HSK 4Lesson 11
How you say something often matters as much as what you say. You will plan around the weather, tell a story of a near miss, argue over an exam date, and listen to advice before a contest.
You will learn adverbs that show how sure you are, how surprised you are, or that you have no other choice, such as I'm afraid, actually, on earth, almost and happen to.
Part 1 · 17 new words
Contains 3 words
I'm afraid; probably
have to; have no choice but
perhaps; maybe
Contains 5 words
unexpectedly; to one's surprise
just right; happen to
Contains 5 words
indeed; really
be sure to; whatever you do
Contains 4 words
exactly; actually (in questions)
exactly (in questions); in the end
Part 2 · 9 phrases
刚才还很热，现在风这么大，恐怕要下雨了。
It was hot a minute ago, and now the wind is this strong; I'm afraid it's going to rain.
他在北京住了十年，竟然没去过颐和园。
He's lived in Beijing for ten years and has never been to the Summer Palace.
你到底去不去？车马上要走了。
Are you going or not? The bus is about to leave.
他说的确实对，我同意。
What he says is really right; I agree.
手机没电了，我只好用同学的手机打电话。
My phone died, so I had to use a classmate's phone to make the call.
我正好有两张票，你想去吗？
I happen to have two tickets; do you want to go?
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Liu Ming and Li Wen have planned a trip to the park tomorrow; Liu Ming fears rain, Li Wen is hopeful, and they agree on a backup plan.
刘明Liu Ming
明天去公园，我看天气恐怕不太好。
About the park tomorrow: I'm afraid the weather won't be good.
李文Li Wen
为什么？网上说天气怎么样？
Why? What does it say online about the weather?
刘明Liu Ming
Part 4 · 4 points
情态副词 也许 / 恐怕
Use 恐怕kǒngpà for I'm afraid or probably, about something unwelcome; 也许yěxǔ is the neutral maybe.
Say I'm afraid
Use 恐怕kǒngpà before the result you fear.
almost; nearly
almost; nearly
coincidental; lucky
really; honestly
greatly
properly; thoroughly
direct; directly
could it be that...; surely not
路上车太多，我差点儿迟到了。
There was so much traffic that I almost got there late.
千万别着急，实在不行，我们明天再来。
Whatever you do, don't worry; if it really doesn't work, we'll come back tomorrow.
我差一点儿就坐错车了，还好朋友叫住了我。
I almost got on the wrong bus; luckily my friend called me back.
网上说下午有大雨，恐怕我们去不了了。
It says online there will be heavy rain in the afternoon. I'm afraid we won't be able to go.
李文Li Wen
也许雨没那么大，说不定只下一个小时。
Maybe the rain won't be that heavy. It might only rain for an hour.
刘明Liu Ming
你想得太好了。如果真下大雨，我们只好换一天去。
That's wishful thinking. If it really pours, we'll just have to go another day.
李文Li Wen
那这样吧：明天早上八点再看看天气，不行就换到星期天。
Then let's do this: we check the weather again at eight tomorrow morning, and if it's bad, we move it to Sunday.
Bai Jiayue tells Wang Yixue how she nearly forgot an exam this morning and how a chance meeting with Teacher Wang saved her.
白家月Bai Jiayue
今天早上我差一点儿忘了有考试！
This morning I almost forgot we had an exam!
王一雪Wang Yixue
你竟然差点儿忘了考试？你昨天不是复习了很久吗？
How could you almost forget an exam? Didn't you review for ages yesterday?
白家月Bai Jiayue
是啊，可是早上一直在想别的事。正好在路上遇到王老师，是老师提醒了我。
Yes, but all morning I was thinking about other things. I happened to run into Teacher Wang on the way, and she reminded me.
王一雪Wang Yixue
真巧！没有她提醒，就麻烦了。
What luck! Without her reminder you'd have been in trouble.
