HSK 3Lesson 24
It is a Friday evening in October, and the class party is about to start in Teacher Wang's classroom. Liu Ming has forgotten the game cards, Annie wins a game by accident, and later Jiayue and Xiaoxue talk in the corridor about pets.
You will learn to talk about a party and a chat: say what else you could do, talk about the other people, and say "we" so the listener is included.
Part 1 · 7 new words
Contains 2 words
evening party; evening show
game
Contains 3 words
to chat
to chat
Contains 2 words
other; else
other; the rest
Part 2 · 7 phrases
我们班在晚会上唱了歌，大家都说好听。
Our class sang at the party, and everyone said it sounded good.
玩游戏的时候，说错的人要给大家唱歌。
When you play the game, whoever gets it wrong has to sing for everyone.
我们一边吃饭，一边聊天儿，聊到很晚才回去。
We chatted over dinner and only went home very late.
你们在聊什么？这么高兴！
What are you talking about? You look so happy!
奶奶养了几只鸡，每天都有新鲜鸡蛋。
Grandma keeps a few chickens, so there are fresh eggs every day.
这家饭馆的鱼不错，你还想吃别的吗？
The fish here is good. Do you want to eat anything else?
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Friday evening before the class party. Yixue checks her list and finds that Liu Ming has left the game cards at home. Teacher Wang says they can use something else.
王一雪Wang Yixue
刘明，玩游戏用的卡呢？晚会七点就开始了！
Liu Ming, where are the cards for the game? The party starts at seven!
刘明Liu Ming
Part 4 · 2 points
别的、其他
Use 别的Biéde for "something else" and 其他Qítā for "the rest" of a group you have named.
Say what else or who else
别的Biéde points to something else; 其他Qítā points to the rest of a group.
to raise; to keep (a pet)
我认识白家月，其他同学我都不认识。
I know Bai Jiayue, but I don't know any of the other classmates.
卡？……我忘在家里了。
The cards? ...I left them at home.
王一雪Wang Yixue
又忘了！现在回去，七点也到不了。
You forgot again! Even if you go back now, you won't be here by seven.
王老师Teacher Wang
别着急，咱们用别的东西也行。
Don't worry. We can use something else.
安妮Annie
本子和笔怎么样？大家都有。
What about notebooks and pens? Everyone has them.
王老师Teacher Wang
对，就用这个。一雪，你去跟大家说一下。
Right, let's use those. Yixue, go tell everyone.
During the party. In the game, one person writes a word in a notebook, and the others try to say what it is. Annie says a wrong word first, then says it again and is right.
白家月Bai Jiayue
这个游戏我最喜欢了！我先来，是我们每天早上都吃的东西。
This game is my favorite! I'll go first. It's something we eat every morning.
安妮Annie
面包！
Bread!
白家月Bai Jiayue
不对，是鸡蛋。
No, it's eggs.
王老师Teacher Wang
安妮已经说了，其他同学也说说吧。下一个我写，是可以用手拿着吃的东西。
Annie has had her turn, so let the other students say something too. I'll write the next one: it's something you can eat with your hands.
安妮Annie
我想想……还是面包！
Let me think... bread again!
王老师Teacher Wang
对了！你怎么说对了？
Right! How did you get it?
安妮Annie
我也不知道，我只是饿了。
I don't know, I'm just hungry.
The party is almost over. Teacher Wang asks Annie to say a few words to everyone. Earlier this year Annie was afraid to speak in front of the class, and now she goes to the front.
王老师Teacher Wang
安妮，晚会快完了，你也给大家说说话吧。
Annie, the party's almost over. Why don't you say a few words to everyone?
安妮Annie
我？以前在大家面前说话，我的手都是冷的。
Me? I used to be so nervous speaking in front of people that my hands were cold.
王一雪Wang Yixue
现在不怕了吧？
Not afraid now, right?
安妮Annie
有点儿怕。可是今天大家都很高兴，我也想说。
A little. But everyone's so happy today, and I want to say something.
王老师Teacher Wang
那就说吧，我们都听着。
Then go ahead. We're all listening.
安妮Annie
谢谢老师，谢谢大家！这是我在中国的第一个晚会，咱们下次再来！
Thank you, teacher, and thank you everyone! This is my first party in China. Let's do it again next time!
王一雪Wang Yixue
说得真好！
Well said!
After the party, Jiayue and Xiaoxue stay in the corridor to chat. Jiayue wants to keep a cat, but the school does not allow it. Xiaoxue tells her about the chickens her family kept.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
晚会真好玩儿！咱们在这儿聊天儿吧，我还不想回去。
The party was so much fun! Let's chat here for a while. I don't want to go back yet.
