HSK 3 · Intermediate stories

学外语的挑战 · Challenges of Learning a Foreign Language

Xué wàiyǔ de tiǎozhàn — What makes language learning hard — and how to keep going.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

学xué一门yì mén外语wàiyǔ不是bú shì一件yí jiàn容易的róngyì de事。shì

Learning a foreign language is not easy.

需要xūyào花huā很多hěnduō时间shíjiān和hé精力。jīnglì

It requires a lot of time and energy.

最大的zuì dà de挑战tiǎozhàn是shì坚持。jiānchí

The biggest challenge is persistence.

很多hěnduō人rén开始kāishǐ的时候de shíhou很有hěn yǒu动力。dònglì

Many people are very motivated at the start.

但是dànshì过了guò le几个月jǐ gè yuè就jiù放弃fàngqì了。le

But after a few months they give up.

其实qíshí最重要的zuì zhòngyào de是shì每天měitiān都dōu练习。liànxí

Actually the most important thing is practicing daily.

哪怕nǎpà只有zhǐ yǒu十五shíwǔ分钟fēnzhōng也yě很hěn有用。yǒuyòng

Even just fifteen minutes is useful.

还要hái yào找zhǎo机会jīhuì跟gēn母语者mǔyǔ zhě说话。shuō huà

You also need to find chances to speak with native speakers.

不要bú yào怕pà犯错误,fàn cuòwù犯错fàn cuò是shì学习xuéxí的de一部分。yí bùfèn

Don't be afraid of making mistakes; mistakes are part of learning.

Vocabulary in this story (53 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
学xuélearning
一门yì ménone (measure)
外语wàiyǔforeign language
不是bú shìis not
一件yí jiàna (measure)
容易的róngyì deeasy
事shìthing
需要xūyàorequires
花huāspend
很多hěnduōa lot of
时间shíjiāntime
和héand
精力jīnglìenergy
最大的zuì dà debiggest
挑战tiǎozhànchallenge
是shìis
坚持jiānchípersistence
人rénpeople
开始kāishǐbegin
的时候de shíhouwhen
很有hěn yǒuvery
动力dònglìmotivation
但是dànshìbut
过了guò leafter
几个月jǐ gè yuèa few months
就jiùthen
放弃fàngqìgive up
了le(perfective)
其实qíshíactually
最重要的zuì zhòngyào demost important
每天měitiānevery day
都dōualways
练习liànxípractice
哪怕nǎpàeven if
只有zhǐ yǒuonly
十五shíwǔfifteen
分钟fēnzhōngminutes
也yěalso
很hěnvery
有用yǒuyònguseful
还要hái yàoalso need
找zhǎofind
机会jīhuìchances
跟gēnwith
母语者mǔyǔ zhěnative speakers
说话shuō huàspeak
不要bú yàodon't
怕pàfear
犯错误fàn cuòwùmaking mistakes
犯错fàn cuòmaking mistakes
学习xuéxílearning
的de(particle)
一部分yí bùfèna part

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