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CourseLevel 2Lesson 4
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Contents
01Vocabulary02Key phrases03Dialogues04Grammar

Level 2 - Lesson 4

你穿红色的很好看

Nǐ chuān hóngsè de hěn hǎokàn

You Look Good in Red

Wang Yixue takes Liu Xiaoxue to a newly opened mall to shop for pants and a schoolbag. They use 的 (de) phrases to refer to places and products through descriptions.

Student choosing red clothing and a blue schoolbag in watercolor style

Lesson goal

You will learn to shop for clothes and schoolbags and use a descriptive phrase as a noun to refer to a person or thing.

The learner will be able to ask about past experiences, shop for clothing and schoolbags, and refer to a clear person or thing through a description or action.

  • Ask whether someone has been to a place before.
  • Choose pants or a schoolbag by color.
  • Give a simple reason for trying another color.
  • Use a descriptive phrase as a noun to refer to a person or thing.
Contents
01Vocabulary02Key phrases03Dialogues04Grammar
01

Vocabulary

New words

01

Experience and Reasons

Contains 4 words

过

guo·particle

aspect particle for past experience

因为

yīnwèi·conjunction

because

所以

suǒyǐ·conjunction

so; therefore

过去

guòqù·verb

to go over; to pass by

02

Shopping Places and Items

Contains 3 words

商场

shāngchǎng·noun

shopping mall; department store

03

Entering and Trying

Contains 2 words

进去

jìnqù·verb

to go in

04

Measure Words and Colors

Contains 7 words

条

tiáo·measure word

measure word for long, narrow things

02

Key phrases

我们来过这家商场吗?

Wǒmen lái guo zhè jiā shāngchǎng ma?

Have we been to this mall before?

我们进去看看吧。

Wǒmen jìnqù kànkan ba.

Let's go in and take a look.

我想买条裤子。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi tiáo kùzi.

I want to buy a pair of pants.

我想买这条白色的裤子。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè tiáo báisè de kùzi.

I want to buy this pair of white pants.

没来过,这是新开的。

Méi lái guo, zhè shì xīn kāi de.

03

Dialogues

01

Entering the Mall

Situation: At a shopping mall, Liu Xiaoxue asks if they have been there before and says she wants to buy pants.

A

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

妈妈,我们来过这家商场吗?

Māma, wǒmen lái guo zhè jiā shāngchǎng ma?

Mom, have we been to this mall before?

04

Grammar

01

Ask whether something has ever happened

Experiential Particle 过

Put 过 (guo) after a verb to ask or say whether someone has had that experience before now.

Patterns

Past experience

Say whether an action has occurred at least once in someone's experience.

experienced action
来

裤子

kùzi·noun

pants; trousers

书包

shūbāo·noun

schoolbag

试

shì·verb

to try

白色

báisè·noun/adjective

white

红色

hóngsè·noun/adjective

red

绿色

lǜsè·noun/adjective

green

黑色

hēisè·noun/adjective

black

更

gèng·adverb

even more; more

颜色

yánsè·noun

color

No, we have not. This one is newly opened.

因为你有很多白色的,所以试试那条红色的吧。

Yīnwèi nǐ yǒu hěn duō báisè de, suǒyǐ shìshi nà tiáo hóngsè de ba.

Because you have many white ones, try that red pair.

红色的、绿色的、黑色的,你觉得哪个好?

Hóngsè de, lǜsè de, hēisè de, nǐ juéde nǎge hǎo?

The red one, the green one, or the black one: which do you think is good?

我也觉得绿色的更好看。

Wǒ yě juéde lǜsè de gèng hǎokàn.

I also think the green one looks better.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

没来过,这是新开的。

Méi lái guo, zhè shì xīn kāi de.

No, we have not. This one is newly opened.

A

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

我们进去看看吧,我想买条裤子。

Wǒmen jìnqù kànkan ba, wǒ xiǎng mǎi tiáo kùzi.

Let's go in and take a look. I want to buy a pair of pants.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

好,我们看看颜色。

Hǎo, wǒmen kànkan yánsè.

Okay, let's look at the colors.

02

Trying Red Pants

Situation: At the pants section, Liu Xiaoxue chooses white pants, but Wang Yixue suggests trying red because Xiaoxue already owns many white clothes.

A

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

妈妈,我想买这条白色的裤子。

Māma, wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè tiáo báisè de kùzi.

I want to buy this pair of white pants.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

你有很多白色的衣服,为什么还买白色的?

Nǐ yǒu hěn duō báisè de yīfu, wèishénme hái mǎi báisè de?

You have lots of white clothes. Why are you buying white ones again?

A

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

因为我喜欢白色啊!

Yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan báisè a!

