Grammar set - 5 Flashcards
Basic comparisons with “bi”
=》One of the most common words when comparing things in Chinese is to use 比 (bǐ). 比 (bǐ) has similarities to the English word “than,” but it requires a word order that’s not so intuitive, so you’ll want to practice it quite a bit.
Basic Usage
=》You could think of 比 (bǐ) as meaning “than,” except that it sits between the two things being compared. The word order will take a little getting used to, but aside from that, the pattern is quite easy.
Structure
》To say that one thing is more adjective than another, the structure is:
% Structure = Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj.
》The noun that's placed first is the one that comes out on top in the comparison. So in the sentence: 小李 比 小张 高 。Xiǎo Lǐ bǐ Xiǎo Zhāng gāo .Xiao Li is taller than Xiao Zhang. 》小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is taller. The same situation could be described as 小张 比 小李 矮 。Xiǎo Zhāng bǐ Xiǎo Lǐ ǎi .Xiao Zhang is shorter than Xiao Li.
Examples
他 比 老师 聪明 。Tā bǐ lǎoshī cōngming.He is smarter than the teacher.
上海 比 纽约 大 吗 ？Shànghǎi bǐ Niǔyuē dà ma? Is Shanghai bigger than New York?
她 比 她 妈妈 漂亮 。Tā bǐ tā māma piàoliang .She is prettier than her mother.
星巴克 的 咖啡 比 这里 的 咖啡 贵 。Xīngbākè de kāfēi bǐ zhèlǐ de kāfēi guì.The coffee at Starbucks is more expensive than the coffee here.
地铁 比 公交车 方便 。Dìtiě bǐ gōngjiāochē fāngbiàn.The subway is more convenient than the bus.
Common Errors
Try not to make these mistakes:
》The adjective used in the comparison should be positive, not negative.
X - 我 比 你 不 聪明 。Wǒ bǐ nǐ bù cōngming .
✓ - 你 比 我 聪明 。Nǐ bǐ wǒ cōngming .You are smarter than me.
》比 (bǐ) is not used with 一样 (yīyàng). 比 (bǐ) is used when two things are not the same.
X - 我 比 你 一样 聪明 。Wǒ bǐ nǐ yīyàng cōngming.
✓ - 我 跟 你 一样 聪明 。Wǒ gēn nǐ yīyàng cōngming.I am as smart as you.
Pattern Using 比 (bǐ) and 更 (gèng)
=》This is a slight upgrade of the basic 比 (bǐ) comparison pattern, adding in 更 (gèng) before the adjective. 更 (gèng) means “even more,” so the idea is that while one thing is already quite [adjective], this other thing is even more [adjective]. Pretty simple!
% Structure = Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 更 + Adj.
》The only new thing here is the addition of 更 (gèng) before the adjective. 小李 比 小张 更 高 。Xiǎo Lǐ bǐ Xiǎo Zhāng gèng gāo .Xiao Li is even taller than Xiao Zhang. 》The implication is that while Xiao Zhang is tall, 小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is even taller.
Examples
我 哥哥 比 我 更 高 。Wǒ gēge bǐ wǒ gèng gāo.My big brother is even taller than me.
你 男朋友 比 我男朋友 更 帅 。Nǐ nánpéngyou bǐ wǒ nánpéngyou gèng shuài.Your boyfriend is even more handsome than mine.
这里 的 冬天 比 纽约 的 冬天 更 冷 。Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān bǐ Niǔyuē de dōngtiān gèng lěng.The winter here is even colder than it is in New York.
中文 语法 比 汉字 更 好玩 。Zhōngwén yǔfǎ bǐ Hànzì gèng hǎowán.Chinese grammar is even more fun than Chinese characters.
你的 问题 比 我的 问题 更 麻烦。Nǐ de wèntí bǐ wǒ de wèntí gèng máfan.Your problem is even more troublesome than mine.
Expressing “from… to…” with “cong… dao…”
=》从⋯⋯ 到⋯⋯(cóng… dào…) is used in the same way as “from… to…” is used in English, and can be used both for times and places.
Used for Times
》To express from one time to another, the following structure is used:
% Structure = 从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2
》The "time" here does not necessarily have to be a standard time word; it can be any event or action. Examples
从 2004 年 到 2008 年cóng èr-líng-líng-sì nián dào èr-líng-líng-bā niánfrom 2004 to 2008
从 一号 到 五号 都 在 下雨。Cóng yī hào dào wǔ hào dōu zài xiàyǔ.From the first to the fifth, it’s been raining non-stop.
