Beginner Season 2

This pathway focuses on the conversation skills you need for daily life in China.

Beginner

Curriculum

Beginner Season 2

Season 2 of the Beginner series will teach you beginner level Chinese to help you live in China. Youâ€™ll learn how to get through customs, get online, ask for a date and more! The situations presented in this season focus on the daily activities that youâ€™ll face while living or traveling through China. Youâ€™ll also learn cultural tips that will help you avoid common mistakes made by students.

Lesson	Title	Topic	Function	Conversation in target language	Cultural Insight	Vocabulary	Expressions	Grammar
1	Enter the Traveller	airport custom	going through custom	我的护照。签证在哪儿？在这儿。谢谢！	types of visas	护照，签证，海关，签字，哪儿，这儿，那儿，谢谢	签证在哪儿？ Where is your visa?	Here, There and Where
2	Can you eat spicy chinese food?	hungry	going out to eat	我很饿。我也饿了。我们吃什么？吃四川菜吧。	Real Chinese Food	饿，饱，食物，饭店，四川菜，东北菜，广东菜，新疆菜	我很饿 "I'm very hungry."	(Subject) + 很 "very" + (Adjective)
3	let:s light this chinese firecracker	celebration	fireworks	那些是什么？我买的花。你又买了？对，还有一些鞭炮。	Chinese New Year	春节，除夕，电视，花，鞭炮，饺子，家，年夜饭	那些是什么？ "What are those?"	these and those
4	What's your chinese sign?	blessing	wish someone a happy holiday	新年快乐！你属什么？我属老虎。我们一样！	The Chinese Calendar	新年快乐，属，岁，虎，兔，龙，蛇，生日	新年快乐！ "Happy New Year!"	holiday/activity + 快乐 "happy"
5	the tastiest drink in china	drinks	requesting for something	你想喝什么？可乐。要冰吗？随便。	Chinese Beverages	喝，冰，果汁，水，茶，雪碧，啤酒，咖啡，可乐，随便	你想喝什么？ "What do you want to drink?"	(Subject) + 想 "want" + (Simple Verb) + (Object)
6	the hunt for wireless internet in china	internet	going online	你们有wifi吗？有。密码多少？ 34567.	Late Night Internet Cafe	网络，网吧，密码，笔记本，电脑，电子邮件，传真机，电话	你们有wifi吗？ "Do you have wireless?"	(Subject) + 有 "to have" + (Object)
7	the elusive chinese toilet	asking for restroom	inquiry	你们有洗手间吗？有在哪儿在二层。	The Wash Closet	有，洗手间，在，层	你们有洗手间吗？ "Do you have a bathroom?"	(Subject) + 有 "to have" + (Object)
8	ist that your boyfriend?	inviting someone to the movie	dating	你有男朋友吗？没有。嗯，你想去看电影吗？嗯，好的。	Chinese Love Connection	电影喝咖啡买东西自信单身亲	没有。 "No, I don't."	(Subject) + 没有 "not to have" + (Object)
9	a trip to the cinema	Let's go	making suggestions	我们走吧。去哪儿？去看电影！哦，对，快走吧。	Movie Madness	电影，去，哪儿，看	快走吧。 "Hurry up."	(action verb) + 吧 "(modal particle)" (sentence) + 吧 "(modal particle)"
10	the early chinese customer	time	asking when	你们什么时候开门？九点。现在几点？八点。	Nap Time!	什么时候，几点，现在，关门，开门, 小时，分钟，	你们什么时候开门？ "When do you open?"	(subject) + 什么时候 "when" + (verb object)
11	paying the bill	money， change， units of currency	asking how much	服务员，多少钱？ 50块。给你50。整好。	Money, Money, Money!	服务员，多少，钱，整好，给，块，毛	服务员，多少钱？ "Waiter, how much money?"	多少, duōshǎo ("how many," or "how much") is a compound of the words 多 (duō) and 少 (shǎo), meaning "many" and "few," or "much" and "little," respectively.
12	patiently waiting in china	time frame	asking how long	还有多长时间？半个小时。那么长？差不多半个小时。	Many Friends, One Bill	时间，半，多长，差不多，等，排队，那么，	还有多长时间？ "How much longer?"	多长 "how long" can refer to the length of time or space.
