Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 229 of 240

New here? This is lesson 229 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

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The neighborhood meeting in Simplified Chinese

The lane meets about the banyan on the corner. Folding chairs fill the shop after closing. Auntie Lin calls everyone to order.

Mr. Wang wants the low branches cut. You live here now, so you get a say.

Learn how to propose an idea, disagree, call a vote, and close a decision. Then practise at the residents' meeting.

A-Li takes two stools and leaves his soy milk unfinished. The fortune slip stays in the till; nobody reads it tonight.

By the end of this lesson

Propose an idea, disagree, call a vote by show of hands, and close a decision at a residents' meeting.

  • 我想提出一个建议I'd like to make a suggestion.
  • 大家有什么意见？What does everyone think?
  • 我赞成这个办法I support this approach.
  • 我有不同的意见I have a different opinion.
  • 我们举手表决吧Let's vote by show of hands.
  • 这件事就这样决定It's decided then.

Scene — the corner banyan

Evening light sits on the corner banyan outside Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin has pushed tables aside for the lane meeting. Mr. Wang stands near the door with a list.

Maya has a seat among the neighbors. A-Li occupies two stools, soy milk still full. They will talk about the tree, not the slip in the till.

Evening under the corner banyan outside the breakfast shop, tables pushed aside for a lane meeting, with Auntie Lin in the open space, Mr. Wang by the door with a paper, and A-Li the yak on a pair of stools beside a full soy-milk cup.

Learn — propose, object, vote

These six lines take you through a residents' meeting: propose, ask for views, agree or disagree, vote, and close.

Listen, then say each line. Notice 吧 when you suggest a vote, and 的 in 不同的意见.

  1. Maya sits forward on a plastic stool with an open hand lifted, offering a suggestion to the evening lane meeting under the banyan.

    我想提出一个建议

    I'd like to make a suggestion.

    When to use it: Use this to put an idea on the table at a meeting.

    提出 names the act of tabling an idea, and 一个建议 is the idea itself.

    Say it: The first third tone in 我想 rises before the next third tone.

  2. Auntie Lin stands in the cleared lane with both palms open toward the seated neighbors, inviting their views.

    大家有什么意见？

    What does everyone think?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want the whole group to speak.

    什么 stays in place; Chinese question words do not move to the front.

  3. Yi-Jun sits with a small nod and a hand over the heart, showing support for the plan about the tree.

    我赞成这个办法

    I support this approach.

    When to use it: Use this when you support the plan under discussion.

    赞成 backs a specific approach, so it is stronger than a casual okay.

  4. Mr. Wang stands a little forward from the shop door with a palm toward the group in a polite counter-gesture, showing a different opinion.

    我有不同的意见

    I have a different opinion.

    When to use it: Use this to disagree without attacking the other person.

    的 links 不同 to 意见 and frames a different view, not a fight.

  5. Auntie Lin stands in the cleared lane with an arm raised, calling a vote by a show of hands, while Mr. Wang watches from the shop door.

    我们举手表决吧

    Let's vote by show of hands.

    When to use it: Suggest this when talk has gone long and you need a decision.

    吧 softens the line so a vote sounds like a suggestion, not an order.

  6. Auntie Lin stands at the center of the meeting with both hands lowering in a closing gesture, as the matter of the tree is settled.

    这件事就这样决定

    It's decided then.

    When to use it: Use this to close the matter after a vote or clear agreement.

    就这样 shows the discussion is over and the result now stands.

Story — a vote on the tree

Listen as the lane meets about the corner banyan. Auntie Lin chairs, Mr. Wang wants a hard cut, and Maya speaks twice.

A-Li sits on two stools. His soy milk stays unfinished, and nobody opens the slip.

  1. Auntie Lin请坐，我们开始吧。Please sit. Let's begin.
  2. Mr. Wang今天要谈路口那棵榕树。Today we need to talk about the banyan at the corner.
  3. Auntie Lin有邻居说树枝挡住招牌了。Some neighbors say the branches are blocking the signs.
  4. A-Li我每天都从树下走过去。I walk under that tree every day.
  5. Mr. Wang低的树枝该修一修。The low branches should be trimmed.
  6. Auntie Lin大家有什么意见？What does everyone think?
  7. Maya我想提出一个建议。树留着，只修挡住路的部分。I'd like to make a suggestion. Keep the tree, and only trim what blocks the path.
  8. A-Li这样行人还有阴凉。Then people walking still get shade.
  9. Mr. Wang我有不同的意见。修太少还是会挡住视线。I have a different opinion. If we trim too little, it will still block the view.
  10. Auntie Lin有没有人有补充？Does anyone have anything to add?
  11. Mr. Wang摩托车从那边出来会看不到。Scooters coming out from there won't see.
  12. A-Li整棵剪光就没味道了。If we cut the whole tree bare, the lane loses its feel.
  13. Auntie Lin我们举手表决吧。只修挡住路的部分。Let's vote by show of hands. Only trim the parts that block the path.
  14. Hands go up around the folding tables.
  15. Maya我赞成这个办法。I support this approach.
  16. A-Li我也举手。I'll raise my hand too.
  17. Auntie Lin这件事就这样决定。It's decided then.
  18. Mr. Wang好，这周找人来修。All right, we'll get someone this week.
  19. A-Li豆浆还是没喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.

Practice — run the meeting

Work through quick exercises on proposing, disagreeing, voting, and closing a decision at the meeting. Pick the line that fits each moment.

After each answer, read why the others fail, then say the right line aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我想提出一个建议

  2. What do you say?

    You've explained keeping the tree and trimming only what blocks the path. Open the floor.

  3. Build the line

    It's decided then.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    I have a different opinion.

    我有____的意见

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    只修挡住路的部分，可以吗？

    Shall we only trim the parts that block the path?

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    Chairs are out and neighbors are waiting. Open the meeting with the right verb.

    我们____吧

  8. What do you say?

    Neighbors are still standing by the door. Seat them before the agenda starts.

  9. Fill the gap

    Does anyone have anything to add?

    有没有人有____？

  10. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    我想提出一个建议Drop the English here
    我赞成这个办法Drop the English here
    我有不同的意见Drop the English here
    这件事就这样决定Drop the English here

    English

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

Say it — your say at the meeting

You play Maya at the residents' meeting. Listen to each cue, then speak the line for proposing, disagreeing, voting, or closing.

Tap the microphone. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. The neighbors have filled Banyan Breakfast after closing.
  2. Auntie Lin路口那棵榕树，先请玛雅说。About the banyan on the corner, Maya first.
  3. Maya (you)Tell the group you'd like to make a suggestion.

    我想提出一个建议

    I'd like to make a suggestion.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我想提出一个建议I'd like to make a suggestion.
大家有什么意见？What does everyone think?
我赞成这个办法I support this approach.
我有不同的意见I have a different opinion.
我们举手表决吧Let's vote by show of hands.
这件事就这样决定It's decided then.
Next: lesson 230Everyday idioms

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's meeting lines are in Yak Cards with more phrases for proposing, voting, and closing a discussion.

Review a few cards before the next neighborhood chat so proposing and voting come quickly.

Open Yak Cards