怎么用 How to Use It in Chinese

我wǒ搬bān到dào新家xīnjiā，楼下lóuxià有yǒu洗衣机xǐyījī，可是kěshì我wǒ不bú会huì用yòng。

I moved into a new home, and there's a washing machine downstairs, but I don't know how to use it.

我wǒ问wèn旁边pángbiān的de邻居línjū阿姨āyí：“这个zhège怎么zěnme用yòng？”

I asked the neighbor auntie nearby: "How do you use this?"

她tā走zǒu到dào我wǒ旁边pángbiān，教jiāo我wǒ先xiān放fàng衣服yīfu，然后ránhòu开始kāishǐ洗xǐ。

She walked over next to me and taught me: first put the clothes in, then start washing.

过了guòle一会儿yíhuìr，洗衣机xǐyījī响xiǎng了le。

After a little while, the washing machine started making noise.

邻居línjū阿姨āyí说shuō：“响xiǎng了le就jiù是shì洗xǐ好hǎo了le。”

My neighbour said, "That beep means it's done."

半个小时bàn ge xiǎoshí后hòu，衣服yīfu洗xǐ好hǎo了le，我wǒ把bǎ它们tāmen拿到nádào阳台yángtái。

Half an hour later, the clothes were done, and I brought them out to the balcony.

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

Key words 生词

洗衣机xǐyījīwashing machine

邻居línjūneighbor

阿姨āyíauntie (older woman)

声音shēngyīnsound

响xiǎngto make a sound; to ring

阳台yángtáibalcony

怎么 + verb？（how to do something）

怎么 before a verb asks how an action is done.

这个怎么用？— How do you use this?

先...然后...（first...then...）

先 marks the first step and 然后 marks the step that follows.

先放衣服，然后开始洗。— First put the clothes in, then start washing.

就是（that means; simply）

就是 clarifies what something means or amounts to.

声音小了，就是洗好了。— When the sound gets quiet, that means it's done washing.

1. Why does the narrator ask the neighbor auntie for help?

2. What does the neighbor auntie tell her to do first?

3. How does the narrator know the laundry is done?