Traditional Chinese - Future Plans

Lesson 69 of 152

A learner checks a busy calendar while planning weekend activities, with Traditional Chinese phrases for Taiwan Mandarin future plans floating nearby. The scene feels organized but playful, showing choices, goals, and open possibilities.

Goal: Talk about what’s coming up, even when the details are still fuzzy.

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

Life plans are rarely neat, right? Sometimes you’re excited, sometimes you’re saving money, and sometimes you’re just trying to find one free hour on your calendar.

Level B1: In this lesson, you’ll practice natural Taiwan Mandarin phrases for talking about future plans with a little nuance. You’ll say you’re trying to make time, still figuring out details, looking forward to something, saving up, or probably not doing something. Yak Yacker says: future you will be proud of present you.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • At B1, talk about flexible future plans without sounding too direct or too vague.
  • Say you are trying to make time with 我在想辦法挪時間給 ___ (Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi ___).
  • Ask about someone’s plans using 你 ___ 有安排嗎? (Nǐ ___ yǒu ānpái ma?) and ___ 之後你想做什麼? (___ zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?).
  • Express anticipation, saving goals, and unlikely plans in a natural spoken way.
Two friends in a Taiwan café talk over drinks while looking at a phone calendar, practicing Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin phrases about future plans. The mood is relaxed, with travel notes and class reminders on the table.

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.

我在想辦法挪時間給 ___。

Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi ___。

I'm trying to make time for ___.

Meaning: I'm trying to make time for ___.

When to use: Use this when something matters to you, but your schedule is tight.

Tip: This is about making room in your schedule, not physically moving time.

我在想辦法挪時間給家人。

Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi jiārén.

I'm trying to make time for my family.
我在想辦法挪時間給運動。

Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi yùndòng.

I'm trying to make time for exercise.

我還得弄清楚 ___。

Wǒ hái děi nòng qīngchǔ ___。

I still have to figure out ___.

Meaning: I still have to figure out ___.

When to use: Use this when details are not confirmed yet, such as time, place, price, or a schedule.

Tip: Do not use it only for big life decisions; it also works for small details you need to confirm.

我還得弄清楚會議地點。

Wǒ hái děi nòng qīngchǔ huìyì dìdiǎn.

I still have to figure out the meeting location.
我還得弄清楚下週的班表。

Wǒ hái děi nòng qīngchǔ xià zhōu de bānbiǎo.

I still have to figure out next week’s work schedule.

我沒有什麼固定計畫。

Wǒ méiyǒu shénme gùdìng jìhuà。

I don't have any fixed plans.

Meaning: I don't have any fixed plans.

When to use: Use this when you are open, undecided, or don’t have a set schedule yet.

今天晚上我沒有什麼固定計畫。

Jīntiān wǎnshàng wǒ méiyǒu shénme gùdìng jìhuà.

I don’t have any fixed plans tonight.
我沒有什麼固定計畫,你想去哪裡?

Wǒ méiyǒu shénme gùdìng jìhuà, nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ?

I don’t have any fixed plans. Where do you want to go?

你 ___ 有安排嗎?

Nǐ ___ yǒu ānpái ma?

Are you doing anything ___?

Meaning: Are you doing anything ___?

When to use: Use this to ask whether someone already has plans at a certain time.

你明天晚上有安排嗎?

Nǐ míngtiān wǎnshàng yǒu ānpái ma?

Are you doing anything tomorrow night?
你這個週末有安排嗎?

Nǐ zhège zhōumò yǒu ānpái ma?

Are you doing anything this weekend?

___ 之後你想做什麼?

___ zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What do you want to do after ___?

Meaning: What do you want to do after ___?

When to use: Use this to ask what someone wants to do after an event, class, work, dinner, or another activity.

下班之後你想做什麼?

Xiàbān zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What do you want to do after work?
吃飯之後你想做什麼?

Chīfàn zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What do you want to do after eating?

我很期待 ___。

Wǒ hěn qídài ___。

I'm looking forward to ___.

Meaning: I'm looking forward to ___.

When to use: Use this to show positive excitement about a future event, trip, class, or meeting.

我很期待週末的旅行。

Wǒ hěn qídài zhōumò de lǚxíng.

