Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 98 of 240

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YouBike in Simplified Chinese

Maya wants to take a YouBike from a dock near Banyan Lane, but the first bike will not unlock. A-Li offers a kind explanation that does not quite fit the problem.

Learn how to ask for a bike, find another rental station, describe what is wrong, and ask how to return it.

Then follow Maya to a second dock and see whether she can finally get moving.

By the end of this lesson

Ask to rent a YouBike, find a rental station, explain an unlocking problem, and ask how to return the bike.

  • 我要借一台 YouBikeI'd like to rent a YouBike.
  • 前面有 YouBike 站吗？Is there a YouBike rental station ahead?
  • 这台打不开This one won't unlock.
  • 怎么还车？How do I return it?
  • 这台没电了This one is out of battery.
  • 骑自行车很方便Riding a bike is convenient.

Scene — a bike that will not unlock

Maya and A-Li stop at a YouBike dock near Banyan Lane. Maya has her card ready, but the first bike stays locked when she tries it.

A-Li wants to help and has a theory about the problem. Another rental station is a short walk ahead, so Maya can check whether a different bike works.

Maya is trying her card at a bike dock while the first bicycle remains locked, and Ali is poised to help.

Learn — renting and returning a bike

These six lines take you from renting a bike to returning it. Listen for the difference between a bike that will not unlock and one that has no power.

  1. Maya holds her card ready beside a public bike-share bicycle she intends to rent.

    我要借一台 YouBike

    I'd like to rent a YouBike.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to take a bike from a YouBike dock.

    台 is the measure word used for a bike in this request.

    Say it: 一 changes to a rising tone before 台 here.

  2. Maya points down the lane toward another bike dock as she asks whether there is a space ahead.

    前面有 YouBike 站吗？

    Is there a YouBike rental station ahead?

    When to use it: Ask this when looking for a YouBike rental station farther along the road.

    吗 turns the statement into a yes-or-no question.

  3. Maya tugs at a docked bicycle that will not unlock and looks frustrated.

    这台打不开

    This one won't unlock.

    When to use it: Point to a bike you have tried to unlock without success.

    打不开 describes being unable to open or unlock something.

  4. Maya gestures toward the return dock and studies how the bicycle fits into it.

    怎么还车？

    How do I return it?

    When to use it: Ask how to return a rented bike when you finish riding.

    Say it: The verb 还 (“return”) has a rising tone here.

  5. Ali points out that the bicycle's battery is depleted while inspecting it beside the dock.

    这台没电了

    This one is out of battery.

    When to use it: Say this when you think a device or powered bike has run out of charge.

    了 marks the change to having no power.

  6. Maya rides a bicycle comfortably along the leafy lane, conveying that cycling is convenient.

    骑自行车很方便

    Riding a bike is convenient.

    When to use it: Say this when cycling makes a trip easier.

Story — try the next dock

Listen as Maya tries to rent a YouBike near Banyan Lane. A-Li offers a helpful-sounding guess, but Maya decides to try another rental station instead.

  1. Maya我要借一台 YouBike。I'd like to rent a YouBike.
  2. A-Li好喔，感应一下。Okay, tap your card.
  3. Maya这台打不开。This one won't unlock.
  4. A-Li这台没电了吧？Maybe this one is out of battery?
  5. Maya自行车也要电吗？Does a bike need a battery too?
  6. A-Li欸，我不知道。Uh, I don't know.
  7. Maya请问，前面有 YouBike 站吗？Excuse me, is there a YouBike rental station ahead?
  8. Passerby有，前面还有一个 YouBike 租借站。Yes, there is another YouBike rental station ahead.
  9. Maya谢谢，我去看看。Thanks, I'll go take a look.
  10. A-Li这台可以借耶。Hey, you can rent this one.
  11. Maya好，换一台就好了。Good, changing to another bike did the trick.
  12. A-Li骑自行车很方便。Riding a bike is convenient.
  13. Maya怎么还车？How do I return it?
  14. A-Li停进车位，确认一下喔。Put it in a dock and check that it's returned.

Practice — get moving

Try the lines in short moments at a YouBike dock. Build a request, choose a useful question, and describe the problem before moving on.

0 of 9 done

  1. Build the line

    I'd like to rent a YouBike.

    Tap the words in order.

  2. What did you hear?

  3. What do you say?

    You tried to unlock this bike, but it is still locked.

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Swap the word

    Change the statement to say this bike has run out of power.

    这台____了

  6. Build the line

    Riding a bike is convenient.

    Tap the words in order.

  7. What do you say?

    Before asking a passerby for directions, politely get their attention.

  8. Pick the reply

    Passerby says:

    这张卡要怎么用？

    How do I use this card?

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    You are done riding and need to know how to return the bike.

Say it — your turn at the dock

Play Maya at the YouBike dock. Say what you want, explain the problem, and ask someone about another rental station.

When the second bike works, ask A-Li how to return it.

  1. Maya and A-Li arrive at the first dock.
  2. Maya (you)Tell A-Li you want to rent one of these bikes.

    我要借一台 YouBike

    I'd like to rent a YouBike.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我要借一台 YouBikeI'd like to rent a YouBike.
前面有 YouBike 站吗？Is there a YouBike rental station ahead?
这台打不开This one won't unlock.
怎么还车？How do I return it?
这台没电了This one is out of battery.
骑自行车很方便Riding a bike is convenient.
Next: lesson 99High-speed rail

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these bike-rental lines handy in Yak Cards for your next ride.

Review the problem and return questions before heading to a dock.

Open Yak Cards