Learn Chinese 12 : What’s the weather like here?

Learn Chinese 12 : What’s the weather like here?

1.
Wǒ zhù zài Bīn Zhōu Pittsburgh.
我住在宾州Pittsburgh。
我住在賓州 Pittsburgh。
I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

2.
Zhèlǐ tiānqì hén hǎo.
这里天气很好。
這裡天氣很好。
The weather here is very nice.

3.
Yì nián yǒu sì ge jìjié: chūtiān, xiàtiān, qiūtiān hé dōngtiān.
一年有四个季节：春天、夏天、秋天和冬天。
一年有四個季節：春天、夏天、秋天和冬天。
There are four seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.

4.
Chūntiān tiānqì hěn shūfu.
春天天气很舒服。
春天天氣很舒服。
The weather in Spring is very comfortable.

5.
Bù lěng yě bú rè.
不冷也不热。
不冷也不熱。
It is neither cold nor hot.

6.
Xiàtiān bǐjiào rè.
夏天比较热。
夏天比較熱。
It is fairly hot in Summer.

7.
Yìbān shì bāshí dù dào jiǔshí dù.
一般是八十度到九十度。
一般是八十度到九十度。
It is usually 80 to 90 degrees.

8.
Yǒude shíhou jiǔshí duō dù.
有的时候九十多度。
有的時候九十多度。
Sometimes, it is more than 90 degrees.

9.
Qiūtiān shì zuì hǎo de jìjié.
秋天是最好的季节。
秋天是最好的季節。
Fall is the best season.

10.
Bù cháng xià yǔ.
不常下雨。
不常下雨。
It does not rain often.

11.
Dōngtiān bǐjiào lěng.
冬天比较冷。
冬天比較冷。
It is fairly cold in Winter.

12.
Yǒushíhou xià xuě.
有时候下雪。
有時候下雪。
It snows sometimes.

13.
Kěshì xuě bú tài dà.
可是雪不太大。
可是雪不太大。
But snow is not too heavy.

14.
Zhù zài Pittsburgh búcuò.
住在Pittsburgh不错。
住在 Pittsburgh 不錯。
It is not bad to live in Pittsburgh.

Notes
‘bù lěng yě bú rè’ means ‘neither cold nor hot’. The construction of ‘bù…yě…’ is a commonly used one in Chinese, e.g.

‘bú kuài yě bú màn’ [neither fast nor slow]
‘bù nán yě bù róngyì’ [neither difficult nor easy]

‘dào’ in ‘bāshí dù dào jiǔshí dù’ indicates a range ’80 degrees to 90 degrees’. More examples:

‘yì tiān dào liǎng tiān’ [one to two days]
‘yì nián dào sān nián’ [one to three years]

1.
Xiè lǎoshī shì Shànghǎi rén.
谢老师是上海人。
謝老師是上海人。
Prof. Xie is from Shanghai.

2.
Tā yǐqián zhù zài Shànghǎi.
他以前住在上海。
他以前住在上海。
He used to live in Shanghai.

3.
Chūntiān de tiānqì bǐjiào hǎo.
春天的天气比较好。
春天的天氣比較好。
The weather in Spring is fairly good.

4.
Kěshì dào le sì wǔ yuè jiù chángcháng xià yǔ.
可是到了四五月就常常下雨。
可是到了四五月就常常下雨。
But when April (and) May come, it rains often.

5.
Yǒude shíhou hěn mēn.
有的时候很闷。
有的時候很悶。
Sometimes (it is) very stuffy.

6.
Xiàtiān hěn rè.
夏天很热。
夏天很熱。
(It) is very hot in summer.

7.
Yìbān shì sānshí dù zuǒyòu.
一般是三十度左右。
一般是三十度左右。
It is generally around 30 degrees.

8.
Xiàwǔ chángcháng xià léizhènyǔ.
下午常常下雷阵雨。
下午常常下雷陣雨。
There are often thunderstorms in the afternoon.

9.
Yǒude shíhou yǔ hěn dà.
有的时候雨很大。
有的時候雨很大。
The rain is very heavy sometimes.

10.
Qiūtiān hěn shūfu, bù lěng yě bú rè.
秋天很舒服，不冷也不热。
秋天很舒服，不冷也不熱。
It is very comfortable in fall. It is neither cold nor hot.

