O. Renting Apartment in China P1

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn to use Chinese to

• Describe your current and ideal living quarters;

• Name common pieces of furniture;

• State your wish list for an apartment for you to stay

• Comment briefly on why a place is or isn’t good for someone;

• Discuss and negotiate rent, utilities, and security deposits.

Relate and Get ready to discuss in Chinese:

In your own culture/community—

1. What is the best way to find an apartment for rent?

2. What defines an “apartment”? What other living arrangements are available?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a student dorm? How about living in an apartment?

4. Do people typically sign a lease for an apartment? Do leases include clauses for security deposits and pets? What other issues do leases cover?

O-1 Review Position and Locations P1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHp8Ei7S37A

https://quizlet.com/103345000/3-positions-and-major-cities-with-pinyin-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/103251242/3-positions-and-places-no-pinyin-flash-cards/

*Pay attention to the word order, it is the opposite of English:

学校的左边: on the left side of the school

冰淇淋店的对面: across the ice-cream shop

我家的附近 : near my house

书店的旁边: next to the book store

大学的北面: north of the college

美国的中部: in the central part of USA

2/28/19

O-2 Vocabulary P2

1. 一(yī)座(zuò)房(fáng)子(zi): a house

2. 一(yí)座(zuò)楼(lóu)房(fáng) : a multilevel building

3. 一(yì)间(jiān)宿(sù)舍(shè): a dorm

4. 一(yí)套(tào)公(gōng)寓(yù): an apartment

5. 一(yì)间(jiān)卧(wò)室(shì)/睡(shuì)房(fáng): a bedroom

6. 一(yì)间(jiān)主(zhǔ)卧(wò)室(shì): a master bedroom

7. 一(yí)个(gè)卫(wèi)生(shēng)间(jiān)/洗(xǐ)澡(zǎo)间(jiān)/浴(yù)室(shì)/厕(cè)所(suǒ): a bathroom

8. 一(yí)个(gè)房(fáng)间(jiān): a room

9. 一个邻(lín)居(jū): neighbor

10. 一(yí)个(gè)厨(chú)房(fáng): a kitchen

11. 一(yì)间(jiān)客(kè)厅(tīng) : a living room

12. 一间(yìjiān)餐(cān)厅(tīng)/饭(fàn)厅(tīng) : a dining room

13. 前(qián)门(mén): front door

14. 后(hòu)门(mén): back door

15. 前(qián)厅(tīng): foyer

16. 地(dì)下(xià)室(shì): basement

17. 走(zǒu)廊(láng) : hall way

18. 院(yuàn)子(zǐ): yard

19. 前(qián)院(yuàn): front yard

20. 后(hòu)院(yuàn): back yard

21. 车(chē)库(kù)/车(chē)房(fáng): garage

22. 车(chē)道(dào) : driveway/lane

3/30/20 D Day

2. Study new vocabulary

O-3 Vocabulary P3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrNEaIlvijs

1. 一房(yìfáng) or 一室(yíshì)or 一居（yìjū） 一厅(yìtīng): one bedroom apartment

2. 报纸(bàozhǐ): a newspaper

3. 广告(guǎnggào): an advertisement

4. 海报(hǎibào): a poster

5. 出租(chūzū): for rent/rent out

6. 找(zhǎo)/租(zū) 房子(fángzi): look for a house/apartment

7. 养(yǎng): to raise (people or animals)

8. 宠物(chǒngwù): a pet

9. 室友(shìyǒu): roommate

10. 房租(fángzū)/租金(zūjīn): the rent

11. 押金(yājīn)/订金(dìngjīn): deposit

12. 水电费(shuǐdiànfèi): utility charge

13. 离(lí)......很近(hěnjìn)/很远(hěnyuǎn)

