为什么学中文 Why I Study Chinese

很多hěn duō朋友péngyou问wèn我wǒ：“你nǐ为什么wèishénme学xué中文Zhōngwén？”

A lot of friends ask me: "Why do you study Chinese?"

三sān年nián以前yǐqián，我wǒ第一次dì yī cì去qù中国Zhōngguó旅游lǚyóu。

Three years ago I traveled to China for the first time.

在zài北京Běijīng的de时候shíhou，我wǒ想xiǎng问路wèn lù，可是kěshì我wǒ不会bú huì说shuō中文Zhōngwén。

In Beijing I wanted to ask for directions, but I couldn't speak Chinese.

那个nàge时候shíhou我wǒ就jiù想xiǎng：我wǒ要yào学xué中文Zhōngwén。

Right then I thought: I'm going to learn Chinese.

现在xiànzài我wǒ已经yǐjīng学xué了le两liǎng年nián了le，可以kěyǐ和hé中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou说话shuōhuà了le。

Now I have already studied for two years, and I can talk with Chinese friends.

学xué中文Zhōngwén很hěn慢màn，可是kěshì我wǒ觉得juéde很hěn有意思yǒu yìsi。

Learning Chinese is slow, but I find it very interesting.

我wǒ希望xīwàng明年míngnián再zài去qù中国Zhōngguó，用yòng中文Zhōngwén买mǎi东西dōngxi和hé问路wèn lù。

I hope to go to China again next year and use Chinese to buy things and ask for directions.

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

Key words 生词

为什么wèishénmewhy

以前yǐqiánbefore; ago

旅游lǚyóuto travel

已经yǐjīngalready

希望xīwàngto hope

有意思yǒu yìsiinteresting

为什么 — asking why

为什么 sits where the answer would sit, right before the verb: 你为什么学中文? There is no word-order change like in English.

你为什么不去？ — Why aren't you going?

已经…了 — already

已经 goes before the verb and 了 closes the sentence. With a length of time it means the action started before and is still going on.

我已经学了两年了。 — I've been studying for two years now.

…以前 — before; ago

以前 comes AFTER the time word or the action, the opposite of English: 三年以前 (three years ago), 吃饭以前 (before eating).

睡觉以前我看书。 — I read before going to sleep.

1. When did the writer first go to China?

2. What happened to the writer in Beijing?

3. How long has the writer studied Chinese?

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.