老板 从 周二 到 周五 都 要 出差。Lǎobǎn cóng Zhōuèr dào Zhōuwǔ dōu yào chūchāi.From Tuesday until Friday the boss will go on a business trip.
她 从 18岁 到 现在 都 一个人 住。Tā cóng shíbā suì dào xiànzài dōu yīgèrén zhù.She’s lived alone since she was 18 until now.
你 不 能 从 早 到 晚 不 吃 东西。Nǐ bù néng cóng zǎo dào wǎn bù chī dōngxi.You can’t eat nothing from morning to night.
》Remember that there are two options for the word order of time words.
Used for Places
=》The same structure can also be used to express “from” one place “to” another.
% Structure = 从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2
Examples
从 南京 西 路 到 南京 东 路cóng Nánjīng Xī Lù dào Nánjīng Dōng Lùfrom West Nanjing Road to East Nanjing Road
从 酒店 到 机场 不太 远。Cóng jiǔdiàn dào jīchǎng bù tài yuǎn.From the hotel to the airport is not too far.
从 上海 到 北京 要 几 个 小时。Cóng Shànghǎi dào Běijīng yào jǐ gè xiǎoshí.From Shanghai to Beijing it takes a few hours.
从 你 家 到 机场 可以 坐 地铁 吗？Cóng nǐ jiā dào jīchǎng kěyǐ zuò dìtiě ma? From your place to the airport, can I take the subway?
从 这里 到 我们 公司，你 会 看见 很 多 美女。Cóng zhèlǐ dào wǒmen gōngsī, nǐ huì kànjiàn hěn duō měinǚ.From here to our company, you’ll see many beautiful girls.
Basic comparisons with “meiyou”
=》In Chinese, there is another way to make comparisons. You can use 没有 (méiyǒu) to express that something is “not as” adjective as something else. (Yes, that’s the same 没有 (méiyǒu) that means “not have,” used here in a different way.)
Basic Usage
=》As well as with 比 (bǐ), you can also use 没有 (méiyǒu) to make basic comparisons. You could think of 没有 (méiyǒu) as the opposite of 比 (bǐ) - it works in the same way, but rather than expressing “more… than…” it expresses “not as… as…”:
% Structure = Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adj.
》In this structure, the noun that's placed first is less "adjective" than the second noun, making 没有 (méiyǒu) the opposite of 比 (bǐ) for comparison purposes. So in the sentence: 小张 没有 小李 高 。 Xiǎo Zhāng méiyǒu Xiǎo Lǐ gāo.Xiao Zhang is not as tall as Xiao Li.
小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is taller. The same situation could be described as:
小李 没有 小张 矮 。 Xiǎo Lǐ méiyǒu Xiǎo Zhāng ǎi.Xiao Li is not as short as Xiao Zhang.
Examples
这 个 地方 没有 上海 好玩。 Zhège dìfang méiyǒu Shànghǎi hǎowán.This place is not as fun as Shanghai.
火车 没有 飞机 快。 Huǒchē méiyǒu fēijī kuài.Trains are not as fast as airplanes.
# 他 没有 他弟弟 聪明。 Tā méiyǒu tā dìdi cōngming.He's not as smart as his younger brother.
Clinton 没有 Obama 帅。 Clinton méiyǒu Obama shuài.Clinton is not as handsome as Obama.
马云 没有 Bill Gates 有钱。 Mǎyún méiyǒu Bill Gates yǒuqián.Jack Ma is not as rich as Bill Gates.
你们 公司 没有 我们公司 大。 Nǐmen gōngsī méiyǒu wǒmen gōngsī dà. Your company is not as big as ours.
拼音 没有 汉字 难。 Pīnyīn méiyǒu Hànzì nán.Pinyin is not as difficult as Chinese characters.
坐 公交车 没有 坐地铁 方便。 Zuò gōngjiāochē méiyǒu zuò dìtiě fāngbiàn.Taking the bus is not as convenient as taking the metro.
小米 手机 没有 iPhone 贵。 Xiǎomǐ shǒujī méiyǒu iPhone guì.The Xiaomi phone is not as expensive as the iPhone.
爸爸 做的 菜 没有 妈妈 做的菜 好吃。Bàba zuò de cài méiyǒu māma zuò de cài hǎochī.The food dad cooks is not as tasty as the food mom cooks.
Auxiliary verb “yao” and its multiple meanings
=》You probably already know the basic meaning of 要 (yào) as “to want.” It is actually a quite versatile word, though, and can also take on the meanings of “to need” as well as “will (do something).” In every case, context is crucial for figuring out which meaning someone is trying to express.
