Simplified Chinese - Goals

Lesson 75 of 156

A learner writing goals in Simplified Chinese on sticky notes — the image shows phrases about progress and motivation.

Goal: Talk about progress, challenges, and plans

Free Simplified Chinese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Hi — let’s talk about goals! In this B1 lesson you'll practice short, natural ways to describe progress, explain motivation, and ask about other people’s plans. Have fun — a little goal talk goes a long way.

Level B1: This lesson focuses on useful phrases for talking about personal goals: saying you’re making progress (我在___方面有进步。), naming the hardest part (最难的是___。), explaining why you do something (我这么做是因为我想___。) and asking about someone’s plans. You’ll listen, repeat, and practice short quizzes to make these goal-focused phrases feel natural in conversation.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Use common B1 phrases to describe progress, obstacles, and motivation in personal goals.
  • Ask and answer short questions about someone’s plans and timeframes (e.g., 接下来的___里，你想实现什么？).
  • Practice speaking each target phrase out loud so you can use them in real conversations.
Two friends talking in a café in Shanghai about their goals and the hardest parts; Simplified Chinese phrases appear as speech bubbles.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

我在___方面有进步。

Wǒ zài ___ fāngmiàn yǒu jìnbù.

I'm making progress with ___.

Meaning: I'm making progress with ___.

When to use: Use this to say you’ve improved in a skill, a task, or an area of life (language, work, fitness, etc.).

Tip: Don't put a verb after 进步 (e.g., *我进步了学习). Keep it as a noun phrase: 在___方面有进步。

我在口语方面有进步。

Wǒ zài kǒuyǔ fāngmiàn yǒu jìnbù.

I'm making progress with speaking.
我在跑步方面有进步。

Wǒ zài pǎobù fāngmiàn yǒu jìnbù.

I'm improving at running.

最难的是___。

Zuì nán de shì ___.

The hardest part is ___.

Meaning: The hardest part is ___.

When to use: Use this short frame to name a specific obstacle or challenge.

最难的是坚持每天练习。

Zuì nán de shì jiānchí měitiān liànxí.

The hardest part is sticking to daily practice.
最难的是时间管理。

Zuì nán de shì shíjiān guǎnlǐ.

The hardest part is time management.

我这么做是因为我想___。

Wǒ zhème zuò shì yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng ___.

I'm doing this because I want to ___.

Meaning: I'm doing this because I want to ___.

When to use: Use this to explain your motivation or the result you hope to reach.

我这么做是因为我想提高听力。

Wǒ zhème zuò shì yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng tígāo tīnglì.

I'm doing this because I want to improve my listening.
我这么做是因为我想换工作。

Wǒ zhème zuò shì yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng huàn gōngzuò.

I'm doing this because I want to change jobs.

可能要花点时间，但我觉得我能___。

Kěnéng yào huā diǎn shíjiān, dàn wǒ juéde wǒ néng ___.

It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

Meaning: It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

When to use: Use this to show realistic optimism: the goal needs time, but you’re confident.

可能要花点时间，但我觉得我能完成目标。

Kěnéng yào huā diǎn shíjiān, dàn wǒ juéde wǒ néng wánchéng mùbiāo.

It may take a while, but I think I can complete the goal.
可能要花点时间，但我觉得我能说得更流利。

Kěnéng yào huā diǎn shíjiān, dàn wǒ juéde wǒ néng shuō dé gèng liúlì.

It may take time, but I think I can speak more fluently.

你现在在为哪些目标努力？

Nǐ xiànzài zài wèi nǎxiē mùbiāo nǔlì?

What goals are you working toward?

Meaning: What goals are you working toward?

When to use: Ask this to start a friendly conversation about someone's current objectives.

你现在在为哪些目标努力？我在准备考试。

Nǐ xiànzài zài wèi nǎxiē mùbiāo nǔlì? Wǒ zài zhǔnbèi kǎoshì.

What goals are you working toward? I'm preparing for an exam.
你现在在为哪些目标努力？我在学编程。

Nǐ xiànzài zài wèi nǎxiē mùbiāo nǔlì? Wǒ zài xué biānchéng.

What goals are you working toward? I'm learning programming.

你打算怎么实现这个目标？

Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme shíxiàn zhège mùbiāo?

How are you going to achieve that?

Meaning: How are you going to achieve that?

When to use: Use this to ask for concrete plans or methods for reaching a goal.

Tip: Beginners sometimes answer vaguely with 不知道. Try to name one specific step.

你打算怎么实现这个目标？我打算每天练习半小时。

Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme shíxiàn zhège mùbiāo? Wǒ dǎsuàn měitiān liànxí bàn xiǎoshí.