Because I like white.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

就是因为你没穿过红色的,所以要试一试。

Jiùshì yīnwèi nǐ méi chuān guo hóngsè de, suǒyǐ yào shì yi shì.

Precisely because you have never worn red, you should try it.

A

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

好,我试试那条红色的。

Hǎo, wǒ shìshi nà tiáo hóngsè de.

Okay, I'll try that red pair.

03

Choosing a Schoolbag

Situation: At a schoolbag display, Liu Xiaoxue and Wang Yixue compare color options.

A

王一雪

Wang Yixue

那边有书包,我们过去看看吧。

Nàbiān yǒu shūbāo, wǒmen guòqù kànkan ba.

There are schoolbags over there. Let's go over and take a look.

B

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

红色的、绿色的、黑色的,你觉得哪个好?

Hóngsè de, lǜsè de, hēisè de, nǐ juéde nǎge hǎo?

The red one, the green one, or the black one: which do you think is good?

A

王一雪

Wang Yixue

绿色的不错。

Lǜsè de búcuò.

The green one is pretty good.

B

刘小雪

Liu Xiaoxue

我也觉得绿色的更好看。

Wǒ yě juéde lǜsè de gèng hǎokàn.

I also think the green one looks better.

Name the action whose experience matters.
experience marker
过
Marks the action as experienced before now.
place or thing
这家商场
State what or where the experience concerns.

Negate with 没 + verb + 过 (méi + verb + guo), not 不 (bù).

Forms
Experience question

The question asks whether this visit has happened before.

我们来过这家商场吗?

Wǒmen lái guo zhè jiā shāngchǎng ma?

Have we ever been to this mall?

Negative experience

没 (méi) comes before the verb while 过 (guo) remains after it.

我们没来过。

Wǒmen méi lái guo.

We have never been here.

Examples

你穿过红色的吗?

Nǐ chuān guo hóngsè de ma?

Have you ever worn a red one?

我没穿过红色的。

Wǒ méi chuān guo hóngsè de.

I have never worn a red one.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 01: Entering the Mall, Turn 1

Ask about a previous visit

妈妈,我们来过这家商场吗?

Māma, wǒmen lái guo zhè jiā shāngchǎng ma?

Mom, have we been to this mall before?

Why it matters

来过 asks whether they have ever visited this mall.

Dialogue 01: Entering the Mall, Turn 2

Answer with no experience

没来过,这是新开的。

Méi lái guo, zhè shì xīn kāi de.

No, we have not. This one is newly opened.

Why it matters

没来过 is the matched negative answer.

Full explanation

Verb + 过 (guo) presents an action as past experience without locating one particular event in time. Ask verb + 过 + object + 吗 (verb + guo + object + ma), answer positively with verb + 过 (verb + guo), and answer negatively with 没 + verb + 过 (méi + verb + guo). In 我们来过这家商场吗 (wǒmen lái guo zhè jiā shāngchǎng ma), the issue is whether visiting this mall is part of their experience. Use 没 (méi), not 不 (bù), for the negative.

02

Connect a reason to its result

Cause-and-Result Sentence 因为……所以……

Put 因为 (yīnwèi) before the reason and 所以 (suǒyǐ) before the result to state the full cause-and-result link.

Patterns

Reason, then result

Make the cause and consequence explicit in that order.

cause
因为你没穿过红色的
State the fact that explains what follows.
consequence
所以要试一试
State the decision or result caused by the first clause.

因为 (yīnwèi) introduces the reason; 所以 (suǒyǐ) introduces the result.

Forms
Full cause and result

Both sides of the logic are stated.

因为你没穿过红色的,所以要试一试。

Yīnwèi nǐ méi chuān guo hóngsè de, suǒyǐ yào shì yi shì.

Because you have never worn red, you should try it.

Reason-only reply

The result is understood from the preceding 为什么 question.

因为我喜欢白色。

Yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan báisè.

Because I like white.

Examples

因为我喜欢白色,所以我买白色的。

Yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan báisè, suǒyǐ wǒ mǎi báisè de.

Because I like white, I buy white ones.

因为没穿过,所以要试一试。

Yīnwèi méi chuān guo, suǒyǐ yào shì yi shì.

Because I have never worn it, I should try it.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 02: Trying Red Pants, Turn 4

Explain why she should try red

就是因为你没穿过红色的,所以要试一试。

Jiùshì yīnwèi nǐ méi chuān guo hóngsè de, suǒyǐ yào shì yi shì.

Precisely because you have never worn red, you should try it.

Why it matters

因为 introduces the lack of experience; 所以 introduces the recommendation.

Full explanation

The order is 因为 + reason, 所以 + result (yīnwèi + reason, suǒyǐ + result). The first clause explains why; the second tells what follows. In 因为你没穿过红色的,所以要试一试 (yīnwèi nǐ méi chuān guo hóngsè de, suǒyǐ yào shì yi shì), lack of experience is the reason and trying the red pair is the conclusion. In a direct answer to 为什么 (wèishénme), a short 因为 (yīnwèi) clause may stand alone because the result is already understood.

