8 1.5 Chat between Mei and Diego

Mei and Diego also contacted each other and they had a chat on WeChat. Listen to their chat first.

 

Grammar and Sentence Structures

Unit 1.2.2 Chat between Mei and Diego

过 (guò) – to have done (something before); to pass

• Meaning: Used to indicate past experience or that something has happened before.
• When to use:
  • Use 过 after a verb to show that someone has experienced something.
  • It can also mean “to pass” (e.g., time, a place).
• Usage:
  • Subject + Verb + 过 + Object
  • Verb + 过 → Indicates past experience.
• Examples:
  • 我去过中国。(Wǒ qù guò Zhōngguó.) → I have been to China.
  • 你吃过北京烤鸭吗？(Nǐ chī guò Běijīng kǎoyā ma?) → Have you eaten Peking duck before?
  • 时间已经过了。(Shíjiān yǐjīng guò le.) → Time has passed.

2. 什么 (shénme) – what

• Meaning: Used to ask what or refer to something unknown or unspecified.
• When to use:
  • Use 什么 in questions to ask “what.”
  • It can also appear in statements to mean “something” or “anything.”
• Usage:
  • Subject + Verb + 什么 + Object? → Question format.
  • Used as part of a statement.
• Examples:
  • 你喜欢吃什么？(Nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme?) → What do you like to eat?
  • 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?) → What is this?
  • 他没说什么。(Tā méi shuō shénme.) → He didn’t say anything.

3. 哪 (nǎ) – which

• Meaning: Used to ask “which” or “where.” It can also act as a question word.
• When to use:
  • Use 哪 with a measure word (like 个) to ask “which one.”
  • Use 哪 + Place to ask “where.”
• Usage:
  • 哪 + Measure Word + Noun? → “Which (one)?”
  • Subject + 在 + 哪 + Place? → “Where?”
• Examples:
  • 你喜欢哪个？(Nǐ xǐhuān nǎ ge?) → Which one do you like?
  • 你从哪儿来？(Nǐ cóng nǎr lái?) → Where are you from?
  • 这本书是哪个老师的？(Zhè běn shū shì nǎ ge lǎoshī de?) → Which teacher’s book is this?

4. 可是 (kěshì) – but; however

• Meaning: Used to express contrast or “but” in a sentence.
• When to use:
  • Use 可是 to connect two clauses where the second part contrasts with the first.
  • Similar to 但是 (dànshì), but often used for emphasis in spoken Chinese.
• Usage:
  • Clause 1, 可是 + Clause 2 → Shows contrast.
• Examples:
  • 我想去旅游，可是没有时间。(Wǒ xiǎng qù lǚyóu, kěshì méiyǒu shíjiān.) → I want to travel, but I don’t have time.
  • 他很聪明，可是不努力。(Tā hěn cōngmíng, kěshì bù nǔlì.) → He is smart, but he doesn’t work hard.
  • 这个菜很好吃，可是太贵了。(Zhè ge cài hěn hǎochī, kěshì tài guì le.) → This dish is delicious, but it’s too expensive.

Quick Summary Table

Grammar and Sentence Structure Practice

1.5  Exercise 1.

1.5 Exercise 2.