How will you achieve that? I plan to practice half an hour daily.
你打算怎么实现这个目标？我会找一个老师。

Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme shíxiàn zhège mùbiāo? Wǒ huì zhǎo yí gè lǎoshī.

How are you going to achieve that? I'll find a teacher.

接下来的___里，你想实现什么？

Jiēxiàlái de ___ lǐ, nǐ xiǎng shíxiàn shénme?

What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

Meaning: What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

When to use: Fill the blank with a timeframe (三个月、一年、几周) to ask about short-term plans.

接下来的三个月里，你想实现什么？

Jiēxiàlái de sān gè yuè lǐ, nǐ xiǎng shíxiàn shénme?

What would you like to achieve in the next three months?
接下来的一年里，你想实现什么？

Jiēxiàlái de yī nián lǐ, nǐ xiǎng shíxiàn shénme?

What would you like to achieve in the next year?

我在给自己定小目标，帮自己___。

Wǒ zài gěi zìjǐ dìng xiǎo mùbiāo, bāng zìjǐ ___.

I'm setting small goals to help me ___.

Meaning: I'm setting small goals to help me ___.

When to use: Use this to explain a practical strategy: breaking a big goal into smaller steps.

我在给自己定小目标，帮自己保持动力。

Wǒ zài gěi zìjǐ dìng xiǎo mùbiāo, bāng zìjǐ bǎochí dònglì.

I'm setting small goals to help myself stay motivated.
我在给自己定小目标，帮自己一步步进步。

Wǒ zài gěi zìjǐ dìng xiǎo mùbiāo, bāng zìjǐ yībùbù jìnbù.

I'm setting small goals to help myself improve step by step.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends compare notes about learning Chinese and their goals.

Close-up of Anna and David practicing goal phrases in Simplified Chinese while smiling and gesturing — one points to a calendar.

What are Anna and David talking about?

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

你现在在为哪些目标努力？

Nǐ xiànzài zài wèi nǎxiē mùbiāo nǔlì?

What goals are you working toward now?

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我在给自己定小目标，帮自己学中文。

Wǒ zài gěi zìjǐ dìng xiǎo mùbiāo, bāng zìjǐ xué Zhōngwén.

I'm setting small goals to help myself learn Chinese.

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我在口语方面有进步。

Wǒ zài kǒuyǔ fāngmiàn yǒu jìnbù.

I've made progress with my speaking.

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

最难的是听力

Zuì nán de shì tīnglì.

The hardest part is listening.

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我这么做是因为我想能用中文和同事聊天。

Wǒ zhème zuò shì yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng néng yòng Zhōngwén hé tóngshì liáotiān.

I'm doing this because I want to chat with colleagues in Chinese.

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

你打算怎么实现这个目标？我会每天练习，也会跟朋友说中文。

Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme shíxiàn zhège mùbiāo? Wǒ huì měitiān liànxí, yě huì gēn péngyou shuō Zhōngwén.

How will you achieve that? I'll practice every day and speak Chinese with friends.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which sentence means “The hardest part is time management.”?

Which choice asks 'What goals are you working toward?'

Which one is 'I'm setting small goals to help me stay motivated.'?

Which sentence asks 'How are you going to achieve that goal?'

I'm making progress in speaking, for example pronunciation and vocabulary.

我在 ___ 方面有进步，比如发音和词汇。

What would you like to achieve in the next three months? I want to practice Chinese every day.

接下来的 ___ 里，你想实现什么？我想每天练习中文。

I'm practicing speaking. It may take time, but I think I can speak better.

我正在练习口语。可能要花点时间，但我觉得我能 ___ 。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

我在___方面有进步。

Wǒ zài ___ fāngmiàn yǒu jìnbù.

I'm making progress with ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

最难的是___。

Zuì nán de shì ___.

The hardest part is ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我这么做是因为我想___。

Wǒ zhème zuò shì yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng ___.

I'm doing this because I want to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

可能要花点时间，但我觉得我能___。

Kěnéng yào huā diǎn shíjiān, dàn wǒ juéde wǒ néng ___.

It may take a while, but I think I can ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

你现在在为哪些目标努力？

Nǐ xiànzài zài wèi nǎxiē mùbiāo nǔlì?

What goals are you working toward?

Say this phrase out loud:

你打算怎么实现这个目标？

Nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme shíxiàn zhège mùbiāo?

How are you going to achieve that?

Say this phrase out loud:

接下来的___里，你想实现什么？

Jiēxiàlái de ___ lǐ, nǐ xiǎng shíxiàn shénme?

What would you like to achieve in the next ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我在给自己定小目标，帮自己___。

Wǒ zài gěi zìjǐ dìng xiǎo mùbiāo, bāng zìjǐ ___.

I'm setting small goals to help me ___.