14. 方便(fāngbiàn): convenient

15. 吵(chǎo): noisy; loud

16. 安静(ānjìng): peace and quiet

17. 干净(gānjìng): clean

18. 脏(zāng): dirty

19. 合适(héshì): suitable

20. 公交(gōngjiāo): public transportation

21. 宽敞(kuānchǎng) : spacious

22. 挤(jǐ) : crowded

    1. 景色(jǐngsè): the view/ scenery

23. 放(fàng)(fàng)不(bù)(bú)下(xià)(xià): cannot put

24. 带(dài)(dài): go with/come with

25. 家具(jiājù): furniture

26. 楼梯(lóutī): stairs

27. 饭桌(fànzhuō): a dining table

28. 书架(shūjià): a bookshelf

29. 衣柜(yīguì)（子(zǐ)）: a wardrobe armoire

30. 沙发(shāfā): a set of sofa

31. 冰箱(bīngxiāng): a fridge

32. 微波炉(wēibōlú): a microwave

33. 付(fù): to pay

34. 当(dāng): use as

35. 准(zhǔn)/不准(bùzhǔn): allow/not allow

36. 至少: (zhìshǎo) at least

37. 差不多(chàbúduō): more or less

38. 另外(lìngwài)/再说(zàishuō): also/in addition to

39. 连(lián)…… 都(dōu)/也(yě): even……

40. 够 : gòu enough

• 1. 借(jiè): to borrow

  2. 还(huán): to return things; pay back

http://quizlet.com/58831304/3-renting-apartment-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/58832255/3-renting-apartment-no-pinyin-flash-cards/

3/31/20

O-4 Grammar Note 1

1. Verb + potential complements with negative result不下（去）/不来/不起（来）

放不下（去）: unable to put it down

装(zhuāng)不进去: unable to put it in

想不起来: cannot think of

付不起（钱）: cannot pay for it

合(hé)不来: cannot get along

买不起: cannot to afford to buy

# For affirmative result, replace 不, with 得

放得下: able to put in down

买得起: able to afford to buy

合得来: able to get along

Grammar Note 2 (See IC P.203-210)

1. Verb + 了 (+ Numeral + Measure Word + Noun + 了)

usually implies that the action has been continuing for some time and is expected to last into the future.

他在学校的宿舍住了两个学期了。He has been living on campus for two semesters up to this moment.

The following two sentences are different in meaning:

他病了三天了。 (He has been sick for three days.)

[The illness has continued for three days and he currently remains sick.)

他病了三天。 (He was sick for three days.) [He recovered from the illness on the fourth day.]

Translate all or any 3 (Independent)

1. Ms. Wang has been living in her house for more or less 20 years.

2. Even Mr. Zhang has been looking for an apartment for more than 3 months, he still has not found one.

3. Because uncle has no job, therefore he has not been paying rent about 2 months.

4. I have been sharing the bathroom with my roommate for 2 years.

5. Grandma has been raising the pet for more or less three weeks.

2. Verb + 了 (+ Numeral + Measure Word + Noun + 了 structure is not limited to temporal expressions. It can also be used to indicate quantity:

我找房子找了一上午了，想休息一下。

(I’ve been looking for a house all morning. I’d like to take a break.)

沙发我已经买了三件了，够了。

(I have already bought three pieces of sofa. That’s plenty.)

这套公寓我已经看了两遍了，不想再看了。

(I’ve seen this apartment twice already and don’t want to see it again.)

Translate all or any 3 (Independent)

1. I have been studying Chinese for 3 years.

2. Dad has been reading the newspaper for 2 hours.

3. She has already bought 5 watches, but still wants buy more.

4. I have been emailing him many times, he never replied.

5. Mr. Money has been renting 4 apartments for many years.

2. Grammar Note 3. 连…都/也…

连 (lián) is an intensifier which is always used in conjunction with 都/也

1.我舅舅的孩子很聪明，连日本话都会说。(My Uncle’s child is really smart. She can even speak Japanese.)

2.我弟弟学中文学了一年了，可是连“天”字都不 会写。 (My younger brother has been studying Chinese for a year now, but can’t even write the character 天.)

