How to read this page: Line 1 = Chinese characters. Line 2 = pinyin (lined up character-by-character above each word). Line 3 = English meaning of the whole sentence, with the matching key word marked in (parentheses). Words in a pink box are this lesson's key vocabulary. Tap the 🔊 button to hear it read aloud — in the dialogue, speaker A and speaker B are read in two different voices.
📖 Text
Read the story once for the general idea, then go through it again line by line.
A ：nǐ你huì会shuō说hàn汉yǔ语ma吗 ？
A: (Can) you (speak) Chinese?
B ：wǒ我huì会shuō说hàn汉yǔ语 。
B: I can speak Chinese.
A ：nǐ你mā妈mā妈huì会shuō说hàn汉yǔ语ma吗 ？
A: Can your (mother) speak Chinese?
B ：tā她bú不huì会shuō说 。
B: No, she can't.
A ：zhōng中guó国cài菜hǎo好chī吃ma吗 ？
A: Is Chinese (food) (delicious)?
B ：zhōng中guó国cài菜hěn很hǎo好chī吃 。
B: Chinese food is (very) delicious.
A ：nǐ你huì会zuò做zhōng中guó国cài菜ma吗 ？
A: Can you (cook) Chinese food?
B ：wǒ我bú不huì会zuò做 。
B: No, I can't.
A ：nǐ你huì会xiě写hàn汉zì字ma吗 ？
A: Can you (write) (Chinese characters)?
B ：wǒ我huì会xiě写 。
B: Yes, I can.
A ：zhè这ge个zì字zěn怎me么xiě写 ？
A: (How) do you write this character?
B ：duì对bù不qǐ起 ，zhè这ge个zì字wǒ我huì会dú读 ，bú不huì会xiě写 。
B: Sorry, I can (read) this character, but I can't write it.
📋 Key Vocabulary
Each word shows the part of speech, meaning, and an extra example sentence.
会mod.
can, to be able to
你会说汉语吗？
Can you speak Chinese?
Can you speak Chinese?
说verb
to speak, to say
我会说汉语。
I can speak Chinese.
I can speak Chinese.
妈妈noun
mother
我妈妈是老师。
My mother is a teacher.
My mother is a teacher.
菜noun
dish, cuisine
中国菜很好吃。
Chinese food is very delicious.
Chinese food is very delicious.
很adv.
very, quite
我很好。
I'm very good.
I'm very good.
好吃adj.
delicious, tasty
这个菜很好吃。
This dish is very delicious.
This dish is very delicious.
做verb
to make, to cook
我会做中国菜。
I can cook Chinese food.
I can cook Chinese food.
写verb
to write
你会写汉字吗？
Can you write Chinese characters?
Can you write Chinese characters?
汉字noun
Chinese character
这个汉字怎么写？
How do you write this Chinese character?
How do you write this Chinese character?
字noun
character, word
这个字我不会读。
I can't read this character.
I can't read this character.
怎么pron.
how
这个字怎么读？
How do you read this character?
How do you read this character?
读verb
to read
我会读，不会写。
I can read it, but I can't write it.
I can read it, but I can't write it.
🧩 Grammar Focus
Structures from this story worth practicing.
① 会 (1) — ability gained through learning
能愿动词 "会" (1)
Subject + (不)会 + Verb
会 goes right before a verb to show an ability you've gained through learning, like speaking a language or writing characters. The negative form is 不会.
你妈妈会说汉语吗？
Nǐ māma huì shuō Hànyǔ ma?
Can your mother speak Chinese?
② Sentences with an adjectival predicate
形容词谓语句
Subject + 很/不 + Adjective
An adjective (usually paired with the degree adverb 很) can act as the whole predicate to describe a quality. To negate, replace 很 with 不 — never use both together.
中国菜很好吃。
Zhōngguó cài hěn hǎochī.
Chinese food is very delicious.
③ 怎么 (1) — asking "how" before a verb
疑问代词 "怎么" (1)
怎么 + Verb
怎么 sits directly before a verb to ask about the manner of an action — "how" something is done.
这个字怎么写？
Zhège zì zěnme xiě?
How do you write this character?
⭐ Key Sentences
Practice saying these sentences out loud. Try covering the English and translating from Chinese yourself.
我会说汉语。
Wǒ huì shuō Hànyǔ.
I can speak Chinese.
中国菜很好吃。
Zhōngguó cài hěn hǎochī.
Chinese food is very delicious.
这个字怎么写？
Zhège zì zěnme xiě?
How do you write this character?
这个字我会读，不会写。
Zhège zì wǒ huì dú, bú huì xiě.
I can read this character, but I can't write it.
✅ Quick Check
Answer in your head, then check with your teacher.
1. Can B's mother speak Chinese?
2. According to B, is Chinese food good?
3. In dialogue 3, what can B do with the character?
4. Which word asks "how" right before a verb?
你会做什么中国菜？Tell me one dish you'd like to try! 🥢
