To be, or not to be, that is the question…

Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Lǐ Lán, wǔfàn nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?
    B: …
    What does Li Lan want to eat for lunch?
    A. Hànbǎo huòzhě pīsà.
    B. Hànbǎo le pīsà.
    C. Hànbǎo háishì pīsà.
2. A: Wáng Yīng, nǐ shénme shíhou qù Běijīng?
    B: …
    ...

I get asked all the time by my students the same question: What books are really gonna help me get ahead in Chinese? There are many, many Mandarin Chinese textbooks out there. It can be a gamble to choose which one is going to be best for you. My teachers and I all put our ...

Are you the kind of person who likes doing things strictly in order?

Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Ellie, hurry up! The stores will be closed soon!
    B: The stores are usually open until 9 o’clock in the evening. Bié dānxīn! Wǒmen xiān chīfàn ba.     What will probably happen according to the dialogue? Please ...

Just like shared bicycles, the moment that it was introduced, “unmanned retail” brought us one step closer to the future. It embraces the ”new retail” strategy where big data technology connects and optimizes offline outlets and online stores to enhance customer experiences. All of these new industries have greatly facilitated our lives and have saved ...

You’re Vivian, aren’t you? He is your boyfriend, isn’t he? Let’s learn how to use “吧 (ba)” to indicate a supposition.

Exercises in the Video:
1. Tracy: Tā shì Ted ba?
    Amy: Shì de, Tracy. Tā shì Ted. He is a really nice guy. Shall we say hello to him?
    Which of the following statements is ...

Language is always evolving, and Mandarin Chinese is no exception. The past two years or so, more and more Chinese people are using the word “老铁 (lǎotiě).” Originally, “老铁 (lǎotiě)” was used as a word by a northeastern Chinese dialect. One example of how this word was created is the following:
Winter in northern China ...

At times, Chinese can sound curiously similar to English. So what’s going on?

Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Becky, shénme shíhòu kāihuì?
    B: Bùzhīdào, nǐ wènwen zhāng zǒng ba!
    Which of the following can be inferred from the tone of the conversation? Please choose the best answer.
    A. Becky is excited about the upcoming meeting.
    B. ...

While learning Chinese expressions, it’s important that you understand the literal meaning and also the figurative meaning as well. Knowing the figurative meaning will help you apply the language to the appropriate situation, while knowing the literal meaning will help you avoid embarrassing or funny misuse of the expression or idiom. Just as with the ...

Both “néng” and “kěyǐ” mean CAN. What’s the difference?

Exercises in the Video:
1. A: We’re going to have a big business conference in New York tomorrow. Nǐ kěyǐ qù ma?
    B: Sorry. I got really sick this morning. …
    What would she say? Please choose the correct answer.
    A. Wǒ bù kěyǐ qù.
    ...

I get asked all the time by prospective students, new students, or even seasoned students–“How do I improve my spoken Chinese?” And not only do they want to know the answer to that question, they also want to know: “How can I do it fast?”
Often if you are a Westerner learning Chinese, you are not ...