难道你不同意吗？ Don’t you agree? — HSK 4, lesson 8

Dialogues

Where shall we go?

A

今天我们讨论一下周末去哪儿玩。大家有什么想法？

Jīntiān wǒmen tǎolùn yíxià zhōumò qù nǎr wán. Dàjiā yǒu shénme xiǎngfǎ?

Today let’s discuss where to go at the weekend. Any ideas?

B

我建议去爬山，同时还可以锻炼身体。

Wǒ jiànyì qù pá shān, tóngshí hái kěyǐ duànliàn shēntǐ.

I suggest hiking in the hills — we can get some exercise at the same time.

A

小王提出去海边，你的看法呢？

Xiǎo Wáng tíchū qù hǎibiān, nǐ de kànfǎ ne?

Xiao Wang suggested the seaside. What do you think?

B

我不反对，可是海边太远了。再说，现在游泳太冷了。

Wǒ bù fǎnduì, kěshì hǎibiān tài yuǎn le. Zàishuō, xiànzài yóuyǒng tài lěng le.

I’m not against it, but the sea is too far. Besides, it’s too cold to swim now.

A

你说得对。那我们再跟大家商量商量。

Nǐ shuō de duì. Nà wǒmen zài gēn dàjiā shāngliang shāngliang.

You’re right. Then let’s talk it over with everyone again.

B

好，我支持大家的决定。

Hǎo, wǒ zhīchí dàjiā de juédìng.

OK, I’ll go along with whatever everyone decides.

Isn’t he coming?

A

你说他不会来？难道他不想见我们吗？

Nǐ shuō tā bú huì lái? Nándào tā bù xiǎng jiàn wǒmen ma?

You say he won’t come? Surely he wants to see us?

B

我并没有这么说。我是说他最近很忙。

Wǒ bìng méiyǒu zhème shuō. Wǒ shì shuō tā zuìjìn hěn máng.

I never said that. I said he’s very busy at the moment.

A

谁知道他是不是真的忙？

Shéi zhīdào tā shì bu shì zhēn de máng?

Who knows if he’s really busy?

B

你别怀疑他。他上次提到过，这个月要考试。

Nǐ bié huáiyí tā. Tā shàng cì tídàoguo, zhège yuè yào kǎoshì.

Don’t doubt him. He mentioned last time that he has exams this month.

A

好吧，我接受你的说法。还好朋友呢，连电话都不打！

Hǎo ba, wǒ jiēshòu nǐ de shuōfǎ. Hái hǎo péngyou ne, lián diànhuà dōu bù dǎ!

All right, I accept that. And he calls himself a good friend — he didn’t even phone!

B

别生气，我们给他打个电话谈谈吧。

Bié shēngqì, wǒmen gěi tā dǎ ge diànhuà tántan ba.

Don’t be cross — let’s give him a call and talk.

New words

讨论tǎolùnto discuss; to talk over
商量shāngliangto consult; to talk over; to discuss
建议jiànyìto propose; to suggest; to recommend
看法kànfǎway of looking at a thing; view; opinion
说法shuōfǎway of saying; view, version
想法xiǎngfǎway of thinking; opinion; notion
反对fǎnduìto oppose; to be against; to object to
支持zhīchíto be in favor of; to support; to back
判断pànduànto judge; judgement
怀疑huáiyíto doubt (sth); to be skeptical of
肯定kěndìngcertainly; to confirm
提títo mention, to raise
提出tíchūto raise (an issue); to propose; to put forward
提到tídàoto mention; to raise (a subject); to refer to
指zhǐto point at; to mean
指出zhǐchūto indicate; to point out
谈tánto speak; to talk; to converse
而érand; but, whereas
并bìngnot at all (before a negative); and
并且bìngqiěand; besides; moreover; furthermore; in addition
难道nándàosurely… not?, could it be that
对方duìfāngthe other party
同时tóngshíat the same time; simultaneously
再说zàishuōbesides; let’s discuss later
方面fāngmiànaspect, side, field
接受jiēshòuto accept
另lìngother, another
完全wánquáncomplete; whole; totally; entirely
点头diǎntóuto nod
证明zhèngmíngto prove; certificate

📝 Worksheet for this lesson

Grammar

1. 难道…吗？ “surely… not?”

难道 + statement + 吗？ = really the opposite

A rhetorical question: no answer is expected, it shows surprise or reproach, and the real meaning is the opposite. 难道他不想见我们吗？ “surely he wants to see us?” = of course he does. 难道你不知道吗？ “don’t you know?” = you should. 难道 goes before the verb or at the start, usually with 吗 at the end.

难道你不知道吗？

Nándào nǐ bù zhīdào ma?

Don’t you know?

这么简单的问题，难道你也不会？

Zhème jiǎndān de wèntí, nándào nǐ yě bú huì?

Such a simple question — surely you can do it?