11.
Dōngtiān suīrán bù cháng xià xuě, kěshì hén lěng.
冬天虽然不常下雪，可是很冷。
冬天雖然不常下雪，可是很冷。
Although it does not snow oftern in winter, it is very cold.

12.
Yìbān rén jiālǐ dōu méiyou nuǎnqì.
一般人家里都没有暖气。
一般人家裡都沒有暖氣。
Ordinary people don’t have heating at home.

Notes
‘yǐqián’ is an adverb of time. It means ‘before, in the past’. No particular time is mentioned here.
‘suīrán…kěshì…’ is parallel to English ‘Although…’ or ‘…, but…’ In Chinese, both ‘suīrán’ and ‘kěshì’ should be included.

1.
John, nǐmen nàr tiānqì zénmeyàng?
John,你们那儿天气怎么样？
John, 你們那兒天氣怎麼樣？
John, how’s weather like in your area?

2.
Hái búcuò.
还不错。
還不錯。
Not too bad.

3.
Xiàtiān rè bu rè?
夏天热不热？
夏天熱不熱？
Is it hot in summer?

4.
Háihǎo, bú tài rè, yìbān bāshí dù zuǒyòu.
还好，不太热，一般八十度左右。
還好，不太熱，一般八十度左右。
It is OK, not too hot. It is generally around 80 degrees.

5.
Dōngtiān lěng bu lěng?
冬天冷不冷？
冬天冷不冷？
Is it cold in winter?

6.
Dōngtiān bǐjiào lěng, cháng xià xuě, kěshì bú tài dà.
冬天比较冷，常下雪，可是不太大。
冬天比較冷，常下雪，可是不太大。
It is fairly cold in winter. It snows often, but (snow) is not heavy.

7.
Nǐmen nàr shénme shíhòu zuì shūfu?
你们那儿什么时候最舒服？
你們那兒什麼時候最舒服？
When is the most comfortable time in your area?

8.
Qiūtiān zuì hǎo, bù lěng yě bú rè.
秋天最好，不冷也不热。
秋天最好，不冷也不熱。
Fall is the best. It is neither cold nor hot.

9.
Kěshì yǒude shíhòu xià yǔ.
可是有的时候下雨。
可是有的時候下雨。
But it rains sometimes.

10.
Chángcháng xià yǔ ma?
常常下雨吗？
常常下雨嗎？
Does it rain often?

11.
Bùcháng xià yǔ.
不常下雨。
不常下雨。
It does not rain often.

12.
Nà nǐmen nàr tiānqì hái búcuò.
那你们那儿天气还不错。
那你們那兒天氣還不錯。
Well, your weather is not bad.

Notes
‘nǐmen nàr’ [you there] sounds an awkward in English, while it is a frequently used expression in Chinese. It refers the place where your are. ‘wǒmen zhèr’ means ‘the place where we are’.
‘hái’ in ‘hái búcuò’, ‘hái hǎo’ carries the meaning of ‘fairly’ or ‘possibly’.

1.
Nǐ zhīdào bu zhīdào Běijīng xiàtiān rè bu rè?
你知道不知道北京夏天热不热？
你知道不知道北京夏天熱不熱？
Do you know if summer in Beijing is hot or not?

