HSK 3Lesson 31
Teacher Wang asks Annie to give a short talk at the class evening, and Annie is sure her Chinese is not good enough. You will hear her doubts with Yixue and Xiaoxue, get advice from her teacher and watch a funny slip in the trial run.
You will learn to talk about studying abroad, say what is easy or hard for you, and say that something is finished or understood.
Part 1 · 7 new words
Contains 4 words
to study abroad
international student; student abroad
language
level; standard
Contains 3 words
culture
world
Part 2 · 8 phrases
我想去中国留学，所以现在开始学汉语。
I want to study in China, so I'm starting to learn Chinese now.
我们学校的留学生，周末常常一起做饭。
The international students at our school often cook together at weekends.
他的汉语水平很高，已经能看中文电影了。
His Chinese level is very high; he can already watch Chinese movies.
学一种新语言，也是在了解这个国家的文化。
Learning a new language is also a way of understanding the country's culture.
世界这么大，我想一个国家一个国家地看。
The world is so big that I want to see it country by country.
这几年我们国家发展得很快，生活也越来越好。
In the last few years our country has developed fast, and life keeps getting better.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Annie shows Yixue a message from Teacher Wang: she is asked to give a two-minute talk at the class evening about being an international student. Annie says her level is too low.
安妮Annie
一雪，你看，王老师请我在晚会上讲两分钟，说说我在中国留学的事。
Yixue, look. Teacher Wang asked me to speak for two minutes at the party about studying in China.
王一雪Wang Yixue
好事！你讲吗？
Good news! Will you give the talk?
Part 4 · 2 points
对……来说
Use 对……来说duì … láishuō to give a point of view: for this person or group, something is easy, hard or important.
Give a point of view
对duì + person + 来说láishuō tells whose view the comment is from.
to develop; development
对我来说，说汉语比写汉字容易。
For me, speaking Chinese is easier than writing characters.
我学过两种语言，现在想看看世界。
I've learned two languages, and now I want to see the world.
安妮Annie
我不想讲。我的汉语水平不高，我怕说错。
I don't want to give it. My Chinese isn't good enough, and I'm afraid of making mistakes.
王一雪Wang Yixue
对你来说，这不难。你每天都说汉语，一定能说得好。
For you this isn't hard. You speak Chinese every day, so you'll speak well.
安妮Annie
可是说什么呢？
But what would I say?
王一雪Wang Yixue
你说说你在北京的事，大家都想听。你先写下来，再说几遍，就记住了。
Tell them about your life in Beijing. Everyone wants to hear it. Write it down first, say it a few times, and you'll remember it.
安妮Annie
我试试吧，可是你要帮我听一听！
I'll try, but you have to listen to me!
Xiaoxue finds Annie cooking noodles in the dorm kitchen. She tells her how hard studying away from home is, which makes Annie worry even more.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
你在做面条儿吗？我也饿了。
Are you making noodles? I'm hungry too.
安妮Annie
来，一起吃。王老师请我在晚会上讲留学的事，我不知道怎么说。
Come on, eat with me. Teacher Wang asked me to talk about studying abroad at the party, and I don't know what to say.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
谢谢！我认识很多留学生，他们都说开始的时候，语言最难呢。
Thanks! I know a lot of international students, and they all say the language is hardest at the start.
安妮Annie
是啊，有时候别人说的，我一句也听不懂。
It is. Sometimes I can't understand a single thing people say.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
对我来说，不只是语言。我离家那么远，最想的是妈妈做的饭。在外面学习，有时候很难过。
For me it's not only the language. I'm so far from home, and what I miss most is my mom's cooking. Studying away from home can be sad sometimes.
安妮Annie
我也一样！我妈妈做的鱼，我天天想。你这么说，我更不想去了。
Me too! I think about my mom's fish every day. When you put it like that, I want to do the talk even less.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
别怕，我们都去听你讲。
Don't be scared. We'll all come to hear you.
Annie goes to Teacher Wang's office and asks what she could say in her talk. Teacher Wang suggests two ideas.
安妮Annie
王老师，我不知道在晚会上说什么。
Teacher Wang, I don't know what to say at the party.
王老师Teacher Wang
你可以说说，中国的什么文化让你觉得有意思。
You could talk about which part of Chinese culture you find interesting.
安妮Annie
比如……过年的时候，大家都回家吗？
For example... at New Year everyone goes home?
王老师Teacher Wang
对，很好！你还可以说说，你怎么看这个世界。
Yes, good! You could also say how you see the world.
安妮Annie
我怎么看世界？这太大了吧！
How I see the world? That's too big!
