Level 3 - Lesson 6
This lesson connects everyday choices with useful reasons: color, freshness, old or new condition, urgency, and opportunity. You will ask someone to choose, accept either option, and explain what matters most.
Contains 2 words
or
or; either
Contains 3 words
almost; nearly
Contains 3 words
blue
Contains 4 words
old; long-standing
Contains 2 words
important
Contains 2 words
opportunity; chance
蓝或黄色都可以。
Lán huò huángsè dōu kěyǐ.
Blue or yellow are both fine.
蓝的或者黄色的都可以。
Lán de huòzhě huángsè de dōu kěyǐ.
Blue or yellow are both fine.
主要颜色要蓝的还是黄色的？
Zhǔyào yánsè yào lán de háishi huángsè de?
Should the main color be blue or yellow?
这个新闻很新鲜。
Zhège xīnwén hěn xīnxiān.
This news is very fresh.
这件事很急。
Zhè jiàn shì hěn jí.
Situation: Two classmates choose colors for clothing worn at a school activity and use the school's color as the deciding constraint.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
学校活动的衣服，蓝色多一点还是黄色多一点？
For the clothes worn at the school activity, should we use more blue or more yellow?
几乎 for almost/nearly
Use 几乎 (jīhū) before a result, quantity, or negative phrase when something is nearly true.
Say something is almost complete
Use 几乎 (jīhū) before a result when the result is nearly true.
extremely
urgent; anxious
yellow
cool and comfortable
old; used
news
fresh; new and interesting
main; mainly
New Year
还没有开始，我已经想走
Before it has even started, I already want to leave.
还没有问题，我已经说不用
Before there is even a problem, I have already said I do not need it.
我说这是自己愿意
I say I am doing this willingly.
其实我怕听见“不行”
Actually, I am afraid of hearing “not good enough.”
机会还没有说话，我已经说不要
The opportunity has not spoken yet; I have already said no.
我不来，谁能说我不行？
If I do not show up, who can say I cannot do it?
我不来，谁还能说我可以？
If I do not show up, who can still say I can?
几乎到了，我就回去
I almost get there, then I go back.
几乎就好，再近我就怕
Almost is enough; any closer and I get scared.
近了我怕，远了我急
When it is close, I am afraid; when it is far, I am anxious.
我不拿，就不会少
If I do not take it, I cannot end up with less.
我不希望，就不会错
If I do not hope, I cannot be wrong.
我不开门，再问为什么没有人来
I do not open the door, then ask why nobody comes.
我自己不动，还说时间走得太快
I refuse to move, then say time is moving too fast.
我说没有机会，机会来了也不要
I say there are no opportunities; when one comes, I still do not want it.
说它不重要，也怕它太重要
I say it is not important, then fear it is too important.
主要问题，我已经知道好多年
The main problem—I have known it for years.
每次都知道，每次还是没有做
Every time I know; every time I still do nothing.
我说这是我自己想要
I say this is what I myself want.
说完“想要”，也说“不要”
After saying “I want it,” I also say “I do not want it.”
这样谁不要谁？我也不清楚
So who is rejecting whom? I do not know either.
我只知道不开始，就不用怕做不好
All I know is that if I do not start, I do not have to fear doing it badly.
机会还没有说话，我已经说不要
The opportunity has not spoken yet; I have already said no.
我不来，谁能说我不行？
If I do not show up, who can say I cannot do it?
我不来，谁还能说我可以？
If I do not show up, who can still say I can?
几乎到了，我就回去
I almost get there, then I go back.
几乎就好，再近我就怕
Almost is enough; any closer and I get scared.
近了我怕，远了我急
When it is close, I am afraid; when it is far, I am anxious.
或这个，或者那个
Either this one or that one.
两个都想，两个都怕
I want both; I fear both.
心里左边是蓝，右边是黄色
Inside, the left side is blue and the right side is yellow.
蓝让我太慢，黄色让我太快
Blue makes me too slow; yellow makes me too fast.
天气很凉快，心里还在跑
The weather is pleasantly cool; inside, I am still running.
身体坐在这里，自己已经走了
My body is sitting here; I am already gone.
老问题，今天还是新鲜新闻
An old problem is still fresh news today.
什么事都没有，心里怎么这么急？
Nothing is happening; why am I so anxious inside?
新的机会一来，旧的自己已经回来
When a new opportunity comes, the old me has already returned.
不是机会太少，是我每次说现在不行
It is not that there are too few opportunities; every time I say now will not work.
每个机会都重要，重要到让我跑
Every opportunity is important—so important it makes me run.
主要问题不是机会——主要是我不要
The main problem is not opportunity—the main thing is that I say no.
不来——就不会错？
If I do not show up—then I cannot be wrong?
不拿——就不会少？
If I do not take it—then I cannot end up with less?
不开始——就不会做错？
If I do not start—then I cannot do it wrong?
还是真的没有来过？
Or did it really never come?
我说我走自己的路
I say I am walking my own road.
