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A Saturday of Choices (Part 1)

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A Saturday of Choices (Part 1)

星期六xīng qī liù早上zǎo shang,我wǒ问wèn弟弟dì di今天jīn tiān想xiǎng做zuò什么shén me。

Saturday morning, I asked my little brother what he wanted to do today.

他说tā shuō:“要么yào me我们wǒ men去qù爬山pá shān,要么yào me去qù河边hé biān钓鱼diào yú,你nǐ选xuǎn一个yī ge吧ba。”

He said, "Either we go hiking, or we go fishing by the river — you pick."

我wǒ看了kàn le看kàn天tiān,说shuō:“可能kě néng会huì下雨xià yǔ,还是hái shi在家zài jiā吧ba。”

I looked at the sky and said, "It might rain — let's just stay home."

在家zài jiā也yě要yào做zuò决定jué dìng:要么yào me看kàn电影diàn yǐng,要么yào me玩wán游戏yóu xì,我们wǒ men又yòu想xiǎng了le半天bàn tiān。

Staying home still meant deciding: either watch a movie or play games — and we spent forever thinking again.

弟弟dì di说shuō:“中午zhōng wǔ呢ne?要么yào me自己zì jǐ做zuò面条miàn tiáo,要么yào me出去chū qù吃chī,我wǒ都dōu可以kě yǐ。”

My brother said, "What about lunch? Either we make noodles ourselves or we eat out — I'm fine with both."

我wǒ说shuō:“家里jiā lǐ没有méi yǒu菜cài了le,所以suǒ yǐ只能zhǐ néng出去chū qù吃chī。”

I said, "There are no groceries at home, so eating out it is."

到了dào liǎo饭馆fàn guǎn,问题wèn tí更多gèng duō了le:要么yào me吃chī辣là的de,要么yào me吃chī不bù辣là的de,弟弟dì di跟gēn我wǒ想要的xiǎng yào de不一样bù yī yàng。

At the restaurant there were even more questions: either spicy or not spicy — and my brother and I wanted different things.

最后zuì hòu我们wǒ men点diǎn了le两个liǎng gè菜cài,一个yī ge辣là的de,一个yī ge不bù辣là的de,问题wèn tí解决jiě jué了le。

In the end we ordered two dishes, one spicy and one not, and the problem was solved.

吃完chī wán饭fàn,弟弟dì di问wèn:“下午xià wǔ我们wǒ men喝茶hē chá或者huò zhě喝hē咖啡kā fēi,怎么样zěn me yàng?”

After lunch, my brother asked, "This afternoon we could have tea or coffee — how about it?"

我wǒ笑了xiào le:“今天jīn tiān你nǐ终于zhōng yú不bù说shuō‘要么yào me’了le!”

I laughed: "You finally stopped saying 'either-or' today!"

他tā想xiǎng了le想xiǎng,说shuō:“那nà要么yào me你nǐ请客qǐng kè,要么yào me我wǒ请客qǐng kè——还是hái shi你nǐ请qǐng吧ba!”

He thought for a second and said, "Then either you treat or I treat — actually, you treat!"

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 79 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
星期六 xīng qī liùSaturday
早上 zǎo shangmorning; early morning
我 wǒI; me
问 wènto ask
弟弟 dì diyounger brother
今天 jīn tiāntoday
想 xiǎngto think; to want
做 zuòto do; to make
什么 shén mewhat
他说 tā shuōhe says
要么 yào meeither... or; one or the other
我们 wǒ menwe; us
去 qùto go
爬山 pá shānto climb a mountain; hiking
河边 hé biānriver bank
钓鱼 diào yúto fish with a rod and hook; also, to trick someone
你 nǐyou
选 xuǎnto choose; to select
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
吧 bamodal particle indicating suggestion
看了 kàn lelooked at; watched; read (completed action)
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
天 tiānday; sky
说 shuōto speak; to say
可能 kě néngpossible; might; perhaps
会 huìcan; to know how to; meeting
下雨 xià yǔto rain
还是 hái shior; had better
在家 zài jiāto be at home
也 yěalso
要 yàoto want; will
决定 jué dìngto decide; decision
电影 diàn yǐngmovie
玩 wánto play; to have fun; to visit for pleasure; toy
游戏 yóu xìgame; to play
又 yòuagain; also
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
半天 bàn tiānhalf of the day; quite a while
中午 zhōng wǔnoon; midday
呢 nequestion particle
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
面条 miàn tiáonoodles
出去 chū qùto go out
吃 chīto eat
都 dōuall; both
可以 kě yǐcan; may; possible; allowed
家里 jiā lǐat home; inside the house
没有 méi yǒudon't have; haven't
菜 càidish; vegetable
所以 suǒ yǐtherefore; so
只能 zhǐ néngcan only; must
到了 dào liǎoat last; finally; in the end
饭馆 fàn guǎnrestaurant
问题 wèn tíquestion; problem
更多 gèng duōmore; even more
辣 làspicy; hot
的 depossessive particle
不 bùno; not
跟 gēnwith; and; as (in 跟…一样); to follow
想要的 xiǎng yào dedesired; wanted
不一样 bù yī yàngdifferent; distinctive; unlike
最后 zuì hòufinal; last; finally
点 diǎno'clock; point; dot
两个 liǎng gètwo
解决 jiě juéto solve; to resolve
吃完 chī wánto finish eating
饭 fànfood; meal
下午 xià wǔafternoon; p.m.
喝茶 hē cháto drink tea; to get engaged; to have a serious conversation
或者 huò zhěor; perhaps; maybe
喝 hēto drink
咖啡 kā fēi(loanword) coffee
怎么样 zěn me yànghow?; what do you think?
笑了 xiào lesmiled; laughed
终于 zhōng yúfinally; at last
他 tāhe; him
那 nàthat; those
请客 qǐng kèto treat (someone); to invite for a meal
请 qǐngplease; to invite