以我不去冲浪。

  Yīnwèi wǒ pà shāyú, suǒyǐ wǒ bú qù chōnglàng.

  Because I’m afraid of sharks, I’m not going surfing.

• 因为他太胖了，所以他要减肥。

  Yīnwèi tā tài pàng le, suǒyǐ tā yào jiǎnféi.

  Because he is too fat, he wants to lose weight.

• 因为我的女朋友是中国人，所以我想学中文。

  Yīnwèi wǒ de nǚpéngyou shì Zhōngguó rén, suǒyǐ wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.

  Because my girlfriend is Chinese, I want to learn Chinese.

• 我觉得悉尼的市中心很棒，因为有很多好吃的东西，而且人很友善。

  Wǒ juéde Xīní de shìzhōngxīn hěn bàng, yīnwèi yǒu hěnduō hǎochī de dōngxi, érqiě rén hěn yǒushàn.

  I think Sydney’s city centre is great because there’s lots of good food, and people are friendly.

而且

érqiě

and also / furthermore

Add another point in the same direction — not a contrast like 但是.

• 这家餐厅便宜，而且很好吃。

  Zhè jiā cāntīng piányi, érqiě hěn hǎochī.

  This restaurant is cheap, and it’s also delicious.

• 这家餐厅便宜，而且还很好吃。

  Zhè jiā cāntīng piányi, érqiě hái hěn hǎochī.

  This restaurant is cheap, and it’s also delicious (worksheet wording).

• 悉尼歌剧院很漂亮，而且特别有趣。

  Xīní gējùyuàn hěn piàoliang, érqiě tèbié yǒuqù.

  The Sydney Opera House is beautiful, and it’s also especially interesting.

想 / 打算 + verb

xiǎng / dǎsuàn + verb

want to / plan to do something

想 = would like to. 打算 = have a plan. Put the activity after the verb.

• 我明天想去海滩。

  Wǒ míngtiān xiǎng qù hǎitān.

  I want to go to the beach tomorrow.

• 假期我打算去蓝山。

  Jiàqī wǒ dǎsuàn qù Lánshān.

  In the holidays I plan to go to the Blue Mountains.

觉得 …

juéde …

I think / I feel that …

Give an opinion. Often 我觉得 + place/thing + 很 + adjective.

• 我觉得悉尼很漂亮。

  Wǒ juéde Xīní hěn piàoliang.

  I think Sydney is very beautiful.

• 她觉得爬山很累。

  Tā juéde páshān hěn lèi.

  She thinks climbing is tiring.

如果 A，就 B

rúguǒ A, jiù B

if A, then B

A = condition. B = what you will do. Keep 就 in Chinese.

• 如果天气好，我就去海滩。

  Rúguǒ tiānqì hǎo, wǒ jiù qù hǎitān.

  If the weather is good, I’ll go to the beach.

• 如果我有空，就跟朋友一起逛街。

  Rúguǒ wǒ yǒu kòng, jiù gēn péngyou yìqǐ guàngjiē.

  If I have free time, I’ll go shopping with friends.

一边 A，一边 B

yìbiān A, yìbiān B

do A while doing B

Two actions at the same time.

• 我一边走路，一边拍照。

  Wǒ yìbiān zǒulù, yìbiān pāizhào.

  I walk while taking photos.

A 比 B + adjective

A bǐ B + adj

A is more … than B

Put the adjective after 比 + the thing you compare with. No 更 needed at this level.

• 蓝山比市中心凉快。

  Lánshān bǐ shìzhōngxīn liángkuai.

  The Blue Mountains are cooler than the city centre.

太 … 了

tài … le

too … / so …

Strong feeling — too expensive, so beautiful, etc.

• 这家餐厅太贵了。

  Zhè jiā cāntīng tài guì le.

  This restaurant is too expensive.

• 风景太美了！

  Fēngjǐng tài měi le!

  The view is so beautiful!