HSK 4 · Lesson 5毕业以后你有什么打算？ What are your plans after graduating?

Graduation and plans: a master’s, a scholarship, a dream. 将 / 将要 “will” (formal), 既然…就… “since…, then…”, 为了…而… “in order to…”, 留 / 留下 “stay, leave behind”.

Speed:Male voice:

Dialogues

What next?

A
时间过得真快，我们明年就要毕业了。
Shíjiān guò de zhēn kuài, wǒmen míngnián jiù yào bìyè le.
Time flies — we graduate next year.
B
是啊。你毕业以后有什么打算？
Shì a. Nǐ bìyè yǐhòu yǒu shénme dǎsuàn?
Yes. What are your plans after graduating?
A
我想继续读硕士，以后再读博士。我的梦想是成为一名大学教授。
Wǒ xiǎng jìxù dú shuòshì, yǐhòu zài dú bóshì. Wǒ de mèngxiǎng shì chéngwéi yì míng dàxué jiàoshòu.
I want to go on to a master’s and later a PhD. My dream is to become a university professor.
B
你的理想真不错！申请奖学金了吗？
Nǐ de lǐxiǎng zhēn búcuò! Shēnqǐng jiǎngxuéjīn le ma?
That’s a great goal! Have you applied for a scholarship?
A
申请了，下个月结果就出来了。你呢？
Shēnqǐng le, xià ge yuè jiéguǒ jiù chūlai le. Nǐ ne?
I have — the results come out next month. And you?
B
我想先工作。既然学了四年汉语，就想去中国公司试试。
Wǒ xiǎng xiān gōngzuò. Jìrán xuéle sì nián Hànyǔ, jiù xiǎng qù Zhōngguó gōngsī shìshi.
I want to work first. Since I’ve studied Chinese for four years, I’d like to try a Chinese company.
A
你打算留在这儿还是去中国？
Nǐ dǎsuàn liú zài zhèr háishi qù Zhōngguó?
Will you stay here or go to China?
B
还没定。下个星期我要去一家中国公司面试。
Hái méi dìng. Xià ge xīngqī wǒ yào qù yì jiā Zhōngguó gōngsī miànshì.
I haven’t decided. Next week I have an interview at a Chinese company.

Talking with Mum

A
下个月你就毕业了。今后有什么计划？
Xià ge yuè nǐ jiù bìyè le. Jīnhòu yǒu shénme jìhuà?
You graduate next month. What are your plans from now on?
B
我想考研究生，学更多的知识。
Wǒ xiǎng kǎo yánjiūshēng, xué gèng duō de zhīshi.
I want to sit the graduate exam and learn more.
A
你读研究生的目的是什么？
Nǐ dú yánjiūshēng de mùdì shì shénme?
What’s your aim in doing a graduate degree?
B
我的目标是将来当一名好老师。
Wǒ de mùbiāo shì jiānglái dāng yì míng hǎo lǎoshī.
My goal is to become a good teacher in the future.
A
人生只有一次，既然你实在喜欢，就去做吧！
Rénshēng zhǐ yǒu yí cì, jìrán nǐ shízài xǐhuan, jiù qù zuò ba!
You only live once — since you really love it, go for it!
B
谢谢妈妈！大学四年给我留下了很多美好的回忆。
Xièxie māma! Dàxué sì nián gěi wǒ liúxiale hěn duō měihǎo de huíyì.
Thanks, Mum! Four years at university have left me lots of happy memories.

New words

📝 Worksheet for this lesson

Grammar

1. 将 / 将要 “will” (formal)

将 / 将要 + verb

将 and 将要 before a verb mark the future, like 要 and 会, but in formal speech, news and announcements: 会议将在下午三点开始 “the meeting will start at 3 p.m.”, 火车将要进站 “the train is about to arrive”. 将来 is “the future; in future”, 今后 “from now on”.

会议将在下午三点开始。
Huìyì jiāng zài xiàwǔ sān diǎn kāishǐ.
The meeting will start at 3 p.m.
他们将要去中国留学。
Tāmen jiāngyào qù Zhōngguó liúxué.
They are going to study in China.

2. 既然…，就… “since…, then…”

既然 + known fact，(subject) + 就 + conclusion

The first part is a fact both speakers already know, the second a conclusion or advice: 既然你实在喜欢，就去做吧 “since you really love it, go for it”. Unlike 因为, 既然 doesn’t give a new reason but builds on something known. 就 comes after the subject of the second part: 既然下雨了，我们就别去了.