13	my mouth is on fire	too much	expressing excessiveness	服务员，我要一瓶水。我也要一瓶。串儿太辣了。也非常好吃。	Chinese Hot Pot Luck	串, 瓶, 水, 也, 辣, 非常, 太, 矿泉水, 好吃	这个串儿太辣了！ "This kebab is so spicy!"	use 太...了 (tài ...le) to modify adjectives, certain verbs, auxiliary verbs, and phrases, meaning "too" or "excessively."
14	hard of hearing in the living room	sound	turn down the volue	小声点儿什么？我说什么，我听不见电视！小声点儿.	Chinese Cacophony	大声，小声，声音，听不见，看不见，吵，电视	什么？我听不见。 "What? I can't hear you."	(Verb) + 不 "not" + (verb/adjective)
15	credit cards in china	credit card	purchasing with credit card	可以刷卡吗？可以。是信用卡吗？对，国际信用卡。哦，不可以。国际信用卡不可以。	Frugal Spending in China	可以，刷卡，信用卡，国际，现金，密码，ATM机	可以刷卡吗？ "Can I use my bankcard?"	(subject) + 可以 "can" + (verb) (subject) + 可以 "can" + (preposition) + (verb)
16	the most expensive dvd in china	bargain power	bargaining	DVD多少钱？ 8块 8块？太贵了！你想付多少？ 6块 7块怎么样？	Chinese DVDs – Pricey!	多少钱，块、贵、便宜、想、付	你想付多少？ "How much do you want to pay?"	想 "to want to" + (verb) + (objective)
17	the chinese inconvenience store	convenience store	asking what is available	你们有烟吗？没有。你们有啤酒吗？没有你们有什么？有方便面。	The Chinese 7-11	烟、啤酒、方便面、牛奶、可乐、冰红茶、冰绿茶、果汁、土豆片	你们有烟吗？ "Do you have any cigarettes?"	review of 有 "to have"，没有 "not to have"
18	the cute chinese cat	pet	asking for the name	你的猫真可爱，她叫什么？她叫咪咪。咪咪，过来。	n/a	猫，狗，金鱼，小猫，小狗，可爱，淘气，乖	她叫什么? "What is her name?"	review of 叫 "to be called"
19	signing up for chinese classes	registration	registering	我要注册。好，在这儿签字。哪儿？这儿。好，现在呢？交费。500块钱。	Chinese Registration	注册、签字、交费、填单子	在这儿签字 "Sign your name here."	在 "at" + 这儿 "here"、那儿 "there"、哪儿 "where"、上面 "on top of"、下面 "under" to form prep. phrases
20	chinese lover's quarrel	apology	being late	不好意思，我迟到了。没事。你带钥匙了吗哦，我忘了！	A Chinese Apology	不好意思，迟到，没事，带，钥匙，忘，对不起，没关系	我忘了 "I forgot."	to show the emergence of a new situation: adj. +了 v + 了 v＋object+t了
21	the missing boyfriend	boyfriend and girlfriend	indicating frequency	他在哪儿？谁？你男朋友。哦，他经常迟到，我们先点吧。	Ordering at restaurant	谁，男朋友，女朋友，经常，帅，浪漫，可爱，酷，先，点	他经常迟到 "He's usually late."	经常 "often" is used to mean something happens in a high frequency. It is an adverb so we use it before a verb.
22	the chinese professional	professions	asking about professions	你做什么工作？我是老师你教什么？我教数学和体育。	Working or studying in China?	做，工作，老师，教，数学，体育，工程师，经理	你教什么？ "What do you teach?"	(subject) + (verb) +什么 "what"
23	the cheapest way to travel in china	transportation	getting around town	我们怎么去？坐出租车吧？出租车太贵了。地铁呢？好。	Getting Around a Chinese City	坐，出租车，地铁，公交车，开车，自行车，走路	我们怎么去？ "How are we going to get there?"	怎么 "how" + (verb)
24	the chinese currency exchange	currency	exchanging foreign currency	我能换钱吗？你要换美元？对换成人民币？对换多少？ 400美元没问题	Chinese Currency	换钱，换，换成，美元，人民币，存，取，办	换成人民币？ "Change into Renminbi?	(verb) + 成 "to complete" + (object) action into / the object is what you want to get after the action
25	caught red handed	phone conversation	exclusiveness	喂，Chris在吗？您是？我是他女朋友你打错了打错了？不可能! 这里只有我老公叫Chris.	Wireless Tech in China	喂，在，找，打错了，打不通，没电了，信号	这里只有我老公叫 Chris. "The only person here by the name of Chris is my husband."	"Only to have" 只有 is an adv phrase. means only, you can look at it as 只+有.