🚌 Transportation & 不少 (bù shǎo) - Getting Around and Quantities
Master transportation vocabulary, the useful quantity word 不少 (quite a lot), and essential modal verbs 会/可以 for expressing abilities in Chinese.
Chinese lesson from Sunday, June 8, 2025
📚 Part A - Essential Learning
Master transportation vocabulary, the versatile quantity word 不少, and modal verbs for abilities. This section covers everything you need for talking about travel and expressing capabilities.
Perfect for beginners and essential concepts
📚 Key Phrase: 她买了不少衣服 (tā mǎi le bù shǎo yī fu)
📖
Grammar Focus
🚌 Transportation Patterns with 是...来的
To describe how you arrived somewhere, use the pattern 是 + [transportation method] + 来的. This emphasizes the method of arrival.
To describe how you arrived somewhere, use the pattern 是 + [transportation method] + 来的. This emphasizes the method of arrival.
Transportation pattern:
• 坐飞机 (zuò fēi jī) - by airplane
• 坐高铁 (zuò gāo tiě) - by high-speed train
• 坐火车 (zuò huǒ chē) - by train
• 乘公交车 (chéng gōng jiāo chē) - by bus
• 开车 (kāi chē) - drive/by car
我是 + [vehicle] + 来的• 坐飞机 (zuò fēi jī) - by airplane
• 坐高铁 (zuò gāo tiě) - by high-speed train
• 坐火车 (zuò huǒ chē) - by train
• 乘公交车 (chéng gōng jiāo chē) - by bus
• 开车 (kāi chē) - drive/by car
我是坐飞机来的
wǒ shì zuò fēi jī lái de
I came by airplane
📊 不少 (bù shǎo) - Quite a Lot/Many
不少 means 'quite a lot' or 'quite many'. It's more than 'some' but less specific than exact numbers. Very useful for describing quantities!
不少 means 'quite a lot' or 'quite many'. It's more than 'some' but less specific than exact numbers. Very useful for describing quantities!
Quantity pattern:
• 买了不少衣服 (mǎi le bù shǎo yī fu) - bought quite a lot of clothes
• 吃了不少东西 (chī le bù shǎo dōng xi) - ate quite a lot of things
• 看了不少电影 (kàn le bù shǎo diàn yǐng) - watched quite a lot of movies
Subject + 买了/吃了 + 不少 + Noun• 买了不少衣服 (mǎi le bù shǎo yī fu) - bought quite a lot of clothes
• 吃了不少东西 (chī le bù shǎo dōng xi) - ate quite a lot of things
• 看了不少电影 (kàn le bù shǎo diàn yǐng) - watched quite a lot of movies
他买了不少苹果
tā mǎi le bù shǎo píng guǒ
He bought quite a lot of apples
🎯 Modal Verbs: 会 vs 可以
会 (huì) means 'to know how to' or 'can' (ability), while 可以 (kě yǐ) means 'can' (permission) or 'may'. Both are essential for expressing what you're able to do!
会 (huì) means 'to know how to' or 'can' (ability), while 可以 (kě yǐ) means 'can' (permission) or 'may'. Both are essential for expressing what you're able to do!
Modal verb patterns:
• 会 + Verb (huì + Verb) = know how to do something
• 可以 + Verb (kě yǐ + Verb) = have permission/ability to do something
• 我会游泳 (wǒ huì yóu yǒng) = I know how to swim
• 我可以游泳 (wǒ kě yǐ yóu yǒng) = I can/may swim
• 会 + Verb (huì + Verb) = know how to do something
• 可以 + Verb (kě yǐ + Verb) = have permission/ability to do something
• 我会游泳 (wǒ huì yóu yǒng) = I know how to swim
• 我可以游泳 (wǒ kě yǐ yóu yǒng) = I can/may swim
我会玩
wǒ huì wán
I know how to play
她买了不少衣服
tā mǎi le bù shǎo yī fu
She bought quite a lot of clothes
Ella compró bastante ropa
词汇 Vocabulary
她买了不少衣服
tā mǎi le bù shǎo yī fu
English:
She bought quite a lot of clothes
Español:
Ella compró bastante ropa
🎂
🎉
🎈
🌟 Celebrating Sandy's birthday with this special lesson! 🌟
A special image to commemorate this important day
他买了不少苹果
tā mǎi le bù shǎo píng guǒ
English:
He bought quite a lot of apples
Español:
Él compró bastantes manzanas
我吃了不少东西
wǒ chī le bù shǎo dōng xi
English:
I ate quite a lot of things
Español:
Comí bastantes cosas
我是坐飞机来的
wǒ shì zuò fēi jī lái de
English:
I came by airplane
Español:
Vine en avión
今天下大雨
jīn tiān xià dà yǔ
English:
It's raining heavily today
Español:
Hoy llueve mucho
我是乘公交车来的
wǒ shì chéng gōng jiāo chē lái de
English:
I came by bus
Español:
Vine en autobús
我是坐高铁来的
wǒ shì zuò gāo tiě lái de
English:
I came by high-speed train
Español:
Vine en tren de alta velocidad
你怎么来呢？
nǐ zěn me lái ne?
English:
How are you coming?
Español:
¿Cómo vienes?
明天你怎么来呢？
míng tiān nǐ zěn me lái ne?
English:
How are you coming tomorrow?
Español:
¿Cómo vienes mañana?