其实我只在自己后面
Actually, I am only behind myself.
机会还没有说话，我已经说不要
The opportunity has not spoken yet; I have already said no.
我不来，谁能说我不行？
If I do not show up, who can say I cannot do it?
我不来，谁还能说我可以？
If I do not show up, who can still say I can?
几乎到了，我就回去
I almost get there, then I go back.
几乎就好，再近我就怕
Almost is enough; any closer and I get scared.
近了我怕，远了我急
When it is close, I am afraid; when it is far, I am anxious.
不是明天让我难过
It is not tomorrow making me sad.
是我今天不让明天来
It is me today refusing to let tomorrow come.
我说我早知道事情会坏
I say I knew early on that things would go badly.
其实我不来，事情怎么会好？
Actually, if I do not show up, how could things go well?
This matter is urgent.
主要工作几乎好了。
Zhǔyào gōngzuò jīhū hǎo le.
The main work is almost done.
有机会。
Yǒu jīhuì.
There is a chance.
机会极好。
Jīhuì jí hǎo.
The opportunity is excellent.
这是老朋友给我的。
Zhè shì lǎo péngyou gěi wǒ de.
This was given to me by an old friend.
旧衣服也很重要。
Jiù yīfu yě hěn zhòngyào.
Old clothing can also be important.
今天比较凉快。
Jīntiān bǐjiào liángkuai.
Today is fairly cool.
新年我们今天去还是明天去？
Xīnnián wǒmen jīntiān qù háishi míngtiān qù?
For New Year, should we go today or tomorrow?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
蓝的或者黄色的都可以。学校的颜色是什么？
Blue or yellow would both work. What is the school's color?
白家月
Bai Jiayue
是蓝色的。
It's blue.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那蓝色多一点，黄色少一点。
Then use more blue and a little less yellow.
Situation: Two classmates must show a news report to their teacher that afternoon; they check progress and divide the urgent remaining work.
刘明
Liu Ming
这个新闻是今天上午的吗？
Is this news from this morning?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
是，很重要，老师下午要看。
Yes. It's important, and the teacher needs to see it this afternoon.
刘明
Liu Ming
写完了吗？
Have you finished writing it?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
主要内容几乎写完了，还差几个字。
The main content is almost written; only a few words are missing.
刘明
Liu Ming
那快一点，这件事很急。
Then hurry a little. This is urgent.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
好，我现在写完，你再看一下。
Okay. I'll finish it now, and then you can check it.
Situation: Two friends inspect an old piece of clothing, identify its sentimental value and small damaged area, and decide whether it is still worth keeping.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
这件衣服这么旧，你还要吗？
This piece of clothing is so old. Do you still want it?
安妮
Annie
要，这是老朋友给我的，对我很重要。
Yes. An old friend gave it to me, so it is important to me.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
但是它有点坏了。
But it is a little damaged.
安妮
Annie
问题很小，几乎看不出来。我还要穿。
The problem is small and is almost impossible to see. I still want to wear it.
Situation: Two friends planning a New Year day out compare today's and tomorrow's weather, then confirm afternoon availability and choose today.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
新年出去玩，我们今天去还是明天去？
For our New Year day out, should we go today or tomorrow?
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
明天下雨，今天比较凉快。
It will rain tomorrow, and today is fairly cool.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
那今天去吧。你下午有时间吗？
Then let's go today. Do you have time this afternoon?
刘小雪
Liu Xiaoxue
有，今天是个好机会。咱们下午去吧。
Yes. Today is a good opportunity. Let's go this afternoon.
In 主要工作几乎好了 (zhǔyào gōngzuò jīhū hǎo le), the work is close to finished but not fully done.
Say almost no problem
Use 几乎没有 (jīhū méiyǒu) before a noun when the amount is nearly none.
In 几乎没有问题 (jīhū méiyǒu wèntí), the speaker says there are almost no problems.
几乎 (jīhū) comes before 好了 (hǎo le) to show the work is close to complete.
主要工作几乎好了。
The main work is almost done.
几乎没有 (jīhū méiyǒu) means the amount is close to none.
几乎没有问题。
There is almost no problem.
几乎 (jīhū) works with 没有机会 (méiyǒu jīhuì) to show the chance is nearly absent.
几乎没有机会。
There is almost no chance.
几乎好了。
It is almost done.
几乎没有机会。
There is almost no chance.
Dialogue 02: Finishing the Class News, Turn 4
Almost finished
很急，主要工作几乎好了。
It is urgent; the main work is almost done.
Dialogue 03: Keeping an Old Gift, Turn 4
Almost no problem
要，很重要，几乎没有问题。
Yes. It is important, and there is almost no problem.
几乎 (jīhū) means almost or nearly. It works well with results such as 好了 (hǎo le) and with negative phrases such as 没有问题 (méiyǒu wèntí). In 主要工作几乎好了 (zhǔyào gōngzuò jīhū hǎo le), the main work is not fully done yet, but it is close.