要 (yào) as “Want”
=》This structure could be used when ordering food at a restaurant or a shop. Here, it’s being used for saying that you want something.
% Structure = Subj. + 要 + Noun
Examples
你 要 什么？Nǐ yào shénme? What do you want?
我 要 一 杯 水。Wǒ yào yī bēi shuǐ.I want a cup of water.
你们 都 要 冰 可乐 吗？Nǐmen dōu yào bīng kělè ma? Do you all want coke with ice?
你 要 茶 还是 咖啡？Nǐ yào chá háishì kāfēi? Do you want tea or coffee?
我们 要 三 碗 米饭。Wǒmen yào sān wǎn mǐfàn.We want three bowls of rice.
要 (yào) as “Want to”
=》In Chinese, 要 (yào) can mean “want to” (similar to 想 (xiǎng)), but its tone is quite firm. So it’s used for saying that you want to do something.
% Structure = Subj. + 要 + Verb
Examples
你 要 喝 什么 酒？Nǐ yào hē shénme jiǔ? What kind of wine do you want to drink?
爸爸 要 买 一 个 新 手机。Bàba yào mǎi yī gè xīn shǒujī.Dad wants to buy a new cell phone.
我 要 跟 你 一起 去。Wǒ yào gēn nǐ yīqǐ qù.I want to go with you.
她 要 去 大城市 找 工作。Tā yào qù dà chéngshì zhǎo gōngzuò.She wants to go to a big city to find a job.
周末 你们 要 一起 看 电影 吗？Zhōumò nǐmen yào yīqǐ kàn diànyǐng ma? Do you want to go see a movie together this weekend?
要 (yào) as “Need to”
=》If you crank the urgency of “to want” up a few notches, you get “to need.” The two meanings overlap, creating a fuzzy, “needy” gray area.
% Structure = Subj. + 要 + Verb
Examples
你 要 早 点 睡觉。Nǐ yào zǎo diǎn shuìjiào.You need to go to bed earlier.
我们 明天 要 上班。logically, most people don’t really WANT to workWǒmen míngtiān yào shàngbān.We need to work tomorrow.
老板 今天 要 见 一个 新 客户。Lǎobǎn jīntiān yào jiàn yī gè xīn kèhù.Today the boss needs to see a new client.
老师 太 累 了， 要 好好 休息。Lǎoshī tài lèi le, yào hǎohǎo xiūxi.The teacher is too tired. She needs to rest well.
明天 下雨， 你 要 带 伞。Míngtiān xiàyǔ, nǐ yào dài sǎn.It’s going to rain tomorrow; you need to bring an umbrella.
要 (yào) as “Going to”
This use of 要 (yào) is like “going to” (similar to 会 (huì)).
Structure
=》Again, no change to the structure here, but it often includes a mention of a time when something is going to happen.
% Structure = Subj. + 要 + Verb
Examples
星期五 我们 要 开会。Xīngqīwǔ wǒmen yào kāihuì.We are going to have a meeting on Friday.
12 点 我 要 去 吃饭。Shí’èr diǎn wǒ yào qù chīfàn.I am going to go eat at 12 o’clock.
老板 下周 要 出差 吗？Lǎobǎn xià zhōu yào chūchāi ma?Is the boss going on a business trip next week?
他们 明年 要 结婚 了。 Tāmen míngnián yào jiéhūn le.They are going to get married next year.
今年 你 要 回家 过年 吗？Jīnnián nǐ yào huíjiā guònián ma?Are you going to return home this year to celebrate the Chinese New Year?
Context, Context, Context
=》You may have noticed that the meanings can easily overlap. To figure out what is intended, you need to use context. How urgent is the situation? Is it likely to be something the speaker really wants to do? Is it something that’s totally going to happen, regardless of anyone’s preference? Most often, a little background knowledge and some common sense are all you need to figure it out.
Expressing “will” with “hui”
=》会 (huì) has multiple uses, but in this context, it is being used to express the possibility of an action happening in the future.
Basic Usage
=》As well as expressing a learned skill, 会 (huì) can also be used to indicate that something will happen or that someone will do something.
% Structure = Subj. + 会 + Verb + Obj.
Examples
明天 你 会 来 吗 ？ Míngtiān nǐ huì lái ma?Will you come tomorrow?
他 会 来 看 你 吗？ Tā huì lái kàn nǐ ma?Will he come to see you?
明天 会 下雨 吗？ Míngtiān huì xiàyǔ ma?Will it rain tomorrow?
我 出去 一下，很 快 会 回来。 Wǒ chūqù yīxià, hěnkuài huì huílái.I’m going out for a little while. I’ll come back very soon.