我坐高铁来
wǒ zuò gāo tiě lái
English:
I'm coming by high-speed train
Español:
Vengo en tren de alta velocidad
我不坐火车，我不坐火车。
wǒ bù zuò huǒ chē, wǒ bù zuò huǒ chē.
English:
I don't take the train, I don't take the train.
Español:
No voy en tren, no voy en tren.
我不坐火车，我开车来。
wǒ bù zuò huǒ chē, wǒ kāi chē lái.
English:
I don't take the train, I drive here.
Español:
No voy en tren, vengo en coche.
我丈夫是坐公交车来的
wǒ zhàng fu shì zuò gōng jiāo chē lái de
English:
My husband came by bus
Español:
Mi marido vino en autobús
我会玩
wǒ huì wán
English:
I know how to play
Español:
Sé jugar
我可以玩
wǒ kě yǐ wán
English:
I can play
Español:
Puedo jugar
我会一直等你
wǒ huì yī zhí děng nǐ
English:
I will keep waiting for you
Español:
Te seguiré esperando
我丈夫
wǒ zhàng fu
English:
My husband
Español:
Mi marido
文化 Cultural Insights
🚄 Transportation in China reflects the country's rapid modernization. The high-speed rail network (高铁) is a source of national pride and connects cities that are hundreds of kilometers apart in just a few hours. The phrase 不少 is very commonly used in Chinese to describe quantities - it's more natural than always using specific numbers. When describing how you arrived somewhere, the 是...来的 pattern emphasizes the method rather than just the action, making your Chinese sound more native-like. Family terms like 丈夫 show respect and formality in Chinese culture. 🎂 And today we celebrate that all these words have reached us thanks to Sandy on her special day!
🎯 Part B - Advanced Practice
Ready to master transportation talk and quantity expressions? This section includes immersive reading practice about daily commuting, cultural insights into Chinese transportation, and hands-on exercises with modal verbs and quantity words.
For students ready to dive deeper
📖 Reading Practice
📖 今天怎么来的？- How Did You Come Today?
今天下大雨，小王和小李在公司。
小王问："你今天怎么来的？"
小李说："我是坐高铁来的。很快！"
"那你丈夫呢？他怎么来的？"
"我丈夫是坐公交车来的。他不喜欢坐高铁。"
小王笑了："我是开车来的，但是今天下大雨！"
"明天你怎么来呢？"
"如果明天还下雨，我就坐地铁来。"
小李说："我会一直坐高铁。我可以在车上看书。"
"昨天我买了不少书，都可以在高铁上看。"
小王说："我也买了不少东西，但是我买的是衣服！"
"我会玩，可以给你推荐几家好店。"
📝 Vocabulary from this reading:
公司
gōng sī
Company, office
如果
rú guǒ
If
地铁
dì tiě
Subway, metro
车上
chē shàng
On the vehicle
昨天
zuó tiān
Yesterday
推荐
tuī jiàn
Recommend
📚 Additional Learning Content
🚄 China's Transportation Revolution
China has the world's largest high-speed rail network. 高铁 (gāo tiě) can reach speeds of 350 km/h and connects major cities across the country.
China has the world's largest high-speed rail network. 高铁 (gāo tiě) can reach speeds of 350 km/h and connects major cities across the country.
Modern Chinese transportation:
• 高铁 (gāo tiě) - high-speed train
• 地铁 (dì tiě) - subway/metro
• 出租车 (chū zū chē) - taxi
• 网约车 (wǎng yuē chē) - ride-hailing car
• 共享单车 (gòng xiǎng dān chē) - shared bicycle
• 高铁 (gāo tiě) - high-speed train
• 地铁 (dì tiě) - subway/metro
• 出租车 (chū zū chē) - taxi
• 网约车 (wǎng yuē chē) - ride-hailing car
• 共享单车 (gòng xiǎng dān chē) - shared bicycle
🛍️ Shopping Quantities in Chinese Culture
Chinese often buy in larger quantities, especially during sales or festivals. 不少 is perfect for describing these shopping habits!
Chinese often buy in larger quantities, especially during sales or festivals. 不少 is perfect for describing these shopping habits!
Quantity expressions:
• 不少 (bù shǎo) - quite a lot
• 很多 (hěn duō) - many/a lot
• 一些 (yī xiē) - some
• 几个 (jǐ gè) - a few
• 大量 (dà liàng) - a large amount
• 不少 (bù shǎo) - quite a lot
• 很多 (hěn duō) - many/a lot
• 一些 (yī xiē) - some
• 几个 (jǐ gè) - a few
• 大量 (dà liàng) - a large amount
作业 Homework & Practice
📝 Homework for next class:
1. 🚌 Transportation Practice: Write 5 sentences using different transportation methods with the 是...来的 (shì...lái de) pattern
2. 📊 Quantity Expressions: Create 6 sentences using 不少 (bù shǎo) to describe things you bought, ate, or saw
3. 🎯 Modal Verbs: Practice the difference between 会 (huì) and 可以 (kě yǐ) by writing 8 sentences (4 with each)
4. ❓ Question Practice: Write questions using 怎么来 (zěn me lái) and answer them with different transportation methods
5. 🌧️ Weather Integration: Describe how weather affects your transportation choices using 下大雨 (xià dà yǔ)
💡 Real-life Challenge: Next time you travel somewhere, describe your journey in Chinese using today's patterns!
Practice Checklist:
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