说什么也得赢！ We must win, whatever it takes! — HSK 4, lesson 18

Dialogues

An important match

A

今天晚上有一场足球大赛，你看不看？

Jīntiān wǎnshang yǒu yì chǎng zúqiú dàsài, nǐ kàn bu kàn?

There’s a big football match tonight — are you watching?

B

当然看！我是球迷。我们的球队上个月打败了最强的队。

Dāngrán kàn! Wǒ shì qiúmí. Wǒmen de qiúduì shàng ge yuè dǎbàile zuì qiáng de duì.

Of course! I’m a fan. Our team beat the strongest side last month.

A

这次也能赢吗？

Zhè cì yě néng yíng ma?

Can they win this time too?

B

说什么也得赢！输了就得回家了。

Shuō shénme yě děi yíng! Shūle jiù děi huí jiā le.

They must win, whatever it takes! If they lose, they’re out.

A

听说你们的队长受伤了？

Tīngshuō nǐmen de duìzhǎng shòushāng le?

I heard your captain is injured?

B

是啊，可是别的队员也很强。……进了！最后十秒进了一个球！

Shì a, kěshì bié de duìyuán yě hěn qiáng. …… Jìn le! Zuìhòu shí miǎo jìnle yí ge qiú!

Yes, but the other players are strong too. … Goal! A goal in the last ten seconds!

A

太棒了！我激动得连话都说不出来了！

Tài bàng le! Wǒ jīdòng de lián huà dōu shuō bu chūlai le!

Brilliant! I’m so excited I can’t even speak!

At the gym

A

你最近去健身房吗？

Nǐ zuìjìn qù jiànshēnfáng ma?

Are you going to the gym these days?

B

去，我请了一个教练。他的动作很标准，功夫很好。

Qù, wǒ qǐngle yí ge jiàoliàn. Tā de dòngzuò hěn biāozhǔn, gōngfu hěn hǎo.

Yes, I’ve hired a coach. His technique is perfect and he’s very skilled.

A

累不累？

Lèi bu lèi?

Is it tiring?

B

刚开始累死了，现在有力气了。以前我连五公里都跑不了，现在跑十公里也没问题。

Gāng kāishǐ lèi sǐ le, xiànzài yǒu lìqi le. Yǐqián wǒ lián wǔ gōnglǐ dōu pǎo bu liǎo, xiànzài pǎo shí gōnglǐ yě méi wèntí.

At first I was dead tired, but now I’m stronger. I couldn’t even run five kilometres before; now ten is no problem.

A

真棒！我也想加入。

Zhēn bàng! Wǒ yě xiǎng jiārù.

Great! I want to join too.

B

好啊！以前我健身好几次都失败了，这次再也不放弃了。

Hǎo a! Yǐqián wǒ jiànshēn hǎo jǐ cì dōu shībài le, zhè cì zài yě bú fàngqì le.

Sure! I gave up on the gym several times before, but this time I’m never quitting.

New words

健身jiànshēnto exercise; to keep fit; to work out
健身房jiànshēnfánggym
教练jiàoliàncoach, instructor
排球páiqiúvolleyball
乒乓球pīngpāngqiútable tennis; ping-pong; table tennis ball
球队qiúduìsports team (basketball, soccer, football etc)
球迷qiúmífan (ball sports)
队员duìyuánteam member
队长duìzhǎngcaptain; team leader
队duìteam; queue
参赛cānsàito compete
大赛dàsàitournament, big contest
打败dǎbàito defeat; to overpower; to beat
赢yíngto beat; to win; to profit
赢得yíngdéto win; to gain
输shūto lose
获奖huòjiǎngto win an award
奖jiǎngprize, award
力气lìqiphysical strength
连liáneven (连…也 / 都)
场chǎngmeasure word for matches, films, shows
动作dòngzuòmovement; motion; action
激动jīdòngto move emotionally; to stir up (emotions); to excite
棒bànggreat, excellent
功夫gōngfuskill; art; kung fu
喊hǎnto yell; to shout; to call out for (a person)
加入jiārùto join
秒miǎosecond (unit of time); arc second (angular measurement unit)
强qiángstrong
成功chénggōngsuccess; to succeed
失败shībàifailure; to fail

📝 Worksheet for this lesson

Grammar

1. 连…也 / 都… “even”; …更… “all the more”

连 + the surprising part + 也 / 都 + verb

连 highlights the unexpected part, with 也 or 都 before the verb: 我激动得连话都说不出来了 “I was so excited I couldn’t even speak”, 他连饭都没吃 “he didn’t even eat”. You can add …更… “all the more”: 连老师都不会，学生更不会了 “even the teacher can’t, let alone the students”.

以前我连五公里都跑不了。

Yǐqián wǒ lián wǔ gōnglǐ dōu pǎo bu liǎo.

I couldn’t even run five kilometres before.

