1.3 Chat between Melissa and Jaden
Here is a text of Melissa and Jaden’s conversation on WeChat. Listen to their conversation first.
| 周萌: | 王杰丹，很高兴在这儿认识你。 |
| 王杰丹: | 我也很高兴认识你。你是加州人吗？住在哪儿？ |
| 周萌： | 是的，我是加州人，住在洛杉矶。你呢？ |
| 王杰丹： | (我住在）纽约。你学中文专业吗？ |
| 周萌： | 我学亚洲研究，只学了一点儿中文。我觉得实习会很难。 |
| 王杰丹： | 别担心，我们会有中文老师，也会有计算机专业的老师。 |
| 周萌： | 他们都是美国人吗？ |
| 王杰丹： | 中文老师不是美国人，是中国人，计算机老师是美国人。他们都说中文，也说英文。 |
| 周萌： | 那太好了。很期待跟你一起实习。 |
| 王杰丹： | 我也很期待。实习见。 |
| 周萌： |
Pinyin and English Annotation: Unit 1.2.1 Pinyin and English
Vocabulary Study Sheet: Unit 1.2.1 Chat between Melissa and Jaden Vocab
Reading Exercises
Exercise A. Read the chat between Melissa and Jaden. Decide the following statements True or False.
Exercise B： Please answer the following questions based on the conversation between Melissa and Jaden.
Sentence Structures
- 在 (zài) – to be (at/in); at, in, on
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- Meaning: Indicates location or existence. It can also function as the verb “to be (located at)” or “to be doing something.”
- When to use:
- Use 在 to describe where someone or something is located.
- Use 在 + verb to indicate an ongoing action (similar to “-ing” in English).
- Examples:
- 我在学校。(Wǒ zài xuéxiào.) → I am at school.
- 他在看书。(Tā zài kàn shū.) → He is reading a book.
- 吗 (ma) – question particle
-
- Meaning: Turns a statement into a yes/no question.
- When to use:
- Use 吗 at the end of a statement to turn it into a question.
- Examples:
- 你是学生吗？(Nǐ shì xuéshēng ma?) → Are you a student?
- 他喜欢音乐吗？(Tā xǐhuān yīnyuè ma?) → Does he like music?
- 哪儿 (nǎr) – where
-
- Meaning: Asks for a location.
- When to use:
- Use 哪儿 in questions to ask “where” something or someone is.
- Examples:
- 你在哪儿？(Nǐ zài nǎr?) → Where are you?
- 学校在哪儿？(Xuéxiào zài nǎr?) → Where is the school?
- 呢 (ne) – question particle for context
-
- Meaning: Used to ask about the current state or context, often in follow-up questions.
- When to use:
- Use 呢 after a noun or pronoun to ask about someone or something already mentioned.
- Examples:
- 我是学生，你呢？(Wǒ shì xuéshēng, nǐ ne?) → I am a student, and you?
- 我的书在这里，你的呢？(Wǒ de shū zài zhèlǐ, nǐ de ne?) → My book is here; where’s yours?
- 只 (zhǐ) – only
-
- Meaning: Indicates “only” or “just.”
- When to use:
- Use 只 before a verb or noun to emphasize limitation.
- Examples:
- 我只有一块钱。(Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yí kuài qián.) → I only have one yuan.
- 他只会说汉语。(Tā zhǐ huì shuō Hànyǔ.) → He can only speak Chinese.
- 会 (huì) – can; will
-
- Meaning: Indicates ability (can) or future actions (will).
- When to use:
- Use 会 to talk about skills someone has learned or future actions.
- Examples:
- 我会说英语。(Wǒ huì shuō Yīngyǔ.) → I can speak English.
- 明天我会来。(Míngtiān wǒ huì lái.) → I will come tomorrow.
- 都 (dōu) – all; both
-
- Meaning: Indicates “all” or “both” in a sentence.
- When to use:
- Use 都 before a verb to emphasize that something applies to everyone/everything mentioned.
- Examples:
- 我们都是学生。(Wǒmen dōu shì xuéshēng.) → We are all students.
- 他们都喜欢打篮球。(Tāmen dōu xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú.) → They all like playing basketball.
- 跟 (gēn) – with; to follow
-
- Meaning: Used to indicate “with” someone or to follow someone.
- When to use:
- Use 跟 to connect two people (like “with”).
- Use it in phrases where “following” is implied.
- Examples:
- 我跟你一起去。(Wǒ gēn nǐ yìqǐ qù.) → I will go with you.
- 他跟老师学中文。(Tā gēn lǎoshī xué Zhōngwén.) → He studies Chinese with the teacher.
Quick Summary Table:
| Word | Meaning | When to Use | Example |
| 在 | at/in; ongoing | To describe location or ongoing action | 我在学校 (Wǒ zài xuéxiào.) |
| 吗 | question particle | To ask yes/no questions | 你是老师吗？(Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?) |
| 哪儿 | where | To ask about a location | 你在哪儿？(Nǐ zài nǎr?) |
| 呢 | and…?; context | Follow-up questions or current states | 你呢？(Nǐ ne?) |
| 只 | only | To emphasize limitation | 我只有一本书 (Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yī běn shū) |
| 会 | can; will | Skills or future actions | 我会游泳 (Wǒ huì yóuyǒng.) |
| 都 | all; both | To indicate everything/everyone | 我们都是朋友 (Wǒmen dōu shì péngyǒu.) |
| 跟 | with; to follow | To show “with” or “following” | 我跟他去学校 (Wǒ gēn tā qù xuéxiào.) |
Exercise C: Translation
Exercise D: Fill in the blanks.
gāoxìng， happy
zài， (located) at
zhèr， here
rènshi， to know
zhù， to live
nǎr， where
Luòshānjī， Los Angeles, California
ne, particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And...?")
niǔyuē, New York
xué， to learn
zhǐ ， only
yìdiǎnr， a little bit of...
juéde， to feel, to think (informal)
shíxí ， Intern
huì， will (to indicate for a future action); able to do something through learning
Bié dānxīn， Don't worry
lǎoshī， teacher
jìsuànjī， computer
dōu ， all (adverb. must be proceed with a verb)
měiguó， America
zhōngguó， China
nà， that
tài hǎo le， great; really good
qīdài， to look forward to
gēn, (togther) with, and
jiàn，to see (someone), to meet with (someone)