老板 会 同意 吗？Lǎobǎn huì tóngyì ma?Will the boss agree?
你 女儿 会 听 你 的 话。Nǐ nǚér huì tīng nǐ de huà.Your daughter will listen to you.
下班 以后 ， 我 会 给 你 打 电话。 Xiàbān yǐhòu, wǒ huì gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.After getting off work, I will give you a call.
Negating 会 (huì) with 不 (bù)
=》Nothing new here. You remember everyone’s favorite Negative Nelly 不 (bù), right?
% Structure = Subj. + 不 + 会 + Verb + Obj.
Examples
我们 不 会 告诉 你。 Wǒmen bù huì gàosu nǐ.We won’t tell you.
他 不 会 跟 你 结婚 。 Tā bù huì gēn nǐ jiéhūn.He won’t marry you.
今晚 我 不 会 在 外面 吃饭 。 Jīnwǎn wǒ bù huì zài wàimiàn chīfàn.Tonight I will not eat out.
Actions in a row
=》Linking actions together in a sentence is very straightforward and to the point. Because of this, there is no new word or phrase needed!
》In Chinese, it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one verb phrase after another, in this structure:
% Structure = Subj. + [Verb Phrase 1] + [Verb Phrase 2]
》No connecting word is needed. A common mistake in the early stages of learning Chinese is to try and link verbs with 和 (hé). This is incorrect; 和 (hé) is for linking nouns. Just use one verb phrase after another and the sequence of events is clear. Examples
我 要 回家 吃饭。 Wǒ yào huíjiā chīfàn.I want to go home and eat.
你 要 去 超市 买 东西 吗？Nǐ yào qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi ma? Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?
他 不 想 去 图书馆 看 书。Tā bù xiǎng qù túshūguǎn kàn shū.He doesn’t want to go to the library and read.
你 打 电话 告诉 他 了 吗？Nǐ dǎ diànhuà gàosu tā le ma? Did you call and tell him?
我们 要 坐 飞机 去 美国。Wǒmen yào zuò fēijī qù Měiguó.We are going to take an airplane to go to the USA.
你们 可以 上 网 买 机票 吗？Nǐmen kěyǐ shàng wǎng mǎi jīpiào ma? Can you use the Internet to buy airplane tickets?
老板 下周 去 北京 开 会。Lǎobǎn xià zhōu qù Běijīng kāi huì.Next week the boss will go to Beijing to have a meeting.
中国人 都 要 回家 过 年。Zhōngguó rén dōu yào huíjiā guònián.Chinese people all go back home for Chinese New Year.
周末 我 喜欢 自己 买 菜 做饭。Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ mǎi cài zuòfàn. I like to buy food to cook for myself on the weekend.
早上 我 先 刷 牙 洗 脸，再 吃 早饭。Zǎoshang wǒ xiān shuā yá xǐ liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn.In the morning, I first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then I eat breakfast.
Expressing “difficult” with “nan”
=》难 (nán) is an adjective that means “difficult.” When something is “hard to do” (as in difficult), the word 难 (nán) can be used before the verb.
难 (nán) with General Verbs
=》Just as 好 (hǎo) can be used to indicate that it’s easy to do something, 难 (nán) can be attached to verbs (with a few special exceptions), to indicate that something is hard to do.
% Structure = Subj. + (很) 难 + Verb
Examples
这 句 话 很 难 懂。 Zhè jù huà hěn nán dǒng.This sentence is hard to understand.
汉语 很 难 学。Hànyǔ hěn nán xué.Mandarin is hard to learn.
中国菜 很 难 做。Zhōngguó cài hěn nán zuò.Chinese food is hard to make.
这 个 东西 现在 很 难 买。Zhège dōngxi xiànzài hěn nán mǎi. This thing is really difficult to purchase now.
这 个 汉字 很 难 写。Zhège Hànzì hěn nán xiě.This character is very difficult to write.
难 (nán) with Sense Verbs
=》难 (nán) can also be attached to “sense verbs” (e.g. look, taste, smell, etc.) to indicate that something offers a “bad sensory experience.”
% Structure = Subj. + (很) 难 + [Sense Verb]
Examples
你 做 的 菜 很 难吃。Nǐ zuò de cài hěn nánchī.The dishes you cook taste bad.
这里 的 咖啡 很 难喝。Zhè lǐ de kāfēi hěn nánhē.The coffee here tastes bad.
这 首 歌 很 难听。Zhè shǒu gē hěn nántīng.This song is terrible (hard to listen to).
