Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 233 of 240

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Say thanks properly in Simplified Chinese

The year on Banyan Lane has given Maya plenty to thank people for. She sits at the shop with a card and a pen, trying to write a proper note for Auntie Lin and A-Li.

Learn six lines for formal thanks, looking back on a year, and a warm closing wish. You will hear how they sound in a note, not only at the counter.

Maya can thank them, but she still cannot choose the last line. A-Li's soy milk stays unfinished beside the card.

By the end of this lesson

Write a formal thank-you and a farewell note: thank someone for care and patience, look back on the year, and close with a wish to stay in touch.

  • 感谢你这段时间的照顾Thank you for looking after me.
  • 能认识大家是我的荣幸It's my honour to know everyone.
  • 这一年我学到很多I've learned a lot this year.
  • 谢谢你一直这么有耐心Thank you for always being so patient.
  • 希望以后常常联络I hope we'll keep in touch.
  • 祝你一切顺利Wishing you all the best.

Scene — a card on the table

Late afternoon at Banyan Breakfast. Maya has a blank card on the table and keeps crossing out the last line. Yi-Jun leans in to help.

Auntie Lin wipes the counter. A-Li sits on two stools with his soy milk still unfinished. The fortune slip stays in the till.

Late-afternoon Banyan Breakfast with Maya pausing over a blank card while Yi-Jun leans in and A-Li sits on two stools beside unfinished soy milk.

Learn — formal thanks and a closing

These six lines belong on a card or in a careful goodbye. Listen, then say each one as if you mean it.

感谢 is more formal than everyday 谢谢. The last two lines close a note without slamming the door.

  1. Maya stands at the counter holding a soy-milk cup, head lowered toward Auntie Lin, while A-Li sits on two stools nearby.

    感谢你这段时间的照顾

    Thank you for looking after me.

    When to use it: Use this on a card or in a formal thanks after someone has cared for you for a while.

    感谢 is more formal than everyday 谢谢.

    Say it: 感 is third tone; before fourth-tone 谢, it is usually low and does not rise.

  2. Maya stands in the aisle with one hand over her heart, looking around at Auntie Lin and Yi-Jun.

    能认识大家是我的荣幸

    It's my honour to know everyone.

    When to use it: Use this when thanking a group, on a card or in a short speech.

    能 plus 是我的荣幸 frames meeting people as an honour.

  3. Maya sits alone at the table in profile, looking out at the sunlit lane with the blank card under her hand.

    这一年我学到很多

    I've learned a lot this year.

    When to use it: Use this when looking back on a year of practice or daily life.

    学到 marks what you gained; 学过 would only say you had studied it before.

    Say it: 一 takes a falling tone before 年.

  4. Maya covers Yi-Jun's hand on the table while Yi-Jun still holds a pen.

    谢谢你一直这么有耐心

    Thank you for always being so patient.

    When to use it: Use this to thank someone who stayed patient with you over a long stretch.

    一直 marks the patience as ongoing, not a single kind moment.

    Say it: The second syllable of 谢谢 is a light neutral tone.

  5. Yi-Jun stands and holds out a dark-screen phone, gesturing between herself and seated Maya.

    希望以后常常联络

    I hope we'll keep in touch.

    When to use it: Close a note when you want future contact, not a final goodbye.

    以后 looks ahead; this hope does not mean you are leaving for good.

  6. Auntie Lin stands in front of Maya with both hands on Maya's arms in a warm farewell blessing.

    祝你一切顺利

    Wishing you all the best.

    When to use it: End a card with this general wish when you cannot pick a more specific line.

    一切 widens the wish to everything, not one task.

Story — the last line stays blank

Maya drafts a thank-you card at Banyan Breakfast. Yi-Jun helps with the wording, while Auntie Lin and A-Li listen from nearby.

The last line stays blank. Nobody reads the fortune slip today.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，在写什么？What are you writing, beautiful?
  2. Maya我想写一张卡片给你们。I want to write a card for you all.
  3. Yi-Jun要写得正式一点吗？Do you want it a bit more formal?
  4. Maya第一句我想写，感谢你这段时间的照顾。For the first line I want to write, thank you for looking after me.
  5. Auntie Lin哪里，我们才要谢谢你每天来。Not at all; we should thank you for coming every day.
  6. Yi-Jun还可以写，能认识大家是我的荣幸。You can also write, it's my honour to know everyone.
  7. Maya这一年我学到很多。I've learned a lot this year.
  8. A-Li豆浆还没喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.
  9. Yi-Jun对阿姨再加一句，谢谢你一直这么有耐心。Add one more line for Auntie: thank you for always being so patient.
  10. Auntie Lin耐心？你现在点餐已经很快了啦。Patience? You order plenty fast now.
  11. Maya希望以后常常联络。I hope we'll keep in touch.
  12. A-Li好啊，等一下。Sure, in a bit.
  13. Yi-Jun最后一句要写什么？What should the last line say?
  14. Maya我还没决定。I haven't decided yet.
  15. Auntie Lin写祝你一切顺利就好。Just write wishing you all the best.
  16. Maya可是这样好像在说再见。But that sounds like saying goodbye.
  17. Yi-Jun那就先空着，明天再想。Then leave it blank for now and think tomorrow.
  18. A-Li卡片可以慢慢写。The card can be written slowly.

Practice — choose the right thanks

Work through ten short exercises on thanks, honour, and closing wishes. Pick the line that fits a card, not a casual thanks at the counter.

After each answer, read why the others do not fit, then say the line again.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    感谢你这段时间的照顾

  2. What do you say?

    You are writing a line to the whole shop, not to one person. Say it has been an honour to know everyone.

  3. Build the line

    I've learned a lot this year.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Thank you for always being so patient.

    谢谢你一直这么有____

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    You are closing the card. Widen a short wish so it covers everything, not just one task.

    祝你____

  7. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    你刚来的时候点餐很慢，我都等你。

    When you first came, you ordered slowly, and I always waited.

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    感谢你这段时间的照顾Drop the English here
    能认识大家是我的荣幸Drop the English here
    这一年我学到很多Drop the English here
    祝你一切顺利Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin hands you your egg pancake. Give her a short everyday thanks, not a line from the card.

  10. What does it mean?

    祝你顺利

Say it — read the card aloud

You play Maya and speak the lines of the card out loud. Listen to each English cue, then say the Chinese line.

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

  1. Maya starts the card at the breakfast shop.
  2. Maya (you)Thank Auntie Lin for looking after you this whole stretch.

    感谢你这段时间的照顾

    Thank you for looking after me.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
感谢你这段时间的照顾Thank you for looking after me.
能认识大家是我的荣幸It's my honour to know everyone.
这一年我学到很多I've learned a lot this year.
谢谢你一直这么有耐心Thank you for always being so patient.
希望以后常常联络I hope we'll keep in touch.
祝你一切顺利Wishing you all the best.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's formal thanks are in Yak Cards with more lines for cards and careful goodbyes.

Review a few thank-you cards each day so a note is easier to start.

Open Yak Cards