我不知道 I Don't Know in Chinese

下午xiàwǔ，一个yí gè学生xuésheng在zài学校xuéxiào门口ménkǒu问wèn我wǒ路lù。

In the afternoon, a student asked me for directions at the school gate.

他tā说shuō：“请问qǐngwèn，图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr？”

He said, "Excuse me, where is the library?"

我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr，我wǒ也yě是shì新xīn同学tóngxué。

I don't know where the library is — I'm also a new student.

我wǒ告诉gàosu他tā：“你nǐ可以kěyǐ问wèn李老师Lǐ lǎoshī，她tā知道zhīdào。”

I told him, "You can ask Teacher Li — she knows."

那个nàge学生xuésheng说shuō：“谢谢xièxie你nǐ，我wǒ去qù问wèn她tā。”

The student said, "Thank you — I'll go ask her."

后来hòulái他tā找到zhǎodào了le李老师Lǐ lǎoshī，李老师Lǐ lǎoshī告诉gàosu他tā图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr。

Afterward, he found Teacher Li, and she told him where the library was.

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

Key words 生词

知道zhīdàoto know

问wènto ask

路lùroad; way

告诉gàosuto tell

找到zhǎodàoto find

新xīnnew

不知道 + 疑问句

不知道 is followed directly by a question phrase like 在哪儿 or 是谁 — no 吗 needed.

我不知道图书馆在哪儿。 — I don't know where the library is.

你可以 + V

可以 here softly suggests an action — like saying 'you could' rather than asking permission.

你可以问李老师。 — You could ask Teacher Li.

也 + 是/V

也 goes right before 是 or a verb to mean 'also' or 'too'.

我也是新同学。 — I'm also a new student.

1. Who asks for directions at the school gate?

2. Why can't the narrator help?

3. Who finally tells the student where the library is?

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.