我打算明年去中国
Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives
In Chapter 17, you learned to talk about experiences that happened at some unspecified point in the past using 过. This chapter turns from the past to the future. You will learn 打算 for stating plans and intentions, and you will review 要 and 会 in their future-reference functions. You will also learn to compare two things using 比, and to express the highest or greater degree of a quality using 更 and 最. Calendar vocabulary will help you talk about specific future dates.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- State a plan or intention using 打算 + Verb Phrase.
- Distinguish 打算 (plan to), 要 (want to / intend to), and 会 (will, future likelihood) in talking about the future.
- Compare two people, places, or things using A 比 B + Adjective.
- Use 更 to say something is "even more" a certain quality.
- Use 最 to say something is "the most" of a certain quality.
- Talk about future months, years, and calendar dates.
- Read and interpret a simple travel-planning message and calendar.
Communication Scenario
After talking about their travel experiences in Chapter 17, 大卫 and 安娜 decide to actually plan a trip together. They compare two possible cities to visit and talk about when they plan to go.
- You will hear and read 大卫 and 安娜 planning a trip using 打算 and comparison with 比.
- You will practice comparing two places, activities, or plans with a partner.
- You will write a short passage about what you plan to do next year, comparing two options.
Core Vocabulary
These words support talking about future plans and making comparisons. Numbers, dates, and travel vocabulary needed here have already been introduced in earlier chapters.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Part / Function | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 打算 | dǎsuàn | verb | to plan (to do something) | 我打算明年去中国。 |
| 明年 | míngnián | time word | next year | 我打算明年去中国。 |
| 今年 | jīnnián | time word | this year | 今年我很忙。 |
| 去年 | qùnián | time word | last year | 去年我去过北京。 |
| 比 | bǐ | coverb | compared to; than | 上海比北京大。 |
| 更 | gèng | adverb | even more | 上海比北京更大。 |
| 最 | zuì | adverb | the most | 中国最大的城市是上海。 |
| 计划 | jìhuà | noun / verb | plan; to plan | 我们的计划是什么？ |
| 城市 | chéngshì | noun | city | 上海是一个大城市。 |
| 月 | yuè | noun / measure word | month | 我打算三月去中国。 |
| 季节 | jìjié | noun | season | 你喜欢哪个季节？ |
| 决定 | juédìng | verb | to decide | 我们决定明年去。 |
Grammar words used in the examples above — 了, 过, 是, numbers, and measure words — were introduced in Chapters 1-17 and are reviewed, not retaught, here.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter introduces no new sounds or tone rules. Use the items below to review tone contrasts that come up often in this chapter's vocabulary.
- The falling tone of 比 (bǐ), third tone — practice it in a full sentence such as 上海比北京大, where 比 comes before the two third-tone syllables of 北京, so listen for how the sentence-level rhythm carries across the comparison.
- The rising tone of 更 (gèng) versus the falling tone — remember 更 is a fourth tone, distinct in contour from 跟 (gēn), which you may know from other contexts.
- The falling tone of 最 (zuì) — keep it light and quick before the adjective it modifies, as in 最大, 最好.
- Distinguishing 打算 (dǎsuàn) from 大算-sounding combinations — the first syllable is a third tone that often shifts toward a low, non-dipping pronunciation in this common word.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
Subject + 打算 + Verb Phrase — stating a plan
我打算明年去中国。 Wǒ dǎsuàn míngnián qù Zhōngguó. I plan to go to China next year.
打算 introduces a verb phrase describing what someone intends to do. A time word such as 明年 usually comes right after the subject or right after 打算, following the time-before-verb pattern you already know.
A + 比 + B + Adjective — comparing two things
上海比北京大。 Shànghǎi bǐ Běijīng dà. Shanghai is bigger than Beijing.
比 sits directly between the two things being compared, and the adjective follows. Do not add 很 before the adjective in a basic 比 sentence — 上海比北京很大 is incorrect.
A + 比 + B + 更/最 + Adjective — intensifying a comparison
上海比北京更大。 Shànghǎi bǐ Běijīng gèng dà. Shanghai is even bigger than Beijing.
中国最大的城市是上海。 Zhōngguó zuì dà de chéngshì shì Shànghǎi. Shanghai is China's biggest city.
