In this workshop you will practice making simple suggestions in Chinese and responding to a friend's reply. You will hear short, natural lines and use them in guided exchanges. The focus is on choosing a suggestion, understanding whether the other person agrees or wants something different, and then offering a new plan. You do not need to create new phrases; you will reuse the recorded lines in the right order.
Making a suggestion
A suggestion invites another person to do something together. In Chinese, a common pattern is a short sentence that means "Let's..." Another common pattern adds a question feel, like "How about...?" Both are useful when you want to propose an activity. Listen to these two ways to suggest watching a movie: «我们看电影吧。» and «我们去看电影，怎么样？». The first is a direct suggestion. The second sounds more like an invitation question. You can also suggest a walk: «我们去散步吧。» and «去散步，怎么样？». Notice that the activity changes, but the friendly suggestion tone stays. When you speak, keep your voice relaxed and let the suggestion rise slightly at the end if it is a question-style invitation.
Responding and adjusting the plan
A conversation often moves from a suggestion to a reply, and then to a new suggestion. Listen to this short exchange. Speaker A suggests watching a movie: «我们去看电影吧。». Speaker B agrees but wants to take a walk instead: «好啊，但是我想散步。». Speaker A then adjusts the plan and suggests a walk: «那我们去散步，怎么样？». Speaker B happily agrees: «太好了！走吧。». The key move is «那我们去散步，怎么样？»: after hearing that the other person wants a walk, A does not repeat the movie idea. A changes the activity to match the reply. When you practice, pay attention to who is speaking. The person who suggests first may not be the person who suggests second. The order stays the same: suggestion, reply, new suggestion, agreement.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
我们看电影吧。
Let's watch a movie.
Wǒmen kàn diànyǐng ba.
我们去看电影，怎么样？
How about we go watch a movie?
Wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐng, zěnme yàng?
我们去散步吧。
Let's go for a walk.
Wǒmen qù sànbù ba.
去散步，怎么样？
How about going for a walk?
Qù sànbù, zěnme yàng?
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
我们去看电影吧。
Let's go watch a movie.好啊，但是我想散步。
Okay, but I want to take a walk.那我们去散步，怎么样？
Then how about we go for a walk?太好了！走吧。
Great! Let's go.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: suggest a movie
You and a friend are deciding what to do. You will play Speaker A first. Your friend will play Speaker B. Use the recorded lines in order.
Your task: Read or say «我们去看电影吧。» as Speaker A. Then listen to Speaker B say «好啊，但是我想散步。». After that, respond as Speaker A with «那我们去散步，怎么样？». Finally, listen to Speaker B say «太好了！走吧。». If you are practicing alone, play both roles: say «我们去看电影吧。», then «好啊，但是我想散步。», then «那我们去散步，怎么样？», then «太好了！走吧。».
Reply comprehension: what does B want?
You hear Speaker A suggest watching a movie with «我们去看电影吧。». Then you hear Speaker B reply with «好啊，但是我想散步。». You need to understand what B wants before you choose the next line.
Your task: Listen to «我们去看电影吧。» and «好啊，但是我想散步。». Then choose the best next line from Speaker A: «我们看电影吧。», «我们去散步吧。», or «那我们去散步，怎么样？». Say your choice aloud, then say the full line.
Recall and role swap: from movie to walk
You will recall the short exchange without looking at the lines. The scene is still two friends deciding between a movie and a walk. Speaker A first suggests a movie, Speaker B replies, Speaker A adjusts, and Speaker B agrees.
Your task: Say the four lines in order from memory: «我们去看电影吧。», «好啊，但是我想散步。», «那我们去散步，怎么样？», «太好了！走吧。». Then swap roles. This time, start as Speaker A by saying «我们去看电影吧。», then say Speaker B's line «好啊，但是我想散步。», then say Speaker A's line «那我们去散步，怎么样？», and finish with «太好了！走吧。». Keep the same chronological order: suggestion, reply, new suggestion, agreement.
Common questions
Do I need to create new Chinese sentences in this workshop?
No. You practice by using the recorded lines in the correct order. The goal is to become comfortable with suggesting, understanding a reply, and adjusting the plan using the exact phrases you hear.
What should I focus on when I swap roles?
Focus on who says which line, not on changing the order. The conversation still moves from the first suggestion to the reply, then to the new suggestion, and finally to the agreement. Swapping roles only changes which part you say.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: suggest activitiesChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Chinese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr