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# 6 Build a language notebook

Building a language notebook is a way to note down, each week, new vocabulary and expressions, and also tips about pronunciation, grammar, culture and communication in general that will support you as you start to learn Chinese.

## Activity 7

What would you write in each box, if anything? Would you add more boxes?

## Table 3 Language notebook

Key vocabulary | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Key sentences | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Culture | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Language | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

Interactive feature not available in single page view.

### Discussion

This is a suggestion as to how you may have filled in the boxes.

## Table 4 Example of a completed language notebook for Week 1

Key vocabulary in characters, Pinyin, and English | 学 xué | to learn, to study
| 做 zuò | to make, to do
| 写 xiě | to write
| 看 kàn | to see, to watch, to look; to read
| 上网 shàng wǎng | to surf the internet
| 专业 zhuānyè | major; subject
| 英文 yīngwén | English language
| 中文 zhōngwén | Chinese language
| 文学 wénxué | literature
| 电视 diànshì | TV
| 书 shū | book
| 汉字 hànzì | Chinese character
| 晚上 wǎnshang | evening
| 天天 tiāntiān | everyday
| 今晚 jīn wǎn | this evening; tonight
Key sentences | I write Chinese characters in the evening. Wǒ wǎnshang xiě hànzì. 我 晚 上 写 汉 字。
| I read books, watch TV and surf the Internet in the evenings. Wǒ wǎnshang kàn shū, kàn diànshì, shàng wǎng. 我 晚 上 看 书, 看 电 视, 上 网。
| What subject do you study? Nǐ xué shénme zhuānyè? 你 学 什么 专 业？
| I study Chinese literature. Wǒ xué Zhōngguó wénxué. 我学中国文学.
Language | How to change country names (usually ends with guó 国) to languages: replace guó 国 with wén 文 if there is guó 国 in the country name, if there is not guó 国 in the country name, add wén 文; How to say people of a country country name + rén 人 How to say some daily activities. Time expressions must go before verbs.

You may have filled your table in differently, or you may have a different idea about how to build on what you are learning. Your learning journey is personal, so you need to keep notes in a way that is appropriate to you.

Take some time, now, to establish your own language notebook.

◄Contents►Next: 7 Practising and consolidating

OpenLearn - Getting started with Chinese 2
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