更 works inside a 比 comparison to intensify the difference. 最 is not used with 比; it marks the single highest-degree item within a group, often followed by 的 and a noun.
You have already met 要 (want to / intend to) and 会 (will, future likelihood) in earlier chapters. 打算 adds a third way to talk about the future, focused specifically on plans that have already been thought through: 我打算明年去中国 suggests a considered plan, while 我要去中国 can express a more general intention or desire, and 我会去中国 can express something you expect will happen. The three often overlap in natural speech, but this chapter focuses on 打算 for describing a plan you have already decided on.
没有 as a comparison alternative (recognition)
北京没有上海大。 Běijīng méiyǒu Shànghǎi dà. Beijing is not as big as Shanghai.
This pattern reverses the comparison using 没有 instead of 比. It is presented here for recognition; full productive control is developed in a later chapter.
Model Dialogue
大卫和安娜 — David and Anna:
大卫：安娜，我们决定去中国吧！你打算什么时候去？
安娜：我打算明年去，可能是三月或者四月。
大卫：北京和上海，你觉得哪个城市更好玩儿？
安娜：我觉得上海比北京更热闹，可是北京有长城，也很有意思。
大卫：对，长城是中国最有名的地方。我们应该先去北京，再去上海。
安娜：好，那我们的计划是：明年三月，先去北京，再去上海！
大卫：太好了！这次我们一起打算，一起旅游。
Notice how 安娜 uses 打算 to describe a considered plan, while 更 and 最 help her and 大卫 compare the two cities.
Guided Practice
练习一 — Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with 打算 and a time word.
- 我＿＿去中国。 (I plan to go to China next year.)
- 她＿＿学习中文。 (She plans to study Chinese this year.)
- 我们＿＿去长城。 (We plan to go to the Great Wall next month.)
练习二 — Exercise 2: Complete each comparison using 比.
- 上海＿北京大。 (Shanghai is bigger than Beijing.)
- 这个城市＿那个城市有名。 (This city is more famous than that city.)
练习三 — Exercise 3: Choose 更 or 最 to complete each sentence.
- 上海比北京＿热闹。 (Shanghai is even more lively than Beijing.)
- 长城是中国＿有名的地方。 (The Great Wall is China's most famous place.)
Listening Practice
Ask a partner, instructor, or fluent speaker to read the passage below aloud twice at a natural pace before answering.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read it aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Mandarin speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
大卫和安娜的计划 — David and Anna's Plan:
大卫和安娜打算明年一起去中国旅游。他们觉得三月的天气比较好，所以打算三月去。安娜觉得上海比北京更热闹，可是大卫觉得北京有长城，更有意思。最后，他们决定先去北京，看看长城，再去上海。安娜说：「这是我们最好的计划！」
听力任务 — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 大卫和安娜打算什么时候去中国？ (When do David and Anna plan to go to China?) | ______ |
| 安娜觉得哪个城市更热闹？ (Which city does Anna think is more lively?) | ______ |
| 他们决定先去哪个城市？ (Which city did they decide to visit first?) | ______ |
Speaking Practice
控制性练习 — Controlled practice: guided interview
With a partner, take turns asking and answering: 你明年打算做什么？你打算去哪个城市？你觉得哪个城市更好玩儿？
交际任务 — Communicative task: comparing plans
With a partner, compare two cities, activities, or plans using 比, 更, and 最 at least once each. Then describe one plan you both agree on using 打算.
独立练习 — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing one plan you have for next year, comparing two possible options using 比, and stating which one you think is best using 最.
Reading Practice
Read the short planning message and calendar note below, then answer the comprehension questions.
理解问题 — Comprehension questions:
- 他们打算什么时候去中国？ (When do they plan to go to China?)
- 他们打算在北京待几天？ (How many days do they plan to stay in Beijing?)
- 为什么他们想去上海？ (Why do they want to go to Shanghai?)
Writing Workshop
Write a short passage of five to seven sentences about a plan you have for next year. Use only vocabulary and grammar from Chapters 1-18.
写作任务 — Writing task: Type your sentences with Pinyin input if possible, or copy/handwrite the characters you have already been assigned for handwriting. Your passage must include:
- At least one sentence using 打算 to state your plan.
- At least one comparison using A 比 B + Adjective.
