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💗 在家里 (zài jiā lǐ) - At Home Activities

Learn essential vocabulary for describing activities at home. Practice expressing what you do, where you are, and daily routines using HSK1-HSK2 level vocabulary.

Chinese lesson from Thursday, June 26, 2025

🏠 Home Activities

Learn how to describe what you do at home using simple, practical expressions with characters you already know.

Perfect for beginners and essential concepts

📚 Key Phrase: 我在家里 (wǒ zài jiā lǐ)

📖

Grammar Focus

💗 At Home Activities

Today we learn how to describe what we do at home using characters and patterns you already know. These expressions help you talk about daily routines and home life comfortably.
🏠 Location Pattern:
在 + [place] + [activity]

This pattern shows where you do something:
• 我在家里 (wǒ zài jiā lǐ) - I am at home
• 在家吃饭 (zài jiā chī fàn) - Eat at home
• 在家看书 (zài jiā kàn shū) - Read books at home
⏰ Ongoing Activity Pattern:
我在 + [verb] + [object]
• 我在看书 (wǒ zài kàn shū) - I am reading
• 我在吃饭 (wǒ zài chī fàn) - I am eating
• 我在工作 (wǒ zài gōng zuò) - I am working

在 shows the action is happening now.
你在做什么？
nǐ zài zuò shén me?
What are you doing?
🤔 Asking About Activities:
你在做什么？ is the most common way to ask what someone is doing right now. It uses:
• 你在 - you are (doing)
• 做什么 - doing what

Perfect for checking on family and friends!
💤 Daily Routine Expressions:
• Rest time: 我要睡觉 (wǒ yào shuì jiào) - I want to sleep
• Work status: 我不工作 (wǒ bù gōng zuò) - I don't work
• Time reference: 今天在家 (jīn tiān zài jiā) - Today at home
💡 Cultural Insight:
Chinese family culture values time spent at home together. The expression 和家人一起 (with family together) reflects the importance of family bonding time in Chinese culture.
我在家里
wǒ zài jiā lǐ
I am at home
Estoy en casa

词汇 Vocabulary Practice

Practice writing the phrases from today's Chinese lesson!

我在家里
wǒ zài jiā lǐ
English:
I am at home
Español:
Estoy en casa
你在做什么？
nǐ zài zuò shén me?
English:
What are you doing?
Español:
¿Qué estás haciendo?
我在看书
wǒ zài kàn shū
English:
I am reading a book
Español:
Estoy leyendo un libro
我要睡觉
wǒ yào shuì jiào
English:
I want to sleep
Español:
Quiero dormir
在家吃饭
zài jiā chī fàn
English:
Eat at home
Español:
Comer en casa
我不工作
wǒ bù gōng zuò
English:
I don't work
Español:
No trabajo
今天在家
jīn tiān zài jiā
English:
Today at home
Español:
Hoy en casa
和家人一起
hé jiā rén yì qǐ
English:
Together with family
Español:
Junto con la familia

文化 Cultural Insights

🏠 Chinese Home Culture

In Chinese culture, the home is considered a sacred space for family bonding. Activities like 在家吃饭 (eating at home) and 和家人一起 (being with family) are highly valued and prioritized over outside activities.

📚 Home Learning Tradition

我在看书 (reading at home) reflects the Chinese tradition of home-based learning. Many Chinese families create quiet study spaces at home where reading and learning are encouraged activities.

🍽️ Family Meal Importance

在家吃饭 (eating at home) is more than just having meals - it's about family unity. Chinese families often plan their schedules around shared home meals, seeing it as essential bonding time.

⏰ Daily Routines

Master expressions for daily home routines and asking about activities using familiar vocabulary patterns.

For students ready to dive deeper

📖 Reading Practice

📖 小丽在家 - Xiao Li at Home

Jīn tiān xiǎo Lì zài jiā lǐ.
今天小丽在家里。
Tā bù gōng zuò, zài jiā xiū xi.
她不工作，在家休息。
Mā ma wèn: "Nǐ zài zuò shén me?"
妈妈问："你在做什么？"
Xiǎo Lì shuō: "Wǒ zài kàn shū."
小丽说："我在看书。"
Wǎn shàng, tā hé jiā rén yì qǐ zài jiā chī fàn.
晚上，她和家人一起在家吃饭。
Chī wán fàn, xiǎo Lì shuō: "Wǒ yào shuì jiào le."
吃完饭，小丽说："我要睡觉了。"

📝 Vocabulary from this reading:

休息
xiū xi
to rest
妈妈
mā ma
mother, mom
家人
jiā rén
family members
晚上
wǎn shàng
evening

作业 Homework & Practice

💗 At Home Activities Practice

📝 Writing Practice:
1. Write 5 sentences about what you do at home using: 我在家 + [activity]
2. Create daily routine conversations: A: 你在做什么？ B: 我在...
3. Write 3 sentences using 和家人一起 + [activity]

🗣️ Speaking Practice:
4. Practice asking about activities: 你在做什么？ (in different contexts)
5. Learn to describe your location: 我在家里 + what you're doing there

🎯 Real Life Application:
6. Describe your typical day at home using today's vocabulary
7. Learn 3 more home activities in Chinese: 看电视, 做饭, 洗衣服

💡 Bonus Challenge:
Create a full day at home schedule using: 今天在家 + different activities

🌟 Cultural Reflection:
Think about: How do home activities differ between your culture and Chinese culture? What makes family time special?

Practice Checklist:

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