Sometimes your plans are not definite and you have several options to consider or decide upon. Perhaps it’s too early to be sure, so you can say: maybe, possibly, perhaps or not definitely—unless you are sure, of course, when you can say: definitely. All very useful words to discuss possibilities for your future actions when speaking Mandarin Chinese!
In this Podcast, you will learn:
(i) How to discuss your plans if they are uncertain
(ii) To talk about the possible intentions of others
Dialogue:
Two friends are talking about a forthcoming concert:
（在街上）
(Zài jiē shàng)
(on the street)
A:你知道咱们室友都谁去看王菲的演唱会么？
A: Nǐ zhī dào zán men shì yǒu dōu shuí qù kàn Wáng Fēi de yǎn chàng huì me?
Do you know which one of our room-mates will go to Faye Wong’s concert?
B:我知道王娜肯定不去，她和她男朋友有计划了。但我肯定去。你呢？
B: Wǒ zhī dào Wáng Nà kěn dìng bù qù, tā hé tā nán péng yǒu yǒu jì huà le. Dàn wǒ kěn dìng qù. Nǐ ne?
I know that Wang Na won’t go for sure. She has plans with her boyfriend. But I will definitely go. What about you?
A:我可能去吧，但我现在也说不好，也可能我会有别的事儿。
A: Wǒ kě néng qù ba, dàn wǒ xiàn zài yě shuō bu hǎo, yě kě néng wǒ huì yǒu bié de shì er.
Maybe I will go, but I can’t be sure right now. Perhaps I will have other plans, too.
B:小丽去不去，你知道么?
B: Xiǎo lì qù bù qù, nǐ zhī dào me?
Is Xiao Li going or not, do you know?
A:她平时那么爱听王菲的歌，我觉得她很有可能去。
A: Tā píng shí nà me ài tīng Wáng Fēi de gē, wǒ jué dé tā hěn yǒu kě néng qù.
She likes Faye Wong’s songs very much. I think that she will probably go.
Chinese words and phrases mentioned in this Podcast:
可能性：possibility
一定／肯定：definitely
很有可能／很可能：probably
可能：possibly/perhaps
咱们：we/us/our
室友：room-mate
有谁：which one
看演唱会：go to a concert
男朋友：boyfriend
计划：can be a verb or noun, plan
说不好：means ‘不一定’, not sure, not decided
有别的事儿：have other plans
平时：normal times, usually
那么：so much
Cultural/Grammar note:
‘王菲’ is a pop queen in China. Actually, she is extremely famous all over Asia (mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan). She has sung many famous songs, e.g. Wishing We Last Forever, Fleeting Time, The Last Blossom, I’m Willing, Carousel etc.
Mandarin Chinese learning resources we recommend
