Lesson 12 · Making Significant Comparisons

表达明显的比较

Making Significant Comparisons

4 dialogues11 new words

Start

Comparing the Weather

In a private room, Lin and Bo compare the weather between two places.

6 new words

事情shìqingaffair; matter; thing

我正想出去做点事情呢。

I was just thinking of going out to do some things.

晴qíngsunny; clear

朋友说，学校那边比这里晴多了。

A friend says it is much sunnier near the school.

正zhèngstraight; correct; and then

我正想出去做点事情呢。

I was just thinking of going out to do some things.

外面wàimiànoutside

你看外面，今天比昨天阴得多。

Look outside, today is much more overcast than yesterday.

阴yīnovercast; cloudy

你看外面，今天比昨天阴得多。

Look outside, today is much more overcast than yesterday.

好hǎo(particle used for emphasis)

学校那边真比这里好得多吗？

Is it really much better near the school than here?

Listen to the conversation

Lin

你看外面，今天比昨天阴得多。

nǐ kàn wàimiàn jīntiān bǐ zuótiān yīn de duō

Look outside, today is much more overcast than yesterday.

我正想出去做点事情呢。

wǒ zhèng xiǎng chūqù zuò diǎn shìqing ne

I was just thinking of going out to do some things.

Lin

朋友说，学校那边比这里晴多了。

péngyou shuō xuéxiào nàbian bǐ zhèlǐ qíng duō le

A friend says it is much sunnier near the school.

学校那边真比这里好得多吗？

xuéxiào nàbian zhēn bǐ zhèlǐ hǎo de duō ma

Is it really much better near the school than here?

Lin

对，听他说那里的天气非常舒服。

duì tīng tā shuō nàlǐ de tiānqì fēicháng shūfu

Yes, I heard from him that the weather there is very pleasant.

Tap a marked word for its meaning. Tap a line to see the English.

Grammar

朋友说，学校那边比这里晴多了。A friend says it is much sunnier near the school.

A比B + Adjective +多了/得多

Comparative Sentences with '多了' / '得多'. To indicate a significant, quantifiable difference in comparison, '多了' or '得多' are added after the adjective in the authoritative '比' structure. These intensifiers are essential for emphasizing large disparities and providing precise, high-level evaluations of qualities, environments, or states within complex comparative narratives.

这里比北京冷多了。

Zhèlǐ bǐ Běijīng lěng duō le.

It's much colder here than in Beijing.

Which word means “(particle used for emphasis)”?

Choosing Transit Options

Near a transit stop, Lin and Bo discuss which transport is faster.

2 new words

地铁dìtiěsubway; metro

我们坐地铁去下一站吧。

Let's take the subway to the next station.

站zhànstation; stop; stand

我们坐地铁去下一站吧。

Let's take the subway to the next station.

Listen to the conversation

Lin

我们坐地铁去下一站吧。

wǒmen zuò dìtiě qù xià yí zhàn ba

Let's take the subway to the next station.

好，坐地铁比坐公交车快得多。

hǎo zuò dìtiě bǐ zuò gōngjiāochē kuài de duō

Okay, taking the subway is much faster than taking the bus.

Lin

那地铁站离这里远不远？

nà dìtiě zhàn lí zhèlǐ yuǎn bù yuǎn

Is the subway station far from here?

不远，走路五分钟就到了。

bù yuǎn zǒulù wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le

Not far, it's just a five-minute walk.

Lin

太好了，那我们快进站吧。

tài hǎo le nà wǒmen kuài jìn zhàn ba

Great, then let's get into the station quickly.

Fill the gap我们坐____去下一站吧。Let's take the subway to the next station.

Talking About Childhood Friends

Outside an apartment building, Lin and Bo talk about things from their childhood.

3 new words

从小cóngxiǎofrom childhood

对，我们从小就是好朋友。

Yes, we have been good friends since childhood.

楼lóubuilding; floor

住在这楼里的人是你的朋友吗？

Is the person living in this building your friend?

小时候xiǎoshíhouin one's childhood

你们小时候谁长得高？

Who was taller when you were children?

Listen to the conversation

Lin

住在这楼里的人是你的朋友吗？

zhù zài zhè lóu lǐ de rén shì nǐ de péngyou ma

Is the person living in this building your friend?

对，我们从小就是好朋友。

duì wǒmen cóngxiǎo jiù shì hǎo péngyou

Yes, we have been good friends since childhood.

Lin

你们小时候谁长得高？

nǐmen xiǎoshíhou shéi cháng de gāo

Who was taller when you were children?

小时候他长得比我高得多。

xiǎoshíhou tā cháng de bǐ wǒ gāo de duō

When we were young, he grew much taller than me.

Lin

现在你跑得比他快多了吧？

xiànzài nǐ pǎo de bǐ tā kuài duō le ba

Now you run much faster than him, right?

Grammar

小时候他长得比我高得多。When we were young, he grew much taller than me.

A比B + Verb +得+ Adj/A + Verb +得+比B + Adj

Complement of State in Comparative Sentences with '比'. When integrating a complement of state into a '比' sentence, the particle '比' can be positioned before the verb or before the complement itself. This structural flexibility allows for precise emphasis on the manner or degree of an action, making it a vital component for advanced descriptive evaluations and formal comparisons.

他比我长得高。

Tā bǐ wǒ zhǎng de gāo.

He has grown taller than me.

Which word means “from childhood”?

A Day of Reflection

In his room, Lin writes down reflections on weather, travel, and an old friend.

Listen to the conversation

Lin

今天外面的天气比昨天阴得多，所以我准备坐地铁去下一站看我的好朋友。我和他从小就是好朋友，小时候他长得比我高得多，也跑得比我快得多。现在我们在大楼外面说话，他说得比我慢得多，但是我们今天都很高兴。

jīntiān wàimiàn de tiānqì bǐ zuótiān yīn de duō suǒyǐ wǒ zhǔnbèi zuò dìtiě qù xià yí zhàn kàn wǒ de hǎo péngyou wǒ hé tā cóngxiǎo jiù shì hǎo péngyou xiǎoshíhou tā cháng de bǐ wǒ gāo de duō yě pǎo de bǐ wǒ kuài de duō xiànzài wǒmen zài dà lóu wàimiàn shuōhuà tā shuō de bǐ wǒ màn de duō dànshì wǒmen jīntiān dōu hěn gāoxìng

Today's weather outside is much more overcast than yesterday, so I plan to take the subway to the next station to see my good friend. He and I have been good friends since childhood. When we were young, he grew much taller than me and ran much faster than me. Now we are talking outside the building; he speaks much slower than I do, but we are both very happy today.

Write the new characters

0 of 4 written

晴 qíng · sunny; clear

Practice

8 questions · about 4 minutes

Pick the meaningListenFill the gapMatchWord order

Finish

Finish the practice to complete this lesson.

Making Significant Comparisons

1Comparing the Weather

6 new wordsTest yourselfFlashcards

Grammar

2Choosing Transit Options

2 new wordsTest yourselfFlashcards

3Talking About Childhood Friends

3 new wordsTest yourselfFlashcards

Grammar

4A Day of Reflection

Write the new characters

Practice

Finish

Comparing the Weather

6 new words

Choosing Transit Options

2 new words

Talking About Childhood Friends

3 new words

A Day of Reflection