HSK 3Lesson 12
It is Xiaoxue's birthday and she misses home, so her friends take her to a small restaurant near the west gate. The menu has no pictures, the food takes an hour, and at the end Liu Ming has forgotten his wallet.
You will learn to read a menu and order for a group, say how often and how much, complain politely about slow service, and split the bill.
Part 1 · 14 new words
Contains 5 words
ice; to chill sth
altogether
together; in company
menu
to serve; service
Contains 9 words
many; quite a lot
almost; nearly; practically
Part 2 · 10 phrases
弟弟总说不饿，可是总是第一个吃完。
My little brother always says he isn’t hungry, yet he is always the first to finish.
这家饭馆好多菜我都没吃过，你看看菜单吧。
I haven’t tried many of the dishes at this restaurant; have a look at the menu.
我常去那家店买面包，那儿的面包常常卖完。
I often go to that shop for bread, and its bread often sells out.
昨天下雨，今天又下雨，我们不能去玩儿了。
It rained yesterday and again today, so we can’t go out and play.
那个孩子又聪明又可爱，大家都喜欢他。
That child is both smart and cute, and everyone likes him.
下课了，我们一块儿去吃饭好不好？
Class is over; shall we go eat together?
Part 3 · 4 conversations
On Friday evening five friends sit down at a small restaurant near the west gate to celebrate Xiaoxue's birthday. The menu is long and has no pictures.
安妮Annie
好多菜！菜单上都是字，我什么都看不懂。
So many dishes! The menu is nothing but words, and I can’t read any of it.
Part 4 · 3 points
就3、一块儿、一共、只、到处、只是
These small words go before the verb: 一块儿yíkuàir together, 一共yígòng in total, 只zhǐ only, 就jiù just, 只是zhǐshì it's just that.
Small words before the verb
They go before the verb and say together, in total, only or just.
often
frequently; often
(once) again; also
merely; only; just; nothing but; simply
always; every time
always
everywhere
三杯咖啡，两个蛋糕，一共多少钱？
Three coffees and two cakes, how much is that altogether?
这家饭馆什么都好，只是人多，要等一个小时。
This restaurant is good in every way, it’s just crowded and you have to wait an hour.
路上几乎没有车，我们十分钟就到了。
There were hardly any cars on the road, so we got there in ten minutes.
我不爱喝冰的，喝了冰水就头疼。
I don’t like cold drinks; ice water gives me a headache.
白家月Bai Jiayue
别怕，我常来这儿，服务员都认识我。
Don’t worry, I come here a lot and the waiters all know me.
服务员Waiter
家月，你又来了！今天几位？
Jiayue, you’re back again! How many tonight?
王一雪Wang Yixue
五位。小雪今天生日，你快说，什么菜好吃？
Five. It’s Xiaoxue’s birthday today; quick, tell us, what’s good?
白家月Bai Jiayue
鱼！这儿的鱼又新鲜又好吃，我常常一个人吃一条。
The fish! The fish here is fresh and delicious, and I often eat a whole one by myself.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
一个人一条？
A whole fish by yourself?
王一雪Wang Yixue
你看，问她就对了。服务员，来一条鱼！
See, asking her was right. Waiter, one fish please!
The waiter comes back for the rest of the order. Xiaoxue asks for something very small.
服务员Waiter
鱼一条，还要别的吗？
One fish. Anything else?
王一雪Wang Yixue
再要几个菜，还有冰茶，大家都喝冰的吧？
A few more dishes, and iced tea. Everyone wants it cold, right?
安妮Annie
我要冰的，天这么热。小雪呢？
I’ll have cold, it’s so hot. What about you, Xiaoxue?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我只要米饭，别的不用。
I only want rice, nothing else.
王一雪Wang Yixue
只要米饭？你今天过生日啊！
Only rice? It’s your birthday!
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
菜单上的菜都很好，只是我想吃我妈妈做的饭了。
The dishes on the menu all look good, it’s just that I want my mom’s cooking.