白家月Bai Jiayue
对，而且我走得太急，差点儿把笔忘在家里。
Yes, and I left in such a hurry that I nearly left my pen at home.
王一雪Wang Yixue
以后前一天晚上就把东西准备好吧。
From now on, get your things ready the night before.
Anne and Liu Xiaoxue have heard two different exam dates, wonder what happened, and decide to ask the teacher directly.
安妮Anne
大家说的不一样，考试到底是星期三还是星期四？
Everyone says something different. Is the exam on Wednesday or Thursday, exactly?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我确实记得老师说的是星期三。
I definitely remember the teacher said Wednesday.
安妮Anne
可是班长说换到星期四了。究竟谁说得对？
But the class monitor says it's been moved to Thursday. So who's actually right?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
难道老师换了时间，没告诉我们吗？
Could the teacher really have changed the date without telling us?
安妮Anne
说不定是昨天下课以后换的，那时候我们都走了。
Maybe it was changed after class yesterday, when we'd all left.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
别猜了，我们直接去办公室问老师吧。
Let's stop guessing and go straight to the office to ask the teacher.
安妮Anne
好，现在就去。如果老师不在，实在不行就打电话问。
Okay, let's go now. If the teacher isn't there, we'll call as a last resort.
The evening before a contest, Teacher Wang gives Liu Ming advice, and it turns out she is going to the same place the next morning.
王老师Teacher Wang
明天你要去参加比赛，千万别忘了带身份证。
You're going to the contest tomorrow. Whatever you do, don't forget your ID card.
刘明Liu Ming
我记住了。还有什么要注意的吗？
Got it. Is there anything else I should watch out for?
王老师Teacher Wang
今天晚上好好睡一觉，别玩手机了。
Get a good night's sleep tonight, and stay off your phone.
刘明Liu Ming
您放心。可是比赛的地方很远，我怕早上会迟到。
Don't worry. But the contest is a long way off, and I'm afraid I'll be late in the morning.
王老师Teacher Wang
新开的地铁大大方便了大家，去那儿四十分钟就到。
The new subway line has made things much easier for everyone. It only takes forty minutes.
刘明Liu Ming
学校门口就有地铁站，那我早上七点去坐地铁。
There's a subway station right by the school gate, so I'll take the subway at seven.
王老师Teacher Wang
我明天正好也要去那儿，我们一起走吧。
I happen to be going there tomorrow too. Let's go together.
刘明Liu Ming
真巧！那明天七点我在学校门口的地铁站等您。
What luck! Then I'll wait for you at the subway station by the school gate at seven tomorrow.
恐怕kǒngpà can also open the sentence: 恐怕我们去不了了kǒngpà wǒmen qù bu liǎo le.
Guess without worry
Use 也许yěxǔ for a neutral or hopeful guess.
In 也许雨没那么大yěxǔ yǔ méi nàme dà, Li Wen hopes for the better outcome, so 恐怕kǒngpà would not fit.
In sentences
Worried guess
都十点了，商店恐怕关门了。
It's already ten; I'm afraid the shops have closed.
恐怕kǒngpà comes after the subject, before the adjective.
Sentence opener
恐怕我们去不了了。
I'm afraid we won't be able to go.
It can also come before the subject.
Polite no
你明天能来帮忙吗？——恐怕不行，我要上课。
Can you come and help tomorrow? — I'm afraid not, I have class.
A soft refusal.
Neutral guess
也许雨没那么大。
Maybe the rain won't be that heavy.
也许yěxǔ is neutral and fits a hopeful guess.
王老师今天的课恐怕要晚一点儿结束，你们先去吃饭吧。
Teacher Wang's class will probably end a little late today, I'm afraid, so you go and eat first.
