Usage note
外语表示不是自己母语的语言。
wài yǔ biǎo shì bú shì zì jǐ mǔ yǔ de yǔ yán。
Foreign language means a language that is not your native language.
Context note
外语常出现在学校、学习和交流里。
wài yǔ cháng chū xiàn zài xué xiào 、 xué xí hé jiāo liú lǐ。
Foreign language often appears in school, study, and communication.
5 examples
我在学外语。
wǒ zài xué wài yǔ。
I am learning a foreign language.
外语很有意思。
wài yǔ hěn yǒu yì sī。
Foreign languages are very interesting.
学校有外语课。
xué xiào yǒu wài yǔ kè。
The school has foreign language classes.
他说外语。
tā shuō wài yǔ。
He speaks a foreign language.
学习外语要多练习。
xué xí wài yǔ yào duō liàn xí。
Learning a foreign language requires a lot of practice.
5 mini stories
我第一次学外语的时候有点紧张。
wǒ dì yī cì xué wài yǔ de shí hòu yǒu diǎn jǐn zhāng。
I was a little nervous when I first learned a foreign language.
老师说学外语要多听多说。
lǎo shī shuō xué wài yǔ yào duō tīng duō shuō。
The teacher said learning a foreign language requires more listening and speaking.
我们班有一位同学很喜欢外语。
wǒ men bān yǒu yí wèi tóng xué hěn xǐ huan wài yǔ。
There is a classmate in our class who really likes foreign languages.
学外语以后，我认识了更多词。
xué wài yǔ yǐ hòu， wǒ rèn shi le gèng duō cí。
After learning a foreign language, I learned more words.
我想把外语学好，这样可以和更多人交流。
wǒ xiǎng bǎ wài yǔ xué hǎo， zhè yàng kě yǐ hé gèng duō rén jiāo liú。
I want to learn the foreign language well so I can communicate with more people.
Mini dialogue
学外语
A
你会说外语吗？
Nǐ huì shuō wàiyǔ ma?
Can you speak a foreign language?
B
我会说一点英语。
Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn Yīngyǔ.
I can speak a little English.
外语课
A
今天的外语课很有趣。
Jīntiān de wàiyǔ kè hěn yǒuqù.
Today's foreign language class was very interesting.
B
是啊，我们学了一首新歌。
Shì a, wǒmen xué le yì shǒu xīn gē.
Yes, we learned a new song.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
母语
mǔyǔ
mother tongue
The first language a person learns at home.
related
英语
Yīngyǔ
English
A common foreign language many children learn.