2.
Wǒ bú tài qīngchǔ.
我不太清楚。
我不太清楚。
I am not clear.

3.
Wǒ méiyou zài Běijīng zhù guò.
我没有在北京住过。
我沒有在北京住過。
I didn not live in Beijing.

4.
Wǒ tīngshuō xiàtiān bú tài rè.
我听说夏天不太热。
我聽說夏天不太熱。
I heard that summer is not too hot.

5.
Yìbān shì duōshǎo dù?
一般是多少度？
一般是多少度？
What’s the temperature generally?

6.
Yìbān shì sānshí dù zuǒyòu.
一般是三十度左右。
一般是三十度左右。
It is generally around 30 degrees.

7.
Shì shèshì sānshí dù, duì bu duì?
是摄氏三十度，对不对？
是攝氏三十度，對不對？
It is 30 degrees by Centigrade, is it correct?

8.
Duì, huáshì jiǔshí dù zuǒyòu.
对，华氏九十度左右。
對，華氏九十度左右。
Right, it is around 90 degrees by Ferenheit.

9.
Dōngtiān yídìng hén lěng ba?
冬天一定很冷吧？
冬天一定很冷吧？
It must be very cold in winter.

10.
Shìde. Dōngtiān jīngcháng xià xue.
是的，冬天经常下雪。
是的，冬天經常下雪。
Yes. It often snows in winter.

11.
Yǒude shíhòu xué hěn dà.
有的时候雪很大。
有的時候雪很大。
Sometimes snow is very heavy.

12.
Běijīng rén jiālǐ yǒu méiyou nuǎnqì?
北京人家里有没有暖气？
北京人家裡有沒有暖氣？
Do people in Beijing have heating at home?

13.
Yǒu.
有。
有。
(Yes, they) have.

Notes
‘méiyou…guò’ in ‘méiyou zài Běijīng zhù guò’ is an important construction in Chinese. It means somebody does not have experience of doing something. This construction will be explained in detail later.

1.
Ní yǐqián zhù zài nálǐ?
你以前住在哪里？
你以前住在哪裡？
Where did you live before?

2.
Wó yǐqián zhù zài Táiběi.
我以前住在台北。
我以前住在台北。
I used to live in Taibei.

3.
Wǒ tīngshuō nàlǐ xiàtiān hěn rè, shì bu shì?
我听说那里夏天很热，是不是？
我聽說那裡夏天很熱，是不是？
I heard that it is very hot over there in summer, is it so?

4.
Shì, búdàn hěn rè, érqiě hěn mēn, chángcháng xià yǔ.
是，不但很热，而且很闷，常常下雨。
是，不但很熱，而且很悶，常常下雨。
Yes, it is not only hot, but also very stuffy. It rains often.

5.
Xiàtiān shì bu shì háiyou táifēng?
夏天是不是还有台风？
夏天是不是還有颱風？
Do you often have typhoon in summer?

6.
Duìle, xiàtiān jīngcháng guā táifēng.
对了，夏天经常刮台风。
對了，夏天經常颳颱風。
Yes, we often have typhoon in summer.

7.
Táiwān yìbān rén jiālǐ dōu yǒu lěngqì ba?
台湾一般人家里都有冷气吧？
台灣一般人家裡都有冷氣吧？
Do ordinary people in Taiwan have air-conditionner at home?

8.
Shìde, dà duōshù rén jiālǐ yǒu lěngqì.
是的，大多数人家里有冷气。
是的，大多數人家裡有冷氣。
Yes, mojority people have air-conditionner at home.

9.
Yé yǒude rén zhí yǒu diànfēngshàn.
也有的人只有电风扇。
也有的人只有電風扇。
But there are also people who only have electric fans.

10.
Nà xiàtiān búshì hěn nánshòu ma?
那，夏天不是很难受吗？
那，夏天不是很難受嗎？
Then, isn’t it very unbearable in summer?

11.
Háihǎo, wǒmen dōu xíguàn le.
还好，我们都习惯了。
還好，我們都習慣了。
It is OK, we are used to it.

Notes
‘guā táifēng’ literally means ‘to blow typhoon’. There are a category of sentences in Chinese called subjectless sentences. They are usually used to describe natural phenomena. For example ‘xià yǔ’ [it rains], ‘xià xuě’ [it snows], ‘guā fēng’ [wind blows] and etc.
‘xíguàn le’ means ‘got used to it’.