03

Use a 的 (de) phrase to refer to a person or thing

The 的 (de) phrase: phrase + 的 (de)

Put 的 (de) after a word or phrase to form a 的 (de) phrase. The whole phrase can refer to the person or thing described: 新开的 (xīn kāi de), “the newly opened one.”

Patterns

Review: let a phrase describe a noun

A phrase before 的 (de) can identify or describe the noun that follows.

description of the noun
新开
Give the quality, action, or other information that identifies the noun.
link to the noun
的
Link the preceding phrase to the noun it describes.
person or thing described
商场
Name the person or thing identified by the preceding phrase.

新开的商场 (xīn kāi de shāngchǎng) follows the previously learned pattern phrase + 的 (de) + noun. The phrase 新开 (xīn kāi) describes 商场 (shāngchǎng).

New: use the 的 (de) phrase on its own

Put 的 (de) after a word or phrase. The complete 的 (de) phrase can now refer to a person or thing.

what identifies the referent
新开
Describe the person or thing through a quality, action, or other information.
forms the 的 (de) phrase
的
Complete the phrase that refers to the described person or thing. 的 (de) does not mean ‘one’ by itself.

In 这是新开的 (Zhè shì xīn kāi de), the complete 新开的 (xīn kāi de) phrase refers to the mall. Context supplies the referent; the formal structure being learned is phrase + 的 (de).

Forms
Review: the phrase describes a noun

This is the previously learned attributive structure: 新开 (xīn kāi) + 的 (de) describes the following noun 商场 (shāngchǎng).

这是新开的商场。

Zhè shì xīn kāi de shāngchǎng.

This is a newly opened mall.

New: the 的 (de) phrase stands after 是 (shì)

The complete 新开的 (xīn kāi de) phrase refers to the mall. It stands on its own after 是 (shì), with no noun following 的 (de).

这是新开的。

Zhè shì xīn kāi de.

This is the newly opened one.

Use the 的 (de) phrase as an object

The complete 白色的 (báisè de) phrase refers to white clothes and serves as the object of 买 (mǎi).

为什么还买白色的?

Wèishénme hái mǎi báisè de?

Examples

这是新开的。

Zhè shì xīn kāi de.

This one is newly opened.

为什么还买白色的?

Wèishénme hái mǎi báisè de?

Why are you buying white ones again?

绿色的不错。

Lǜsè de búcuò.

The green one is pretty good.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 01: Entering the Mall, Turn 2

The newly opened mall

没来过,这是新开的。

Méi lái guo, zhè shì xīn kāi de.

No, we have not. This one is newly opened.

Why it matters

The complete 新开的 (xīn kāi de) phrase refers to the mall and stands on its own after 是 (shì). This is the lesson’s phrase + 的 (de) construction.

Focus

新开的nominal de phrase

Dialogue 02: Trying Red Pants, Turn 2

Named clothes, then understood clothes

你有很多白色的衣服,为什么还买白色的?

Nǐ yǒu hěn duō báisè de yīfu, wèishénme hái mǎi báisè de?

You have lots of white clothes. Why are you buying white ones again?

Why it matters

Full explanation

You already know how a phrase can describe a noun: phrase + 的 (de) + noun, as in 新开的商场 (xīn kāi de shāngchǎng), “a mall that is newly opened.” In this lesson, phrase + 的 (de) can stand on its own as a noun phrase: 新开的 (xīn kāi de), “the newly opened one.” The complete phrase ending in 的 (de) refers to a person or thing identified by the description. Context tells the listener what it refers to; it may be something already mentioned or something obvious in the situation. 的 (de) does not itself mean ‘one,’ ‘what,’ or ‘who.’ Those English words translate the meaning of the whole phrase in context.

Why are you buying white ones again?

Use the 的 (de) phrase as a subject

The complete 绿色的 (lǜsè de) phrase refers to a green schoolbag and serves as the subject of the sentence.

绿色的不错。

Lǜsè de búcuò.

The green one is pretty good.

The first 的 (de) links 白色 (báisè) to the following noun in 白色的衣服 (báisè de yīfu). The second 白色的 (báisè de) is a complete 的 (de) phrase referring to white clothes, with no noun following it.

Dialogue 03: Choosing a Schoolbag, Turn 3

The green schoolbag

绿色的不错。

Lǜsè de búcuò.

The green one is pretty good.

Why it matters

The complete 绿色的 (lǜsè de) phrase refers to a green schoolbag and serves as the subject. The situation, rather than a following noun, supplies the referent.

Focus

绿色的nominal de phrase