这 种 花 很 难闻。Zhè zhǒng huā hěn nánwén.This kind of flower smells bad.
这 件 衣服 很 难看吗？Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn nánkàn ma? Is this article of clothing ugly?
》Warning! If you're trying to say that a particular dish is "difficult to eat," don't use 难吃 (nánchī)! The word 难吃 (nánchī) only means "bad-tasting" and not "difficult to eat."
Expressing “never” with “conglai”
=》Although it can also work in the positive, 从来 (cónglái) is usually used when you want to express that you never do something (as a habit, or as a rule), or that you have never done something (it’s not a part of your life experience). In either usage, 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech.
“To Never Do” with 从来 (cónglái) + 不 (bù)
=》When you follow 从来 (cónglái) with 不 (bù), you are expressing that you never do something (as a habit, or as a rule). It’s often used as a way to refuse something, as in “I never drink.”
% Structure = Subj. + 从来 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]
》Keep in mind that 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech. Examples
她 从来 不 喝酒。 Tā cónglái bù hējiǔ.She never drinks.
我 女朋友 从 不 给 我 打 电话。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ nǚpéngyou cóng bù gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.My girlfriend never calls me.
这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 从来 不 笑。Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā cónglái bù xiào.This person is very strange. He never laughs.
你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗？”hit” can mean “spank”Nǐ fùmǔ cónglái bù dǎ nǐ ma?Your parents never hit you?
他 从 不 关心 别人。来 has been omitted here.Tā cóng bù guānxīn biérén.He never cares about other people.
“To Have Never Done” with 从来 (cónglái) + 没有 (méiyǒu)
=》Use 从来 (cónglái) with 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) (and 过 (guo) after the verb) to indicate that you have never done something (it’s not a part of your life experience). You’re talking about the past now, because you’re talking about what you haven’t done before, so 没有 (méiyǒu) is appropriate. 过 (guo) also makes sense, because you’re making a statement about your life experience.
% Structure = Subj. + 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过
》Again, 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech. Note that you can have an object or other information after the verb, but the 过 (guo) needs to come immediately after the verb. Examples
你 从来 没有 想 过 这 个 问题 吗？Nǐ cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guo zhège wèntí ma? Have you never thought about this question?
她 从来 没 见 过 她 妈妈。Tā cónglái méi jiàn guo tā māma.She has never met her mother.
我 从没 学 过 这 个 词。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ cóngméi xué guo zhège cí.I have never before studied this word.
你们 从来 没有 听说 过 这 个 地方 吗？Nǐmen cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guo zhège dìfang ma? Have you never heard about this place before?
很 多 中国人 从来 没 出 过 国。Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén cónglái méi chū guo guó.A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.
Expressing “together” with “yiqi”
=》If you want to express that you are doing something together with someone else, 一起 (yīqǐ) is your word!
》Note: The pinyin for 一起 is written "yīqǐ" but pronounced "yìqǐ" due to a tone change rule. 》一起 (yīqǐ) is the easiest way to express an action being done together with other people.
% Structure = Subj. + 一起 + Verb + Obj.
》The subject must be plural - a plural noun or two or more nouns linked with a conjunction. You can't do things together on your own, after all. Examples
我们 一起 吃 晚饭 吧。Wǒmen yīqǐ chī wǎnfàn ba.Let’s eat dinner together.
早上 我 和 老公 一起 去 上班。Zǎoshang wǒ hé lǎogōng yīqǐ qù shàngbān.In the morning, I go to work together with my husband.
周末 我们 一起 去 看电影，好 吗？Zhōumò wǒmen yīqǐ qù kàn diànyǐng, hǎo ma? Let’s go to the movies this weekend, shall we?
这 两 个 公司 一起 做 这个 产品。Zhè liǎng gè gōngsī yīqǐ zuò zhège chǎnpǐn.These two businesses made this product together.
下班 以后，你们 一起 来 我 家 吧。Xiàbān yǐhòu, nǐmen yīqǐ lái wǒ jiā ba.After work, why don’t you all come to my home together?
下 个 月 我 和 妈妈 一起 去 旅行。Xià gè yuè wǒ hé māma yīqǐ qù lǚxíng.Next month I’ll go on a trip together with mom.
你们 有没有 一起 玩 过 这 个 游戏？Nǐmen yǒu méiyǒu yīqǐ wán guo zhège yóuxì? Have you all ever played this game together?
他 想 和 他太太 一起 学 中文。Tā xiǎng hé tā tàitai yīqǐ xué Zhōngwén.He wants to study Chinese together with his wife.
