Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 140 of 240

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The usual in Simplified Chinese

After two weeks, Auntie Lin knows what Maya usually orders at Banyan Breakfast. She starts getting it ready before Maya asks.

Learn how to say that you want the usual, compare today's order with yesterday's, and talk about a stamp card.

The card is still one stamp short. A-Li is nearby with his familiar unfinished drink, but there is no mystery to solve here.

By the end of this lesson

Say that you want the usual, compare an order with yesterday's, and talk about a stamp card.

  • 老样子The usual.
  • 跟昨天一样The same as yesterday.
  • 集点卡还差一个The stamp card is one stamp short.
  • 我今天吃别的I'll have something else today.
  • 你每天都点一样的You order the same thing every day.
  • 麻烦帮我盖章Please stamp it for me.

Scene — a familiar breakfast

Two weeks into Maya's routine, morning is busy at Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin has already started preparing Maya's regular breakfast before Maya orders.

A stamp card sits on the counter, still one stamp short. A-Li is at the back table with his soy milk, which remains unfinished.

Maya arrives at the busy breakfast shop as Auntie Lin already prepares the regular meal, with a stamp card on the counter and A-Li at the back table with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — usual orders and stamps

These six lines help you talk about a familiar order, choose something different, and check a stamp card.

Listen for how 一 changes its tone in 一个. Then notice how 都 emphasizes a repeated routine.

  1. Maya leans in and gestures toward the counter to order the usual while Auntie Lin prepares it and A-Li sits at the back with unfinished soy milk.

    老样子

    The usual.

    When to use it: Use this to ask for the same familiar order or routine.

  2. Auntie Lin turns from the cooking area holding Maya's familiar breakfast while Maya waits at the counter and A-Li remains at the back table.

    跟昨天一样

    The same as yesterday.

    When to use it: Say this when today's choice is the same as yesterday's.

    跟……一样 compares two things as the same; here, the comparison is with yesterday's order.

  3. Maya points at the stamp card on the counter, showing the last empty stamp space, while Auntie Lin's hand waits nearby.

    集点卡还差一个

    The stamp card is one stamp short.

    When to use it: Use this to say one more stamp is needed for the card's reward.

    一个 counts one missing stamp; the thing being counted is understood from the context.

    Say it: 一 changes to a rising tone before the fourth-tone 个.

  4. Maya raises a hand in profile to change the order while Auntie Lin still holds the breakfast already begun, with A-Li at the back table.

    我今天吃别的

    I'll have something else today.

    When to use it: Say this when you want a different food choice today.

  5. Auntie Lin teases Maya with a tilt of the head and a gesture toward the familiar breakfast while Maya listens.

    你每天都点一样的

    You order the same thing every day.

    When to use it: Use this to comment that someone's order is always the same.

    都 emphasizes that something is true on each day in this repeated routine.

  6. Maya holds out the stamp card for Auntie Lin to stamp while A-Li sits at the back table with unfinished soy milk.

    麻烦帮我盖章

    Please stamp it for me.

    When to use it: Say this to ask someone to stamp a card or document.

Story — one stamp short

After two weeks, Auntie Lin knows Maya's usual breakfast and begins preparing it before Maya asks.

The stamp card is one stamp short, and A-Li's drink is still unfinished.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，蛋饼和豆浆，老样子吗？Beautiful, the usual egg pancake and soy milk?
  2. Maya跟昨天一样。The same as yesterday.
  3. Auntie Lin你每天都点一样的。You order the same thing every day.
  4. Maya我今天吃别的。I'll have something else today.
  5. Auntie Lin好，今天要吃什么？Okay, what would you like to eat today?
  6. Maya一个蛋饼。One egg pancake.
  7. Auntie Lin要集点吗？Would you like to collect points?
  8. Maya集点卡还差一个。The stamp card is one stamp short.
  9. Maya麻烦帮我盖章。Please stamp it for me.
  10. Auntie Lin好，你先拿着卡。Okay, hold on to the card for now.

Practice — order and collect points

Try ten exercises about usual orders and stamp cards. You will listen, build a sentence, fill a gap, match meanings, and choose natural replies.

Review each explanation, then say the correct line aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    老样子

  2. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin asks if you want the same breakfast as yesterday. Confirm that you do.

  3. Build the line

    You order the same thing every day.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    The stamp card is one stamp short.

    集点卡还差____

  5. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    老样子Drop the English here
    跟昨天一样Drop the English here
    集点卡还差一个Drop the English here
    我今天吃别的Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Simplified Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  6. What did you hear?

  7. Pick the reply

    A-Li says:

    你每天都点一样的。

    You order the same thing every day.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin asks what you want to eat. Order one egg pancake.

  9. What did you hear?

  10. What do you say?

    You hand Auntie Lin your card and ask her to put a stamp on it.

Say it — your usual routine

You are Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Listen to Auntie Lin and A-Li, then answer naturally about your order and stamp card.

Say each cue aloud. The scene ends before the card gets another stamp.

  1. Auntie Lin starts Maya's breakfast order before Maya asks.
  2. Auntie Lin今天还是老样子吗？The usual again today?
  3. Maya (you)Confirm that you want your usual order.

    老样子

    The usual.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
老样子The usual.
跟昨天一样The same as yesterday.
集点卡还差一个The stamp card is one stamp short.
我今天吃别的I'll have something else today.
你每天都点一样的You order the same thing every day.
麻烦帮我盖章Please stamp it for me.
Next: lesson 141Treating friends to dinner

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Review these familiar-order and stamp-card expressions in Yak Cards.

Practise describing your usual order and checking a stamp card.

Open Yak Cards