恐怕kǒngpà gives a guess with some worry: 天气恐怕不太好tiānqì kǒngpà bú tài hǎo, I'm afraid the weather won't be good. It goes after the subject and before the verb or adjective, or it can open the whole sentence: 恐怕我们去不了了kǒngpà wǒmen qù bu liǎo le. It normally points to a bad or unwelcome result, and it also softens bad news or a refusal, as in the short reply 恐怕不行kǒngpà bù xíng. 也许yěxǔ, which you already know, is neutral and works for good and bad guesses alike, so a hopeful guess takes 也许yěxǔ: 也许雨没那么大yěxǔ yǔ méi nàme dà. A common error is to use 恐怕kǒngpà for good news, as in 恐怕你会成功kǒngpà nǐ huì chénggōng, which sounds as if you fear the success.
语气副词 竟然 / 究竟 / 到底 / 正好 / 只好 / 差（一）点儿
These adverbs usually go after the subject and before the verb, and show surprise, pressing for an answer, a lucky fit, no choice or a near miss.
Show surprise or press
Use 竟然jìngrán for surprise or 到底dàodǐ to press for an answer.
In 你竟然差点儿忘了考试？Nǐ jìngrán chàdiǎnr wàng le kǎoshì?, Wang Yixue did not expect it at all: her friend had reviewed for ages.
Say no choice
Use 只好zhǐhǎo before the second-best action.
In 如果真下大雨，我们只好换一天去rúguǒ zhēn xià dà yǔ, wǒmen zhǐhǎo huàn yì tiān qù, the plan moves to another day.
Say almost
Use 差点儿chàdiǎnr before something that nearly happened.
It did not happen in the end: in 我差一点儿忘了有考试wǒ chà yìdiǎnr wàng le yǒu kǎoshì, she remembered in time.
In sentences
Surprise
他复习了一个星期，竟然忘了考试的时间。
He reviewed for a whole week and then, of all things, forgot the time of the exam.
竟然jìngrán shows it was unexpected.
Press for an answer
你说了半天，到底想不想去？
You've been talking for ages. Do you want to go or not?
到底dàodǐ demands a clear answer; no 吗ma.
Near miss
我走得太急，差点儿忘了带手机。
I left in such a hurry that I nearly forgot my phone.
差点儿chàdiǎnr says it nearly happened.
Chance
我正好在路上遇到老师。
I happened to run into the teacher on the way.
正好zhènghǎo shows a lucky coincidence.
No choice
没有车，我们只好走路。
There's no car, so we have to walk.
竟然jìngrán shows the speaker did not expect something: 你竟然差点儿忘了考试？Nǐ jìngrán chàdiǎnr wàng le kǎoshì?. 到底dàodǐ and its more formal partner 究竟jiūjìng press a question for the real answer: 到底是星期三还是星期四？Dàodǐ shì xīngqīsān háishi xīngqīsì?. They need a question word, an A-not-A question or a 还是háishi question, not 吗ma: say 你到底去不去？Nǐ dàodǐ qù bu qù?, not 你到底去吗？Nǐ dàodǐ qù ma?. 正好zhènghǎo means things happen to fit or coincide: 正好在路上遇到王老师zhènghǎo zài lùshang yùdào Wáng lǎoshī. 只好zhǐhǎo
难道……吗？
Put 难道nándào before the verb or at the start and 吗ma at the end to ask could it really be that...? It shows surprise or disbelief.
A surprised guess
Put 难道nándào before the clause you suspect is true and 吗ma at the end.
Liu Xiaoxue suspects something unexpected and wants it checked.
A rhetorical question
A negative question with 难道nándào makes a strong positive point.
难道你不认识我了吗？Nándào nǐ bú rènshi wǒ le ma? means you surely know me.
In sentences
Surprised guess
都十点了，难道他今天不来了吗？
Could it be that he's not coming today?
The speaker suspects something unexpected.
Rhetorical, negative
难道你不认识我了吗？
Don't you recognize me?
Means: surely you know me.
Rhetorical, challenge
这么简单的问题，难道你也不会吗？
Such an easy question, and you can't do it?
Means: you can certainly do it.
