chinese

hsk2-2

Written by

Per Johansson

in

English summary: The narrator cooks dinner at home and invites three friends. They are all busy, so it is rare to chat together. The narrator makes several simple dishes, and everyone says the food is delicious. After dinner they drink tea, watch TV, and agree to meet again next week.

LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK 2 / ~300 characters

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在家请客

昨天晚上我在家做饭，请了三个朋友来吃。他们都很忙，很少有时间一起聊天。

我做了米饭、鱼、鸡蛋汤和两个简单的菜。朋友们一直说好吃，让我很高兴。

吃完饭，我们喝茶、看电视，也聊工作和家。最后大家说，下个星期还要来我家吃饭。

Hosting Friends at Home

Last night I cooked at home and invited three friends to eat. They are all very busy, so we rarely have time to chat together.

I made rice, fish, egg soup, and two simple dishes. My friends kept saying it was delicious, which made me very happy.

After we finished eating, we drank tea and watched TV, and we also talked about work and family. In the end, everyone said they want to come to my home to eat again next week.

Help

How to Use the Audio

The audio is designed to help you improve your Mandarin Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:

  • Before reading: Listen to understand rhythm, tones, and natural speech.
  • After reading: Listen again to compare pronunciation and improve fluency.

Vocabulary

  • 请 (qǐng) – to invite
  • 朋友 (péngyou) – friend
  • 忙 (máng) – busy
  • 时间 (shíjiān) – time
  • 一起 (yīqǐ) – together
  • 聊天 (liáotiān) – to chat
  • 简单 (jiǎndān) – simple
  • 一直 (yīzhí) – continuously; keep doing
  • 最后 (zuìhòu) – in the end
  • 下个星期 (xià gè xīngqī) – next week

Grammar

Grammar rule #1: “很少…” (rarely)
Use 很少 before a verb phrase to say something happens rarely.
Structure: 主语 + 很少 + 动词 + …
It is often used with 时间, because it describes how often something is possible.
This is common in HSK 2 stories about busy life.

Examples:
他们都很忙，很少有时间一起聊天。
很少有时间一起聊天。

Grammar rule #2: “吃完…以后…” (after finishing…)
Use Verb + 完 to show finishing an action, then add 以后 to say what happens next.
Structure: 动词 + 完 + (宾语) + 以后，…
This is useful for telling events in order (sequence).
It is common with daily actions like 吃完饭以后.

Examples:
吃完饭，我们喝茶、看电视。
吃完饭，我们喝茶、看电视，也聊工作和家。

Idiomatic Expressions

  • 请…来… – meaning
    Example: 请了三个朋友来吃。
  • 很少有时间 – meaning
    Example: 很少有时间一起聊天。
  • 一直说… – meaning
    Example: 朋友们一直说好吃。
  • 吃完饭 – meaning
    Example: 吃完饭，我们喝茶、看电视。
  • 还要来 – meaning
    Example: 下个星期还要来我家吃饭。

Cultural Insights

  • Inviting friends to eat at home
    Eating together at home is a common way to spend time with friends, especially when everyone is busy.
    Beginner stories use this topic to practice food words and social phrases like 请 and 一起.
    It also creates a natural setting for talking after dinner.
  • Simple home-cooked dishes
    Dishes like 米饭, 鱼, and 鸡蛋汤 are easy to describe with beginner vocabulary.
    They allow learners to list items clearly and practice basic measure patterns naturally.
    Food scenes are practical for real-life conversation.
  • Tea after meals
    Drinking tea after eating is a common daily habit in many Chinese-speaking families.
    It often goes with chatting (聊天) and relaxing at home (like watching TV).
    This makes the story feel realistic and familiar.

10 Questions

  1. When does the narrator invite friends? (answer)
  2. Where does the narrator cook? (answer)
  3. How many friends come? (answer)
  4. Why is it hard to chat together? (answer)
  5. What main food does the narrator cook? (answer)
  6. What soup does the narrator make? (answer)
  7. How do the friends feel about the food? (answer)
  8. What do they do after eating? (answer)
  9. What do they talk about? (answer)
  10. What plan do they make at the end? (answer)

Multiple Choice

  1. 我请了几个朋友来吃？ (answer)
    a) 一个
    b) 三个
    c) 五个
  2. 他们为什么很少聊天？ (answer)
    a) 因为很忙
    b) 因为不认识
    c) 因为不喜欢
  3. 我做了什么汤？ (answer)
    a) 牛奶
    b) 咖啡
    c) 鸡蛋汤
  1. 朋友们一直说什么？ (answer)
    a) 太贵了
    b) 好吃
    c) 不好
  2. 吃完饭以后我们做什么？ (answer)
    a) 喝茶、看电视、聊天
    b) 去上课
    c) 去跑步
  3. 最后大家说什么？ (answer)
    a) 不来了
    b) 马上回家
    c) 下个星期还要来我家吃饭

True or False

  1. 昨天晚上我在家做饭。 (answer)
  2. 我请了三个朋友来吃饭。 (answer)
  3. 他们都有很多时间聊天。 (answer)
  4. 朋友们说饭不好吃。 (answer)
  5. 吃完饭，我们喝茶、看电视。 (answer)
  6. 最后大家说下个星期还要来。 (answer)

Retell the Story

Rewrite the story in your own words.

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