Classes, the library, classmates and enrolment: the Chinese of a semester or a year at a Chinese university.
32 sentences · 3 dialogues · 18 words
Every year many students spend a semester or a whole degree in China, and many more take part in exchanges and language courses. Even where teaching is in English, life on campus is not.
Studying is also the fastest way to learn: classmates, teachers and a timetable give you the same situations every day. This page gathers the sentences for class, the library and the paperwork.
Goals by level. Tick what you can already do — the tick stays in this browser only.
18 words from the word lists, ordered by level. A coloured edge shows what you have already practised.
Short dialogues to read along and repeat. Say one part first, then the other.
On the first day of a language course.
你好！你也是留学生吗？Hi! Are you an international student too?
是的，我是德国人。你呢？Yes, I’m German. And you?
我是韩国人。你学汉语多长时间了？I’m Korean. How long have you been learning Chinese?
一年了。汉字太难了！A year. Characters are so hard!
我们一起练习吧。Let’s practise together.
好啊！Good idea!
You want to borrow a book for a course.
您好，我想借这本书。Hello, I’d like to borrow this book.
请给我你的学生证。Your student card, please.
给您。可以借多长时间？Here you are. How long can I keep it?
一个月。到期以前可以在网上续借。A month. Before it’s due you can renew it online.
太好了。图书馆周末开吗？Great. Is the library open at weekends?
开，早上八点到晚上十点。Yes, from eight in the morning to ten at night.
You need a reference for a scholarship application.
王老师，您现在有时间吗？Professor Wang, do you have a moment?
有，什么事？Yes, what is it?
我想申请奖学金，需要您的推荐信。I’d like to apply for a scholarship and need a reference from you.
没问题。什么时候要？No problem. When do you need it?
下周五以前。麻烦您了。By next Friday. Sorry to trouble you.
不客气，我这两天就写。Not at all — I’ll write it in the next day or two.
The label says where a sentence belongs. The speaker next to it reads it aloud.
我是留学生。I’m an international student.
我在中国学习汉语。I’m studying Chinese in China.
老师，这个字怎么读？How do you read this character?
这个词是什么意思？What does this word mean?
我听不懂，请再说一遍。I don’t understand — please say it again.
明天有考试。There’s an exam tomorrow.
我们八点上课。Our class starts at eight.
你是哪国人？Which country are you from?
我住在学校的宿舍。I live in the student dormitory.
汉字很难，但是很有意思。Characters are hard, but they’re very interesting.
图书馆几点关门？What time does the library close?
今天的作业是什么？What’s today’s homework?
我每天晚上复习生词。I go over the new words every evening.
我的同学来自很多国家。My classmates come from many different countries.
下课以后我们去食堂吃饭吧。Let’s go to the canteen after class.
你的汉语说得真好！Your Chinese is really good!
哪里哪里，还差得远呢。Oh, not at all — I still have a long way to go.
我找了一个语言伙伴。I’ve found a language partner.
考试考得怎么样？How did the exam go?
老师，我明天想请假。I’d like to ask for tomorrow off, please.
我是来中国留学的。I’ve come to China to study.
这学期我选了四门课。I’ve chosen four courses this semester.
你的专业是什么？What’s your subject?
我打算申请奖学金。I’m planning to apply for a scholarship.
报名的时候要带护照和照片。When you enrol, you need to bring your passport and photos.
能借我你的笔记看看吗？Could I borrow your notes to have a look?
宿舍离教学楼不远。The dormitory isn’t far from the teaching building.
毕业以后我想在中国工作。After I graduate I’d like to work in China.
老师讲得太快了，我跟不上。The teacher speaks too fast — I can’t keep up.
为了练口语，我每天跟中国朋友聊天。To practise speaking, I chat with Chinese friends every day.
通过这次交流，我对中国的了解更多了。Through this exchange I have come to understand China much better.
论文要在学期结束以前交。The dissertation has to be handed in before the end of the semester.
6 questions on the words and sentences of this field. The word questions count in your progress like any other exercise.
Read the meaning, say the sentence aloud in Chinese, then open it to compare.
我是留学生。
我住在学校的宿舍。
哪里哪里，还差得远呢。
报名的时候要带护照和照片。
Every sentence on this page was written for EveryLingua. There are no quotations from films, series, books or songs here, and no titles or names of artists — the page shows how people talk in this field, not what somebody once said.
