Storyline

After sharing their introductions on WeChat, Mei and Diego began a friendly chat that quickly revealed their common ground and strengths—Mei, a social media enthusiast with a background in software engineering, and Diego, a tech-savvy intern specializing in cybersecurity. Despite their limited experience in Chinese, they soon grew more confident, united by their shared willingness to support each other and their mutual desire to learn and grow in a new environment.

 

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  Practice

Exercise 1.

Exercise 2.

Translation Exercise