安妮Annie
那我们一块儿吃，有我们在，不想家！
Then let’s eat together, and with us here you won’t be homesick!
The fish still has not come. Everyone is hungry and tired, and Jiayue has her head on the table.
刘明Liu Ming
都快一个小时了，菜呢？
It’s been almost an hour. Where’s the food?
王一雪Wang Yixue
这家的服务总是这么慢吗？
Is the service always this slow here?
白家月Bai Jiayue
我常来，没这么慢过。我几乎睡着了。
I come here a lot and it’s never been this slow. I almost fell asleep.
服务员Waiter
对不起对不起，今天到处都是客人。鱼快好了！
Sorry, sorry, there are guests everywhere tonight. The fish is almost ready!
王一雪Wang Yixue
我们五个人，等了这么长时间，能给点儿水果吗？
There are five of us and we’ve waited this long; could we get some fruit?
服务员Waiter
西瓜，送你们！
Watermelon, on us!
白家月Bai Jiayue
太好了，我又饿又累，一个人能吃一半！
Great, I’m hungry and tired, and I could eat half of it myself!
The fish was worth the wait. Now the waiter brings the bill, and Liu Ming looks for his wallet.
服务员Waiter
一共三百二十块，五位，每位六十四。
That’s 320 yuan in all, five people, 64 each.
安妮Annie
我用卡。刘明呢？
I’ll use a card. And Liu Ming?
刘明Liu Ming
我的钱……忘在房间里了。
My money... I left it in my room.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
啊？那怎么办？
Oh no, what now?
刘明Liu Ming
安妮，你帮我给吧，我请你喝一个月的咖啡，每天都行！
Annie, could you cover me? I’ll treat you to coffee for a month, every day!
安妮Annie
我用新银行卡给，第一次用呢。咖啡，你别忘了！
I’ll pay with my new bank card; it’s the first time I’ve used it. Don’t forget the coffee!
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
这里的鱼，几乎和我妈妈做的一样。谢谢大家！
The fish here is almost like my mom’s. Thank you, everyone!
In the second scene Xiaoxue says 我只要米饭wǒ zhǐ yào mǐfàn: 只zhǐ goes before the verb 要yào and limits her order to rice.
In sentences
一块儿: together
我们一块儿去颐和园。
We’re going to the Summer Palace together.
Before the verb.
一共: in total
我们一共吃了五个菜。
We ate five dishes in all.
Before the verb and the number.
只是: but
这个菜很好吃，只是有点儿贵。
This dish is very tasty, it’s just a bit expensive.
A small problem after praise.
我们五个人一共吃了三个菜、一条鱼。
The five of us ate three dishes and one fish in all.
我们一块儿坐地铁去吧，比出租车便宜。
Let’s go by subway together; it’s cheaper than a taxi.
A：你要吃什么？ B：我就要一个包子，别的不要。
A: What do you want? B: Just one bun, nothing else.
我很想去，只是明天要考试。
I really want to go, it’s just that I have a test tomorrow.
他只喝了一杯水，别的什么都没吃。
He only had a glass of water and nothing else.
下课了，教室里到处都是学生。
Class is over and there are students everywhere in the classroom.
Five small words describe how much or how many, and all of them go before the verb. 一块儿yíkuàir means together: 我们一块儿去wǒmen yíkuàir qù. 一共yígòng adds everything up: 一共三个人yígòng sān ge rén. 只zhǐ means only: 只要米饭zhǐ yào mǐfàn. 就jiù before a small number stresses that it is little: 就要一个jiù yào yí ge, just one. 到处dàochù means everywhere and also goes before the verb: 这里到处都是人zhèlǐ dàochù dōu shì rén. 只是zhǐshì often brings in the one small problem after something good: 菜好吃，只是有点儿贵cài hǎochī, zhǐshì yǒudiǎnr guì. The key constraint is position: all of them come before the verb, not after it. A common mistake is to put 一块儿yíkuàir or 一共yígòng at the end: ✗ 我们去一块儿wǒmen qù yíkuàir; say ✓ 我们一块儿去wǒmen yíkuàir qù. The same goes for 一共yígòng: it comes before the verb phrase, as in 我们一共吃了五个菜wǒmen yígòng chī le wǔ ge cài, with the total counted first.
