Family, Friends and Social Relationships

Invitations, Requests and Responses

An invitation is a sentence that asks another person to do something together. A common structure is 一起(yìqǐ: together) + verb + 吧(ba) or 好不好(hǎo bu hǎo: is that all right?) at the end of the sentence, for example: 下午一起去书店吧。 When asking the listener whether they are free, use 有空(yǒu kòng: free) or 有时间(yǒu shíjiān: have time).

• Accepting — use 好啊(hǎo a: sure), 好的(hǎo de: all right) or 没问题(méi wèntí: no problem). The reply usually adds the meeting time and place, for example: 好啊，我们六点在食堂门口见。 You can state clearly which day you are free and then arrange the time and place, such as 周六我有空，我们早上八点在地铁站见吧。 Saying 在老地方见(zài lǎo dìfang jiàn: see you at the usual place) is also a common way to arrange a meeting.
• Polite refusal — begin with 真不好意思(zhēn bù hǎoyìsi: I am really sorry), then give the reason, especially when you already have an appointment: 已经和…约好了(yǐjīng hé… yuēhǎo le: already arranged with…). For example: 真不好意思，我周末已经约好了。
• Answering day by day — when asked which days you are free, use 有事(yǒu shì: busy, have something on) for busy days and 可以(kěyǐ: available) for free days. For example: 周一有课，周二可以。
• Off-topic replies — replies to a thank-you, such as 不用客气(búyòng kèqi: don't mention it), or statements about something already done, are not answers to an invitation, even if the sentence contains a word related to eating or meeting.

Requests usually use 能…吗(néng… ma: can… ?) or 帮我…一下(bāng wǒ… yíxià: help me… a little). For example: 你能帮我看一下这个句子吗？

• Accepting help — use 好的 together with an action, such as 我去帮你拿过来(wǒ qù bāng nǐ ná guòlai: I will go and bring it over for you). You can ask the other person to 等我(děng wǒ: wait for me).
• Arranging something on the way — 顺路(shùnlù: on the way), 下班后(xiàbān hòu: after work), 取(qǔ: pick up). For example: 下班后我顺路去快递站取包裹(bāoguǒ: parcel).
• Answering whether something is finished — 还没有(hái méiyǒu: not yet) + 得再去一趟(děi zài qù yí tàng: have to go once more). 派出所(pàichūsuǒ: police station) is where people often go to complete certain personal documents.
• Reminding and replying immediately — the question 没…吧(méi… ba: not yet, right?) is used to remind someone of a task. Reply with 马上(mǎshàng: right away) and the 把 construction: 把 + object + verb + complement, for example: 我马上把门关上。
• Machine not working — reply with 别着急(bié zháojí: don't worry) and then 先看看(xiān kànkan: take a look first) whether the 电源(diànyuán: power supply) is 插好(chāhǎo: plugged in properly).
• Asking someone to pick you up — 接(jiē: pick up) + 车站(chēzhàn: station). For example: 明天我去车站接你。
• Agreeing to a favor between friends — 当然可以(dāngrán kěyǐ: of course you can), then you may ask when it starts: 你几点开始？

