Level 1 - Lesson 8
This lesson gives you the basic words for talking about calendar time. The dialogues keep dates simple and tied to today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
Contains 5 words
today
tomorrow
yesterday
day
Sunday
Contains 3 words
Contains 4 words
Contains 1 word
今天几号？
Jīntiān jǐ hào?
What date is it today?
明天十一号。
Míngtiān shíyī hào.
Tomorrow is the 11th.
昨天九号。
Zuótiān jiǔ hào.
Yesterday was the 9th.
三天
Sān tiān
three days
二零二六年
Èr líng èr liù nián
the year 2026
Situation: Two classmates establish today's date and use it to check tomorrow's Chinese class.
美美
Meimei
今天几月几号？
What month and date is it today?
Dates, clock time, days of the week, and age
Use year/month/day words in order, and 星期 (xīngqī) to say weekdays.
Month-date statement
States a month and date in spoken Chinese.
year
next year
last year
month
day of the month
day of the month; number
Sunday
week; weekday
明年二零二七年。
Míngnián èr líng èr qī nián.
Next year is 2027.
去年二零二五年。
Qùnián èr líng èr wǔ nián.
Last year was 2025.
三月二十号
Sān yuè èrshí hào
March 20
五月一日
Wǔ yuè yī rì
May 1
今天星期几？
Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?
What day of the week is today?
今天星期日。
Jīntiān xīngqīrì.
Today is Sunday.
方方
Fangfang
今天五月十号，星期日。
Today is May 10, Sunday.
美美
Meimei
明天有汉语课吗？
Is there Chinese class tomorrow?
方方
Fangfang
有，明天五月十一号有汉语课。
Yes, there is Chinese class tomorrow, May 11.
Situation: Two classmates confirm one learner's plan to study Chinese next year and whether a class is available.
美美
Meimei
明年你学习汉语吗？
Will you study Chinese next year?
方方
Fangfang
学习，我明年学习汉语。
Yes, I will study Chinese next year.
美美
Meimei
明年有汉语课吗？
Will there be Chinese class next year?
方方
Fangfang
有，明年有汉语课。
Yes, there will be Chinese class next year.
Situation: Two classmates check whether there is Chinese class on Sunday.
美美
Meimei
今天星期日吗？
Is today Sunday?
方方
Fangfang
是，今天星期日。
Yes, today is Sunday.
美美
Meimei
今天有汉语课吗？
Is there Chinese class today?
方方
Fangfang
没有，星期天没有汉语课。
No, there is no Chinese class on Sunday.
Situation: Two classmates check tomorrow's date and the formal written date form.
美美
Meimei
明天几月几号？
What month and date is it tomorrow?
方方
Fangfang
明天五月十一号。
Tomorrow is May 11.
美美
Meimei
写五月十一日吗？
Should I write May 11 with 日?
方方
Fangfang
是，写五月十一日。
Yes, write May 11 with 日.
五月十号 (wǔ yuè shí hào) means May 10. Chinese puts the month before the date.
Weekday statement
States the weekday after the time word.
今天星期日 (jīntiān xīngqīrì) and 今天星期天 (jīntiān xīngqītiān) both mean today is Sunday.
Use this when you want to state today's month and date.
今天五月十号。
Today is May 10.
Use this when you want to state the weekday.
今天星期日。
Today is Sunday.
五月一日
May 1
今天星期几？
What day of the week is today?
今天星期天。
Today is Sunday.
Dialogue 01: Checking Tomorrow's Class, Turn 1
Ask for today's date
今天几月几号？
What month and date is it today?
Dialogue 01: Checking Tomorrow's Class, Turn 2
Answer with date and weekday
今天五月十号，星期日。
Today is May 10, Sunday.
Chinese dates go from larger to smaller units: 年 (nián), 月 (yuè), then 号 (hào) or 日 (rì). Weekdays use 星期 (xīngqī) plus a number, 日 (rì), or 天 (tiān).
