Traditional Chinese - Past Experiences

Lesson 67 of 152

A warm café scene in Taiwan with two friends sharing stories, showing a Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin lesson about past experiences.

Goal: Tell the story, then look back on what really happened.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Some memories are simple. Others have plot twists, rain, wrong turns, and nervous first moments. Today you’ll get the phrases that make those stories sound natural.

Level B1: In this lesson, you’ll practice describing what was happening at the time, what you didn’t realize then, and what the result turned out to be. You’ll also ask how someone felt, explain how you spent time, talk about changed plans, and reflect on the past. Basically: your life stories get more “wait, then what happened?” energy.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Describe the background of a past event using phrases like 那時候，我正在___。 (Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài ___.).
  • Explain later realizations and outcomes in a natural B1 conversation.
  • Ask someone about feelings during a past experience.
  • Reflect on a past event from today’s point of view.
A learner looking at old travel photos on a phone while practicing Traditional Chinese phrases in Taiwan Mandarin about memories and changed plans.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

那時候，我正在___。

Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài ___.

At the time, I was ___.

Meaning: At the time, I was ___.

When to use: Use this to set the background scene for a past event—what you were doing or what state you were in.

Tip: Use 正在 (zhèngzài) with something ongoing, like waiting, working, studying, or preparing—not usually with a completed one-time action.

那時候，我正在準備面試。

Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài zhǔnbèi miànshì.

At the time, I was preparing for an interview.
那時候，我正在等朋友。

Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài děng péngyǒu.

At the time, I was waiting for a friend.

我當時沒發現___。

Wǒ dāngshí méi fāxiàn ___.

I didn’t realize that ___.

Meaning: I didn’t realize that ___.

When to use: Use this when you found something out later or only understood it after the event.

Tip: Don’t add 了 (le) after 沒發現 (méi fāxiàn). With 沒 (méi), the past meaning is already clear.

我當時沒發現他其實很累。

Wǒ dāngshí méi fāxiàn tā qíshí hěn lèi.

I didn’t realize at the time that he was actually very tired.
我當時沒發現時間已經改了。

Wǒ dāngshí méi fāxiàn shíjiān yǐjīng gǎi le.

I didn’t realize at the time that the time had already changed.

結果其實是___。

Jiéguǒ qíshí shì ___.

It turned out to be ___.

Meaning: It turned out to be ___.

When to use: Use this to reveal the final truth, result, or evaluation after a situation became clear.

結果其實是我走錯路了。

Jiéguǒ qíshí shì wǒ zǒu cuò lù le.

It turned out that I had gone the wrong way.
結果其實是那家店很有名。

Jiéguǒ qíshí shì nà jiā diàn hěn yǒumíng.

It turned out that that shop was very famous.

回頭看，我覺得___。

Huítóu kàn, wǒ juéde ___.

Looking back, I think ___.

Meaning: Looking back, I think ___.

When to use: Use this when you reflect on a past experience from your current point of view.

回頭看，我覺得那次經驗很重要。

Huítóu kàn, wǒ juéde nà cì jīngyàn hěn zhòngyào.

Looking back, I think that experience was very important.
回頭看，我覺得我那時候太緊張了。

Huítóu kàn, wǒ juéde wǒ nà shíhou tài jǐnzhāng le.

Looking back, I think I was too nervous then.

___的時候，你感覺怎麼樣？

___ de shíhou, nǐ gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

How did you feel when ___?

Meaning: How did you feel when ___?

When to use: Use this to ask about someone’s feelings during a specific past event.

第一次上台報告的時候，你感覺怎麼樣？

Dì yī cì shàngtái bàogào de shíhou, nǐ gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

How did you feel when you gave a presentation on stage for the first time?
搬來台灣的時候，你感覺怎麼樣？

Bān lái Táiwān de shíhou, nǐ gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

How did you feel when you moved to Taiwan?

我花了 ___ 做 ___。

Wǒ huā le ___ zuò ___。

I spent ___ doing ___.

Meaning: I spent ___ doing ___.

When to use: Use this to describe how much time you used for an activity.

Tip: The pattern is 花了 (huā le) + time + 做 (zuò) + activity. Put the time right after 花了 (huā le).

我花了三個小時做簡報。

Wǒ huā le sān ge xiǎoshí zuò jiǎnbào.

I spent three hours making the presentation.
我花了一整天整理照片。

Wǒ huā le yì zhěng tiān zhěnglǐ zhàopiàn.

