Invitiation 1
没有 (méiyǒu) to talk about the past
We’ve already learned that to express don’t or doesn’t in Chinese, you can add 不 before the verb. However, this is for things happening right now or for habits (for example, 你不喝茶, nǐ bù hē chá). For things that happened in the past, you should use 没有 (méiyǒu, did not).
昨天为什么你没有来工作？
(Zuótiān wèishéme nǐ méiyǒu lái gōngzuò?) Why didn't you come to work yesterday?
为什么你没有告诉我？
(Wèishéme nǐ méiyǒu gàosu wǒ?) Why didn't you tell me?
我今天没有去学校。
(Wǒ jīntiān méiyǒu qù xuéxiào.) I didn't go to school today.
Have you been to that Chinese restaurant?
In English, we use has or have to show that we’ve already experienced something (for example, I have seen the Great Wall of China). In Chinese, you can add 过 (guò, to experience) after the verb to express the same idea.
你看过那本书吗？
(Nǐ kàn guo nà běn shū ma?) Have you read that book?
你来过我们的商店吗？
(Nǐ lái guo wǒmen de shāngdiàn ma?) Have you been to our shop?
Add 没 (méi, no) to say you haven’t experienced something.
我没去过那家中国饭馆。
(Wǒ méi qù guo nà jiā zhōngguó fànguǎn.) I have not been to that Chinese restaurant.
Call me!
Remember that 给 (gěi) can mean give.
给我们三杯啤酒。
(Gěi wǒmen sān bēi píjiǔ.) Give us three beers.
You can also use 给 (gěi) to talk about calling someone! The someone you’re calling should come between 给 (gěi) and 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà, to call).
我会给你打电话。
(Wǒ huì gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.) I will call you.
她没有给我打电话。
(Tā méiyǒu gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.) She didn’t call me.
Let’s go!
In English, we can use Let’s… when we want to make a suggestion. In Chinese, you can just add 吧 (ba, let’s) to the end of the sentence!
我们去西班牙旅游吧！
(Wǒmen qù Xībānyá lǚyóu ba!) Let’s go traveling in Spain!
我们出去喝咖啡吧！
(Wǒmen chūqù hē kāfēi ba!) Let’s go out and drink coffee!