Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 63 of 240

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What the neighbourhood is like in Traditional Chinese

Yi-Jun wants to know what Maya's part of Taipei is like.

Maya has only been on Banyan Lane for two weeks, but she already knows the breakfast shop, the clinic across the street, and one unusual regular.

Learn to describe a quiet area, nearby food, and convenient daily life. You will also ask how long someone has lived somewhere and answer with a length of time.

By the end of this lesson

Describe your neighbourhood, ask how long someone has lived there, and answer.

  • 我住的這一區很安靜My area is quiet.
  • 附近有很多小吃店There are lots of snack shops nearby.
  • 你在這裡住多久了？How long have you lived here?
  • 我在這裡住了兩個禮拜I've lived here for two weeks.
  • 我在找新的地方住I'm looking for a new place to live.
  • 生活很方便Daily life is convenient.

Scene — a walk down Banyan Lane

Maya and Yi-Jun walk along Banyan Lane after breakfast. Yi-Jun asks about the area, not Maya's apartment.

Maya points out places she has begun to recognize: small food shops, the breakfast shop, and the clinic directly across from it.

There is also a regular at breakfast whom Yi-Jun has not met yet.

Morning light reaches the counter at Banyan Breakfast in Da'an. Auntie Lin welcomes Maya, while A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk beside him. He knows the shop well, but Maya has only just arrived. The greetings ar

Learn — describe your area

Listen to six lines for describing a neighbourhood and talking about where you live. Notice how the question about time leads naturally to an answer about two weeks.

  1. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: Hello.

    我住的這一區很安靜

    My area is quiet.

    When to use it: Describe the general feel of the area where you live.

    The words before 的 identify which area you mean.

  2. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: Hello, politely.

    附近有很多小吃店

    There are lots of snack shops nearby.

    When to use it: Tell someone about the places to eat around you.

    Put the location first to say what can be found there.

  3. lin is the one speaking. The moment means: Good morning.

    你在這裡住多久了？

    How long have you lived here?

    When to use it: Ask a resident how much time they have spent living here.

    多久 stays where the length of time would appear in the answer.

  4. lin is the one speaking. The moment means: Good afternoon.

    我在這裡住了兩個禮拜

    I've lived here for two weeks.

    When to use it: Answer how long you have lived in this place.

    Here, 了 goes after 住 before the length of time.

  5. lin is the one speaking. The moment means: How are you?

    我在找新的地方住

    I'm looking for a new place to live.

    When to use it: Tell someone you are currently searching for somewhere else to live.

    在 before 找 shows that the search is happening now.

  6. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I'm good, thanks.

    生活很方便

    Daily life is convenient.

    When to use it: Sum up how easy it is to handle everyday needs in an area.

Story — showing Yi-Jun around

Listen as Maya tells Yi-Jun about Banyan Lane. She describes the area, answers a question about how long she has lived there, and mentions a breakfast-shop regular.

  1. Yi-Jun你住在哪裡？Where do you live?
  2. Maya我住在榕樹巷。I live on Banyan Lane.
  3. Yi-Jun那一區怎麼樣？What's that area like?
  4. Maya我住的這一區很安靜。My area is quiet.
  5. Yi-Jun附近有什麼？What's nearby?
  6. Maya附近有很多小吃店。There are lots of snack shops nearby.
  7. Maya早餐店對面有診所。There's a clinic across from the breakfast shop.
  8. Yi-Jun你在這裡住多久了？How long have you lived here?
  9. Maya我在這裡住了兩個禮拜。I've lived here for two weeks.
  10. Yi-Jun我在找新的地方住。I'm looking for a new place to live.
  11. Maya生活很方便，離捷運站很近。Daily life is convenient, and it's close to the MRT station.
  12. Yi-Jun那間早餐店有什麼特別的？What's special about that breakfast shop?
  13. Maya犛牛坐在兩張凳子上，豆漿還沒喝完。A yak sits on two stools, and his soy milk is still unfinished.
  14. Yi-Jun我想去看看！I want to go see!

Practice — talk about the neighbourhood

Use the lines in short situations, then put word tiles together and listen for the right question. Review how to name your street and mention the nearby MRT station.

0 of 8 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我住的這一區很安靜

  2. Build the line

    There are lots of snack shops nearby.

    Tap the words in order.

  3. What did you hear?

  4. Fill the gap

    I've lived here for two weeks.

    我在這裡住了____禮拜

  5. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun tells you she is searching for somewhere else to live. Choose her line.

  6. Pick the reply

    Yi-Jun says:

    住在這一區，生活怎麼樣？

    What's daily life like in this area?

    And you reply with:

  7. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun asks which street you live on. Tell her you live on Banyan Lane.

  8. Build the line

    It is very close to the MRT station.

    Tap the words in order.

Say it — your turn to describe it

You play Maya in a conversation with Yi-Jun. Describe your area, answer how long you have lived there, and ask about Yi-Jun's experience nearby.

Use the English cues, then say each Chinese line aloud.

  1. Yi-Jun你住的地方怎麼樣？What's the place where you live like?
  2. Maya (you)Say that your area is quiet.

    我住的這一區很安靜

    My area is quiet.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我住的這一區很安靜My area is quiet.
附近有很多小吃店There are lots of snack shops nearby.
你在這裡住多久了？How long have you lived here?
我在這裡住了兩個禮拜I've lived here for two weeks.
我在找新的地方住I'm looking for a new place to live.
生活很方便Daily life is convenient.
Next: lesson 64How my family is

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