I spent a whole day organizing photos.

我們本來要 ___，結果 ___。

Wǒmen běnlái yào ___, jiéguǒ ___。

We were supposed to ___, but ___.

Meaning: We were supposed to ___, but ___.

When to use: Use this when a plan changed or the result was different from what people expected.

我們本來要去台中，結果下大雨。

Wǒmen běnlái yào qù Táizhōng, jiéguǒ xià dà yǔ.

We were supposed to go to Taichung, but it rained heavily.
我們本來要看電影，結果票賣完了。

Wǒmen běnlái yào kàn diànyǐng, jiéguǒ piào mài wán le.

We were supposed to watch a movie, but the tickets were sold out.

一開始我對 ___ 有點緊張。

Yī kāishǐ wǒ duì ___ yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng。

I was nervous about ___ at first.

Meaning: I was nervous about ___ at first.

When to use: Use this to describe your first emotional reaction when facing a new or important experience.

一開始我對新工作有點緊張。

Yī kāishǐ wǒ duì xīn gōngzuò yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.

I was a little nervous about the new job at first.
一開始我對中文報告有點緊張。

Yī kāishǐ wǒ duì Zhōngwén bàogào yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.

I was a little nervous about the Chinese presentation at first.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna tells David about her first work presentation in Taipei.

Anna and David talking at a Taipei café, using Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin to describe feelings, surprises, and reflections from past experiences.

What kind of past experience is Anna talking about?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

第一次在台北開會的時候，你感覺怎麼樣？

Dì yī cì zài Táiběi kāihuì de shíhou, nǐ gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

How did you feel when you had your first meeting in Taipei?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

一開始我對中文簡報有點緊張。

Yī kāishǐ wǒ duì Zhōngwén jiǎnbào yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.

At first, I was a little nervous about the Chinese presentation.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

那時候，我正在準備好多資料。

Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài zhǔnbèi hǎo duō zīliào.

At the time, I was preparing a lot of materials.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我花了三個小時做簡報，可是我當時沒發現投影機壞了。

Wǒ huā le sān ge xiǎoshí zuò jiǎnbào, kěshì wǒ dāngshí méi fāxiàn tóuyǐngjī huài le.

I spent three hours making the presentation, but I didn’t realize at the time that the projector was broken.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

哇，那你們怎麼辦？

Wa, nà nǐmen zěnme bàn?

Wow, then what did you all do?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我們本來要用投影片，結果改成聊天式報告。

Wǒmen běnlái yào yòng tóuyǐngpiàn, jiéguǒ gǎi chéng liáotiān shì bàogào.

We were supposed to use slides, but it changed into a conversational-style presentation.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

結果其實是大家比較喜歡那種方式。

Jiéguǒ qíshí shì dàjiā bǐjiào xǐhuān nà zhǒng fāngshì.

It turned out that everyone actually liked that style more.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

回頭看，我覺得那次經驗很有幫助。

Huítóu kàn, wǒ juéde nà cì jīngyàn hěn yǒu bāngzhù.

Looking back, I think that experience was very helpful.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which sentence means “At the time, I was waiting for a taxi”?

Which sentence means “I didn’t realize that the meeting time had changed”?

Which sentence means “We were supposed to eat dinner, but the restaurant was closed”?

Which sentence asks “How did you feel when you moved to Taiwan?”

At the time, I was preparing for an interview.

昨天接到公司電話的時候，___，我正在準備面試。

I spent two hours doing homework.

明天要考試，所以我花了兩個小時 ___。

We were supposed to go watch a movie, but the tickets were sold out.

我們本來要去看電影，到電影院才知道 ___。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

那時候，我正在___。

Nà shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài ___.

At the time, I was ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我當時沒發現___。

Wǒ dāngshí méi fāxiàn ___.

I didn’t realize that ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

結果其實是___。

Jiéguǒ qíshí shì ___.

It turned out to be ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

回頭看，我覺得___。

Huítóu kàn, wǒ juéde ___.

Looking back, I think ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___的時候，你感覺怎麼樣？

___ de shíhou, nǐ gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

How did you feel when ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我花了 ___ 做 ___。

Wǒ huā le ___ zuò ___。

I spent ___ doing ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我們本來要 ___，結果 ___。

Wǒmen běnlái yào ___, jiéguǒ ___。

We were supposed to ___, but ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

一開始我對 ___ 有點緊張。

Yī kāishǐ wǒ duì ___ yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng。

I was nervous about ___ at first.