这个问题连老师都不会，学生更不会了。

Zhège wèntí lián lǎoshī dōu bú huì, xuésheng gèng bú huì le.

Even the teacher can’t do this question, let alone the students.

2. 再也不 / 再也没 “never again”

再也不 + verb is about the future, a decision “never again”: 这次再也不放弃了, 我再也不喝酒了. 再也没 + verb is about the past, “not once since”: 他走了以后，再也没回来过 “he left and never came back”.

我再也不吃这么多了。

Wǒ zài yě bù chī zhème duō le.

I’ll never eat this much again.

他走了以后，再也没回来过。

Tā zǒule yǐhòu, zài yě méi huílaiguo.

He left and never came back.

3. 说什么也得… “whatever it takes”

说什么也得 + verb (or 怎么也得, 怎么着也得) means “no matter what, we must…”, firm resolve: 说什么也得赢！ “we must win, whatever it takes!”, 今天怎么也得把作业写完 “I have to finish my homework today no matter what”. 得 here is děi.

说什么也得赢！

Shuō shénme yě děi yíng!

We must win, whatever it takes!

今天怎么也得把作业写完。

Jīntiān zěnme yě děi bǎ zuòyè xiěwán.

I have to finish my homework today no matter what.

4. 场 — “a match, a showing”; sport

场 chǎng counts shows and contests: 一场比赛 “a match”, 一场电影 “a showing”, 一场演出 “a performance”. (For rain or an illness — 一场雨, 一场病 — the same character is read cháng.) Sports words: 赢 “win” — 输 “lose”, 打败 “defeat (someone)”, 赢得 “win, earn”: 赢得第一名. 球队 “team”, 队员 “player”, 队长 “captain”, 球迷 “fan”, 教练 “coach”. 秒 “second”.

周末我们去看了一场电影。

Zhōumò wǒmen qù kànle yì chǎng diànyǐng.

At the weekend we went to see a film.

中国的乒乓球很强。

Zhōngguó de pīngpāngqiú hěn qiáng.

China is very strong at table tennis.

球迷们大声喊：“加油！”

Qiúmímen dà shēng hǎn: “Jiāyóu!”

The fans shout: “Come on!”

Exercises

1. Listen and choose the translation

Answer
她参加排球比赛获奖了。 Tā cānjiā páiqiú bǐsài huòjiǎng le. — She took part in a volleyball tournament and won a prize.
Answer
他赢得了第一名。 Tā yíngdéle dì-yī míng. — He took first place.
Answer
我再也不喝酒了。 Wǒ zài yě bù hē jiǔ le. — I’ll never drink again.
Answer
周末我们去看了一场电影。 Zhōumò wǒmen qù kànle yì chǎng diànyǐng. — At the weekend we went to see a film.

2. Choose the correct option

“He didn’t even eat”
Answer
他连饭都没吃。
“He left and never came back”
Answer
他走了以后，再也没回来过。
今天晚上有一___足球比赛。
Answer
场
The opposite of 赢:
Answer
输

3. Build the sentence

We must win, whatever it takes!
Answer
说什么也得赢！ Shuō shénme yě děi yíng!
Our team beat the strongest side.
Answer
我们的球队打败了最强的队。 Wǒmen de qiúduì dǎbàile zuì qiáng de duì.
This time I’m never giving up.
Answer
这次再也不放弃了。 Zhè cì zài yě bú fàngqì le.
His technique is perfect.
Answer
他的动作很标准。 Tā de dòngzuò hěn biāozhǔn.

4. Dialogue: answer as the speaker

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

A

昨天的比赛谁赢了？

Zuótiān de bǐsài shéi yíng le?

Who won yesterday’s match?

B

我们赢了，三比一。

Wǒmen yíng le, sān bǐ yī.

We did, three–one.

A

太棒了！你踢得怎么样？

Tài bàng le! Nǐ tī de zěnmeyàng?

Brilliant! How did you play?

B

还行，我进了一个球。

Hái xíng, wǒ jìnle yí ge qiú.

Not bad — I scored a goal.

A

下个星期还有一场吧？

Xià ge xīngqī hái yǒu yì chǎng ba?

There’s another match next week, isn’t there?

B

对，那场说什么也得赢。

Duì, nà chǎng shuō shénme yě děi yíng.

Yes, and we have to win that one, whatever it takes.

5. Translate into Chinese

He can’t even write his own name.
Answer
他连自己的名字都不会写。
I’ll never be late again.
Answer
我再也不迟到了。
It has to be finished today, whatever it takes.
Answer
今天说什么也得做完。

💡 Did you know?: Table tennis — the “national ball”

Table tennis, 乒乓球, is called 国球 “the national ball” in China: Chinese players have won Olympic and world titles for decades. Ping-pong tables stand in courtyards, schools and parks. And in the evenings you can see 广场舞, “square dancing” to music, mostly by retired people — another way to 健身.