1EmailEveryday life1 min

Saturday Is My Birthday

An invitation by e-mail: a day, a time and one thing the guest should not do.

A short e-mail with an invitation. 请(qǐng) here means “to invite”. Look at the subject line first: it already says why the mail was written.

From Wáng Fāng

To Dàwèi

Subject 星期六(xīngqīliù)是(shì)我(wǒ)的(de)生日(shēngrì)

大卫(Dàwèi)，你(nǐ)好(hǎo)！

这(zhè)个(ge)星期六(xīngqīliù)是(shì)我(wǒ)的(de)生日(shēngrì)。我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)来(lái)我(wǒ)家(jiā)吃饭(chīfàn)。我(wǒ)家(jiā)在(zài)公园(gōngyuán)对面(duìmiàn)。

你(nǐ)晚上(wǎnshang)六(liù)点(diǎn)来(lái)，好(hǎo)吗(ma)？我(wǒ)妈妈(māma)做(zuò)中国菜(Zhōngguócài)，我(wǒ)爸爸(bàba)做(zuò)蛋糕(dàngāo)。

你(nǐ)不(bú)要(yào)买(mǎi)东西(dōngxi)。你(nǐ)来(lái)，我(wǒ)就(jiù)很(hěn)高兴(gāoxìng)！请(qǐng)你(nǐ)明天(míngtiān)给(gěi)我(wǒ)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)。

王(Wáng)芳(Fāng)

Words: 59
Sentences: 10
Words per sentence: 5.9
in the vocabulary: 100 %
measured level: 1
Reading time: 1 min

Grammar in this text

These forms appear in the text in real use. Switch on “Show grammar” above the text to highlight them.

我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)
想(xiǎng) + verb says what somebody would like to do: 我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)来(lái). Would like and want: xiǎng and yào →
六(liù)点(diǎn)来(lái)，好(hǎo)吗(ma)
好(hǎo)吗(ma)？ after a suggestion asks for agreement. Yes-no questions with ma →

The words from 1 up in this text

Not the hard words in general, but those at your level: all 23 of the 36 words in this text are at 1 or above. You will know everything else by the time you get here.

东西
thing; stuff
1
中国菜
Chinese food
1
买
to buy
1
做
to do; to make
1
公园
park
1
吃饭
to eat; to have a meal
1
好
good; well
1
妈妈
mum; mother
1
家
home; family
1
对面
opposite; across the road
1
想
to want to; to think; to miss
1
打电话
to make a phone call
1
明天
tomorrow
1
星期六
Saturday
1
晚上
evening; night
1
来
to come
1
点
o'clock
1
爸爸
dad; father
1
生日
birthday
1
蛋糕
cake
1
要
to want; to need to; to be going to
1
请
please; to invite; to treat
1
高兴
happy, glad
1

The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 10 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.

Basic verbs 5 Clock and calendar 5 Food and drink 3 Home and rooms 2 People and family 2 Places in town 2 Basic adjectives 1 Feelings 1 Greetings and set phrases 1 The phone and the internet 1

Comprehension questions

3 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.

1. When is Wang Fang’s birthday?

2. Who makes the cake?

3. What does Wang Fang ask David to do tomorrow?