New here? This is lesson 66 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
My work schedule in Traditional Chinese
At the design studio near Banyan Lane, Zhi-Ming lays out a simple week: his start time, finish time, a day off, and a blank Friday. Today, though, he has overtime.
Learn to describe your work hours, say when you are off, ask to leave early, and take responsibility for a task. Listen for the time phrases and the polite question ending.
Maya needs an early finish, and Zhi-Ming has a practical answer. The fortune slip stays folded in the breakfast shop; nobody solves it here.
By the end of this lesson
Say when you start and finish work, when you are off, whether you have overtime, and ask to leave early.
- 我九點開始上班I start work at nine.
- 我六點下班I finish work at six.
- 我今天要加班I have to work overtime today.
- 我禮拜三休假I'm off on Wednesday.
- 我今天可以早點走嗎？Can I leave early today?
- 這個我負責I'm in charge of this.
Scene — a clear week at work
At a small design studio near Banyan Lane, Zhi-Ming shows Maya his plain weekly schedule. His hours are clear, Wednesday is a day off, and Friday has nothing planned.
Today is different: Zhi-Ming has overtime, and Maya asks if she can leave early. He offers to take responsibility for the task.
Learn — hours and days off
These six lines help you give a work schedule, talk about overtime and days off, and ask to leave early.
Listen for the time phrases, then say each line aloud.
我九點開始上班
I start work at nine.
When to use it: Use this to say what time you begin your workday.
Put the time before 開始上班 to say when the workday begins.
Say it: 九 and 點 are both third tone, so 九 rises before 點.
我六點下班
I finish work at six.
When to use it: Use this to tell someone when your workday ends.
下班 means finishing work and leaving for the day.
Say it: 六 is fourth tone; 點 keeps its third tone.
我今天要加班
I have to work overtime today.
When to use it: Use this when you need to work beyond your usual hours today.
要 before an action can mean that you have to do it.
Say it: 今 and 天 are both first tone.
我禮拜三休假
I'm off on Wednesday.
When to use it: Use this to say which weekday you have off.
休假 means having a day off or being on leave.
Say it: 禮拜三 has a third-tone 禮 followed by a fourth-tone 拜.
我今天可以早點走嗎？
Can I leave early today?
When to use it: Ask this politely when you want permission to leave early.
嗎 at the end turns this into a yes-or-no question.
Say it: 早 and 點 are both third tone, so 早 rises before 點.
這個我負責
I'm in charge of this.
When to use it: Use this to say that you will take responsibility for a task.
Putting 這個 first highlights the task you are taking responsibility for.
Say it: 負責 ends with a second-tone rise on 責.
Story — Zhi-Ming's simple schedule
Maya and Zhi-Ming compare schedules at the design studio. His week is straightforward, except for overtime today.
When Maya asks to leave early, Zhi-Ming offers to take responsibility for the task.
Maya早安，志明。Good morning, Zhi-Ming.
Zhi-Ming早安，瑪雅。Good morning, Maya.- Maya你幾點開始上班？What time do you start work?
- Zhi-Ming我九點開始上班。I start work at nine.
- Maya你幾點下班？What time do you finish work?
- Zhi-Ming我六點下班。I finish work at six.
- Maya你今天要加班嗎？Do you have to work overtime today?
- Zhi-Ming我今天要加班。I have to work overtime today.
- Maya禮拜三呢？What about Wednesday?
- Zhi-Ming我禮拜三休假。I'm off on Wednesday.
- Maya那禮拜五呢？What about Friday?
- Zhi-Ming禮拜五沒有安排。Nothing is planned for Friday.
- Maya我今天可以早點走嗎？Can I leave early today?
- Zhi-Ming可以啊，這個我負責。Sure, I'm in charge of this.
Practice — talk about work hours
Try eleven short exercises about schedules, overtime, and taking responsibility. Choose or build the line that fits each moment.
Check each explanation, then say the answer aloud.
0 of 11 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我九點開始上班
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your coworker asks which weekday you have off. Answer that Wednesday is your day off.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your manager asks who will handle this task. Say that you are responsible for it.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
I have to work overtime today.
我今天要____
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
我九點開始上班Drop the English here我六點下班Drop the English here我禮拜三休假Drop the English here這個我負責Drop the English hereEnglish
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
Ask your manager politely if you can leave early today.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Pick the reply
Zhi-Ming says:
Pick the reply
這個誰負責？
Who is responsible for this?
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
Greet a coworker warmly when you arrive in the morning.
What do you say?
What do you say?
After you share your schedule, ask your coworker about theirs.
Say it — your schedule at work
You play Maya in a short conversation with Zhi-Ming at the design studio. Listen to his cue, then say your schedule or ask your question aloud.
Take your time with the changing tones in the time phrases.
- Maya greets Zhi-Ming before they compare their work schedules.
- Maya (you)Greet Zhi-Ming in the morning.
Greet Zhi-Ming in the morning.
早安
Good morning.
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我九點開始上班 | I start work at nine. | |
| 我六點下班 | I finish work at six. | |
| 我今天要加班 | I have to work overtime today. | |
| 我禮拜三休假 | I'm off on Wednesday. | |
| 我今天可以早點走嗎？ | Can I leave early today? | |
| 這個我負責 | I'm in charge of this. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Review today's schedule lines in Yak Cards and practise them with your work vocabulary.
Say your start time, finish time, and day off aloud to make the lines easier to remember.
Open Yak Cards