去健身房：运动与健康
Going to the gym · a free Mandarin Chinese immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
我每天早上去健身房锻炼。
I go to the gym to work out every morning.
Literal I every-day morning go gym work-out.
A natural way to describe a daily routine. 每天 (every day) + time word + verb phrase is a very common structure for talking about habits.
- 每天 (every day) is a frequency adverb placed before the verb phrase
- 早上 (morning) specifies the time within the day
- 去...锻炼 uses two verbs in sequence: 'go (somewhere) to do (something)'
你能告诉我怎么用这台跑步机吗？
Can you tell me how to use this treadmill?
Literal You can tell me how to use this (measure-word) treadmill?
A polite and natural way to ask for help with gym equipment. 怎么 embeds the question 'how to use' inside a larger request.
- 能...吗 is a polite ability question: 'Can you...?'
- 怎么用 means 'how to use'
- 台 is the measure word used for machines and large appliances
我们今天做了一个小时的有氧运动。
We did one hour of aerobic exercise today.
Literal We today did (completion) one hour's aerobic exercise.
了 after 做 marks completion of the action. In this pattern the duration phrase 一个小时 comes after 了 and before the object.
- 了 placed directly after a verb signals a completed action
- 一个小时 is a duration measure: 'one hour' (一 + measure word 个 + 小时)
- 有氧运动 is a compound noun: aerobic (有氧) + exercise (运动)
锻炼完之后，我感觉全身都出汗了。
After finishing my workout, I felt my whole body sweating.
Literal Work-out finished after, I feel whole-body all sweat (change of state).
V+完之后 expresses 'after finishing an action.' The final 了 on 出汗了 signals a change of state — sweating has begun.
- V+完 means 'finished doing V'; 之后 means 'after'
- 全身都 means 'the whole body (all)'
- 出汗了 with final sentence 了 describes a new state that has come about
你经常来这里练习吗？
Do you often come here to practice?
Literal You often come here practice?
A friendly conversation opener at the gym. 经常 is a high-frequency adverb placed before the verb.
- 经常 (often / frequently) is placed directly before the verb
- 来这里 means 'come here'; 来 is used for movement toward the speaker
- 吗 at the end turns the statement into a yes/no question
我花了三十分钟在举重区练习。
I spent thirty minutes practicing in the weight room.
Literal I spent (了) thirty minutes in weight-lifting area practicing.
花了 + time amount is the standard way to say 'spent (some amount of time).' The location phrase 在举重区 comes before the verb.
- 花了 + time = 'spent (amount of time)'
- 分钟 is the measure word for minutes; 三十分钟 = thirty minutes
- 在 + location + verb = doing something at a specific place
她昨天去健身房了，所以今天有点儿累。
She went to the gym yesterday, so she's a bit tired today.
Literal She yesterday went gym (completion), so today a-little tired.
了 at the end of the first clause confirms a completed past action. 有点儿 softens the adjective 累 (tired) — saying 'a little tired' rather than 'very tired.'
- 去...了 at the end of a clause signals a completed trip or event
- 所以 means 'so / therefore' and links a cause to its result
- 有点儿 + adjective softens the description: 'a little (adjective)'
咱们下周一起去上瑜伽课吧！
Let's go to yoga class together next week!
Literal Let's-we next-week together go attend yoga class (suggestion particle).
咱们...吧 is a warm, inclusive way to make a suggestion. 上课 means to attend a class.
- 咱们 is the inclusive 'we' — it includes both the speaker and the listener
- 吧 at the end softens the statement into a friendly suggestion or proposal
- 一起 means 'together' and is placed before the verb
请问，今天有没有普拉提课程？
Excuse me, is there a Pilates class today?
Literal Please-ask, today have not-have Pilates class?
有没有 is the affirmative-negative question form of 有, used to ask whether something is available. 请问 is a standard polite opener.
- 请问 is a polite conversation opener: 'Excuse me / May I ask...'
- 有没有 is the A-not-A question pattern for 有 (to have / there is)
- 课程 refers to a class or course offering; in a gym context, group fitness classes
我喜欢在跑步之前做热身运动。
I like to do warm-up exercises before running.
Literal I like in running before do warm-up exercise.
在...之前 creates a time clause meaning 'before doing X.' 热身运动 is the compound for warm-up exercises.
- 在 + verb/noun + 之前 = 'before (doing something)'
- 喜欢 + verb = 'like to do something'
- 热身 (warm up) + 运动 (exercise) forms a compound noun meaning warm-up exercise
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
健身房 (jiànshēnfáng)
gym / fitness center
这家健身房每天早上六点开门。(Zhè jiā jiànshēnfáng měitiān zǎoshang liù diǎn kāimén.)
This gym opens at six o'clock every morning.
Literally 'strengthen-body-room.' 健身 (jiànshēn) alone means fitness or working out.
锻炼 (duànliàn)
to exercise / to work out
她每周锻炼三次。(Tā měi zhōu duànliàn sān cì.)
She exercises three times a week.
Can also function as a noun: 锻炼很重要 (duànliàn hěn zhòngyào) — Exercise is important.
