Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 49 of 240

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Wake up, sleep, and meals in Traditional Chinese

Maya stops by Banyan Breakfast on her way out. Auntie Lin seems to know when she gets up and leaves home, even though Maya eats breakfast at her apartment.

Learn to say when you get up, eat breakfast, leave home, and go to bed. You can also tell someone you visit every day and ask when they start work.

A-Li has his own contribution to the conversation.

By the end of this lesson

Say when you get up, eat breakfast, and leave home; ask about work and say when you go to bed.

  • 我七點起床I get up at seven.
  • 我十一點睡覺I go to bed at eleven.
  • 我在家吃早餐I eat breakfast at home.
  • 我每天都來這裡I come here every day.
  • 你幾點上班？What time do you start work?
  • 我八點出門I leave home at eight.

Scene — another morning at breakfast

Maya comes into Banyan Breakfast after eating at home. Auntie Lin is behind the counter, and A-Li sits at the back with his unfinished soy milk.

Auntie Lin has noticed Maya's visits and takes a confident guess at her morning schedule. Maya decides to ask about Auntie Lin's workday too.

Maya has just come into the breakfast shop, Auntie Lin is behind the counter, and A-Li sits at the back with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — your day in short lines

These six lines take you from getting up to going to bed. Listen to each one and say it aloud.

Notice which lines give a time, which one describes a daily visit, and which one asks a question.

  1. Maya describes getting up early with a waking-and-stretching gesture while Auntie Lin listens behind the counter.

    我七點起床

    I get up at seven.

    When to use it: Say this when telling someone what time you get out of bed.

  2. Maya describes her bedtime with a sleepy gesture as Auntie Lin listens.

    我十一點睡覺

    I go to bed at eleven.

    When to use it: Say this when telling someone your bedtime.

  3. Maya explains that she eats breakfast at home, gesturing toward herself and an empty breakfast container.

    我在家吃早餐

    I eat breakfast at home.

    When to use it: Say this when explaining where you eat breakfast.

    Learn the words for eating at home as one piece.

  4. Maya gestures toward the familiar shop as she explains that she comes there every day, and Auntie Lin recognizes her routine.

    我每天都來這裡

    I come here every day.

    When to use it: Say this at a place you visit daily.

    Learn the daily-visit line as one piece.

  5. Maya asks Auntie Lin when she starts work, looking directly at her with a curious expression.

    你幾點上班？

    What time do you start work?

    When to use it: Ask someone when their workday starts.

    Say it: The first of the two third tones rises in speech.

  6. Auntie Lin answers Maya from behind the counter, gesturing toward the shop entrance as she describes leaving home.

    我八點出門

    I leave home at eight.

    When to use it: Say this when telling someone when you head out.

Story — Auntie Lin knows

Listen as Auntie Lin guesses Maya's morning schedule at the breakfast shop. Maya fills in the details and asks about Auntie Lin's workday.

A-Li is listening from the back table.

  1. Auntie Lin早安！你七點起床？Good morning! You get up at seven?
  2. Maya我七點起床。I get up at seven.
  3. Auntie Lin你在家吃早餐吧？You eat breakfast at home, right?
  4. Maya我在家吃早餐。I eat breakfast at home.
  5. Maya我每天都來這裡。I come here every day.
  6. Auntie Lin八點出門吧？You leave home at eight, right?
  7. Maya我八點出門。I leave home at eight.
  8. Maya你幾點上班？What time do you start work?
  9. Auntie Lin七點喔。At seven.
  10. A-Li我十一點睡覺。I go to bed at eleven.

Practice — talk about your routine

Work through short exercises about Maya's day. Pay attention to the time and activity in each English meaning.

After choosing an answer, say the complete Chinese line aloud before moving on.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我七點起床

  2. Build the line

    I go to bed at eleven.

    Tap the words in order.

  3. Fill the gap

    I eat breakfast at home.

    我在家吃____

  4. What did you hear?

  5. What do you say?

    You want to know when Auntie Lin starts work. Ask her.

  6. Swap the word

    Change the time you leave home from seven to eight.

    我____出門

  7. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    你幾點出門？

    What time do you leave home?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    I come here every day.

    Tap the words in order.

  9. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    早安Drop the English here
    晚安Drop the English here
    我七點起床Drop the English here
    我十一點睡覺Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Traditional Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  10. What do you say?

    A-Li asks when you go to bed. Tell him it is eleven.

Say it — tell them about your day

Play Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin already has a few guesses about your day, but you can tell her yourself.

Listen to each cue, then speak your line aloud. A-Li is nearby.

  1. Auntie Lin早安！Good morning!
  2. Maya (you)Tell Auntie Lin you get up at seven.

    我七點起床

    I get up at seven.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我七點起床I get up at seven.
我十一點睡覺I go to bed at eleven.
我在家吃早餐I eat breakfast at home.
我每天都來這裡I come here every day.
你幾點上班？What time do you start work?
我八點出門I leave home at eight.
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