借书 Borrowing Books in Chinese

我wǒ很hěn喜欢xǐhuan看书kànshū，但是dànshì书shū太tài贵guì了le，所以suǒyǐ我wǒ经常jīngcháng去qù图书馆túshūguǎn借书jièshū。

I love reading, but books are too expensive, so I often go to the library to borrow them.

星期六xīngqīliù上午shàngwǔ，我wǒ骑qí自行车zìxíngchē去qù了le学校xuéxiào旁边pángbiān的de图书馆túshūguǎn。

On Saturday morning, I rode my bike to the library next to the school.

我wǒ想xiǎng借jiè的de那nà本běn书shū很hěn有名yǒumíng，可是kěshì我wǒ找zhǎo了le半天bàntiān也yě没méi找到zhǎodào。

The book I wanted to borrow is very famous, but I searched for ages and still couldn't find it.

我wǒ问wèn工作人员gōngzuò rényuán：“请问qǐngwèn，那nà本běn书shū在zài哪儿nǎr？”

I asked the staff member: "Excuse me, where is that book?"

她tā说shuō：“那nà本běn书shū被bèi人rén借走jièzǒu了le，下xià星期一xīngqīyī才cái会huì还回来huán huílai。”

She said: "That book has been borrowed by someone; it won't be back until next Monday."

我wǒ先xiān借jiè了le两liǎng本běn别的biéde书shū，然后ránhòu把bǎ名字míngzi写xiě在zài借书卡jièshūkǎ上shang。

I first borrowed two other books, then wrote my name on the library card.

工作人员gōngzuò rényuán告诉gàosu我wǒ，一yì本běn书shū可以kěyǐ借jiè一个yí gè月yuè，到dào时间shíjiān一定yídìng要yào还huán。

The staff member told me a book can be borrowed for one month, and it must be returned on time.

下xià星期一xīngqīyī我wǒ要yào再zài去qù一yí次cì，希望xīwàng能néng借到jièdào那nà本běn有名yǒumíng的de书shū。

Next Monday I'll go one more time — I hope I can get that famous book.

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

Key words 生词

借jièto borrow

还huánto return (sth)

图书馆túshūguǎnlibrary

有名yǒumíngfamous

工作人员gōngzuò rényuánstaff member

借书卡jièshūkǎlibrary card

Grammar note 语法点

A + 被 (+ B) + verb

The 被 passive puts the thing acted on first; the doer comes after 被 and can be vague, like 人 'someone'. For example, 书被人借走了 means 'the book was borrowed by someone'.

那本书被人借走了。 — That book has been borrowed by someone.

先……，然后……

先…然后… links two actions in order: 'first ..., then ...'. Each part is a full verb phrase, e.g. 先吃饭，然后看书.

我先借了两本别的书，然后把名字写在借书卡上。 — I first borrowed two other books, then wrote my name on the library card.

……才 + verb

才 marks that something happens later than hoped or expected — 'not until'. It goes right before the verb, e.g. 他十点才起床.

那本书下星期一才会还回来。 — The book won't be returned until next Monday.

Check yourself 小测验

1. Why does the narrator often borrow books from the library?

2. Why couldn't he find the famous book?

3. How long can a book be borrowed for?

借书Jiè shūBorrowing Books in Chinese

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 3 reading practice