Learn Hardcore Chinese: běnlái

Usages of běnlái

我wǒ　本来běnlái　以为yǐwéi　今天jīntiān　的de　音乐会yīnyuèhuì　很hěn　无聊wúliáo，　没méi　想到xiǎngdào　竟然jìngrán　这么zhème　有意思yǒuyìsi。wǒ běnlái yǐwéi jīntiān de yīnyuèhuì hěn wúliáo, méi xiǎngdào jìngrán zhème yǒuyìsi.

I originally thought today’s concert would be boring, but it unexpectedly turned out to be so interesting.

我wǒ　本来běnlái　不bù　想xiǎng　出门chūmén，　但是dànshì　她tā　邀请yāoqǐng　我wǒ　去qù　公园gōngyuán　散步sànbù。wǒ běnlái bù xiǎng chūmén, dànshì tā yāoqǐng wǒ qù gōngyuán sànbù.

I originally didn’t want to go out, but she invited me to go for a walk in the park.

她tā　本来běnlái　想xiǎng　参加cānjiā　下午xiàwǔ　的de　会议huìyì，　可是kěshì　身体shēntǐ　不舒服bùshūfu，　只好zhǐhǎo　回huí　宿舍sùshè　睡觉shuìjiào。tā běnlái xiǎng cānjiā xiàwǔ de huìyì, kěshì shēntǐ bùshūfu, zhǐhǎo huí sùshè shuìjiào.

She had originally wanted to attend the afternoon meeting, but she felt unwell, so she had no choice but to go back to the dorm to sleep.

我wǒ　本来běnlái　想xiǎng　陪péi　她tā　去qù　医院yīyuàn，　可是kěshì　上午shàngwǔ　有yǒu　课kè，　只好zhǐhǎo　中午zhōngwǔ　再zài　去qù　看kàn　她tā。wǒ běnlái xiǎng péi tā qù yīyuàn, kěshì shàngwǔ yǒu kè, zhǐhǎo zhōngwǔ zài qù kàn tā.

I originally wanted to go to the hospital with her, but I had class in the morning, so I could only go see her again at noon.

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“How do tones work in Chinese?”

Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.

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