Traditional Chinese - Classroom Help

Lesson 127 of 152

A bright Taiwan Mandarin classroom scene with Traditional Chinese on the board, showing a student raising a hand to ask for help. The lesson topic is practical classroom teacher phrases in Traditional Chinese.

Goal: Speak up politely when class gets a little messy.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Classroom moments can move fast: the teacher is writing, groups are forming, and suddenly your pencil has vanished. No panic—today you’ll get the exact phrases to handle it.

Think of this as your “raise your hand and survive” toolkit, Yak Yacker style.

Level A2: In this lesson, you’ll practice practical classroom phrases for telling a teacher you need more time, you were absent, you need a partner, or you can’t see the board. You’ll also ask to borrow supplies, enter the classroom politely, and check if something needs to be written down. These are small sentences, but they make you sound much more ready for real class in Taiwan.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Say you are not finished yet with 我還沒做完 (Wǒ hái méi zuò wán).
  • Explain a missed class with 我昨天請假 (Wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià).
  • Ask classroom permission using 我可以借___嗎 (Wǒ kěyǐ jiè ___ ma) and 我可以進來嗎 (Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma).
  • Handle A2 classroom problems like no partner, poor visibility, and note-taking questions.
Students in a Taiwan classroom using Traditional Chinese materials, with notebooks, pencils, and a blackboard visible. The scene introduces Taiwan Mandarin phrases for borrowing items, asking permission, and speaking to a teacher.

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.

我還沒做完

Wǒ hái méi zuò wán.

I'm not finished yet.

Meaning: I'm not finished yet.

When to use: Use this when the teacher checks your work, but you still need more time.

Tip: Don’t drop 沒 (méi). 我還做完 (Wǒ hái zuò wán) sounds wrong because you need the negative for “not yet.”別忘了「沒」！

老師，我還沒做完，可以再給我一分鐘嗎？

Lǎoshī, wǒ hái méi zuò wán, kěyǐ zài gěi wǒ yì fēnzhōng ma?

Teacher, I'm not finished yet. Can you give me one more minute?
等一下，我還沒做完。

Děng yíxià, wǒ hái méi zuò wán.

Wait a second, I'm not finished yet.

我昨天請假

Wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià.

I was absent yesterday.

Meaning: I was absent yesterday.

When to use: Use this when explaining that you missed the previous class.

Tip: In Taiwan classrooms, 我昨天請假 (Wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià) often sounds more natural than directly translating “I was absent.”

老師，我昨天請假，所以不知道作業。

Lǎoshī, wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià, suǒyǐ bù zhīdào zuòyè.

Teacher, I was absent yesterday, so I don't know the homework.
不好意思，我昨天請假，今天可以補交嗎？

Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià, jīntiān kěyǐ bǔjiāo ma?

Sorry, I was absent yesterday. Can I turn it in today?

我沒有組員

Wǒ méiyǒu zǔyuán.

I don't have a partner.

Meaning: I don't have a partner or group member.

When to use: Use this during pair work or group activities when you have nobody to work with.

Tip: For a two-person activity, 我沒有搭檔 (Wǒ méiyǒu dādǎng) also works, but 組員 (zǔyuán) is useful for group work.

老師，我沒有組員，可以跟 David 一組嗎？

Lǎoshī, wǒ méiyǒu zǔyuán, kěyǐ gēn David yì zǔ ma?

Teacher, I don't have a partner. Can I be in a group with David?
我沒有組員，誰可以跟我一起做？

Wǒ méiyǒu zǔyuán, shéi kěyǐ gēn wǒ yìqǐ zuò?

I don't have a partner. Who can work with me?

我可以借___嗎？

Wǒ kěyǐ jiè ___ ma?

Can I borrow ___?

Meaning: Can I borrow ___?

When to use: Use this to borrow a pen, eraser, textbook, or other classroom item.

我可以借筆嗎

Wǒ kěyǐ jiè bǐ ma?

Can I borrow a pen?
我可以借課本嗎？

Wǒ kěyǐ jiè kèběn ma?

Can I borrow a textbook?

我看不到黑板

Wǒ kàn bú dào hēibǎn.

I can't see the board.

Meaning: I can't see the board.

When to use: Use this if the board is too far away, blocked, or hard to read.