王老师Teacher Wang
不大。你来到一个发展很快的国家，看到的有很多是别人没看过的。
It's not big. You've come to a fast-developing country, and a lot of what you see is new to others.
安妮Annie
我明白了。今天晚上我就写下来。
I see. I'll write it down tonight.
On the eve of the party Annie rehearses her talk in an empty classroom. Xiaoxue and Teacher Wang listen, and Annie makes a funny mistake with a word.
安妮Annie
大家好，我叫安妮，来自法国。我是……
Hello everyone, I'm Annie, from France. I'm...
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
安妮，你写的是“刘学生”！
Annie, you wrote 'Liu-student'!
安妮Annie
我写错字了吗？是留学生，不是刘学生！
Did I write the wrong character? It's international student, not Liu-student!
王老师Teacher Wang
对。别怕，你说得很好，我们都听懂了。
Right. Don't worry, you spoke well and we all understood.
安妮Annie
九月我刚到北京的时候，一句汉语也不会说呢。
When I arrived in Beijing in September, I couldn't speak a word of Chinese.
王老师Teacher Wang
你的汉语水平高多了！这个错，晚会上一定要再说一遍。
Your Chinese level is so much higher! That mistake, you must say it again at the party.
安妮Annie
真的？那我就说！
Really? Then I'll say it!
Yixue uses it to calm Annie: 对你来说，这不难duì nǐ láishuō, zhè bù nán.
In sentences
At the start
对我来说，汉语很有意思。
For me, Chinese is very interesting.
The frame comes first, then a comma.
After the subject
这件事对他来说很重要。
This matter is important for him.
The frame can follow the subject without a comma.
对小孩子来说，学外语比学数学容易。
For little kids, learning a foreign language is easier than learning maths.
A：这个问题难吗？ B：对我来说不难，对他来说有点儿难。
A: Is this question hard? B: Not for me, but a bit hard for him.
对安妮来说，在晚会上讲两分钟不是一件小事。
For Annie, speaking for two minutes at the party is no small matter.
这么冷的天，出门对老人来说不太方便。
In such cold weather, going out is not very convenient for old people.
每天早上七点起床，对我来说很容易。
Getting up at seven every morning is easy for me.
The frame 对……来说duì … láishuō means "for …" or "from the point of view of …". Put the person or group between 对duì and 来说láishuō, then give your comment: 对我来说，汉语不难duì wǒ láishuō, Hànyǔ bù nán. It goes at the start of the sentence, or after the subject: 汉语对我来说不难Hànyǔ duì wǒ láishuō bù nán. The comment is usually about how easy, hard, important or interesting something is. The key constraint is that 来说láishuō must stay: 对duì alone means "to" or "toward". Compare 他对我说tā duì wǒ shuō, "he said to me", with 对我来说duì wǒ láishuō, "for me". Common mistake: dropping 来说láishuō, as in ✗ 对我，汉语很难duì wǒ, Hànyǔ hěn nán; say ✓ 对我来说，汉语很难duì wǒ láishuō, Hànyǔ hěn nán.
动补短语2
Put a result word after the verb: 听懂tīng dǒng, 写完xiě wán, 记住jì zhù say not just the action but its result.
Reach a result
A verb followed by a result word says the action was completed in that way.
In the trial run Annie says 说错shuō cuò when she mixes up the two words.
In sentences
Done
我写完了。
I've finished writing.
了le comes after the complement.
Not done
我没听懂。
I didn't understand.
没méi goes before the verb.
老师说得很慢，我们都听懂了。
The teacher spoke slowly, and we all understood.
A：作业写完了吗？ B：还没有，我只写完了一半。
A: Have you finished the homework? B: Not yet. I've only finished half.
我把这个句子写下来，读了三遍，就记住了。
I wrote the sentence down, read it three times, and remembered it.
安妮把那个词说错了，大家都笑了。
Annie got that word wrong, and everyone laughed.
你说得太快，我听不懂，请再说一遍。
You're speaking too fast and I can't understand. Please say it once more.
A result complement is a short word placed right after a verb to say how the action ended: 懂dǒng understand, 完wán finish, 好hǎo properly, 错cuò wrongly, 见jiàn perceive, 住zhù hold fast. So 听tīng is only listening, but 听懂tīng dǒng is listening and understanding. The negative uses 没méi: 没听懂méi tīng dǒng, and the possible-or-not forms use 得de and 不bù: 听得懂
对。别怕，你说得很好，我们都听懂了。
Right. Don't worry, you spoke well and we all understood.
Why it matters · Teacher Wang says they all understood, 听懂tīng dǒng, Annie even with the mistake.
