HSK 3 · Lesson 12我对网球很感兴趣 I’m really into tennis

Hobbies, sport, a party: 对…感兴趣 “be interested in”, 除了…以外，还… “besides…, also…”, 不但…而且… “not only…, but also…”, 对…来说 “for someone”, 参加 “take part”.

Speed:Male voice:

Dialogues

Sports day

A
学校下个月有运动会，你参加吗？
Xuéxiào xià ge yuè yǒu yùndònghuì, nǐ cānjiā ma?
There’s a sports day at school next month. Are you taking part?
B
参加。我参加网球比赛。
Cānjiā. Wǒ cānjiā wǎngqiú bǐsài.
Yes. I’m in the tennis competition.
A
你对网球这么感兴趣啊！
Nǐ duì wǎngqiú zhème gǎn xìngqù a!
You’re really into tennis!
B
是啊。除了网球以外，我还喜欢打羽毛球。
Shì a. Chúle wǎngqiú yǐwài, wǒ hái xǐhuan dǎ yǔmáoqiú.
Yes. Besides tennis, I also like badminton.
A
上次比赛你得了第几名？
Shàng cì bǐsài nǐ déle dì jǐ míng?
What place did you get last time?
B
我得了第二名。
Wǒ déle dì-èr míng.
Second.

An evening show

A
今天晚上的晚会有什么节目？
Jīntiān wǎnshang de wǎnhuì yǒu shénme jiémù?
What’s on at tonight’s show?
B
有音乐表演，还有讲故事。
Yǒu yīnyuè biǎoyǎn, hái yǒu jiǎng gùshi.
Music, and storytelling too.
A
讲故事？对孩子来说太有意思了！
Jiǎng gùshi? Duì háizi lái shuō tài yǒu yìsi le!
Storytelling? That’s great for children!
B
不但孩子喜欢，而且大人也喜欢。
Búdàn háizi xǐhuan, érqiě dàren yě xǐhuan.
Not only children like it — adults do too.
A
晚会以后我们去玩游戏吧！
Wǎnhuì yǐhòu wǒmen qù wán yóuxì ba!
Let’s go and play games after the show!

New words

📝 Worksheet for this lesson

Grammar

1. 对…感兴趣 — “be interested in”

Subject + 对 + thing + (很) 感兴趣

The thing goes with 对 before 感兴趣: 我对网球很感兴趣 “I’m very interested in tennis” (not “感兴趣网球”). Also 对…有兴趣. Negative: 我对足球不感兴趣. Question: 你对什么感兴趣？

我对中国历史很感兴趣。
Wǒ duì Zhōngguó lìshǐ hěn gǎn xìngqù.
I’m very interested in Chinese history.
他对体育不感兴趣。
Tā duì tǐyù bù gǎn xìngqù.
He isn’t interested in sport.

2. 除了…以外 — “besides / except”

除了 A (以外) + 还 / 也 means “besides A, also…” (A included): 除了网球以外，我还喜欢羽毛球. 除了 A (以外) + 都 means “all except A” (A excluded): 除了他以外，大家都来了 “everyone came except him”.

除了汉语以外，他还会说两种外语。
Chúle Hànyǔ yǐwài, tā hái huì shuō liǎng zhǒng wàiyǔ.
Besides Chinese, he speaks two other foreign languages.
除了他以外，大家都来了。
Chúle tā yǐwài, dàjiā dōu lái le.
Everyone came except him.

3. 不但…而且… — “not only…, but also…”

The second part goes further than the first: 这个节目不但有意思，而且很有用 “this programme is not only interesting but also useful”. With one subject, 不但 follows it; with two different subjects, it goes before each: 不但孩子喜欢，而且大人也喜欢.

他不但会唱歌，而且会跳舞。
Tā búdàn huì chàng gē, érqiě huì tiàowǔ.
He can not only sing but also dance.

4. 对…来说 — “for someone”

对 + person + 来说 means “for, from the point of view of”: 对孩子来说，这个故事太难了 “for children this story is too hard”, 对我来说，健康最重要 “for me, health matters most”.

对我来说，健康最重要。
Duì wǒ lái shuō, jiànkāng zuì zhòngyào.
For me, health is the most important thing.

Exercises

1. Listen and choose the translation

  1. Answer
    我对中国历史很感兴趣。 Wǒ duì Zhōngguó lìshǐ hěn gǎn xìngqù. — I’m very interested in Chinese history.

  2. Answer
    除了他以外，大家都来了。 Chúle tā yǐwài, dàjiā dōu lái le. — Everyone came except him.

  3. Answer
    他不但会唱歌，而且会跳舞。 Tā búdàn huì chàng gē, érqiě huì tiàowǔ. — He can not only sing but also dance.

  4. Answer
    你参加比赛吗？ Nǐ cānjiā bǐsài ma? — Are you taking part in the competition?

2. Choose the correct option

  1. “I’m interested in music”

    Answer
    我对音乐感兴趣。
  2. “Besides tea, I also drink coffee”: 除了茶以外，我___喝咖啡。

    Answer
    还
  3. “Everyone came except her”: 除了她以外，大家___来了。

    Answer
    都
  4. 他不但聪明，___很努力。

    Answer
    而且

3. Build the sentence

  1. I’m really into tennis.

    Answer
    我对网球很感兴趣。 Wǒ duì wǎngqiú hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  2. For me, health is the most important thing.

    Answer
    对我来说，健康最重要。 Duì wǒ lái shuō, jiànkāng zuì zhòngyào.
  3. He can not only sing but also dance.

    Answer
    他不但会唱歌，而且会跳舞。 Tā búdàn huì chàng gē, érqiě huì tiàowǔ.
  4. I took part in the school sports day.

    Answer
    我参加了学校的运动会。 Wǒ cānjiāle xuéxiào de yùndònghuì.

4. Dialogue: answer as the speaker

You are speaker B. Pick the right reply and the conversation goes on.

A
你对什么感兴趣？
Nǐ duì shénme gǎn xìngqù?
What are you interested in?
B
我对音乐很感兴趣。
Wǒ duì yīnyuè hěn gǎn xìngqù.
Music.
A
除了音乐以外，你还喜欢什么？
Chúle yīnyuè yǐwài, nǐ hái xǐhuan shénme?
What else do you like besides music?
B
我还喜欢打羽毛球。
Wǒ hái xǐhuan dǎ yǔmáoqiú.
I also like badminton.
A
今天晚上有晚会，你参加吗？
Jīntiān wǎnshang yǒu wǎnhuì, nǐ cānjiā ma?
There’s a party tonight — are you coming?
B
参加，我还有一个表演呢！
Cānjiā, wǒ hái yǒu yí ge biǎoyǎn ne!
Yes — I’m even performing!

5. Translate into Chinese

  1. I’m interested in Chinese culture.
    Answer
    我对中国文化很感兴趣。
  2. Besides football, he also likes tennis.
    Answer
    除了足球以外，他还喜欢网球。
  3. This is very important to me.
    Answer
    对我来说，这很重要。

💡 Did you know?: The Spring Festival Gala

On lunar New Year’s Eve almost the whole country watches 春晚 Chūnwǎn, the big Spring Festival Gala on central television: songs, dances, sketches, acrobats. It has been broadcast since 1983 and is watched by hundreds of millions.

Phrase audio — Microsoft speech synthesis (voices Xiaoxiao, Yunyang, Yunxi); syllables and some words — native recordings (audio-cmn, CC BY-SA).