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
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Key sentences
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Culture
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Language
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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

xué

to learn, to study

zuò

to make, to do

xiě

to write

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

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
  • 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.