Apologies, Thanks and Congratulations

• Congratulations — use 恭喜(gōngxǐ: congratulations) + the achievement, such as 考上(kǎoshàng: passed the entrance exam for) 研究生(yánjiūshēng: graduate student). Reply with thanks and say that you 没想到(méi xiǎngdào: did not expect it), for example: 谢谢，我也没想到。
• Thanks — use 谢谢你…, 太感谢了(tài gǎnxiè le: thank you so much). Modest replies include 不用客气(búyòng kèqi: don't be so polite), 别客气(bié kèqi: don't mention it), 小事一件(xiǎoshì yí jiàn: it's a small matter), and 以后有事尽管说(yǐhòu yǒu shì jǐnguǎn shuō: if you need anything later, just say so). Example: 别客气，小事一件。
• Replying that it is something one should do — 这是我应该做的(zhè shì wǒ yīnggāi zuò de: this is what I should do). When the other person says they will treat you again another day, use 改天(gǎitiān: another day). Example: 这是我应该做的，改天再说吧。
• Thanks for receiving a gift — use 太客气了(tài kèqi le: you are too polite) or 别跟我这么见外(bié gēn wǒ zhème jiànwài: don't be so distant with me). Example: 你太客气了，我很喜欢。
• Receiving a gift — the giver says 请收下(qǐng shōuxià: please accept it). The receiver replies with thanks and states their feelings, such as 谢谢你的礼物，我很喜欢。
• Apologizing for arriving late — 又迟到了(yòu chídào le: you're late again) is a reproach. Reply with 对不起(duìbuqǐ: sorry), give a reason such as 路上堵车(lùshang dǔchē: traffic jam on the way), and then promise to 早点出门(zǎodiǎn chūmén: leave home earlier).
• Replying to an apology for being late — use 没关系(méi guānxi: it's all right) and you may add that you 也刚到不久(yě gāng dào bù jiǔ: I also just arrived not long ago). 好多了(hǎo duō le: much better) is a reply to a question about someone's health and is not a reply to an apology.
• Apologizing for cancelling an appointment — 真对不起(zhēn duìbuqǐ: I'm really sorry), and then forgive with 没关系，下次有机会再说吧(méi guānxi, xiàcì yǒu jīhuì zài shuō ba: it's fine, let's talk again when we have another chance).

Visiting a friend's home during a holiday

做客(zuòkè: visiting someone's home as a guest) means going to a friend's or acquaintance's home to chat and eat. Here 客人(kèrén: guest) and 主人(zhǔrén: host) have different roles: the host usually prepares the food, and the guest is invited to relax. When reading, you need to infer each person's role from their actions.

• Common holidays — 春节(Chūnjié: Spring Festival) often features 饺子(jiǎozi: dumplings), while 中秋节(Zhōngqiū Jié: Mid-Autumn Festival) often features 月饼(yuèbing: mooncakes). The host may give a box of cakes when the guest leaves, as in 临走时，她送给我们一盒月饼。
• Food and taste — 合口味(hé kǒuwèi: suits one's taste) is used to say that a dish suits you. When you eat too much, use 吃得太多(chī de tài duō: eat too much) or 吃饱(chībǎo: eat until full). Example: 菜很合口味，我吃得太饱了。
• Bringing gifts as a guest — guests often bring a 礼物(lǐwù: gift) such as tea or fruit, and use 作为礼物(zuòwéi lǐwù: as a gift) to state the purpose. Example: 我带了一盒茶作为礼物。 The host may say 人来就好(rén lái jiù hǎo: just coming is enough) to decline gifts next time.
• Gifts being eaten up — use the passive structure with 被(bèi: by, passive marker) and 吃光(chīguāng: eat up completely). Example: 水果被大家吃光了。
• Inviting more food and serving dishes — 多吃点儿(duō chī diǎnr: eat a little more), 夹菜(jiā cài: pick up food with chopsticks for someone), 端菜(duān cài: carry dishes). Example: 他一直给我夹菜。
• Guest wants to help, host declines — the guest may 帮忙洗碗(bāngmáng xǐ wǎn: help wash the dishes). The host often tells the guest to 坐着休息(zuò zhe xiūxi: sit and rest) because the guest should not do housework. The pattern 本来想…，但…(běnlái xiǎng…, dàn…: originally wanted to… but…) expresses an intention that could not be carried out.
• Timing of actions — 临走时(línzǒu shí: just before leaving), 离开的时候(líkāi de shíhou: when leaving), 吃饭前(chī fàn qián: before the meal), 边…边…(biān… biān…: doing… while doing…) express two actions happening at the same time. Example: 我们边吃边聊。
• Host asks you to take things home — 让我带一些…回家(ràng wǒ dài yìxiē… huí jiā: let me take some… home) is how a host gives food to take away. Example: 他让我带一些点心回家。
• Identifying statements that do not match the content — bringing gifts, eating at a restaurant, going to the park, or learning to cook do not always happen when visiting a guest's home. Choose only information that appears in the passage; for example, 提前离开(tíqián líkāi: leave early) is not mentioned.
• Meaning of fish — 鱼(yú: fish) is a homophone of 余(yú: surplus), so a fish dish often symbolizes 年年有余(niánnián yǒu yú: surplus every year). Example: 过年时，很多人家会做鱼。
• Fruit brought to the host — a guest may 买一盒水果送给(mǎi yì hé shuǐguǒ sòng gěi: buy a box of fruit to give to) the host when leaving. Example: 离开的时候，我买了一盒水果送给他们。