总、总是、又、常常
常常chángcháng often, 总是zǒngshì always, and 又yòu again for something that already happened.
常常, 总是 and 又
常常chángcháng often, 总是zǒngshì always, 又yòu again (it already happened).
In the first scene the waiter says 你又来了nǐ yòu lái le: Jiayue has been here before, and now she has come a second time.
In sentences
常常: often
我常常去那家书店。
I often go to that bookstore.
A habit.
总是: always
他总是第一个到。
He is always the first to arrive.
Every time, without exception.
又: again
你又忘了！
You forgot again!
It already happened.
我常常和朋友一块儿去那家饭馆吃饭。
I often go to that restaurant with my friends.
他总是很忙，我们很少见面。
He is always busy, so we rarely meet.
A：你怎么又来了？ B：我的手机忘在这儿了。
A: Why are you here again? B: I left my phone here.
你昨天没来上课，今天又没来，生病了吗？
You skipped class yesterday and again today; are you sick?
今天的菜很好吃，明天我们再来吧。
Today’s food is delicious; let’s come again tomorrow.
These adverbs go before the verb. 常常chángcháng (or 常cháng before a one-syllable verb) means often: 我常常来这儿wǒ chángcháng lái zhèr. 总是zǒngshì, or the shorter 总zǒng, means always, every time, and often carries a complaint: 服务总是这么慢fúwù zǒngshì zhème màn. 又yòu means again for something that has already happened a second time: 他又忘了tā yòu wàng le, usually with 了le. For a repeat that has not happened yet, use 再zài, not 又yòu. The key constraint is time: 又yòu
又……，又……
Put 又yòu before each of two adjectives or verbs to say both are true: 又新鲜又好吃yòu xīnxiān yòu hǎochī.
又 A 又 B
Two qualities or two actions are both true.
In the first scene Jiayue says the fish is 又新鲜又好吃yòu xīnxiān yòu hǎochī: fresh and tasty at once.
In sentences
Two good things
这个孩子又聪明又可爱。
This child is smart and cute.
Two good things about one person.
Two actions
他们又说又笑。
They talk and laugh.
Two actions at once.
这家饭馆又干净又便宜，我们常常来。
This restaurant is clean and cheap, so we come often.
A：你怎么了？ B：我又冷又饿，想快点儿回家。
A: What’s wrong? B: I’m cold and hungry and want to get home soon.
孩子们又吃又玩儿，高兴得很。
The kids ate and played and were very happy.
这个西瓜又大又甜，我们吃了两天。
This watermelon is big and sweet, and it took us two days to eat it.
这个小饭馆又小又热，可是菜很好吃。
This little restaurant is small and hot, but the food is good.
又……又…… (yòu … yòu …) joins two qualities or two actions that are both true at the same time. With adjectives it is usually two good things or two bad things about the same subject: 又便宜又好吃yòu piányi yòu hǎochī (cheap and tasty), 又饿又累yòu è yòu lèi. With verbs it joins two things done together: 又吃又喝yòu chī yòu hē. Each 又yòu goes right before its word, so the two parts have the same shape. The key constraint is that there is no 很hěn or 太tài inside: ✗ 又很新鲜又很好吃yòu hěn xīnxiān yòu hěn hǎochī; say ✓ 又新鲜又好吃yòu xīnxiān yòu hǎochī. The two parts usually lean the same way, both good or both bad; 又好吃又贵yòu hǎochī yòu guì is also fine, but 又好吃又不好吃yòu hǎochī yòu bù hǎochī contradicts itself.
这家的服务总是这么慢吗？
Is the service always this slow here?
Why it matters · 总是zǒngshì: Yixue asks whether the service is slow every time, a mild complaint.
Great, I’m hungry and tired, and I could eat half of it myself!
Why it matters · 又饿又累yòu è yòu lèi: two feelings of Jiayue at once.