- At least one use of 更 or 最 to intensify or single out a quality.
- A closing sentence explaining why you chose this plan.
修改清单 — Editing checklist:
- 打算 is followed directly by a verb phrase, with the time word placed naturally.
- 比 sits between the two things compared, with no 很 before the adjective.
- 更 is used inside a 比 sentence; 最 is used to single out one item from a group, not inside a 比 sentence.
- The passage reads as a connected plan, not a disconnected list of sentences.
- A Chinese period (。) ends each sentence.
Culture and Communication
Comparing cities such as 北京 and 上海 is a common topic of conversation among Mandarin speakers and learners alike, often centered on differences in pace of life, food, history, and atmosphere rather than a claim that one city is simply "better." When making comparisons in Mandarin, as in many languages, it is common to soften a comparison with phrases like 我觉得 (I feel/think that) rather than stating it as an absolute fact, since opinions about cities and places vary widely among individuals and regions.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding 很 in a basic 比 sentence: 上海比北京大 is correct; 上海比北京很大 is incorrect. Save 很 for ordinary descriptive sentences without 比.
- Using 最 inside a 比 sentence: 上海比北京最大 is incorrect. Use 更 to intensify a 比 comparison, and reserve 最 for singling out the top item in a group, as in 上海是中国最大的城市.
- Confusing 打算, 要, and 会: all three can refer to the future, but 打算 specifically signals a plan that has already been thought through. Choose based on what you actually mean to express.
- Misplacing the time word with 打算: 我打算明年去中国 and 明年我打算去中国 are both natural; avoid placing the time word after the main verb, such as *我打算去中国明年.
Chapter Summary
This chapter introduced 打算 for stating considered plans, reviewed 要 and 会 as related ways of talking about the future, and added comparison with 比, intensified with 更 and singled out with 最. You practiced comparing cities and describing future plans, and you read a short travel-planning message.
Chapter Review
部分 A — 语法 (Grammar)
1. Choose the correct sentence:
- 上海比北京大。 / 上海比北京很大。
- 长城是中国最有名的地方。 / 长城比中国最有名的地方。
2. Fill in the blank with 更 or 最:
- 上海比北京＿热闹。 (Shanghai is even more lively than Beijing.)
- 这是中国＿大的城市。 (This is China's biggest city.)
部分 B — 阅读 (Reading)
1. Return to the planning message above and answer:
- 他们打算在上海待几天？ (How many days do they plan to stay in Shanghai?)
部分 C — 写作 (Writing)
1. Write your five-to-seven-sentence passage, following the Writing Workshop steps above.
部分 D — 口语 (Speaking)
1. Complete the guided interview and the comparing-plans task with a partner or recording.
Recognition Check
Say each of the following aloud and confirm accurate tones and word order: 我打算明年去中国, 上海比北京大, 上海比北京更热闹, 长城是中国最有名的地方. If any of these feel uncertain, review this chapter before continuing.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 18 Performance Task
我打算明年去中国 — I Plan to Go to China Next Year
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to the passage about David and Anna's plan and complete the listening table above.
- Read the travel-planning message and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write your own passage about a plan for next year, following the Writing Workshop steps and editing checklist.
- Speak through the guided interview and the comparing-plans task with a partner, recording, or instructor.
Answer Key
Guided Practice — Exercise 1
- 我打算明年去中国。
- 她打算今年学习中文。
- 我们打算下个月去长城。
Guided Practice — Exercise 2
- 上海比北京大。
- 这个城市比那个城市有名。
Guided Practice — Exercise 3
- 更
- 最
Listening
- They plan to go to China in March next year.
- Anna thinks Shanghai is more lively.
- They decided to visit Beijing first.
Reading — Comprehension
- They plan to go to China next March.
- They plan to stay in Beijing for five days.
- They want to go to Shanghai because it is one of China's biggest cities and they want to see it.
Chapter Review — 部分 A
- (a) 上海比北京大。 (b) 长城是中国最有名的地方。
- (a) 更 (b) 最
Chapter Review — 部分 B
They plan to stay in Shanghai for four days.
Looking Ahead
现在你会做什么 — What you can do now
You can now state a plan using 打算, compare two things using 比, intensify a comparison with 更, and single out the top item in a group with 最. You can also talk about future months and years using calendar vocabulary.