1. Say it in Chinese
How to say the following phrases? Please speak out. If you forget, click “answer”.
1. He used to live in Shanghai. answer
Tā yǐqián zhù zài Shànghǎi.
他以前住在上海。

2. The weather in Spring is fairly good. answer
Chūntiān de tiānqì bǐjiào hǎo.
春天的天氣比較好。

3. (Yes, they) have. answer
Yǒu.
有。

4. It is fairly hot in Summer. answer
Xiàtiān bǐjiào rè.
夏天比較熱。

5. It is not bad to live in Pittsburgh. answer
Zhù zài Pittsburgh búcuò.
住在 Pittsburgh 不錯。

6. Yes. It often snows in winter. answer
Shìde. Dōngtiān jīngcháng xià xue.
是的，冬天經常下雪。

7. But when April (and) May come, it rains often. answer
Kěshì dào le sì wǔ yuè jiù chángcháng xià yǔ.
可是到了四五月就常常下雨。

8. It snows sometimes. answer
Yǒushíhou xià xuě.
有時候下雪。

9. It is fairly cold in Winter. answer
Dōngtiān bǐjiào lěng.
冬天比較冷。

10. Yes, we often have typhoon in summer. answer
Duìle, xiàtiān jīngcháng guā táifēng.
對了，夏天經常颳颱風。

2. Answer questions in Chinese
Please click on the speaker icon and listen to the question. Answer the questions based on your own situation. Please speak out. If you can’t answer the question, click on answer to see the answer to the question as it appears on the dialogue.
1. Běijīng rén jiālǐ yǒu méiyou nuǎnqì? answer
Yǒu.
有。
(Yes, they) have.

2. Wǒ tīngshuō nàlǐ xiàtiān hěn rè, shì bu shì? answer
Shì, búdàn hěn rè, érqiě hěn mēn, chángcháng xià yǔ.
是，不但很熱，而且很悶，常常下雨。
Yes, it is not only hot, but also very stuffy. It rains often.

3. Táiwān yìbān rén jiālǐ dōu yǒu lěngqì ba? answer
Shìde, dà duōshù rén jiālǐ yǒu lěngqì.
是的，大多數人家裡有冷氣。
Yes, mojority people have air-conditionner at home.

4. Yìbān shì duōshǎo dù? answer
Yìbān shì sānshí dù zuǒyòu.
一般是三十度左右。
It is generally around 30 degrees.

5. Dōngtiān lěng bu lěng? answer
Dōngtiān bǐjiào lěng, cháng xià xuě, kěshì bú tài dà.
冬天比較冷，常下雪，可是不太大。
It is fairly cold in winter. It snows often, but (snow) is not heavy.

6. Xiàtiān rè bu rè? answer
Háihǎo, bú tài rè, yìbān bāshí dù zuǒyòu.
還好，不太熱，一般八十度左右。
It is OK, not too hot. It is generally around 80 degrees.

7. Dōngtiān yídìng hén lěng ba? answer
Shìde. Dōngtiān jīngcháng xià xue.
是的，冬天經常下雪。
Yes. It often snows in winter.

8. Nà xiàtiān búshì hěn nánshòu ma? answer
Háihǎo, wǒmen dōu xíguàn le.
還好，我們都習慣了。
It is OK, we are used to it.

9. Chángcháng xià yǔ ma? answer
Bùcháng xià yǔ.
不常下雨。
It does not rain often.

10. Shì shèshì sānshí dù, duì bu duì? answer
Duì, huáshì jiǔshí dù zuǒyòu.
對，華氏九十度左右。
Right, it is around 90 degrees by Ferenheit.