When someone suggests an activity in Chinese, you can accept warmly, decline gently, or keep the plan alive by suggesting a different time. This workshop gives you two short recorded phrases for accepting, two for declining, and a short recorded dialogue that shows how a plan can be adjusted. You will listen, choose the right response, and then say both sides of a short exchange. The recordings are your model: listen first, repeat aloud, then use them in the tasks below.
Accepting a suggestion
Two short recordings show friendly acceptance. «好主意！» means "Good idea!" and works when you like the suggestion and want to sound positive. «好啊！» means "Sure!" or "Okay!" and sounds casual and warm, common among friends or people of similar age. Both are safe, natural ways to say yes. Notice that neither phrase adds extra details; they simply show that you agree. When you practice, say them with a light, upbeat tone. A flat tone can sound uninterested, so let your voice rise slightly. After you can say both, imagine a friend suggests a weekend activity and answer with one of these recordings.
Declining politely
Sometimes you cannot accept, and Chinese offers soft ways to say no. «下次吧。» means "Maybe another time." It does not give a reason, but it keeps the door open for a future invitation. «可能不行。» means "Probably not possible." It is also gentle and often comes before a short reason. Both phrases avoid a blunt refusal, which can feel harsh in many everyday situations. When you use them, keep your tone calm and friendly. You can say the phrase by itself, or add a brief reason if you have one. Practice saying each line slowly, then at a natural speed. Imagine a classmate invites you to something and you are busy; choose one of these recordings to reply.
Changing the time
A suggestion does not have to end with yes or no. You can accept the idea but move it to another time. In the recorded dialogue, speaker A suggests a weekend activity, and speaker B accepts the idea but mentions a weather problem. Then A asks about changing the time, and B agrees and offers a new day. This shows a useful pattern: accept the idea, mention a small problem, then suggest a different time. The dialogue line for changing the time is «那换个时间，好吗？», while the phrase-list example is «换个时间，好吗？». The friendly agreement plus a new suggestion appears in «好啊，下周六怎么样？». Listen to the whole exchange, then practice each line. This pattern helps you stay positive while adjusting the plan.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
好主意！
Good idea!
hǎo zhǔyi
好啊！
Sure! / Okay!
hǎo a
下次吧。
Maybe another time.
xià cì ba
可能不行。
Probably not possible.
kěnéng bù xíng
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
我们周末去爬山吧！
Let's go hiking this weekend!好主意！但是天气预报说会下雨。
Good idea! But the weather forecast says it will rain.那换个时间，好吗？
Then let's change the time, okay?好啊，下周六怎么样？
Sure, how about next Saturday?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: accept and adjust
You will play speaker B in a short conversation. Speaker A suggests a weekend activity. You accept the idea, then mention a weather problem, and finally agree to a new time. Use the recorded lines as your model.
Your task: Listen to «我们周末去爬山吧！» and «好主意！但是天气预报说会下雨。». Then say speaker B's line from «好主意！但是天气预报说会下雨。» aloud. Next, listen to «那换个时间，好吗？» and «好啊，下周六怎么样？». Say speaker B's line from «好啊，下周六怎么样？» aloud. Repeat the whole exchange, taking B's role both times.
Reply comprehension: choose the right response
Read each situation and choose the best recorded reply. All situations are imaginary, but the phrases come from the recordings.
Your task: Situation 1: A friend suggests a fun activity and you like the idea. Choose «好主意！» or «下次吧。». Situation 2: A colleague invites you to an event, but you are busy and want to be polite. Choose «好啊！» or «可能不行。». Situation 3: You like the plan but the time is bad, so you want to keep the idea and move it. Choose «下次吧。» or «那换个时间，好吗？».
Recall and role switch
This task checks whether you can remember the lines without looking. You will say both roles in the recorded dialogue.
Your task: First, say speaker A's suggestion from «我们周末去爬山吧！» and speaker B's reply from «好主意！但是天气预报说会下雨。». Then say speaker A's question from «那换个时间，好吗？» and speaker B's answer from «好啊，下周六怎么样？». Try to do this without reading the lines. After that, switch: say B's lines first, then A's lines.
Common questions
Can I use these phrases with anyone?
The accepting phrases «好主意！» and «好啊！» are friendly and work in many everyday situations. The declining phrases «下次吧。» and «可能不行。» are polite and gentle. The dialogue line «那换个时间，好吗？» is useful when you want to keep the plan but move it; the phrase list also gives «换个时间，好吗？». Choose the phrase that matches how close you are to the person and how formal the situation feels.
What if I want to decline but still sound positive?
Use «下次吧。» or «可能不行。» with a calm, warm tone. These phrases avoid a direct no and leave room for a future invitation. You can also add a short reason after the phrase if you have one. The important thing is to keep your voice friendly so the other person knows you are not rejecting them, only the timing.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: responding to suggestionsChecked September 2026
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