Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 79 of 240

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Foods I love, foods I skip in Traditional Chinese

At the night market, A-Jie offers Maya a chicken cutlet. She loves its flavor but notices the oil, and they talk about what she usually chooses.

Learn to describe a favorite, say what you do not like, and ask about vegetarian options. These phrases help you explain food preferences naturally.

Listen for the details in each phrase, then practise asking and answering questions. A-Jie's stall has a familiar favorite, while another snack may suit Maya better tonight.

By the end of this lesson

Describe a favorite food, explain what you dislike or try to avoid, and ask about vegetarian options.

  • 這是我的最愛This is my favourite.
  • 我不太喜歡太甜的I don't like things that are too sweet.
  • 這個太油了This is too oily.
  • 你最喜歡吃什麼？What do you like eating most?
  • 有素的選項嗎？Are there any vegetarian options?
  • 我盡量不吃油炸的I try not to eat fried food.

Scene — a night-market favorite

At the night market, A-Jie is working at his chicken-cutlet stall. Maya enjoys the cutlet's flavor, even though she notices how oily it is.

She tries not to eat fried food often and asks A-Jie about vegetarian choices nearby. The fortune slip stays folded away, and A-Li is not part of this scene.

Maya visits A-Jie’s chicken-cutlet stall, where he is working amid the lively Taipei night market.

Learn — describe what you eat

These phrases help you describe a favorite, explain what you avoid, and ask about choices at a food stall.

Notice how 太甜的 describes things that are too sweet without naming a particular food.

  1. Maya happily points to the chicken cutlet as her favourite, while A-Jie serves her at the stall.

    這是我的最愛

    This is my favourite.

    When to use it: Say this when pointing out something you like best.

  2. Maya politely declines an overly sweet-looking treat as A-Jie offers it at his stall.

    我不太喜歡太甜的

    I don't like things that are too sweet.

    When to use it: Use this to explain that very sweet food or drinks are not your preference.

    Here, 的 lets 太甜 describe things in general, without naming a specific food.

  3. Maya notices the cutlet’s oily surface and reacts with mild concern while A-Jie watches.

    這個太油了

    This is too oily.

    When to use it: Say this when food has more oil than you like.

  4. A-Jie gestures toward the food choices as he asks Maya what she likes eating most.

    你最喜歡吃什麼？

    What do you like eating most?

    When to use it: Ask someone which food they like eating best.

  5. Maya asks A-Jie about vegetarian choices nearby, gesturing toward the surrounding food stalls.

    有素的選項嗎？

    Are there any vegetarian options?

    When to use it: Ask a food vendor whether vegetarian choices are available.

  6. Maya explains that she tries to avoid fried food, gesturing toward the cutlet while A-Jie listens.

    我盡量不吃油炸的

    I try not to eat fried food.

    When to use it: Use this to explain that you make an effort to avoid fried food.

Story — a cutlet with a catch

Maya stops by A-Jie's night-market stall and talks with him about chicken cutlets. She likes the flavor but is trying to avoid too much fried food.

When she asks about vegetarian choices, A-Jie points her toward a nearby stall.

  1. Maya你好，阿傑！Hi, A-Jie!
  2. A-Jie瑪雅，來吃雞排喔！Maya, come have some chicken cutlet!
  3. A-Jie你最喜歡吃什麼？What do you like eating most?
  4. Maya這是我的最愛。This is my favourite.
  5. A-Jie你不怕油嗎？Doesn't the oil bother you?
  6. Maya這個太油了。This is too oily.
  7. Maya我盡量不吃油炸的。I try not to eat fried food.
  8. A-Jie可是你很喜歡雞排喔。But you really like chicken cutlet.
  9. Maya對啊，味道很好。我不太喜歡太甜的。That's right, it tastes great. I don't like things too sweet.
  10. Maya有素的選項嗎？Are there any vegetarian options?
  11. A-Jie有，隔壁有烤玉米。Yes, there's grilled corn next door.
  12. Maya謝謝！我去看看。Thanks! I'll go have a look.

Practice — talk about food

Try eight exercises about food preferences, from choosing a phrase to building a question and filling a missing word.

Pay attention to whether the speaker is asking about a favorite, describing a taste, or checking what is available.

0 of 8 done

  1. What does it mean?

    這是我的最愛

  2. What do you say?

    A drink tastes sweeter than you prefer. Tell A-Jie you do not like things that sweet.

  3. Build the line

    What do you like eating most?

    ？

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    This is too oily.

    這個太____了

  5. What do you say?

    You are asking A-Jie about meat-free choices at the night market. Ask if there are vegetarian options.

  6. What did you hear?

  7. Pick the reply

    A-Jie says:

    你好，瑪雅！

    Hi, Maya!

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    A-Jie has pointed out another stall. Thank him before you go to look.

Say it — your food preferences

You are Maya at A-Jie's night-market stall. Listen to his questions and answer with your own food preferences.

Then ask about vegetarian choices and listen to A-Jie's reply. Speak each response aloud before moving on.

  1. A-Jie asks Maya about her favorite food.
  2. A-Jie你最喜歡吃什麼？What do you like eating most?
  3. Maya (you)Point out the food you like best.

    這是我的最愛

    This is my favourite.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
這是我的最愛This is my favourite.
我不太喜歡太甜的I don't like things that are too sweet.
這個太油了This is too oily.
你最喜歡吃什麼？What do you like eating most?
有素的選項嗎？Are there any vegetarian options?
我盡量不吃油炸的I try not to eat fried food.
Next: lesson 80Sharing a table

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