跑步机 (pǎobùjī)
treadmill
我喜欢在跑步机上听音乐。(Wǒ xǐhuān zài pǎobùjī shàng tīng yīnyuè.)
I like listening to music on the treadmill.
台 (tái) is the measure word for this: 一台跑步机 (yī tái pǎobùjī) — one treadmill.
出汗 (chūhàn)
to sweat / to perspire
运动后我很容易出汗。(Yùndòng hòu wǒ hěn róngyì chūhàn.)
I sweat easily after exercising.
出汗了 (chūhàn le) with final 了 signals sweating has started, marking a change of state.
举重 (jǔzhòng)
weightlifting / to lift weights
他每天都在练举重。(Tā měitiān dōu zài liàn jǔzhòng.)
He practices weightlifting every day.
举 (jǔ) means 'to lift'; 重 (zhòng) means 'heavy / weight.' 举重区 (jǔzhòng qū) = the weight room.
热身 (rèshēn)
warm-up
运动前一定要先热身。(Yùndòng qián yīdìng yào xiān rèshēn.)
You must warm up before exercising.
热 (rè) = warm, 身 (shēn) = body. Commonly paired as 热身运动 (rèshēn yùndòng) — warm-up exercise.
有氧运动 (yǒuyǎng yùndòng)
aerobic exercise / cardio
有氧运动对心脏很好。(Yǒuyǎng yùndòng duì xīnzàng hěn hǎo.)
Aerobic exercise is good for the heart.
有氧 (yǒuyǎng) literally means 'with oxygen.' The opposite is 无氧运动 (wúyǎng yùndòng) — anaerobic exercise.
感觉 (gǎnjué)
to feel / feeling / sensation
锻炼之后感觉特别好。(Duànliàn zhīhòu gǎnjué tèbié hǎo.)
I feel especially good after working out.
Works as both a verb (感觉很累 gǎnjué hěn lèi — feel tired) and a noun (那种感觉 nà zhǒng gǎnjué — that feeling).
课程 (kèchéng)
class / course / class schedule
这个健身房有很多不同的课程。(Zhège jiànshēnfáng yǒu hěn duō bùtóng de kèchéng.)
This gym has many different classes.
In a gym context, refers to group fitness classes. 上课程 (shàng kèchéng) or 上课 (shàng kè) means to attend a class.
经常 (jīngcháng)
often / frequently
我经常在晚上去健身房。(Wǒ jīngcháng zài wǎnshang qù jiànshēnfáng.)
I often go to the gym in the evening.
Placed before the verb. Compare: 有时候 (yǒushíhou — sometimes), 偶尔 (ǒu'ěr — occasionally), 每天 (měitiān — every day).
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
小明是个健身爱好者。他每天早上花一个小时在健身房锻炼。他先做热身运动，然后跑步三十分钟，最后在举重区练习。锻炼完之后，他感觉全身都出汗了，但是心情特别好。他还经常邀请朋友一起去上瑜伽课。
Sentence by sentence
小明是个健身爱好者。
Xiao Ming is a fitness enthusiast.
是 + 个 + noun is a simple identity statement. 爱好者 means 'enthusiast / lover of (something).'
他每天早上花一个小时在健身房锻炼。
He spends one hour at the gym working out every morning.
花 + time amount = 'spend time.' 在健身房 (at the gym) is a location phrase placed before the verb 锻炼.
他先做热身运动，然后跑步三十分钟，最后在举重区练习。
He starts with warm-up exercises, then runs for thirty minutes, and finally practices in the weight room.
先...然后...最后 is a sequence connective meaning 'first... then... finally.' Use it to describe any ordered set of steps.
锻炼完之后，他感觉全身都出汗了，但是心情特别好。
After finishing his workout, he feels his whole body sweating, but his mood is especially great.
V+完之后 = 'after finishing V.' 但是 introduces a contrast. 心情特别好 = 'mood is especially good' — a common post-workout expression.
他还经常邀请朋友一起去上瑜伽课。
He also often invites friends to attend yoga classes together.
还经常 stacks two adverbs: 'also' (还) + 'often' (经常). 邀请...一起去 = 'invite someone to go together.'
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Action Completion with 了 (le)
Placing 了 directly after a verb marks that the action has been completed. This is not the same as past tense in English — 了 focuses on the fact that an action is done, not simply when it happened. When 了 appears at the very end of a sentence, it often signals a change of state (something has started or changed).
Subject + Verb + 了 + (Duration / Object)
我做了三十分钟的有氧运动。
I did thirty minutes of aerobic exercise.
她去健身房了。
She went to the gym (the action is done).
锻炼完之后，他出汗了。
After the workout, he started sweating.
我花了一个小时在举重区练习。
I spent one hour practicing in the weight room.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to English: 我们今天做了一个小时的有氧运动。
Fill in the blank: 锻炼完之后，我感觉全身都___了。
Hint Think about what your body does after a tough workout!
Which sentence correctly uses 了 to say she went to the gym yesterday?
Rewrite using 了 to show the action is complete: 我花三十分钟在举重区练习。
Hint 了 goes right after the verb 花 (to spend).
Translate to Mandarin: 'I like to do warm-up exercises before running.'
Hint 热身 = warm-up; 之前 = before
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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