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 ：xiàn现zài在jǐ几diǎn点 ？
A: What (time) is it (now)?
B ：xiàn现zài在shí十diǎn点shí十fēn分 。
B: It's ten (minutes) past ten.
A ：zhōng中wǔ午jǐ几diǎn点chī吃fàn饭 ？
A: What time do you (eat) at (noon)?
B ：shí十èr二diǎn点chī吃fàn饭 。
B: We eat at twelve.
A ：bà爸bà爸shén什me么shí时hou候huí回jiā家 ？
A: (When) is dad coming (back) home?
B ：xià下wǔ午wǔ五diǎn点 。
B: At five in the afternoon.
A ：wǒ我men们shén什me么shí时hou候qù去kàn看diàn电yǐng影 ？
A: When are (we) going to see a (movie)?
B ：liù六diǎn点sān三shí十fēn分 。
B: At six thirty.
A ：wǒ我xīng星qī期yī一qù去běi北jīng京 。
A: I'm going to Beijing on Monday.
B ：nǐ你xiǎng想zài在běi北jīng京zhù住jǐ几tiān天 ？
B: How many days do you want to (stay) in Beijing?
A ：zhù住sān三tiān天 。
A: I'll stay three days.
B ：xīng星qī期wǔ五qián前néng能huí回jiā家ma吗 ？
B: Can you come back (before) Friday?
A ：néng能 。
A: Yes, I can.
📋 Key Vocabulary
Each word shows the part of speech, meaning, and an extra example sentence.
现在noun
now
现在几点？
What time is it now?
What time is it now?
点m.
o'clock
现在十点。
It's ten o'clock now.
It's ten o'clock now.
分m.
minute
现在十点十分。
It's ten past ten now.
It's ten past ten now.
中午noun
noon
中午十二点吃饭。
We eat lunch at twelve noon.
We eat lunch at twelve noon.
吃饭verb
to eat a meal
中午几点吃饭？
What time do you eat lunch?
What time do you eat lunch?
时候noun
time, moment
爸爸什么时候回家？
When is dad coming home?
When is dad coming home?
回verb
to come/go back, to return
他什么时候回家？
When is he coming home?
When is he coming home?
我们pron.
we, us
我们去看电影。
We're going to see a movie.
We're going to see a movie.
电影noun
film, movie
我们去看电影。
We're going to see a movie.
We're going to see a movie.
住verb
to live, to stay
你想在北京住几天？
How many days do you want to stay in Beijing?
How many days do you want to stay in Beijing?
前noun
before, earlier than
星期五前能回家吗？
Can you come back before Friday?
Can you come back before Friday?
北京n. (place)
Beijing, capital of China
我星期一去北京。
I'm going to Beijing on Monday.
I'm going to Beijing on Monday.
🧩 Grammar Focus
Structures from this story worth practicing.
① Telling time — 点/分, and the 两点 exception
时间的表达
Hour + 点 + (Minute + 分)
Chinese time goes from the bigger unit to the smaller: hour (点) then minute (分). One key exception: for 2 o'clock, say 两点 (liǎng diǎn) — never 二点.
现在十点十分。
Xiànzài shí diǎn shí fēn.
It's ten past ten.
② Time words as adverbials
时间词做状语
Subject + Time + Predicate
A time word describing when something happens usually comes right after the subject — though it can also be placed before the subject for extra emphasis.
我们六点三十分去看电影。
Wǒmen liù diǎn sānshí fēn qù kàn diànyǐng.
We're going to see a movie at six thirty.
③ The noun 前 — "before" a point in time
名词 "前"
Time/Event + 前
前 placed after a time word means "before" that time — the opposite counterpart to 后 ("after"), which appeared in an earlier lesson.
星期五前能回家吗？
Xīngqīwǔ qián néng huí jiā ma?
Can you come back before Friday?
⭐ Key Sentences
Practice saying these sentences out loud. Try covering the English and translating from Chinese yourself.
现在十点十分。
Xiànzài shí diǎn shí fēn.
It's ten past ten.
中午十二点吃饭。
Zhōngwǔ shí'èr diǎn chī fàn.
We eat lunch at twelve noon.
下午五点回家。
Xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn huí jiā.
(He) comes home at five in the afternoon.
星期五前能回家吗？能。
Xīngqīwǔ qián néng huí jiā ma? Néng.
Can you come back before Friday? Yes, I can.
✅ Quick Check
Answer in your head, then check with your teacher.
1. What time is it now (dialogue 1)?
2. What time does dad come home (dialogue 2)?
3. How many days will A stay in Beijing (dialogue 3)?
4. Which word means "before" a point in time?
现在几点？你今天几点吃饭？Check the clock and answer in Chinese! ⏰
