Level 3 - Lesson 22
This lesson moves from hotel service into practical building and room care. You will describe what is on or off, what needs cleaning, and what action follows when wind or electricity changes the situation.
Contains 4 words
house; building
electricity; power
elevator
room
Contains 4 words
lamp; light
Contains 5 words
to clean
房子里有电梯
fángzi lǐ yǒu diàntī
there is an elevator in the building
关灯
guān dēng
turn off the light
没有电
méiyǒu diàn
there is no electricity
电梯关了
diàntī guān le
the elevator is closed or off
手机关机
shǒujī guānjī
the phone is powered off
Situation: After cleaning a room, two people decide when it is safe to enter while the floor is still wet.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
刚打扫完，地还没干。
We just finished cleaning, and the floor is not dry yet.
要是...就... for conditions and results
Use 要是...就... (yàoshi...jiù...) as a conversational way to connect a possible condition with its action or result.
Connect a condition to an action
Use 要是...就... (yàoshi...jiù...) when conversationally planning what to do if a condition happens.
to close; to turn off
to power off; to shut down
air conditioning; air conditioner
dry
clean
to blow; to scrape
wind
办公室有空调
bàngōngshì yǒu kōngtiáo
the office has air conditioning
开空调
kāi kōngtiáo
turn on the air conditioning
关空调
guān kōngtiáo
turn off the air conditioning
打扫房子
dǎsǎo fángzi
clean the house
地干了
dì gān le
the floor is dry
房子很干净
fángzi hěn gānjìng
the house is clean
刮风
guā fēng
to be windy
要是刮风，就先关门
yàoshi guā fēng, jiù xiān guān mén
if it is windy, close the door first
要是没有电，就不坐电梯
yàoshi méiyǒu diàn, jiù bù zuò diàntī
if there is no electricity, do not take the elevator
王一雪
Wang Yixue
要是地没干，就先不进房子。
If the floor is not dry, do not enter the room yet.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
那我们先在外面等吧。
Then let's wait outside for now.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
好，地干了我们再进去。
Okay. We will go in after the floor is dry.
Situation: An elevator will not open and its light is dark, so two people check whether the power is out and choose to wait.
刘明
Liu Ming
电梯不开，灯也不亮。
The elevator will not open, and its light is not on.
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
是不是没有电？
Is the power out?
刘明
Liu Ming
对，要是没有电，就不坐电梯。
Right. If there is no power, we do not take the elevator.
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
好，我们先在这里等。
Okay. We will wait here for now.
Situation: A phone rings as an office meeting is about to begin, so its owner powers it off before the meeting starts.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
会议要开始了，你的手机还在响。
The meeting is about to start, and your phone is still ringing.
安妮
Annie
对不起，我忘记关机了。
Sorry. I forgot to power it off.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
要是会议开始以后再响，会影响大家。
If it rings again after the meeting begins, it will disturb everyone.
安妮
Annie
我现在关机，我们开始吧。
I'll power it off now. Let's begin.
Situation: Two housemates see that an open door has let the wind blow things inside, then divide the work of closing the door and cleaning the dirty area.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
门开着，风把外面的东西刮进房子了。
The door is open, and the wind has blown things from outside into the house.
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
门旁边不干净，要打扫一下。
It isn't clean beside the door and needs cleaning.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
要是风又刮，就先关门，再打扫。
If the wind blows again, close the door first and then clean.
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
好，我关门，你打扫门旁边。
Okay. I'll close the door, and you clean beside it.
要是刮风，就先关门 (yàoshi guā fēng, jiù xiān guān mén) has the same conditional meaning as 如果刮风，就先关门 (rúguǒ guā fēng, jiù xiān guān mén); 要是 (yàoshi) gives the spoken plan a more conversational opener.
要是刮风 (yàoshi guā fēng) gives the condition; 就先关门 (jiù xiān guān mén) gives the action.
要是刮风，就先关门。
If it is windy, close the door first.
要是没有电 (yàoshi méiyǒu diàn) names the utility problem; 就不坐电梯 (jiù bù zuò diàntī) gives the safe action.
要是没有电，就不坐电梯。
If there is no electricity, do not take the elevator.
Changing 要是 (yàoshi) to 如果 (rúguǒ) keeps the condition and result the same. 如果 (rúguǒ) is neutral; 要是 (yàoshi) is especially natural in conversational planning.
如果刮风，就先关门。
If it is windy, close the door first.
要是刮风，就先关门。
If it is windy, close the door first.
要是没有电，就不坐电梯。
If there is no electricity, do not take the elevator.
要是有会议，就先关机。
If there is a meeting, power it off first.
如果刮风，就先关门。
If it is windy, close the door first.
Dialogue 01: Do Not Enter Until the Floor Is Dry, Turn 2
A wet floor delays entry
要是地没干，就先不进房子。
If the floor is not dry, do not enter the room yet.
Dialogue 02: Do Not Use the Elevator Without Power, Turn 3
No electricity changes the elevator plan
对，要是没有电，就不坐电梯。
Right. If there is no power, we do not take the elevator.
Dialogue 03: Powering Off a Ringing Phone, Turn 3
A ringing phone disturbs the meeting
要是会议开始以后再响，会影响大家。
If it rings again after the meeting begins, it will disturb everyone.
Dialogue 04: Stopping the Wind Before Cleaning, Turn 3
Wind condition before cleaning
要是风又刮，就先关门，再打扫。
If the wind blows again, close the door first and then clean.
要是 (yàoshi) introduces the condition, and 就 (jiù) introduces what follows from it. The previously learned 如果...就... (rúguǒ...jiù...) expresses the same if-then relationship: 如果刮风，就先关门 (rúguǒ guā fēng, jiù xiān guān mén) and 要是刮风，就先关门 (yàoshi guā fēng, jiù xiān guān mén) describe the same plan. 如果 (rúguǒ) is a neutral general opener; 要是 (yàoshi) is especially natural in conversational planning. Both can pair with 就 (jiù).
