Level 2 - Lesson 8
This lesson follows a birthday surprise. A wife forgets her own birthday, but her husband remembers, takes her out, and buys gifts.
Contains 4 words
wife
husband
flower
watch; wristwatch
Contains 3 words
restaurant
Contains 3 words
but; however
Contains 6 words
than; compared with
虽然妻子忘了今天是自己的生日，但是丈夫记得。
Suīrán qīzi wàng le jīntiān shì zìjǐ de shēngrì, dànshì zhàngfu jìde.
Although the wife forgot that today was her own birthday, the husband remembered.
丈夫请妻子去饭馆吃东西。
Zhàngfu qǐng qīzi qù fànguǎn chī dōngxi.
The husband invited his wife to eat something at a restaurant.
还给妻子买了一块非常漂亮的手表。
Hái gěi qīzi mǎi le yí kuài fēicháng piàoliang de shǒubiǎo.
He also bought his wife a very beautiful watch.
妻子觉得今天很快乐。
Qīzi juéde jīntiān hěn kuàilè.
The wife felt very happy today.
Situation: A friend asks Xiaoyu why Wang Yixue was happy, and Xiaoyu explains the birthday surprise.
朋友
Friend
小雨，今天王一雪为什么很快乐？
Xiaoyu, why was Wang Yixue very happy today?
Comparative Sentences (1)
Use A + 比 (bǐ) + B + adjective to say that A exceeds B in the named quality.
Compare one quality
A has a higher degree of the final quality than B.
romance movie
interesting
to remember
although; even though
left
left side; on the left
right
right side; on the right
a little; point
左边的饭馆比右边的饭馆好。
Zuǒbian de fànguǎn bǐ yòubian de fànguǎn hǎo.
The restaurant on the left is better than the restaurant on the right.
这个手表比那个手表漂亮一点儿。
Zhège shǒubiǎo bǐ nàge shǒubiǎo piàoliang yìdiǎnr.
This watch is a little prettier than that watch.
爱情片很有意思。
Àiqíngpiàn hěn yǒu yìsi.
Romance movies are interesting.
我想买花。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi huā.
I want to buy flowers.
小雨
Xiaoyu
虽然她忘了今天是自己的生日，但是她丈夫记得。
Although she forgot that today was her own birthday, her husband remembered.
朋友
Friend
她丈夫准备了什么？
What did her husband prepare?
小雨
Xiaoyu
他买了花，还请妻子去饭馆。
He bought flowers and also invited his wife to a restaurant.
Situation: Wang Yixue and her husband compare how busy two restaurants look, choose the quieter one, and go in to eat.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
左边和右边都有饭馆，哪家人少一点？
There are restaurants on the left and the right. Which one has fewer people?
丈夫
Husband
右边饭馆的人比左边饭馆的人少一点。
The restaurant on the right has a few fewer people than the one on the left.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那就去右边的饭馆吧。
Then let's go to the restaurant on the right.
丈夫
Husband
好，我们去吃饭吧。
Okay. Let's go eat.
Situation: At a store, Wang Yixue's husband tells a salesperson what kind of watch his wife likes, compares two options, and buys one.
丈夫
Husband
我想给妻子买个手表。
I want to buy a watch for my wife.
售货员
Salesperson
这个和那个都很好看。
This one and that one both look good.
丈夫
Husband
她喜欢小一点的。这个比那个小吗？
She likes smaller ones. Is this one smaller than that one?
售货员
Salesperson
对，这个比那个小一点。
Yes. This one is a little smaller than that one.
丈夫
Husband
好，我买这个。
Okay, I'll buy this one.
Do not reverse A and B. The item before 比 (bǐ) is the one presented as having more of the quality.
The left restaurant is item A, and the right restaurant is the standard B.
左边的饭馆比右边的饭馆有意思。
The restaurant on the left is more interesting than the one on the right.
Changing the order changes which restaurant is presented as having more of the quality.
右边的饭馆比左边的饭馆大。
The restaurant on the right is bigger than the one on the left.
左边的饭馆比右边的饭馆有意思。
The restaurant on the left is more interesting than the one on the right.