你怎么连药都忘了吃？ (How could you forget even to take your medicine?)

Translate all or any 3 (Independent)

1. How could you not even have a microwave?

2. He does not even have the deposit money.

3. How come this dorm does not even have a bathroom?

4. The kitchen cannot even put a table in it.

5. Auntie Liu cannot even afford to buy a wardrobe.

2. Independent

Grammar Note 4 (See IC P.216-218)

1. 什么都吃: eat anything/everything

2. 什么都不吃: eat nothing

3. 哪儿都去: go anywhere/everywhere

4. 哪儿都不去: go nowhere

5. 谁都认识: know everyone

6. 谁都不认识: know nobody

7. 什么时候都看电视: watch TV anytime/all the time

8. 什么时候/从来 都不看电视: never watch TV

O-5 Translate all or any 3 (Independent)

1. Yesterday professor did not buy any bookshelf.

2. The fridge has nothing in it.

3. His bedroom needs everything.

4. Nobody is in the kitchen.

5. I know everyone in the dorm.

6. He looked everywhere, still cannot find an apartment.

2. Benchmark

Grammar Note 5 多 Indicating an Approximate Number

1. 多can be placed after a number to indicate an approximate number. The combination indicates not an exact number but a general numeric range, e.g.,十多个 means more than ten but fewer than twenty; it could be eleven, twelve, thirteen, etc.

2. If the concept represented by the noun is not divisible into smaller units, and the number is ten or a multiple of ten, 多precedes the measure word, e.g.,二十多个人 (more than twenty people), 三十多个学生 (more than thirty students), 一百多张纸 (over one hundred sheets of paper).

3. However, if the concept represented by the noun can be divided into smaller units (e.g., 一块钱 = 十毛, 一 个星期 = 七天 , there are two possibilities. If the number is not ten or a multiple of ten, 多 should be used after the measure word, e.g., 七块多钱 (more than seven dollars but less than eight), 一个多星期(more than one week but less than two).

4. If the number is ten or a multiple of ten, 多 can be used either before the measure word, e.g., 十多块钱 (more than ten dollars but less than twenty), or after the measure word, e.g., 十块多钱 (more than ten dollars but less than eleven), but these two options represent different numeric ranges.

EX:

这支笔一块多钱。 (This pen is over one dollar.) [The price is more than one dollar but less than two.]

我们班有二十多个学生。 (There are over 20 students in our class.) [There are more than twenty students but fewer than thirty.]

妹妹感冒十多天了。(My younger sister has had a cold for more than ten days.) [The number of days is between ten and twenty.]

他昨天买了四十多个梨。 (He bought over forty pears yesterday.)[The number is between forty and fifty.]

他昨天买礼物花了一百多块钱。(He bought over one hundred dollars’ worth of gifts yesterday.) [He spent more than 100 dollars but less than two hundred.]

Do you see the difference between the A & B sentences?

A: 这双黑鞋十多块钱。 (This pair of black shoes is over ten dollars.) [The price is more than $10 but less than $20.]

B : 这双咖啡色的鞋十块多钱。(This pair of brown shoes is over ten dollars.) [The price is more than $10 but less than $11.]

A: 这家饭馆儿的师傅和服务员认识十年多了。(The chef and the waiter in this restaurant have known each other for ten years and some months.)[The length of time is longer than ten years but shorter than eleven.]

B: 我以为他们认识十多年了。 (I thought they had known each other for more than ten years.) [The length of time is between ten and twenty years.]

Language Notes 1

While 洗澡间is often used in Taiwan to refer to a bathroom (with a toilet and shower or bathtub), 卫生间 (lit., hygiene room) is the most frequently used term for bathrooms in mainland China. In public places, 卫生间 simply means“restroom.” Other Chinese terms for “bathroom” and “restroom” include:

浴室 (yùshì), bathroom for bathing, usually without a toilet,

厕所 , public restroom with no bathing facilities,

洗手间, restroom or bathroom. Occasionally, some Chinese speakers refer to the restroom euphemistically as 一号, literally, number one.

