Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 154 of 240

New here? This is lesson 154 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

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The meeting runs long in Simplified Chinese

Maya joins Zhi-Ming for a project meeting that was meant to last an hour. A quiet yak sits at the back, and the agenda is still long.

Learn how to say the team is behind, point out unfinished items, and move the discussion along. You will also practise postponing a topic and closing the meeting.

The clock keeps moving toward four forty. Use calm, clear language to keep the meeting useful without rushing everyone.

By the end of this lesson

Say that a meeting is behind schedule, identify unfinished agenda items, move to another item, postpone a topic, and close the meeting politely.

  • 我们进度有点落后We're a bit behind schedule.
  • 还有三个项目没讨论There are three items we haven't discussed yet.
  • 我们先跳到下一个Let's skip to the next one.
  • 这个晚点再说We'll come back to this later.
  • 时间差不多了We're about out of time.
  • 今天就先到这里Let's stop here for today.

Scene — a project meeting

At the co-working space in Da'an, Maya and Zhi-Ming are reviewing a project agenda.

They expected the meeting to take about an hour, but the discussion is still going at four forty.

A-Li sits quietly at the back on two stools, with his soy milk still unfinished. The meeting is ordinary; the yak is simply listening.

Maya and Zhi-Ming sit at a shared Da'an co-working table over a laptop and papers while A-Li the yak watches from two stools at the back with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — keep the agenda moving

These lines help you manage an agenda when the discussion is running long. Notice how you can set an item aside without dropping it altogether.

Listen for the softening effect of 有点 and the tone change in two third-tone words together.

  1. Maya leans in and taps a blank laptop while Zhi-Ming watches from the near side and A-Li the yak turns toward Maya.

    我们进度有点落后

    We're a bit behind schedule.

    When to use it: Use this to flag that a team or project is not keeping up with its plan.

    有点 softens the negative assessment, making it sound measured rather than severe.

    Say it: In 有点, the first third tone changes before the next third tone.

  2. Zhi-Ming holds up three fingers over a stack of papers while Maya sits back with chin in hand.

    还有三个项目没讨论

    There are three items we haven't discussed yet.

    When to use it: Use this to point out agenda items that still need discussion.

    个 is the measure word used with 三 when counting the agenda items.

    Say it: 个 is commonly pronounced with a neutral tone in this phrase.

  3. Maya half-stands and sweeps a pile aside, pointing toward the next stack, while Zhi-Ming leans back with crossed arms and A-Li the yak lifts the soy-milk cup.

    我们先跳到下一个

    Let's skip to the next one.

    When to use it: Use this to move on to another agenda item.

    先 signals a temporary choice here; skipping an item does not mean it is cancelled.

    Say it: 个 is commonly pronounced with a neutral tone in 下一个.

  4. Zhi-Ming slides a document to the far corner of the table while Maya reaches for a pen.

    这个晚点再说

    We'll come back to this later.

    When to use it: Use this to postpone a topic and return to it later.

    晚点再说 puts off the topic for later without rejecting it.

    Say it: 晚点 has two third tones together, so the first one changes.

  5. Maya lifts a blank-faced watch toward the late window light while Zhi-Ming gathers pens and A-Li the yak droops toward the soy milk.

    时间差不多了

    We're about out of time.

    When to use it: Use this when the available time is nearly finished.

    了 marks the change to being nearly out of time.

  6. Zhi-Ming closes the laptop while Maya stacks notebooks and A-Li the yak looks up from unfinished soy milk.

    今天就先到这里

    Let's stop here for today.

    When to use it: Use this to end today's meeting or activity at this point.

    先 makes the ending sound like a pause for now, not a permanent stop.

Story — four forty at the co-working space

Maya and Zhi-Ming had planned a one-hour project meeting. The agenda is still unfinished at four forty, and a quiet A-Li is listening from the back.

They keep the conversation practical and decide what can wait.

  1. Maya我们约个时间开会吧Let's set a time for a meeting.
  2. Zhi-Ming下午三点方便吗？Is three in the afternoon convenient?
  3. Maya我会准时到I'll be on time.
  4. Zhi-Ming会议大概一个小时The meeting should take about an hour.
  5. Zhi-Ming我们先看第一个项目。Let's look at the first item.
  6. Maya我们进度有点落后We're a bit behind schedule.
  7. Zhi-Ming了解，那先整理一下资料。Understood. Let's organize the materials first.
  8. Maya还有三个项目没讨论There are three items we haven't discussed yet.
  9. Zhi-Ming我们再看一下设计方向。Let's take another look at the design direction.
  10. Maya我们先跳到下一个Let's skip to the next one.
  11. Zhi-Ming好，下一项是时程。Okay, the next item is the timeline.
  12. Maya这个晚点再说We'll come back to this later.
  13. Zhi-Ming好，我先记下来。Okay, I'll make a note of it.
  14. Maya时间差不多了We're about out of time.
  15. Zhi-Ming真的，已经四点四十分了。Right, it's already four forty.
  16. Maya今天就先到这里Let's stop here for today.
  17. Zhi-Ming好，明天我把摘要寄给你。Okay, I'll send you the summary tomorrow.
  18. A-Li我的豆浆还没喝完。I still haven't finished my soy milk.

Practice — manage the meeting

Try nine exercises about unfinished agenda items, postponing a topic, and ending a meeting. Choose language that fits a real project discussion.

A few review lines will help you connect today's meeting to the earlier planning conversation.

0 of 9 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我们进度有点落后

  2. Build the line

    There are three items we haven't discussed yet.

    Tap the words in order.

  3. What do you say?

    The discussion is running long. Suggest moving on to the next agenda item.

  4. Swap the word

    Say that this topic can wait until later.

    这个____再说

  5. Fill the gap

    We're about out of time.

    时间差不多____

  6. What did you hear?

  7. Pick the reply

    Zhi-Ming says:

    会议大概多久？

    About how long will the meeting take?

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    Suggest that you and your colleague set a time for a meeting.

  9. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    我们进度有点落后Drop the English here
    还有三个项目没讨论Drop the English here
    我们先跳到下一个Drop the English here
    这个晚点再说Drop the English here

    English

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

Say it — your meeting lines

You are Maya in the project meeting. Listen to Zhi-Ming, then respond with a clear suggestion about the agenda or the time.

Speak each line aloud as if you are helping the group finish without rushing through every decision.

  1. Zhi-Ming我们进度有点落后。We're a bit behind schedule.
  2. Maya (you)Suggest moving to the next agenda item.

    我们先跳到下一个

    Let's skip to the next one.

0 of 3 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我们进度有点落后We're a bit behind schedule.
还有三个项目没讨论There are three items we haven't discussed yet.
我们先跳到下一个Let's skip to the next one.
这个晚点再说We'll come back to this later.
时间差不多了We're about out of time.
今天就先到这里Let's stop here for today.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Review these meeting expressions in Yak Cards and practise keeping an agenda on track.

Try one line before your next meeting so it feels natural when the discussion runs long.

Open Yak Cards