New here? This is lesson 67 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.
School and study in Simplified Chinese
At the community centre, Maya joins her Saturday Mandarin class. A classmate talks about university and a favorite subject, while Maya practices describing her own studies.
Learn how to say what you study, ask when the test is, and mention where your class is. You can also say that you have homework today.
Listen for the measure word in 一堂课, then try the school conversation aloud.
By the end of this lesson
Say what you study, describe a favorite subject, ask when a test is, and mention class and homework.
- 我在学中文I'm studying Chinese.
- 我读大学二年级I'm in my second year of university.
- 我最喜欢的科目是数学My favorite subject is math.
- 我们什么时候考试？When is the test?
- 我有一堂课在三楼I have a class on the third floor.
- 我今天有作业I have homework today.
Scene — Saturday at class
On Saturday morning, Maya arrives at the community centre for her Mandarin class. The teacher welcomes the students, and a classmate talks about university.
Maya practices asking about the test and describing her class. The lesson is ordinary, even if the breakfast-shop fortune slip is still a mystery.
Learn — talking about school
These six lines help you describe what you study, talk about a favorite subject, ask about a test, and mention class or homework.
Notice how a measure word fits before 课.
我在学中文
I'm studying Chinese.
When to use it: Use this to say what language or subject you are currently studying.
我读大学二年级
I'm in my second year of university.
When to use it: Use this to say what year of university you are in.
我最喜欢的科目是数学
My favorite subject is math.
When to use it: Use this to name the school subject you like best.
的 links the favorite-subject description to the noun 科目.
我们什么时候考试？
When is the test?
When to use it: Ask this when you want to know the date or time of a test.
我有一堂课在三楼
I have a class on the third floor.
When to use it: Use this to say where one of your classes meets.
堂 is the measure word used for one class session.
Say it: 一 changes to a fourth tone before the second-tone word 堂.
我今天有作业
I have homework today.
When to use it: Use this to say that you have homework to do today.
Story — a question before class
Maya arrives for her Saturday Mandarin class at the community centre. The teacher asks students about their studies, and a classmate shares a favorite subject.
Maya asks about the test and mentions her classroom and homework.
- Teacher早安，大家请坐。Good morning, everyone. Please sit down.
Maya你好，老师。Hello, teacher.- Teacher今天先聊聊学校。Today, let's start by talking about school.
- Teacher你在学什么？What are you studying?
- Maya我在学中文。I'm studying Chinese.
- Teacher有人读大学吗？读几年级？Is anyone in university? What year are you in?
- Classmate我读大学二年级。I'm in my second year of university.
- Teacher大家最喜欢哪个科目？What's everyone's favorite subject?
- Classmate我最喜欢的科目是数学。My favorite subject is math.
- Maya我们什么时候考试？When is the test?
- Teacher下周六考试。The test is next Saturday.
- Teacher你的课在哪里？Where is your class?
- Maya我有一堂课在三楼。I have a class on the third floor.
- Maya我今天有作业。I have homework today.
Practice — school words in context
Practice identifying classmates' answers, asking about the test, and building useful school sentences.
Some questions ask for details, while the final choices help you connect each line with its meaning.
0 of 9 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我在学中文
What do you say?
What do you say?
A classmate tells the teacher what year of university they are in. Repeat the classmate's answer.
Build the line
Build the line
My favorite subject is math.
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
When is the test?
我们____考试？
Match the pairs
Simplified Chinese
我在学中文Drop the English here我读大学二年级Drop the English here我最喜欢的科目是数学Drop the English hereEnglish
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Pick the reply
Teacher says:
Pick the reply
今天有作业吗？
Do you have homework today?
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
You arrive at the community centre in the morning. Give your teacher a morning greeting.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your teacher greets you, and you return a simple hello.
Say it — your class conversation
You are Maya at the Saturday Mandarin class. Listen to the teacher's question, answer what you are studying, and ask when the test is.
Then mention your homework. Say each Chinese line aloud before moving to the next turn.
- The teacher starts a short speaking practice with Maya.
- Teacher你在学什么？What are you studying?
- Maya (you)Say that you are studying Chinese.
Say that you are studying Chinese.
我在学中文
I'm studying Chinese.
0 of 3 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Simplified Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我在学中文 | I'm studying Chinese. | |
| 我读大学二年级 | I'm in my second year of university. | |
| 我最喜欢的科目是数学 | My favorite subject is math. | |
| 我们什么时候考试？ | When is the test? | |
| 我有一堂课在三楼 | I have a class on the third floor. | |
| 我今天有作业 | I have homework today. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Review today's school and study lines in Yak Cards.
Practice describing your studies and asking about a test until the phrases feel familiar.
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