A：他今天没来上课。 B：难道他生病了吗？
A: He didn't come to class today. B: Could he be ill?
刘明一直没回电话，难道李文的手机真的没电了吗？
Liu Ming never called back; could Li Wen's phone really have run out of battery?
难道nándào turns a yes-no question into a question of surprise or disbelief. Put it after the subject or at the start of the sentence, and end with 吗ma: 难道老师换了时间，没告诉我们吗？Nándào lǎoshī huàn le shíjiān, méi gàosu wǒmen ma?, could the teacher really have changed the date without telling us? It has two uses. As a surprised guess, the speaker suspects something unexpected is true and wants it confirmed, as in the dialogue. As a rhetorical question, the speaker already knows the answer and the question reverses its meaning: 难道你不认识我了吗？Nándào nǐ bú rènshi wǒ le ma? means surely you know me; 这么简单的问题，难道你也不会吗？Zhème jiǎndān de wèntí, nándào nǐ yě bú huì ma? means you can certainly do it. A negative question therefore makes a strong positive point, and a positive one a strong negative point. Do not end it with 呢ne or use it for a plain request for information; it always carries surprise, doubt or a challenge, so it can sound sharp to an older person. Compare 你不认识我了吗nǐ bú rènshi wǒ le ma, a plain question, with 难道你不认识我了吗nándào nǐ bú rènshi wǒ le ma
说不定
Use 说不定shuōbudìng like 也许yěxǔ to say perhaps, quite possibly; it is colloquial and often offers a new possibility.
Offer a possibility
Put 说不定shuōbudìng before the clause you think could be true.
Anne offers an explanation nobody had thought of.
Not settled yet
Use 还说不定hái shuōbudìng as the predicate.
Here 说不定shuōbudìng is the whole comment: nobody knows yet.
In sentences
Hopeful guess
别急，他说不定马上就到了。
Don't worry, he may be here any minute.
说不定shuōbudìng after the subject, before the verb.
Before the subject
说不定老师今天不在办公室。
Maybe the teacher isn't in the office today.
It can also open the sentence.
Not yet certain
明天去不去，现在还说不定。
Whether we go tomorrow isn't certain yet.
说不定shuōbudìng as the predicate.
A：明天你们去不去公园？ B：说不定去，要看天气。
A: Are you going to the park tomorrow? B: Maybe; it depends on the weather.
说不定王老师明天就会告诉大家，考试到底是哪一天。
Teacher Wang may well tell everyone tomorrow which day the exam really is.
说不定shuōbudìng literally means it can't be said for sure, and works like 也许yěxǔ, perhaps: 说不定只下一个小时shuōbudìng zhǐ xià yí ge xiǎoshí, it might only rain for an hour. It can stand before the subject or after it, before the verb: 说不定是昨天下课以后换的shuōbudìng shì zuótiān xiàkè yǐhòu huàn de. Compared with 也许yěxǔ, it is more spoken and often suggests a possibility the listener has not thought of, frequently a hopeful one. It can also be the predicate of a sentence: 这件事还说不定zhè jiàn shì hái shuōbudìng, it isn't settled yet. Because it already expresses doubt, do not add 吗ma to make a question, and do not combine it with 一定yídìng or 肯定kěndìng. Unlike 恐怕kǒngpà, it does not suggest worry.
只好zhǐhǎo names the only option.
白家月差点儿忘了考试，竟然还是王老师在路上提醒了她。
Bai Jiayue nearly forgot the exam and, of all things, it was Teacher Wang who reminded her on the road.
Everyone says something different. Is the exam on Wednesday or Thursday, exactly?
Why it matters · 到底dàodǐ with a 还是háishi question presses for the real answer.
说不定是昨天下课以后换的，那时候我们都走了。
Maybe it was changed after class yesterday, when we'd all left.
Why it matters · 说不定shuōbudìng opens the sentence and offers an explanation.