结婚以后，你 和 父母 会 一起 住 吗？Jiéhūn yǐhòu, nǐ hé fùmǔ huì yīqǐ zhù ma? Will you live together with your parents after you get married?
今天 晚上 老板 要 和 我们 一起 加班。Jīntiān wǎnshang, lǎobǎn yào hé wǒmen yīqǐ jiābān.Tonight the boss is going to to work overtime together with us.
Expressing duration with “le”
=》Whether you need to express how long you lived somewhere, how long you studied astrophysics, or how long you worked as a mime, you’ll need to use 了 (le) to express that time duration.
Basic Usage
》Saying how long you did something for in Chinese can seem tricky, as there is no preposition as in English. Instead it's all about word order:
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + Obj.
》So 了 (le) is placed after the verb (to indicate that the action is completed), followed by the duration. This is how you talk about the duration of completed actions. Examples
他 学 了 一 年 中文。Tā xué le yī nián Zhōngwén.He studied Chinese for a year.
我 看 了 一 个 晚上 书。Wǒ kàn le yī gè wǎnshang shū.I read books all evening.
妈妈 看 了 一 天 电视。Māma kàn le yī tiān diànshì.Mom watched TV all day.
他 在 Google 做 了 八 年 经理。 Tā zài Google zuò le bā nián jīnglǐ.He worked as a manager at Google for eight years.
我们 坐 了 十五 个 小时 飞机 去 美国。Wǒmen zuò le shíwǔ gè xiǎoshí fēijī qù Měiguó.We took a fifteen hour flight to the United States.
To Express “Definitely Concluded”
=》Note that the previous pattern can be used to express the duration of completed actions which are no longer in progress, although strictly speaking, it’s not entirely clear if the actions are still ongoing or not. To indicate that the actions are definitely concluded (not ongoing), a time word may be inserted into the sentence to indicate that you’re talking about an event in the past:
% Structure = Subj. + [Time Word] + Verb + 了 + Duration + Obj.
Examples
昨天 他 写 了 一 天 作业。Zuótiān tā xiě le yī tiān zuòyè. He did his homework all day yesterday.
我 刚才 打 了 半 个 小时 电话。 Wǒ gāngcái dǎ le bàn gè xiǎoshí diànhuà.I was on the phone for half an hour.
他 今天 喝 了 一 个 晚上 酒。 Tā jīntiān hē le yī gè wǎnshang jiǔ.He drank alcohol all night.
我 昨天 玩 了 一 个 下午 游戏。Wǒ zuótiān wán le yī gè xiàwǔ yóuxì.Yesterday, I played games all afternoon.
上 个 周末 我 和 老公 开 了 三 个 小时 车 回 老家。Shàng gè zhōumò wǒ hé lǎogōng kāi le sān gè xiǎoshí chē huí lǎojiā.Last weekend, my husband and I drove three hours to our hometown.
Expressing ongoing duration with double “le”
=》The 了 (le) particle is used in many different ways. In this article, we will explore how to use the double 了 (le) to express the duration of an activity that is ongoing.
Ongoing Duration with Simple Verbs
=》Expressing how long you did something in the past is one thing, but what if the action is still ongoing?
A clarifying example (in English) is appropriate:
I lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (concluded, not ongoing) I have lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (mostly likely ongoing) I have been living in Shanghai for 5 years. (definitely ongoing) 》This article is about expressing the third situation above, the one which is definitely ongoing.
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了
》The first 了 (le) is placed after the verb (to indicate that the action is completed), followed by the duration, followed by an additional 了 (le) which tells us that the action has not concluded and is ongoing. You can think of the second 了 (le) as communicating the meaning of "up until now."
Examples
你 睡 了 一 天 了。Nǐ shuì le yī tiān le.You have been sleeping for the whole day.
他 在 北京 住 了 两 年 了。Tā zài Běijīng zhù le liǎng nián le.He has been living in Beijing for two years.
这 个 会，他们 开 了 两 个 小时 了。Zhège huì, tāmen kāi le liǎng gè xiǎoshí le.They’ve been holding this meeting for the past two hours.
我 在 这儿 等 了 半 个 小时 了。Wǒ zài zhèr děng le bàn gè xiǎoshí le.I have been waiting here for half an hour.
他们 在 酒吧 待 了 一 个 晚上 了。Tāmen zài jiǔbā dāi le yī gè wǎnshang le.They have been staying at the bar for the whole evening.
When the Verb Takes an Object
》Note that in the examples above, the verbs have no objects. When the verb has an object, the verb is often repeated:
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + Obj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了
Examples
我 学 中文 学 了 一 年 了。Wǒ xué Zhōngwén xué le yī nián le.I have been learning Chinese for a year.