既然你病了，就好好休息吧。
Jìrán nǐ bìng le, jiù hǎohǎo xiūxi ba.
Since you’re ill, get some proper rest.
既然决定了，就别后悔。
Jìrán juédìng le, jiù bié hòuhuǐ.
Once you’ve decided, don’t regret it.

3. 为了…而… “in order to…”

为了 + aim + 而 + action

A formal pattern of purpose: 为了 + aim + 而 + action: 他为了成为医生而努力学习 “he studies hard in order to become a doctor”. 而 links the aim and the action; in speech it is often dropped: 为了…，…

他为了成为医生而努力学习。
Tā wèile chéngwéi yīshēng ér nǔlì xuéxí.
He studies hard in order to become a doctor.
他们为了学好汉语而来到中国。
Tāmen wèile xuéhǎo Hànyǔ ér láidào Zhōngguó.
They came to China to learn Chinese well.

4. 留 / 留下, 定, 实在

留 is “to stay; to leave”: 留在北京工作 “stay and work in Beijing”. 留下 is “to leave behind; to stay”: 给我留下了很多回忆. 定 is “to decide, to fix”: 时间定了吗？ — 还没定. 实在 is “really, truly”: 我实在太累了 “I’m really very tired”.

毕业以后，他留在学校工作了。
Bìyè yǐhòu, tā liú zài xuéxiào gōngzuò le.
After graduating he stayed on to work at the university.
我实在太累了，不想去了。
Wǒ shízài tài lèi le, bù xiǎng qù le.
I’m really too tired — I don’t want to go.
见面的时间定了吗？
Jiànmiàn de shíjiān dìng le ma?
Has the meeting time been fixed?

Exercises

1. Listen and choose the translation

  1. Answer
    会议将在下午三点开始。 Huìyì jiāng zài xiàwǔ sān diǎn kāishǐ. — The meeting will start at 3 p.m.

  2. Answer
    既然你病了，就好好休息吧。 Jìrán nǐ bìng le, jiù hǎohǎo xiūxi ba. — Since you’re ill, get some proper rest.

  3. Answer
    我的梦想是成为一名医生。 Wǒ de mèngxiǎng shì chéngwéi yì míng yīshēng. — My dream is to become a doctor.

  4. Answer
    今年的毕业生找工作不太容易。 Jīnnián de bìyèshēng zhǎo gōngzuò bú tài róngyì. — It isn’t easy for this year’s graduates to find jobs.

2. Choose the correct option

  1. ___你实在喜欢，就去做吧！

    Answer
    既然
  2. “He studies hard in order to become a doctor”

    Answer
    他为了成为医生而努力学习。
  3. “The train is about to arrive”

    Answer
    火车将要进站了。
  4. 毕业以后，他___在学校工作了。

    Answer
    留

3. Build the sentence

  1. My dream is to become a professor.

    Answer
    我的梦想是成为一名教授。 Wǒ de mèngxiǎng shì chéngwéi yì míng jiàoshòu.
  2. What are your plans after graduating?

    Answer
    毕业以后你有什么打算？ Bìyè yǐhòu nǐ yǒu shénme dǎsuàn?
  3. Once you’ve decided, don’t regret it.

    Answer
    既然决定了，就别后悔。 Jìrán juédìng le, jiù bié hòuhuǐ.
  4. He applied for a scholarship.

    Answer
    他申请了奖学金。 Tā shēnqǐngle jiǎngxuéjīn.

4. Dialogue: answer as the speaker

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

A
你什么时候毕业？
Nǐ shénme shíhou bìyè?
When do you graduate?
B
明年六月。
Míngnián liùyuè.
Next June.
A
毕业以后你想做什么？
Bìyè yǐhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?
What do you want to do after graduating?
B
我想继续读研究生。
Wǒ xiǎng jìxù dú yánjiūshēng.
I want to go on to graduate school.
A
你的目标是什么？
Nǐ de mùbiāo shì shénme?
What’s your goal?
B
我的目标是成为一名翻译。
Wǒ de mùbiāo shì chéngwéi yì míng fānyì.
My goal is to become a translator.

5. Translate into Chinese

  1. Since you’ve come, let’s eat together.
    Answer
    既然你来了，我们就一起吃饭吧。
  2. My dream is to become a teacher.
    Answer
    我的梦想是成为一名老师。
  3. After graduating she stayed on to work in Beijing.
    Answer
    毕业以后，她留在北京工作了。

💡 Did you know?: Kaoyan: the second big exam

To get into a master’s programme, 研究生, students in China take a separate national exam — 考研 kǎoyán (short for 考研究生). It is held once a year in late December, and in recent years several million people have registered for it. Many students spend their whole final year preparing in the library from morning till night. And in June graduates take souvenir photos in gowns and square caps.

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