I’m looking forward to the weekend trip.
我很期待見到你。

Wǒ hěn qídài jiàn dào nǐ.

I’m looking forward to seeing you.

我在為 ___ 存錢。

Wǒ zài wèi ___ cún qián。

I'm saving up for ___.

Meaning: I'm saving up for ___.

When to use: Use this when you are preparing financially for a future goal, like travel, a purchase, or study.

我在為日本旅行存錢。

Wǒ zài wèi Rìběn lǚxíng cún qián.

I’m saving up for a trip to Japan.
我在為新的筆電存錢。

Wǒ zài wèi xīn de bǐdiàn cún qián.

I’m saving up for a new laptop.

我應該不會 ___。

Wǒ yīnggāi bú huì ___。

I don't think I'll ___.

Meaning: I don't think I'll ___.

When to use: Use this when a future action is unlikely, but you want to sound softer than a firm no.

Tip: This sounds softer and less final than saying you definitely will not do something.

我應該不會搬家。

Wǒ yīnggāi bú huì bānjiā.

I don’t think I’ll move.
我應該不會參加那個聚會。

Wǒ yīnggāi bú huì cānjiā nàge jùhuì.

I don’t think I’ll go to that party.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David are chatting about weekend plans after class.

Anna and David chat in Taiwan Mandarin about weekend plans, saving money, and what to do after class, with Traditional Chinese captions shown beside them. The scene highlights natural conversation about future plans.

What are they mainly talking about: past memories, future plans, or food preferences?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

你這個週末有安排嗎?

Nǐ zhège zhōumò yǒu ānpái ma?

Are you doing anything this weekend?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我沒有什麼固定計畫。你呢?

Wǒ méiyǒu shénme gùdìng jìhuà. Nǐ ne?

I don’t have any fixed plans. How about you?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我在想辦法挪時間給中文課,可是我還得弄清楚上課時間。

Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi Zhōngwén kè, kěshì wǒ hái děi nòng qīngchǔ shàngkè shíjiān.

I’m trying to make time for Chinese class, but I still have to figure out the class time.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

中文課之後你想做什麼?

Zhōngwén kè zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What do you want to do after Chinese class?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我很期待去台南玩,不過我在為旅行存錢。

Wǒ hěn qídài qù Táinán wán, búguò wǒ zài wèi lǚxíng cún qián.

I’m looking forward to going to Tainan for fun, but I’m saving up for the trip.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

聽起來不錯!我應該不會出國,可能在台北休息。

Tīng qǐlái búcuò! Wǒ yīnggāi bú huì chūguó, kěnéng zài Táiběi xiūxí.

Sounds nice! I don’t think I’ll go abroad. I’ll probably rest in Taipei.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

You want to say your schedule is tight, but you’re trying to make time for exercise. Which sentence fits?

How would you ask David if he has plans tonight?

Which sentence means “I still have to figure out the meeting time”?

You want to say “I don’t think I’ll go abroad.” Which choice is best?

Are you doing anything tonight?

我想約你吃晚餐,你 ___ 有安排嗎?

I’m saving up for a trip to Japan.

機票有點貴,我在為 ___ 存錢。

What do you want to do after work?

今天工作到六點,___ 之後你想做什麼?

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:

我在想辦法挪時間給 ___。

Wǒ zài xiǎng bànfǎ nuó shíjiān gěi ___.

I'm trying to make time for ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我還得弄清楚 ___。

Wǒ hái děi nòng qīngchǔ ___.

I still have to figure out ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我沒有什麼固定計畫。

Wǒ méiyǒu shénme gùdìng jìhuà.

I don't have any fixed plans.

Say this phrase out loud:

你 ___ 有安排嗎?

Nǐ ___ yǒu ānpái ma?

Are you doing anything ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

___ 之後你想做什麼?

___ zhīhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What do you want to do after ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我很期待 ___。

Wǒ hěn qídài ___.

I'm looking forward to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我在為 ___ 存錢。

Wǒ zài wèi ___ cún qián.

I'm saving up for ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我應該不會 ___。

Wǒ yīnggāi bú huì ___.

I don't think I'll ___.