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Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 42

想去哪里生活 Where to live

Xiǎng qù nǎlǐ shēnghuó

周月 and 林雪 imagine life in different places. Teaches 如果 X 就 Y (conditional) and 要是 X 就 Y (colloquial variant).

Dialogue

如果可以选, 我去海边 — If I could pick, the seaside

周月如rú果guǒ可kě以yǐ自zì己jǐ选xuǎn, 你nǐ想xiǎng去qù哪nǎ里lǐ生shēng活huó? If you could choose, where would you live?
林雪如rú果guǒ可kě以yǐ, 我wǒ就jiù去qù海hǎi边biān的de小xiǎo镇zhèn, 那nà里lǐ空kōng气qì新xīn鲜xiān. If possible, a seaside town — the air is fresh there.
周月如rú果guǒ太tài远yuǎn, 你nǐ不bù想xiǎng念niàn家jiā人rén吗ma? If far, won't you miss family?
林雪想xiǎng念niàn. 如rú果guǒ走zǒu太tài远yuǎn, 朋péng友yǒu也yě很hěn难nán见jiàn. I would. If too far, hard to see friends too.
周月如rú果guǒ可kě以yǐ, 我wǒ就jiù在zài国guó内nèi, 但dàn是shì去qù一yí个gè新xīn的de城chéng市shì. If possible, I'd stay in the country but a new city.
林雪我wǒ们men如rú果guǒ都dōu去qù新xīn地dì方fāng, 互hù相xiāng也yě可kě以yǐ走zǒu动dòng. If we both move, we can visit each other.

Dialogue

要是想故乡, 就回去 — If you miss home, go back

周月要yào是shi有yǒu一yì天tiān我wǒ很hěn想xiǎng故gù乡xiāng, 我wǒ就jiù回huí去qù. If one day I miss home, I'll go back.
林雪要yào是shi回huí故gù乡xiāng, 你nǐ会huì觉jué得de幸xìng福fú吗ma? If you go back, will you feel happy?
周月要yào是shi家jiā人rén都dōu在zài那nà里lǐ, 我wǒ就jiù会huì幸xìng福fú. If family is there, yes.
林雪要yào是shi我wǒ也yě想xiǎng朋péng友yǒu, 我wǒ就jiù去qù看kàn你nǐ. If I miss my friend, I'll visit.
周月要yào是shi我wǒ们men都dōu熟shú悉xī的de地dì方fāng还hái在zài, 那nà真zhēn的de幸xìng福fú. If the places we know still stand, that's real happiness.
林雪一yí定dìng会huì还hái在zài. They will be.

Vocabulary

生shēng活huó: verb live (recall ch36)
如rú果guǒ: conjunction if (formal)
要yào是shi: conjunction if (colloquial)
就jiù: adverb then (correlative)
海hǎi边biān: noun seaside
山shān: noun mountain (recall Bk1)
国guó外wài: noun overseas
远yuǎn: adjective far (recall ch06)
熟shú悉xī: adjective familiar
家jiā人rén: noun family (recall Bk2)
朋péng友yǒu: noun friend (recall Bk1)
想xiǎng念niàn: verb miss; long for
故gù乡xiāng: noun hometown
幸xìng福fú: adjective happy; blessed
周zhōu月yuè: pn. Zhou Yue (persona — recall ch31)
林lín雪xuě: pn. Lin Xue (persona — recall ch01)

New characters

内
幸: (in 幸福 = happy; blessed)
幸福 xìngfú — happy; blessed
熟: (in 熟悉 = familiar)
熟悉 shúxī — familiar
悉: (in 熟悉 = familiar)
熟悉 shúxī — familiar

Hanzi — writing & recognition

如

rú as; like (in 如果) (recall ch35) Writing

6 strokes left-right

果

guǒ fruit; result Writing

8 strokes top-bottom

海

hǎi sea (in 海边) Recognition

10 strokes left-right

山

shān mountain (recall Bk1) Recognition

3 strokes single

念

niàn miss; recite (in 想念) Recognition

8 strokes top-bottom

Grammar

打算 / 想 / 希望 + clause — action as object (三44, reuse)

Explanation

Revisits ch01's syntax: 打算 / 想 / 希望 / 计划 take an action or situation (verb phrase / clause) as object. Useful for "where to live": 我打算住在小城市 / 我希望住在安静的地方. The object is a whole situation, not a simple noun.

Examples

我打算住在小城市. I plan to live in a small city.
他想去大城市工作. He wants to work in a big city.
我希望住在安静的地方. I hope to live somewhere quiet.
我们决定回小城市住. We decided to go live in a small city.

Grammar

要是 X, 就 Y — colloquial "if"

Explanation

Grammar-01 was the standard 如果. `要是` says the same thing in colloquial dress — between friends / family / colleagues, 要是 feels more natural. 要是有一天我很想故乡, 我就回去. Casual chats, informal email — yes. Formal docs — stick with 如果 (or 假如, which is the most formal of the three).

Examples

要yào是shi有yǒu一yì天tiān我wǒ很hěn想xiǎng故gù乡xiāng, 我wǒ就jiù回huí去qù. If one day I miss home, I go back.
要yào是shi家jiā人rén都dōu在zài那nà里lǐ, 我wǒ就jiù会huì幸xìng福fú. If family is there, I'll be happy.
要是你来, 我请你吃饭. If you come, I'll treat you.
要是下雨, 我们就不去. If it rains, we won't go.

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