A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
内马尔要去世界杯了
Neymar Is Going to the World Cup
About this story
Neymar Is Going to the World Cup. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 4 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 12 key vocabulary words such as 今天、喜欢、高兴 and walks through 4 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
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原文Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
English transcript reference
Today I'll tell you about a person.
This person is very famous.
He plays football.
Playing football
means using your feet
to kick a ball.
He is called Neymar.
Where is Neymar from?
He is Brazilian.
Brazil is far away from us.
Brazilians love football very much.
Neymar plays football
very, very well.
Many people like him.
But,
in recent years,
he has had a big problem.
More than two years ago,
his leg
got hurt.
Getting hurt
means your body is in pain,
not well.
His leg
was hurt badly.
For a long time,
he could not play football.
He was very sad.
The people who like him
were also very sad.
This summer,
there is a very big football competition.
This competition
is called the World Cup.
The World Cup
only happens once every four years.
Many countries
all want to go.
Brazil wants to go too.
Every country
has to choose some people
to go and compete.
Who can go to the World Cup?
This is a big question.
Many people said:
"Neymar can't go anymore.
"His leg is not good.
"And he is too old.
Neymar this year
is 34 years old.
For someone who plays football,
34 years old
is a little bit old.
So everyone was wondering:
Neymar —
can he still go to the World Cup?
On May 19,
Brazil's list
came out.
A list
is some people's names.
Everyone was looking:
on the list,
is Neymar there or not?
He is!
Neymar's name
is on the list.
He can go to the World Cup!
Hearing this news,
Neymar cried.
He was so happy.
This day —
he had waited a long, long time for it.
Why was he chosen?
The Brazil team has a teacher.
We call him the coach.
The coach said:
Neymar has played many big competitions.
With him there,
everyone is happier.
This summer,
Neymar will go to the World Cup.
He will once again
play football for Brazil.
This may be
his last World Cup.
Four years from now,
he will be too old.
So this time
is very important to him.
I read this news,
and I thought:
when a person falls down,
they can still stand up again.
Neymar got hurt,
but he did not give up.
He kept waiting,
and kept practicing.
In the end,
he made it.
Finally I ask you:
Is there something
you really want to do?
That thing is hard,
but you have not given up —
right?
Think about it.
Okay.
That's all for today.
Talk tomorrow.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇Today. The narrator opens with 今天我给你说一个人 — 'today I'll tell you about a person.'
To like. 很多人都喜欢他 — 'many people like him.' Also 巴西人很喜欢足球.
Happy, glad. When Neymar hears his name, 他太高兴了 — 'he was so happy.'
Name. The key moment: 内马尔的名字，在名单上 — 'Neymar's name is on the list.'
To look, watch, read. 大家都在看名单 — 'everyone is looking at the list'; 我看了这个新闻 — 'I read this news.'
To think, to want. 大家都在想 — 'everyone is wondering'; 你有没有很想做的事 — 'is there something you really want to do?'
Football (足 foot + 球 ball). Beyond HSK1. The episode glosses it: 用脚，去踢一个球 — 'using your feet to kick a ball.'
To get hurt, to be injured. Beyond HSK1. The episode explains it: 身体很疼，不好了 — 'the body is in pain, not well.'
A competition, a match. Beyond HSK1. 一个很大的足球比赛 — 'a very big football competition,' the World Cup.
Coach. Beyond HSK1. The episode introduces it gently: 巴西队有一个老师，我们叫他教练 — 'the team has a teacher; we call him the coach.'
A name list. Beyond HSK1. The episode defines it: 一些人的名字 — 'some people's names.' Being on it means going to the World Cup.
To give up. Beyond HSK1. The episode's heart: 可是他没有放弃 — 'but he did not give up.'
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法X，就是 Y
A simple way to explain a new word: say the word, then 就是, then a plain definition. The episode uses it again and again to teach hard words to beginners.
受伤，就是身体很疼。
名单，就是一些人的名字。
太 + adjective + 了
太…了 expresses a strong degree — 'so' or 'too.' The episode uses it for both feelings and facts.
他太高兴了。
他也太老了。
verb + 得 + adjective
得 links an action to how it is done. 踢得很好 = 'plays very well'; 伤得很重 = 'is badly hurt.' A core beginner pattern for describing actions.
踢得非常好。
伤得很重。
一直在 + verb
一直 means 'continuously,' and 在 marks an ongoing action. Together they show something done without stopping — here, Neymar's long wait.
他一直在等。
一直在练习。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Free account
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