PMW Translation #37: Step by Step

🌀 Pearls of Mandarin Worksheet: Translation #37

Hello Mandarin Enthusiasts! 🌟

In this week’s CGG #38 lesson, we uncovered a simple yet powerful structure to help you explain sequences of events clearly and smoothly in Mandarin. Whether you’re telling a story or giving instructions, knowing how to use “first... then...” with 首先... 然后 and other related structures will make your Mandarin flow more naturally and sound more polished.

Now, it’s time to put this into practice with the Pearl of Mandarin Worksheet! In today’s exercises, you’ll get hands-on experience with these step-by-step structures, focusing on both sequences and the logical connections between actions and outcomes.

The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become in using these expressions effortlessly in conversation. Let’s make these structures second nature together. Happy practicing!

Recap of CGG #38 lesson

• “First... then...” with 首先 (shǒuxiān)，然后 (ránhòu): This structure is used to clearly outline a sequence of actions in a specific order. It’s great for step-by-step instructions or recounting events.

• “First... Secondly...” with 首先 (shǒuxiān)，其次 (qícì): While starting similarly to 首先……然后, this pattern emphasizes a ranking of importance rather than just a sequence of events, making it useful in formal contexts such as presentations.

• “As a result” with ……，于是 (yúshì): This pattern connects actions and their direct results, highlighting cause and effect rather than just a continuation of events.

• “Since then” with ……，此后 (cǐhòu): Used to describe subsequent actions or events following a specific moment in time, often in storytelling or formal writing.

• “At first... only then...” with 起初 (qǐchū)，才 (cái): This structure shows an initial situation followed by a delayed or eventual change, useful for describing evolving understanding or decisions.

Today’s Exercises

Translate these English sentences into Mandarin:

1. We moved to a new city five years ago, and since then, everything has changed.

2. First, I will call my friend, then I’ll go to the supermarket.

3. At first, she didn’t want to join the trip, but later she agreed.

4. First, we should improve the product design; second, we need better marketing.

5. It started raining, so we decided to cancel the picnic.

Take your time, and remember: practicing these subtle differences will help you sound more natural and confident in your Mandarin conversations. You’ve got this! 💫

🌀 Translation #1

We moved to a new city five years ago, and since then, everything has changed.

In this sentence, we are describing two key ideas: (1) a past event (moving to a new city) and (2) the changes that occurred afterward. To express this clearly in Mandarin, we need to use time expressions and 了 to indicate the passage of time and the resulting changes:

📚 Structure: [Event/Time] + ，此后 + [Subsequent Action/Event]

In this structure, 此后 (cǐhòu) means “since then” or “thereafter” and is used to indicate that everything that follows is a direct result of the event that preceded it. This structure helps establish a clear timeline in storytelling, where a specific moment (moving to a new city) acts as a turning point, and everything that happens after is influenced by that event.

Part 1: “We moved to a new city five years ago”

• 我们 (wǒmen) means “we.”

• 五年前 (wǔ nián qián) means “five years ago.”

  • The structure here is [Time Expression] + 前 (qián), where 前 means “before” or “ago.” This pattern is used to express a point in the past relative to the current moment.

  • Similarly, 后 (hòu) is used to indicate a point in the future or after a certain event. For example, 五年后 (wǔ nián hòu) would mean “five years later” or “five years from now.”

• 搬到 (bāndào) means “moved to.”

  • 搬 (bān) means “to move” (usually in the context of moving homes), and 到 (dào) is a directional complement that indicates the destination.

• 新城市 (xīn chéngshì) means “new city.”

  • 新 (xīn) means “new,” and 城市 (chéngshì) means “city.”

Part 2: “Since then, everything has changed”

• 此后 (cǐhòu) means “since then” or “thereafter.”

  • This phrase is often used in formal or narrative contexts to mark a significant event and describe what happens afterward. It helps establish the passage of time in storytelling.

• 一切 (yīqiè) means “everything.”

• 都 (dōu) means “all.”

  • 都 emphasizes that the change applies to everything, reinforcing the idea of total change with 一切 (everything).

• 变了 (biàn le) means “changed.”

  • 变 (biàn) means “to change”

  • 了 (le) here is a change of state marker. It indicates that a transformation has occurred.

  • This 了 shows that everything is now different compared to the past, signaling that the state of affairs has changed since moving to the new city.

Note

The use of 此后 is relatively formal. In casual conversation, people might use 从那以后 (cóng nà yǐhòu) or just 从那时 (cóng nà shí), which are more common in everyday speech. However, for storytelling or written contexts, 此后 adds a more refined tone.

In more colloquial Mandarin, you might also encounter expressions like 一切都变了很多 (yīqiè dōu biàn le hěn duō) to emphasize “everything has changed a lot,” but here, 一切都变了 keeps it concise.

Recap

• 我们五年前搬到新城市，此后一切都变了。

• 我们 / 五 / 年 / 前 / 搬 / 到 / 新 / 城市 /，/ 此后 / 一切 / 都 / 变 / 了 / 。

• wǒmen wǔ nián qián bāndào xīn chéngshì, cǐhòu yīqiè dōu biàn le

• We moved to a new city five years ago, and since then, everything has changed.

• We / five / years / ago / moved / to / new / city / since then / everything / all / change / (change of state marker 了).

Let’s practice the sentences with my audio recordings:

Slow speed:

Normal speed:

🌀 Translation #2

First, I will call my friend, then I’ll go to the supermarket.