En este episodio de Spanish from the South viajamos por la historia, el deporte y la religión a través de cuatro figuras argentinas que dejaron una huella en el mundo: Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, el impulsor de la educación pública; José de San Martín, el Libertador de América; Lionel Messi, ídolo mundial del fútbol; y el Papa Francisco, el primer pontífice latinoamericano. Un recorrido breve y entretenido para descubrir más sobre Argentina mientras mejorás tu español.

Spanish from the South

Personalidades de Argentina

Welcome to today's shadowing episode! Today's topic is Single vs. Settled Down. I will read the story sentence by sentence. First in English, immediately followed by Chinese. Repeat the Chinese part after me. 

【Read After Me Text】
Modern young people have different views on getting married.
Simplified Chinese: 现在的年轻人，对结婚有不同的看法。

My older sister is thirty-two years old.
Simplified Chinese: 我的姐姐三十二岁了。

She has a very good job and is very happy every day.
Simplified Chinese: 她有一个很好的工作，每天都很高兴。

But my parents think she should get married.
Simplified Chinese: 但是，我的爸爸妈妈觉得她应该结婚。

They often ask her: "When are you going to find a boyfriend?"
Simplified Chinese: 他们常常问她：“你什么时候找男朋友？”

"When are you going to have a child?"
Simplified Chinese: “你什么时候生孩子？”

Sister told them: "I have my own job and my own apartment now."
Simplified Chinese: 姐姐对他们说：“我现在有自己的工作，有自己的房子。”

"I am living very well on my own."
Simplified Chinese: “我自己过得很好。”

"If I can't find someone I like, I won't get married."
Simplified Chinese: “如果找不到喜欢的人，我就不结婚。”

But my older brother is different.
Simplified Chinese: 但是，我的哥哥不一样。

He feels that living alone is too busy and too tiring.
Simplified Chinese: 他觉得一个人生活太忙、太累了。

He wants to find someone to cook, talk, and care for each other together.
Simplified Chinese: 他想找一个人，两个人一起做饭，一起说话，互相照顾。

In modern China, some people think being alone is great, and some think two people are better.
Simplified Chinese: 在现在的中国，有些人觉得一个人也很好，有些人觉得两个人更好。

What do you think?
Simplified Chinese: 你觉得呢？

(message me to get full pinyin script 😊）


✨ Listen and Repeat - Self study material to fluency ✨

✰ Listen and Repeat : Story Time - Single vs Settled Down

My friend and I like the same girl.

我和我的朋友，都喜欢一个女生。

Wǒ hé wǒ de péngyou, dōu xǐhuan yí gè nǚshēng.


My friend is taller, younger, and better-looking than me.

我的朋友比我高，比我年轻，也比我好看。

Wǒ de péngyou bǐ wǒ gāo, bǐ wǒ niánqīng, yě bǐ wǒ hǎokàn.

Tonight, I am going to give the girl a gift.

今天晚上，我要送女生一个礼物。

Jīntiān wǎnshang, wǒ yào sòng nǚshēng yí gè lǐwù.

I will tell her:

我会告诉她：

Wǒ huì gàosu tā:

Although I am not handsome, I am richer than him.

虽然我不帅，但是我比他有钱。

Suīrán wǒ bú shuài, dànshì wǒ kàn bǐ tā yǒuqián.

I hope you can be my girlfriend; I will treat you very well!

希望你能做我的女朋友，我会对你很好！

Xīwàng nǐ néng zuò wǒ de nǚpéngyou, wǒ huì duì nǐ hěn hǎo!

Listen and Repeat : Story time - Pick me or him?

Here are 10 super practical, full sentences for Mandarin beginners! Whether you want to make friends, ask for directions, or go shopping, these full expressions will help you start a conversation with confidence:

🗣️ 你叫什么名字？ (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) - What is your name?

🤝 很高兴认识你。 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) - Nice to meet you.

🚻 请问洗手间在哪里？ (Qǐngwèn xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?) - Excuse me, where is the restroom?

💰 请问这个多少钱？ (Qǐngwèn zhège duōshǎo qián?) - Excuse me, how much is this?

🤷 我不懂中文。 (Wǒ bù dǒng Zhōngwén.) - I don't understand Chinese.

🐢 请你说慢一点。 (Qǐng nǐ shuō màn yīdiǎn.) - Please speak a bit slower.

🇬🇧 你会说英语吗？ (Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?) - Can you speak English?

🛍️ 我要买这个。 (Wǒ yào mǎi zhège.) - I want to buy this.

🙋 请帮我一下。 (Qǐng bāng wǒ yīxià.) - Please help me for a moment.

😊 祝你今天开心！ (Zhù nǐ jīntiān kāixīn!) - Wish you a happy day today!

Hope you have fun studying. 1 on 1 lessons available. 

Repeat and Learn: 10 Useful Beginner Sentences 

Xiao Ming is late for a job interview, and his keys are nowhere to be found. Is he being forgetful, or are they hiding in plain sight?

Level: HSK 3
Focus: Daily life vocabulary, "Ba" sentences (把字句), and result complements.
Practice Tip: Try to summarize the ending of the story in Chinese after listening!

🔑 The Missing Keys (HSK 3 Storytelling)

Do you exercise every day? 🏃‍♂️ In today’s 2-minute story, we meet Mr. Wang. He loves running, but today something changed.

What you will practice:

Daily routine vocabulary (get up, coffee, running).

Using "Suīrán... dànshì..." (Although... but...) to express contrast.

Listening to a slow, clear story at an HSK 1-2 level.