我会说汉语 I Can Speak Chinese

我wǒ是shì美国人Měiguó rén，我wǒ在zài中国Zhōngguó工作gōngzuò。

I am American, and I work in China.

我wǒ会huì说shuō一点儿yìdiǎnr汉语Hànyǔ。

I can speak a little Chinese.

今天jīntiān中午zhōngwǔ我wǒ去qù饭店fàndiàn吃饭chī fàn。

Today at noon I go to a restaurant to eat.

我wǒ说shuō：“我wǒ吃chī米饭mǐfàn，喝hē茶chá。”

I say, "I'll have rice and tea."

饭店fàndiàn的de人rén听tīng了le很hěn高兴gāoxìng，他tā说shuō：“你nǐ的de汉语Hànyǔ很hěn好hǎo！”

The man at the restaurant hears this and is very pleased; he says, "Your Chinese is very good!"

我wǒ很hěn高兴gāoxìng，我wǒ爱ài学习xuéxí汉语Hànyǔ。

I am very happy — I love studying Chinese.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

会huìcan; to know how to

汉语HànyǔChinese (language)

一点儿yìdiǎnra little

饭店fàndiànrestaurant

米饭mǐfàn(cooked) rice

学习xuéxíto study

会 + verb — learned ability

会 means 'can' for skills you have learned: 我会说汉语 = I can speak Chinese.

她会做菜。— She can cook.

一点儿 — a little

一点儿 goes after the verb to soften the amount: 我会说一点儿汉语 = I can speak a little Chinese.

我喝一点儿水。— I drink a little water.

1. Where does the narrator work?

2. What does the narrator order at the restaurant?

3. What does the man at the restaurant say?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.