New here? This is lesson 113 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Making plans in Traditional Chinese
Yi-Jun brings up a trip to Tainan, but Maya is not ready to commit. Then they make a simpler plan for a weekend meal.
Learn to invite someone, ask when they are free, suggest Saturday, and ask where to meet.
The exchange stays casual and flexible, like a real conversation between friends in Taipei. A-Li remains at the back table with his unfinished soy milk.
By the end of this lesson
Invite someone, ask what time works, suggest a day, and ask where to meet.
- 你週末有空嗎？Are you free this weekend?
- 要不要一起去吃飯？Want to go eat together?
- 你什麼時間方便？What time works for you?
- 看你Up to you.
- 那就約禮拜六吧Then let's say Saturday.
- 我們在哪裡見面？Where shall we meet?
Scene — a weekend invitation
At Banyan Breakfast, Yi-Jun mentions a possible trip to Tainan. Maya is unsure, so they leave that invitation open and talk about an ordinary weekend dinner instead.
A-Li sits at the back table with his soy milk still unfinished. The friends work out a tentative dinner plan, but they do not settle the Tainan trip.
Learn — invite and plan
These six useful lines help you open an invitation and work out a tentative plan with a friend.
Notice how a short reply can leave the choice to the other person, while 吧 makes a suggestion sound gentle.
你週末有空嗎？
Are you free this weekend?
When to use it: Ask a friend whether they have free time this weekend.
嗎 turns a statement into a yes-or-no question.
Say it: 嗎 is a light, neutral question particle.
要不要一起去吃飯？
Want to go eat together?
When to use it: Use this casual invitation to suggest sharing a meal.
要不要 frames a casual invitation as a choice.
Say it: 不 changes to a rising tone before fourth-tone 要.
你什麼時間方便？
What time works for you?
When to use it: Ask which time is convenient for the other person.
什麼 asks for the missing time and stays in the question.
Say it: 方便 has a falling tone on its second syllable.
看你
Up to you.
When to use it: Use this short reply when the other person can choose.
This compact reply leaves the choice with the other person.
Say it: 看 has a falling fourth tone.
那就約禮拜六吧
Then let's say Saturday.
When to use it: Suggest Saturday as the day for a plan.
吧 softens a suggestion instead of making it a firm decision.
Say it: 吧 is light and neutral at the end of this suggestion.
我們在哪裡見面？
Where shall we meet?
When to use it: Ask where you and the other person should meet.
哪裡 stays in the question position for the missing place.
Say it: In 哪裡, the first third tone rises before the next third tone.
Story — a dinner plan at breakfast
Yi-Jun invites Maya to go to Tainan, and Maya says she will think about it. Their trip remains undecided.
Then they turn to an easier question: when to have dinner together this weekend, and where to meet.
Yi-Jun我下個月想去臺南玩。I want to go to Tainan next month.- Yi-Jun你要不要跟我一起去？Do you want to come with me?
Maya我再看看。I'll think about it.- Yi-Jun你週末有空嗎？Are you free this weekend?
- Maya有空啊。I'm free.
- Yi-Jun要不要一起去吃飯？Want to go eat together?
- Maya好啊。Sure.
- Maya你什麼時間方便？What time works for you?
- Yi-Jun看你。Up to you.
- Maya那就約禮拜六吧Then let's say Saturday.
- Yi-Jun好啊。Sounds good.
- Maya我們在哪裡見面？Where shall we meet?
- Yi-Jun在捷運站見面吧。Let's meet at the MRT station.
Practice — make a plan
Try eleven exercises to invite someone, discuss a convenient time, and settle a simple weekend plan.
Listen for the meaning, build and complete lines, then choose replies that fit the conversation.
0 of 11 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
你週末有空嗎？
What do you say?
What do you say?
Invite a friend to go eat together.
Build the line
Build the line
Want to go eat together?
？
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Are you free this weekend?
你週末____嗎？
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your friend has agreed to eat together. Ask what time works for them.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Pick the reply
Yi-Jun says:
Pick the reply
你什麼時間方便？
What time works for you?
And you reply with:
Swap the word
Swap the word
Suggest Saturday as the day to meet.
那就____禮拜六吧
What do you say?
What do you say?
You have agreed on a day. Ask your friend where to meet.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Say it — your invitation
You are Maya, making a weekend dinner plan with Yi-Jun at Banyan Breakfast. Listen to her prompt, then say the line that moves the plan forward.
The invitation to Tainan is still undecided. Practise the separate dinner plan with a clear question, a suggestion, and a meeting-place question.
- Yi-Jun wants to talk about weekend plans.
- Yi-Jun我想跟你聊一下週末的安排。I'd like to talk with you about weekend plans.
- Maya (you)Ask Yi-Jun whether she is free this weekend.
Ask Yi-Jun whether she is free this weekend.
你週末有空嗎？
Are you free this weekend?
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 你週末有空嗎？ | Are you free this weekend? | |
| 要不要一起去吃飯？ | Want to go eat together? | |
| 你什麼時間方便？ | What time works for you? | |
| 看你 | Up to you. | |
| 那就約禮拜六吧 | Then let's say Saturday. | |
| 我們在哪裡見面？ | Where shall we meet? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's invitations and planning lines are in Yak Cards with more useful phrases.
Review these cards aloud, then try making a simple plan with a friend.
Open Yak Cards