白家月Bai Jiayue
好啊。对了，我想养一只猫，可是学校不让。
Sure. By the way, I want to keep a cat, but the school won't allow it.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
在房间里养猫，别人会同意吗？
Would the other people agree to a cat in the room?
白家月Bai Jiayue
和我住一个房间的同学怕猫，所以还是不养了。
The classmate I share a room with is afraid of cats, so I'd better not.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我们家以前养过鸡，早上鸡一叫，大家都不能睡觉。
My family used to keep chickens, and when they crowed in the morning, nobody could sleep.
白家月Bai Jiayue
真的？那我先养花吧，花不会叫，别人不会说什么。
Really? Then I'll keep flowers first. They don't make noise, so nobody can say anything.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
这个办法不错！等花开了，咱们再来聊。
That's a good solution! When the flowers bloom, let's come chat again.
When the cards are missing, Teacher Wang says 咱们用别的东西也行Zánmen yòng biéde dōngxi yě xíng: any other thing will do. At the game she says 其他同学也说说吧Qítā tóngxué yě shuōshuo ba: the rest of the class gets a turn.
In sentences
Contrast
我只想喝茶，不想要别的。
I only want tea, nothing else.
别的Biéde stands for "anything besides what I said".
Contrast
我只认识李文，其他人都是第一次见。
I only know Li Wen; I'm meeting everyone else for the first time.
其他Qítā points to the rest of the people there.
刘明把卡忘在家里，大家只好用别的东西玩儿游戏。
Liu Ming left the cards at home, so everyone had to play with something else.
A：你还想吃别的吗？ B：不吃了，我已经很饱了。
A: Do you want anything else to eat? B: No, I'm already full.
这个颜色我不喜欢，请给我看看别的。
I don't like this color. Please show me some others.
老师说，其他同学可以先回去。
The teacher said the other students can go home first.
别的Biéde means "another one" or "something else", and it can stand alone or go before a noun: 你还要别的吗？Nǐ hái yào biéde ma?, 别的东西也行Biéde dōngxi yě xíng. 其他Qítā means "the rest" or "the other" of a group you have already talked about, and it goes before a noun, usually a person or a group: 其他人Qítā rén, 其他同学Qítā tóngxué. The difference is the group. 别的Biéde points away from what you just named, as in "not this, something else", while 其他Qítā is what is left of a whole group after you name one or two. Both come directly before the noun without 的De in between. The key constraint is that 别的Biéde is mostly for things and 其他Qítā for the rest of a group; for "other people" in general, use 别人Biéren, which is in the next note. Do not use 别人Biéren for things. Compare 这个太贵了，给我看看别的Zhège tài guì le, gěi wǒ kànkan biéde (show me other things) with 你能给我介绍一下别人吗Nǐ néng gěi wǒ jièshào yí xià biéren ma (introduce me to other people).
别人、咱们
Use 别人Biéren for other people, and 咱们Zánmen for "we" that includes the person you are talking to.
Other people, and we together
别人Biéren is other people; 咱们Zánmen is we with the listener inside.
Annie ends her speech with 咱们下次再来Zánmen xià cì zài lái: everyone in the room is included. In the corridor Xiaoxue asks if 别人会同意Biéren huì tóngyì: the other people in the dorm room.
In sentences
Contrast
我们去超市，你要什么？
We're going to the supermarket. What do you want?
我们Wǒmen does not have to include the person you speak to.
Contrast
咱们去超市吧，一起买东西。
Let's go to the supermarket and shop together.
咱们Zánmen invites the listener in.
用别人的东西以前，要先问一下。
Before you use someone else's things, ask first.
A：我们明天去爬山，你呢？ B：好啊，咱们一起去吧！
A: We're going hiking tomorrow. How about you? B: Great, let's go together!
安妮说话的时候，别人都认真地听着。
While Annie was speaking, everyone else listened carefully.
你们累了吗？咱们在这儿休息一下吧。
Are you tired? Let's take a rest here.
别人Biéren means "other people", someone besides you and the people you have just named: 别人的东西Biéren de dōngxi, 别人都认真地听着Biéren dōu rènzhēn de tīng zhe. It is only for people. 咱们Zánmen is "we" that includes the listener: 咱们一起去吧Zánmen yìqǐ qù ba. The ordinary 我们Wǒmen may leave the listener out, so 我们明天去爬山，你呢？Wǒmen míngtiān qù pá shān, nǐ ne? invites a question, while 咱们明天去爬山吧Zánmen míngtiān qù pá shān ba already includes you. 咱们Zánmen is common in northern speech among friends and classmates. The key constraint is that 咱们Zánmen needs a listener who is part of the group, so do not use it when you speak to someone who is outside it. Compare:
在房间里养猫，别人会同意吗？
Would the other people agree to a cat in the room?
Why it matters · Xiaoxue asks whether 别人Biéren would agree, the other people living in Jiayue's room.