他 打 电话 打 了 一 个 多 小时 了。Tā dǎ diànhuà dǎ le yī gè duō xiǎoshí le.He has been on the phone for more than an hour.
老板 打 游戏 打 了 一 个 上午 了。Lǎobǎn dǎ yóuxì dǎ le yī gè shàngwǔ le.The boss has been playing video games all morning.
你 洗澡 洗 了 差不多 一 个 小时 了。Nǐ xǐzǎo xǐ le chàbuduō yī gè xiǎoshí le.You have been showering for almost an hour.
妈妈 看电视 看 了 一 晚上 了。 Māma kàn diànshì kàn le yī wǎnshang le.Mom has been watching TV all evening.
Inability with “mei banfa”
=》If you are trying to express that something is impossible, you can use the phrase 没办法 (méi bànfǎ). 没办法 (méi bànfǎ) essentially means “there is no way,” and whule it works just fine by itself, it can also come before verbs.
》One easy way to express inability is to place the phrase 没办法 (méi bànfǎ) before the verb.
% Structure = Subj. + 没办法 + Verb + Obj.
Examples
今天 太 忙 了，中午 没 办法 出去 吃饭。 Jīntiān tài máng le, zhōngwǔ méi bànfǎ chūqù chīfàn.It’s too busy today. There’s no way to go out for lunch.
他 没 带 手机，没 办法 给 我 打电话。 Tā méi dài shǒujī, méi bànfǎ gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.He didn’t bring his phone, so he has no way to give me a call.
没有 水，我们 没 办法 洗 衣服。Méiyǒu shuǐ, wǒmen méi bànfǎ xǐ yīfu.There’s no water. There’s no way for us to wash clothes.
这里 太 吵 了，我 没 办法 工作。Zhèlǐ tài chǎo le, wǒ méi bànfǎ gōngzuò.It‘s too noisy here. I can’t work.
他 不 开门，所以 她 没 办法 进去。Tā bù kāimén, suǒyǐ tā méi bànfǎ jìnqù.He didn’t open the door, so she has no way to enter.
你 不 会 说 中文，没 办法 在 我们公司 工作。Nǐ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén, méi bànfǎ zài wǒmen gōngsī gōngzuò.You can’t speak Chinese, so there is no way for you to work for our company.
事情 太 多 了，我 今天 没 办法 做完。Shìqing tài duō le, wǒ jīntiān méi bànfǎ zuò wán.There’s too much to do. I have no way to finish today.
老板 不 同意，我 没 办法 帮 你。Lǎobǎn bù tóngyì , wǒ méi bànfǎ bāng nǐ.The boss didn’t agree, so I have no way to help you.
这里 没有 wifi，我 没 办法 上网。Zhèlǐ méiyǒu wifi，wǒ méi bànfǎ shàngwǎng.There is no wifi here, so I have no way of going online.
他 很 笨，我 没 办法 跟 他 一起 工作。Tā hěn bèn, wǒ méi bànfǎ gēn tā yīqǐ gōngzuò.He’s really dumb. There is no way I can work with him.
ndicating location with “zai” before verbs
=》If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to word order, as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English.
》To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài), followed by a location, comes before the verb.
% Structure = Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb + Obj.
》Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears afterwards. Examples
我 在 上海 上大学。Wǒ zài Shànghǎi shàng dàxué.I went to college in Shanghai.
你 一直 在 这 家 公司 工作 吗？Nǐ yīzhí zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò ma? Have you always been working in this company?
我 周末 想 在 家 睡觉。Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng zài jiā shuìjiào.On the weekend, I want to sleep at home.
不 要 在 床 上 吃 东西。（In addition to “在” you need a “上” to indicate the location “on the bed.”） Bù yào zài chuáng shàng chī dōngxi.Don’t eat food on the bed.
你 想 在 哪儿 开 生日 派对？Nǐ xiǎng zài nǎr kāi shēngrì pàiduì? Where do you want to have the birthday party?
他 喜欢 在 厕所 里 抽烟。（In addition to “在” you need a “里” to indicate the location “in the bathroom.”） Tā xǐhuan zài cèsuǒ lǐ chōuyān.He likes to smoke in the bathroom.
很 多 人 在 地铁 上 吃 早饭。（In addition to “在” you need a “上” to indicate the location “in the subway.）” Hěn duō rén zài dìtiě shàng chī zǎofàn. Many people eat breakfast on the subway.
