New here? This is lesson 181 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Keep going in Traditional Chinese
Maya's first Saturday tone drill at the community center starts rough. The teacher waits, and A-Li, on two stools, leans in with quiet cheer while his own turn is still ahead.
Learn six lines for cheering someone who is learning or struggling. Use them when a try goes badly, then when it gets better.
You will hear these lines in class, then say them to keep a friend going.
By the end of this lesson
Cheer someone who is learning or struggling, and keep them going after a hard try.
- 繼續加油Keep it up.
- 你可以的You can do it.
- 不要放棄Don't give up.
- 你有在進步You are improving.
- 這樣已經是很好的開始了That's already a good start.
- 沒關係，再試一次It's okay, try again.
Scene — a Saturday tone drill
Saturday light fills the community center classroom in Da'an. Maya sits for her first tone drill; the teacher stands by the blank board.
A-Li occupies two stools in the next row. The drill goes badly at first, then better, and nobody needs a fortune for that.
Learn — cheers that keep someone going
These six lines cheer someone who is learning or stuck. Listen, then say each one out loud.
Notice the light ending on 你可以的, and how 了 marks a start that already counts.
繼續加油
Keep it up.
When to use it: Cheer someone who should keep going after a hard try.
加油 here means keep working, not adding fuel.
你可以的
You can do it.
When to use it: Use this when someone doubts they can manage it.
A final 的 makes this cheer feel complete and warm.
Say it: 的 is a light neutral tone at the end.
不要放棄
Don't give up.
When to use it: Use this when someone wants to stop trying.
不要 before a verb tells someone not to do that.
Say it: 不 rises before the falling tone of 要.
你有在進步
You are improving.
When to use it: Use this when you notice improvement still happening.
有在 before a verb marks that the change is in progress.
這樣已經是很好的開始了
That's already a good start.
When to use it: Praise an early try that already counts as a start.
The 了 at the end presents this as how things stand now.
沒關係，再試一次
It's okay, try again.
When to use it: Use this after a miss, then invite one more try.
再 before a verb means to do that action one more time.
Story — the drill gets better
Listen to Maya's first Saturday tone drill at the community center. It starts badly, then the teacher and A-Li help her keep going.
Later, A-Li takes his turn, and Maya pays the cheer back.
- the teacher瑪雅，換你了。Maya, it's your turn.
- the teacher好，第一個音。Okay, first sound.
Maya老師，可以再說一次嗎？Teacher, can you say it again?- the teacher好，跟我唸。Okay, repeat after me.
- Maya欸，我好像說錯了。Ah, I think I said it wrong.
- the teacher沒關係，再試一次。It's okay, try again.
- Maya好喔，可是我有點緊張。Okay, but I'm a bit nervous.
A-Li你可以的。You can do it.- the teacher慢慢來，不用急。Take your time, no rush.
- Maya我還在學。I'm still learning.
- the teacher這樣已經是很好的開始了。That's already a good start.
- A-Li不要放棄。Don't give up.
- the teacher繼續加油。Keep it up.
- Maya tries the drill again, then A-Li takes his turn.
- the teacher你有在進步。You are improving.
- A-Li換我了，我也有點緊張。My turn, and I'm a bit nervous too.
- Maya你可以的。You can do it.
- the teacher沒關係，再試一次。It's okay, try again.
- Maya繼續加油。Keep it up.
Practice — choose the right cheer
Work through short exercises to pick the right cheer for each moment. Some items ask you to listen, build, or fill a gap.
After each answer, read why the other choices fail, then say the line again.
0 of 11 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
繼續加油
What do you say?
What do you say?
A-Li looks nervous before his drill. Cheer him that he can manage it.
Build the line
Build the line
You are improving.
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Don't give up.
不要____
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Pick the reply
A-Li says:
Pick the reply
我還是說不好。
I still can't say it well.
And you reply with:
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
繼續加油Drop the English here你可以的Drop the English here不要放棄Drop the English here你有在進步Drop the English hereEnglish
Swap the word
Swap the word
A classmate doubts they can manage the drill. Swap the word so you tell them they can.
你____的
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Take your time, no rush.
慢慢來，不用____
What do you say?
What do you say?
The teacher asks why the drill feels hard. Explain that you are still learning.
Pick the reply
the teacher says:
Pick the reply
好，第一個音。
Okay, first sound. Maya did not catch which one.
And you reply with:
Say it — cheer someone on
You play Maya. After your own drill, A-Li gets nervous, and you cheer him on with the lines you learned.
Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay his line before your turn.
- After Maya's drill, A-Li takes his turn and starts to freeze.
- A-Li我有點緊張。I'm a bit nervous.
- Maya (you)Tell A-Li he can manage this.
Tell A-Li he can manage this.
你可以的
You can do it.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 繼續加油 | Keep it up. | |
| 你可以的 | You can do it. | |
| 不要放棄 | Don't give up. | |
| 你有在進步 | You are improving. | |
| 這樣已經是很好的開始了 | That's already a good start. | |
| 沒關係，再試一次 | It's okay, try again. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's encouragement lines are in Yak Cards with more ways to keep a friend going.
Review a few cheer cards on tough days so the words come quickly.
Open Yak Cards