右边的饭馆比左边的饭馆大。
The restaurant on the right is bigger than the one on the left.
Dialogue 02: Choosing the Restaurant, Turn 2
Choose the more interesting restaurant
左边的饭馆比右边的饭馆有意思。
The restaurant on the left is more interesting than the one on the right.
The basic 比 (bǐ) comparison has four parts: item A + 比 (bǐ) + item B + adjective. Item A is the person or thing you are describing; item B is the comparison standard; the final adjective names the quality in which A has the higher degree. 左边的饭馆比右边的饭馆有意思 (zuǒbian de fànguǎn bǐ yòubian de fànguǎn yǒu yìsi) means that the restaurant on the left is more interesting than the restaurant on the right. The meaning ‘more’ comes from the whole 比 (bǐ) pattern, so Chinese does not need a separate word before the adjective. Keep both A and B when introducing a new comparison.
Comparative Sentences (2)
Add 一点 or 一点儿 (yì diǎn / yìdiǎnr) after the comparison adjective to say that A is only a little more adjective than B.
A small difference
A exceeds B in the quality, but not by much.
Do not put 一点 (yì diǎn) before the adjective in this 比 (bǐ) comparison.
一点 (yì diǎn) follows 漂亮 (piàoliang) and limits the difference to a small amount.
这个比那个漂亮一点。
This one is a little prettier than that one.
Without 一点 (yì diǎn), the sentence does not specify that the difference is small.
这个比那个漂亮。
This one is prettier than that one.
这个比那个漂亮一点。
This one is a little prettier than that one.
这个手表比那个手表漂亮一点儿。
This watch is a little prettier than that watch.
Dialogue 03: Choosing a Watch, Turn 3
Choose between two similar watches
这个比那个漂亮一点。
This one is a little prettier than that one.
Start with the basic comparison A + 比 (bǐ) + B + adjective, then put 一点 or 一点儿 (yì diǎn / yìdiǎnr) after the adjective to limit the size of the difference. 这个比那个漂亮一点 (zhège bǐ nàge piàoliang yì diǎn) means that this one is prettier, but only by a small amount. The degree phrase comes after the adjective because it measures the difference expressed by that adjective. Without 一点 (yì diǎn), the sentence states a difference but does not say it is small.
Adversative Complex Sentence 虽然……但是……
Use 虽然 (suīrán) to set up a fact and 但是 (dànshì) to introduce the contrasting fact that follows.
Expectation and contrast
The second fact goes against the expectation created by the first.
Do not stop after the 虽然 (suīrán) clause. The listener needs clause B to understand the contrast.
The wife is the subject in clause A; her husband is the subject in the contrasting clause B.
虽然她忘了今天是自己的生日，但是她丈夫记得。
Although she forgot that today was her own birthday, her husband remembered.
The shared subject 她 (tā) comes before 虽然 (suīrán) and applies to both predicates.
她虽然很累，但是很快乐。
Although she is tired, she is happy.
虽然她忘了今天是自己的生日，但是她丈夫记得。
Although she forgot that today was her own birthday, her husband remembered.
她虽然很累，但是很快乐。
Although she is tired, she is happy.
Dialogue 01: A Remembered Birthday, Turn 2
A remembered birthday overturns the expectation
虽然她忘了今天是自己的生日，但是她丈夫记得。
Although she forgot that today was her own birthday, her husband remembered.
The complete frame is 虽然 A，但是 B (suīrán A, dànshì B). Clause A gives a fact that makes the listener expect one result; clause B says what is true instead. 虽然她忘了今天是自己的生日，但是她丈夫记得 (suīrán tā wàng le jīntiān shì zìjǐ de shēngrì, dànshì tā zhàngfu jìde) first creates the expectation that the birthday will not be remembered, then overturns it by saying her husband remembers. The two clauses may have different subjects, as in that example. If they share one subject, put it before 虽然 (suīrán): 她虽然很累，但是很快乐 (tā suīrán hěn lèi, dànshì hěn kuàilè). In this lesson, use both connectors and always complete the contrasting B clause.