Language Notes 2

Instead of 一房一厅, one can also say 一室一厅 or 一居一厅. Both expressions refer to an apartment with one bedroom and one living room. By the same token, one may refer to a two-bedroom apartment with a living room as 两房一厅/两室一厅/两居一厅.

Language Notes 3

One should not mix up 有兴趣 (xìngqù) with 有意思(yìsi). While 有兴趣 is a verb that pertains to a person who is interested (in something), 有意思 is an adjective describing someone or something that is interesting.

4/3/20 H Day

O-6 Reading Practice

Dialogue 1

A. 喂，请问你们是不是有公寓出租？

B. 有啊，一房一厅，非常干净，还带家具。

A. 有什么家具？

B. 客厅里有一套沙发、一张饭桌跟四把椅子。卧

室里有一张床、一张书桌和一个书架。

A. 你们那里安静不安静？

B. 非常安静。

A. 每个月房租多少钱？

B. 八百五十元。

A. 八百五十美元？人民币差不多是…有一点儿贵，

能不能便宜点儿？

B. 那你不用付水电费。

A. 要不要付押金？

B.要多付一个月的房租当押金，搬出去的时候还给

你。另外，我们公寓不准养宠物。

A. 没关系，我对养宠物没有兴趣，什么宠物都

不养。

B. 那太好了。你今天下午来看看吧。

A. 好。

Recap and Narrate

Answer the questions based on the content of the Dialogue:

1. 那个要出租的公寓租出去了吗？

2. 那个公寓有什么家具？

3. 那个公寓安静吗？

4. 房租是多少？

5.王朋问出租房子的人能不能便宜一点儿，那个人说什么？

6. 要不要付押金？

7. 这个公寓能养宠物吗？

8. 王朋什么时候会去看那个公寓？

O-7 Reading Practice

Translate

王朋看了报纸上的出租广告后， 打电话给出租房子的人。出租房子的人说客厅里有一套沙发、一张饭桌跟四把椅子。卧室里有一张床、一张书桌和一个书架，还说那里非常安静。房租每个月是八百五十元，不用付水电费。那个人还说不准养宠物，得多付一个月的房租当押金，今天下午就可以去看房子。

O-8 Can you say the following paragraph in Chinese?

English Text

Wang Peng has been living in the school dorm for two semesters. He thinks that the dorm is too noisy, and he can’t sleep well. His room is too small, and he can’t even fit a computer there. Besides, he has nowhere to cook. It’s really inconvenient, so he plans to move out next semester.

He has been looking for a place for a month now, but he hasn't found anything suitable yet. He just saw an ad in the newspaper saying there’s an apartment for rent. It’s very close to school, only a five-minute walk—very convenient. The apartment comes with a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room, and it’s furnished. Wang Peng thinks this apartment may be just right for him.

1. House Hunter International

Watch the video and discuss the which apartment they should pick.

http://videos.hgtv.com/video/relocating-to-shanghai-0158703

http://www.nytimes.com/video/business/100000004006931/house-hunting-chinese-style.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e

O- 9. Writing Practice

Your Own House Hunting (Due on 4/6 morning )

Pretend that I am your real-estate agent. Email me your

"Wish List" in Chinese in complete sentences. Try to use as many conjunctions as you can to connect your ideas and sentences smoothly. You may follow the list below but not limited to the list:

1. quiet, nice and clean

2. close to school

3. close to public transportation

4. close to city center

5. convenient for shopping and restaurants

6. At least 2 beds/2 bath, enough space for sharing with a roommate

7. spacious living room/bed room/bathroom/kitchen

8. comes with furniture (be more specific)

9. allow pets

10. low rent and low deposit

What do you think the apartments that I found for

you? (see Smartboard File)