Tip: Use 看不到 (kàn bú dào) for “can’t see / unable to see,” not just 不看 (bù kàn), which means “do not look.”

老師，我看不到黑板，可以坐前面嗎？

Lǎoshī, wǒ kàn bú dào hēibǎn, kěyǐ zuò qiánmiàn ma?

Teacher, I can't see the board. May I sit in front?
我看不到黑板，字太小了。

Wǒ kàn bú dào hēibǎn, zì tài xiǎo le.

I can't see the board. The writing is too small.

我可以進來嗎

Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?

May I come in?

Meaning: May I come in?

When to use: Use this politely at the classroom door, especially if you are late.

不好意思，老師，我可以進來嗎？

Bù hǎoyìsi, lǎoshī, wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?

Sorry, teacher, may I come in?
我遲到了，我可以進來嗎？

Wǒ chídào le, wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?

I'm late. May I come in?

這個要抄下來嗎？

Zhège yào chāo xiàlái ma?

Do we need to write this down?

Meaning: Do we need to write this down?

When to use: Use this when you want to know if something on the board or screen should go into your notes.

老師，這個要抄下來嗎？

Lǎoshī, zhège yào chāo xiàlái ma?

Teacher, do we need to write this down?
這個要抄下來嗎？還是拍照就好？

Zhège yào chāo xiàlái ma? Háishì pāizhào jiù hǎo?

Do we need to write this down? Or is taking a photo enough?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

David arrives a little late to Anna’s class and needs help catching up.

A student stands near a classroom door while a teacher gestures warmly toward an open seat, with Traditional Chinese notes on the blackboard. The Taiwan Mandarin dialogue focuses on entering class, catching up, and asking for classroom help.

What kind of classroom problems does David need help with?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

不好意思，Anna 老師，我可以進來嗎？

Bù hǎoyìsi, Anna lǎoshī, wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?

Sorry, Teacher Anna, may I come in?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

可以，請進。你昨天怎麼沒來？

Kěyǐ, qǐng jìn. Nǐ zuótiān zěnme méi lái?

Yes, please come in. Why didn’t you come yesterday?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我昨天請假，所以我還沒做完。

Wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià, suǒyǐ wǒ hái méi zuò wán.

I was absent yesterday, so I’m not finished yet.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

沒關係。等一下分組，你有組員嗎？

Méi guānxi. Děng yíxià fēnzǔ, nǐ yǒu zǔyuán ma?

That’s okay. We’ll make groups in a moment. Do you have a group member?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我沒有組員。還有，我看不到黑板。

Wǒ méiyǒu zǔyuán. Háiyǒu, wǒ kàn bú dào hēibǎn.

I don’t have a partner. Also, I can’t see the board.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

好，你坐前面

Hǎo, nǐ zuò qiánmiàn.

Okay, sit in the front.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

謝謝。這個要抄下來嗎？我可以借筆嗎？

Xièxie. Zhège yào chāo xiàlái ma? Wǒ kěyǐ jiè bǐ ma?

Thanks. Do we need to write this down? Can I borrow a pen?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

You are standing at the classroom door and want to enter politely. What do you say?

You missed class yesterday. Which phrase explains that naturally in a Taiwan classroom?

The teacher asks if everyone is done, but you need more time. What should you say?

You are sitting too far back and cannot read the board. Which phrase fits?

Teacher, I can't see the board. May I sit in front?

老師，我坐在後面，___ 我可以坐前面嗎？

Sorry, may I come in?

學生在教室門口說：老師，不好意思，___

Teacher, I don't have a partner. Can I be in a group with Anna?

老師，____ 我可以跟 Anna 一組嗎？

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:

我還沒做完

Wǒ hái méi zuò wán.

I'm not finished yet.

Say this phrase out loud:

我昨天請假

Wǒ zuótiān qǐngjià.

I was absent yesterday.

Say this phrase out loud:

我沒有組員

Wǒ méiyǒu zǔyuán.

I don't have a partner.

Say this phrase out loud:

我可以借___嗎？

Wǒ kěyǐ jiè ___ ma?

Can I borrow ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我看不到黑板

Wǒ kàn bú dào hēibǎn.

I can't see the board.

Say this phrase out loud:

我可以進來嗎

Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?

May I come in?

Say this phrase out loud:

這個要抄下來嗎？

Zhège yào chāo xiàlái ma?

Do we need to write this down?