今天是妈妈的生日，我和爸爸想给她一个惊喜。
Today is Mom's birthday, and Dad and I wanted to surprise her.
我们打算自己做一个蛋糕，可是刚开始做，烤箱就坏了。
We planned to bake a cake ourselves, but just as we started, the oven broke.
我们不得不出门，去蛋糕店买一个。
We had no choice but to go out and buy one from the cake shop.
谁知道刚出门，天就下起了大雨，我们不得不回家拿伞。
Who knew that the moment we stepped out, it started pouring — we had no choice but to go back for umbrellas.
等我们到了车站，车刚刚开走，我们不得不走路去。
By the time we reached the stop, the bus had just pulled away, so we had no choice but to walk.
走到蛋糕店，最后一个蛋糕刚被别人买走了，我们不得不再想别的办法。
When we got to the cake shop, someone had just bought the last cake — we had no choice but to think of something else.
爸爸说：“妈妈六点回家，我们必须在六点以前准备好。”
Dad said, "Mom gets home at six — we must be ready before six."
最后我们买了很多水果，回家做了一大盘漂亮的水果。
In the end we bought lots of fruit and went home to make a big, beautiful fruit platter.
妈妈回来的时候，看到桌子上的蜡烛和水果，感动得快哭了。
When Mom came home and saw the candles and fruit on the table, she was so touched she nearly cried.
她笑着说：“这是我吃过的最特别的‘生日蛋糕’。”
She said with a smile, "This is the most special 'birthday cake' I've ever had."
我心想：今天我们不得不改了那么多次计划，可是结果挺好的。
I thought to myself: we were forced to change plans so many times today, but it turned out pretty great.
Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 今天 | jīn tiān | today |
| 是 | shì | to be; correct |
| 妈妈 | mā ma | mom |
| 的 | de | possessive particle |
| 生日 | shēng rì | birthday |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me |
| 和 | hé | and; with |
| 爸爸 | bà ba | (coll.) father; dad |
| 想 | xiǎng | to think; to want |
| 给 | gěi | to give; for, to (sb) |
| 她 | tā | she |
| 一个 | yī ge | a; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc) |
| 惊喜 | jīng xǐ | pleasant surprise; to be pleasantly surprised |
| 我们 | wǒ men | we; us |
| 打算 | dǎ suàn | to plan; to intend |
| 自己 | zì jǐ | oneself; one's own |
| 做 | zuò | to do; to make |
| 蛋糕 | dàn gāo | cake |
| 可是 | kě shì | but; however |
| 刚 | gāng | hard; firm; strong; just; barely; exactly |
| 开始 | kāi shǐ | to begin; to start |
| 烤箱 | kǎo xiāng | oven |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; precisely |
| 坏了 | huài le | shoot!; gosh!; oh, no!; (suffix) to the utmost |
| 不得不 | bù dé bù | have no choice but to; must |
| 出门 | chū mén | to go out; to leave home |
| 去 | qù | to go |
| 店 | diàn | shop; store |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy |
| 谁知道 | shéi zhī dào | God knows...; Who would have imagined...? |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky |
| 下 | xià | down; next |
| 起 | qǐ | to get up; to rise; up (after a verb); starting from (从…起) |
| 了 | le | (particle indicating completed action or change of state) |
| 大雨 | dà yǔ | heavy rain; measure word: 场/場 (cháng) |
| 回家 | huí jiā | to return home |
| 拿 | ná | to take; to hold |
| 伞 | sǎn | umbrella; parasol |
| 等 | děng | to wait; (after a list) and so on, etc. |
| 到了 | dào liǎo | at last; finally; in the end |
| 车站 | chē zhàn | station |
| 车 | chē | car; vehicle |
| 刚刚 | gāng gang | just recently; just a moment ago |
| 开走 | kāi zǒu | to go (of car, train etc); to drive off |
| 走路 | zǒu lù | to walk; to go on foot |
| 走到 | zǒu dào | to walk to |
| 最后 | zuì hòu | final; last; finally |
| 被 | bèi | indicates passive voice; by |
| 别人 | bié ren | other people; others |
| 走了 | zǒu le | left; departed |
| 再 | zài | again |
| 别的 | bié de | other; something else |
| 办法 | bàn fǎ | method; way |
| 说 | shuō | to speak; to say |
| 六点 | liù diǎn | six o'clock |
| 必须 | bì xū | must; have to |
| 在 | zài | to be (located); at; in |
| 以前 | yǐ qián | before; formerly |
| 准备 | zhǔn bèi | to prepare |
| 好 | hǎo | good |
| 很多 | hěn duō | Many; a lot |
| 水果 | shuǐ guǒ | fruit |
| 做了 | zuò le | did; have done |
| 一 | yī | one |
| 大 | dà | big; large |
| 盘 | pán | plate; dish; tray |
| 漂亮 | piào liang | pretty; beautiful |
| 回来 | huí lai | to return; to come back |
| 时候 | shí hou | time; when |
| 看到 | kàn dào | to see |
| 桌子 | zhuō zi | table; desk |
| 上 | shàng | up; on |
| 蜡烛 | là zhú | candle |
| 感动 | gǎn dòng | to be moved; touched emotionally |
| 得 | de | used after a verb to indicate degree |
| 快 | kuài | fast; quick; soon |
| 哭 | kū | to cry; to weep |
| 笑着 | xiào zhe | Smiling; laughing (as an action) |
| 这是 | zhè shì | This is |
| 吃 | chī | to eat |
| 过 | guò | to pass; past experience |
| 最 | zuì | most; -est |
| 特别 | tè bié | special; especially |
| 心想 | xīn xiǎng | to think to oneself; to think |
| 改 | gǎi | to change; to correct |
| 那么 | nà me | in that way; so; like that |
| 多次 | duō cì | many times; repeatedly |
| 计划 | jì huà | plan; project |
| 结果 | jié guǒ | result; outcome; consequence |
| 挺好 | tǐng hǎo | very good |