Xīng qī liù星期六
shì是
Xiǎo Qíng de晓晴的
shēng rì生日
，tóng xué men同学们
yào要
gěi tā给她
kāi ge开个
shēng rì wǎn huì生日晚会
。Saturday is Xiaoqing’s birthday, and her classmates want to throw a birthday party for her.
Xīn Měi心美
hé和
Mǎ Shā玛莎
xiǎng想
qǐng请
Zhāng lǎo shī张老师
cān jiā参加
，dàn shì但是
Zhāng lǎo shī de张老师的
péng you朋友
xīng qī liù星期六
wǎn shang晚上
yào lái要来
tā jiā她家
。Xinmei and Masha want to invite Teacher Zhang, but Teacher Zhang’s friend is coming to her home on Saturday evening.
Mǎ Shā玛莎
gào su告诉
Zhāng lǎo shī张老师
，wǎn diǎnr晚点儿
lái来
yě xíng也行
。Masha tells Teacher Zhang that coming a little later is fine too.
Wǎn huì晚会
bā diǎn八点
kāi shǐ开始
，Zhāng lǎo shī张老师
shuō说
tā她
jiǔ diǎn九点
lái来
。The party starts at eight, and Teacher Zhang says she will come at nine.
Xīn Měi心美
hé和
Mǎ Shā玛莎
dōu都
hěn gāo xìng很高兴
。Xinmei and Masha are both very happy.
Take a step forward
Usage of 给 (gěi)
Meaning: For someone / to someone.
Context: Used when you do something on behalf of another person — buying a gift, cooking a meal, throwing a party.
Structure:
Subject + 给 + Person + Verb Phrase
Note: 给 comes before the verb, not after it. The person who benefits goes straight after 给.
- • 同学们要给她开个生日晚会。
(The classmates are going to throw a birthday party for her. / From Text) - • 我给妈妈做晚饭。
(I cook dinner for Mom.) - • 他给朋友买了一个蛋糕。
(He bought a cake for his friend.)
Usage of 要 (yào)
Meaning: Going to / plan to do something.
Context: Used for a plan or intention in the near future. It works much like “be going to” in English.
Structure:
Subject + 要 + Verb Phrase
Note: 要 here is not “to want”. A time word such as 明天 or 晚上 usually sits in front of it.
- • 张老师的朋友星期六晚上要来她家。
(Teacher Zhang’s friend is coming to her home on Saturday evening. / From Text) - • 我明天要去公园。
(I am going to the park tomorrow.) - • 她晚上要看书。
(She is going to read in the evening.)