Activities with Family and Friends

This group includes words for family members and words used when talking about doing things together. It is important to distinguish clearly between words for kinship relations and words for actions.

• 陪 (péi: to accompany, to keep company) — verb, usually used in the pattern 陪 + person + go somewhere / do something, meaning to go along with someone to a certain place. Example: 周末妈妈陪我去公园散步。

• 一起 (yìqǐ: together) — adverb, placed before the verb, not after the verb. Example: 晚上我们一起吃饭。

• 做好 (zuòhǎo: to finish doing) — resultative complement; 做好了 indicates that the task has been completed, and it often takes a noun for a dish as its object, such as 饭. Example: 妈妈已经把晚饭做好了。

About words for relatives:

• 爷爷 (yéye: paternal grandfather) — the father of one's father. The wife of 爷爷 is 奶奶 (nǎinai: paternal grandmother). Example: 爷爷每天早上都去公园锻炼。

• 姐姐 (jiějie: older sister) — an older sister, older than oneself. An older brother is 哥哥, and a younger sister is 妹妹. Example: 我姐姐在公司工作，比我大。

• 弟弟 (dìdi: younger brother) — a younger brother, younger than oneself. Example: 弟弟比我小，他很喜欢打篮球。

• 生日 (shēngrì: birthday) — noun; 过生日 (guò shēngrì: to celebrate a birthday) is a common verb phrase. Example: 下个月是爸爸的生日，我们一起过生日。

• 做客 (zuòkè: to visit someone's home as a guest) — used in the pattern 去 + someone's home + 做客. When reading texts about holidays, remember that 中秋节 (Zhōngqiū Jié: Mid-Autumn Festival) and 月饼 (yuèbǐng: mooncake) are words associated with family reunion occasions. Example: 春节那天，我们去叔叔家做客。

Asking Friends About Themselves and Their Lives

These are conversation patterns for meeting friends again, asking about their situation, and responding appropriately.

• 好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bújiàn: long time no see) — a greeting used when meeting again after a long time. It is usually followed by 你最近怎么样 (how have you been lately). The reply is usually 还不错 (háibúcuò: not bad, fairly good), and one may add 就是 (only / it's just that) + a reason, such as 最近工作有点忙 (work has been a bit busy lately). When asking about health, use 身体怎么样 (shēntǐ zěnmeyàng: how is your health).

• 搬家 (bānjiā: to move house) — separable verb. When asking about a new home, use 住得习惯 (zhù de xíguàn: whether one is used to living there), the structure 动词 + 得 + 形容词 that evaluates how someone lives or does something. The reply is usually 挺习惯的 (tǐng xíguàn de: quite used to it), together with 离…很近 (lí… hěn jìn: is very close to…) and 方便 (fāngbiàn: convenient). Example: 我住得很习惯，楼下的超市也很方便。

• 好多了 (hǎo duō le: much better) — 好 + 多了 indicates an improvement compared with before. It is used when talking about an illness. Example: 她前几天感冒了，现在好多了。 When asked after, one may add 谢谢你的关心 (thank you for your concern).