2. Rhetorical questions: 谁知道？哪儿…？怎么…？

Question words also make “questions that are statements”: 谁知道？ “who knows?” = nobody knows; 我哪儿有时间？ “where would I get the time?” = I have no time; 我怎么知道？ “how should I know?” = I don’t know; 谁说我不去？ “who says I’m not going?” = I am.

谁知道他是不是真的忙？

Shéi zhīdào tā shì bu shì zhēn de máng?

Who knows if he’s really busy?

我这么忙，哪儿有时间玩？

Wǒ zhème máng, nǎr yǒu shíjiān wán?

I’m so busy — where would I find time for fun?

3. 并不 “not at all”; the conjunctions 并, 并且, 而

并 before 不 / 没 strengthens the negative and contradicts someone: 我并没有这么说 “I never said that”, 这个问题并不难 “this question isn’t hard at all”. The conjunction 并 / 并且 means “and, also”, linking actions: 大家讨论并通过了这个计划 “everyone discussed and approved the plan”. 而 links adjectives — “and at the same time”: 认真而仔细; between clauses it contrasts — “whereas”: 南方人爱吃米饭，而北方人爱吃面条.

这个问题并不难。

Zhège wèntí bìng bù nán.

This question isn’t hard at all.

大家讨论并通过了这个计划。

Dàjiā tǎolùn bìng tōngguòle zhège jìhuà.

Everyone discussed and approved the plan.

南方人爱吃米饭，而北方人爱吃面条。

Nánfāng rén ài chī mǐfàn, ér běifāng rén ài chī miàntiáo.

Southerners love rice, whereas northerners love noodles.

4. 还X呢 “and you call yourself X!”

还 + who/what + 呢！

A reproach: someone doesn’t live up to what they are. 还大学生呢，这个字都不认识！ “and you call yourself a student — you don’t know this character!”, 还好朋友呢，连电话都不打！ “some good friend — he didn’t even call!”.

还大学生呢，这个字都不认识！

Hái dàxuéshēng ne, zhège zì dōu bú rènshi!

And you call yourself a student — you don’t even know this character!

Exercises

1. Listen and choose the translation

Answer
我完全同意你的看法。 Wǒ wánquán tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ. — I completely agree with you.
Answer
老师指出了我的错误。 Lǎoshī zhǐchūle wǒ de cuòwù. — The teacher pointed out my mistake.
Answer
他点了点头，表示同意。 Tā diǎnle diǎn tóu, biǎoshì tóngyì. — He nodded to show he agreed.
Answer
我们还有另一个办法。 Wǒmen hái yǒu lìng yí ge bànfǎ. — We have another way.

2. Choose the correct option

“Don’t you know?”
Answer
难道你不知道吗？
“This question isn’t hard at all”
Answer
这个问题并不难。
What does 我怎么知道？ mean?
Answer
“I don’t know” (how should I know).
我不想去，___，今天天气也不好。
Answer
再说

3. Build the sentence

I suggest hiking in the hills.
Answer
我建议去爬山。 Wǒ jiànyì qù pá shān.
Surely he wants to see us?
Answer
难道他不想见我们吗？ Nándào tā bù xiǎng jiàn wǒmen ma?
I never said that.
Answer
我并没有这么说。 Wǒ bìng méiyǒu zhème shuō.
Let’s talk it over with everyone again.
Answer
我们再跟大家商量商量。 Wǒmen zài gēn dàjiā shāngliang shāngliang.

4. Dialogue: answer as the speaker

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

A

这个计划你有什么看法？

Zhège jìhuà nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?

What do you think of this plan?

B

我觉得不错，我支持。

Wǒ juéde búcuò, wǒ zhīchí.

I think it’s good — I support it.

A

可是小王反对，他说太贵了。

Kěshì Xiǎo Wáng fǎnduì, tā shuō tài guì le.

But Xiao Wang is against it — he says it’s too expensive.

B

其实并不贵，跟去年差不多。

Qíshí bìng bú guì, gēn qùnián chàbuduō.

Actually it isn’t expensive at all — about the same as last year.

A

那我们跟他再商量商量吧。

Nà wǒmen gēn tā zài shāngliang shāngliang ba.

Then let’s talk it over with him again.

B

好，我们一起去找他谈谈。

Hǎo, wǒmen yìqǐ qù zhǎo tā tántan.

OK, let’s go and talk to him together.

5. Translate into Chinese

Did you really forget?
Answer
难道你忘了吗？
I’m not tired at all.
Answer
我并不累。
I suggest we discuss it tomorrow.
Answer
我建议明天再讨论这件事。

💡 Did you know?: Not saying “no”

In Chinese conversation a blunt “no” often sounds too harsh, especially with elders and bosses. Instead of 我反对 people tend to say 我再考虑考虑 “let me think it over”, 这个想法不错，不过… “that’s a good idea, but…” or 我们再商量商量 “let’s discuss it some more”. That way both sides keep “face”, 面子 miànzi — an idea you’ll hear about again and again.