现在 我们 在 KTV 唱歌。Xiànzài wǒmen zài KTV chànggē.Now we’re singing songs at karaoke.
老板 在 会议室 见 客户。Lǎobǎn zài huìyìshì jiàn kèhù.The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room.
你 在 外面 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗？Nǐ zài wàimiàn chī guo wǎnfàn le ma? Did you eat dinner outside?
》Remember: in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, we put the location after the subject but before the verb. Getting More Specific with Locations 》Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li".
Special cases of “zai” following verbs
=》When used to indicate locations of actions, 在 (zài) is usually placed after the subject and before the verb. There are certain cases, however, when 在 (zài) goes after the verb.
》This pattern is used regularly with special types of verbs, including: 住 (zhù), 放 (fàng), 坐 (zuò), and 站 (zhàn). These are verbs that imply movement or location. Technically, the structure is called a location complement, but it can be understood without going into that much detail. Just remember that for verbs implying movement or location like the ones above, the default sentence order changes and you get this structure:
% Structure = Subj. + [Special Verb] + 在 + Location
Examples
你 住 在 上海吗？Nǐ zhù zài Shànghǎi ma? Do you live in Shanghai?
他 坐 在 老板 的 旁边。Tā zuò zài lǎobǎn de pángbiān.He sits next to the boss.
你 应该 站 在 我 后面。Nǐ yīnggāi zhàn zài wǒ hòumiàn.You should stand behind me.
不要 坐 在我 的 床 上。Bùyào zuò zài wǒ de chuáng shàng.Don’t sit on my bed.
你 的 衣服 不 可以 放 在 这里。Nǐ de yīfu bù kěyǐ fàng zài zhèlǐ.You can’t put your clothes here.
不要 站 在 路 中间。Bùyào zhàn zài lù zhōngjiān.Don’t stand in the middle of the road.
不要 坐 在 地 上。Bùyào zuò zài dì shàng.Don’t sit on the ground.
那 本 书 我 放 在 桌子 上 了。Nà běn shū wǒ fàng zài zhuōzi shàng le.I placed that book on the table.
不要 走 在 草地 上。Búyào zǒu zài cǎodì shàng.Don’t walk on the grass.
周末 我 不 想 待 在 家 里。Zhōumò wǒ bù xiǎng dāi zài jiā lǐ.I don’t want to stay at home on weekends.
》Remember that this is an exception to the normal rule. A common mistake is to over apply this and produce incorrect sentences. Note the incorrect and correct versions below.
X - 我 工作 在 上海。Wǒ gōngzuò zài Shànghǎi.
✓ - 我 在 上海工作。Wǒ zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò.I work in Shanghai.
X - 我 学习 在 图书馆。Wǒ xuéxí zài túshūguǎn.
✓ - 我 在 图书馆 学习。Wǒ zài túshūguǎn xuéxí.I study in the library.
Special verbs with “hen”
=》Using 很 (hěn) to intensify verbs that express thoughts or feeling is really easy.
% Structure = Subj. + 很 + [Certain Verbs]
》Certain "psychological verbs" related to feelings or emotional sates can be modified with 很 (hěn) to increase their intensity. This is similar to using "really" or "very much" in English. Remember that this only applies to psychological verbs, such as:
想 (xiǎng) to think; to want; to miss
喜欢 (xǐhuan) to like
小心 (xiǎoxīn) to be careful
怕 (pà) to fear; to be afraid of
了解 (liǎojiě) to know a lot about
讨厌 (tǎoyàn) to hate
担心 (dānxīn) to worry about
希望 (xīwàng) to hope
Examples
我 很 想 你。Wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ.I really miss you.
他 很 喜欢 你。Tā hěn xǐhuan nǐ.He really likes you.
你应该很 小心 。Nǐ yīnggāi hěn xiǎoxīn.You should be very careful.
我 很 怕 晚上 一个人 在家。Wǒ hěn pà wǎnshang yīgèrén zài jiā.I fear staying home alone at night.
你 应该 很 了解 自己 的 孩子。Nǐ yīnggāi hěn liǎojiě zìjǐ de háizi.You should know a lot about your child.
外国 人 很 讨厌 中国 的 公共 厕所。Wàiguó rén hěn tǎoyàn Zhōngguó de gōnggòng cèsuǒ.Foreigners really hate public toilets in China.
你 两天 没 回家，妈妈 很 担心 你。Nǐ liǎng tiān méi huíjiā, māma hěn dānxīn nǐ.You haven’t gone home in two days. Mom is really worried about you.
父母 都 很 希望 我 能 上 一 个 好 大学。Fùmǔ dōu hěn xīwàng wǒ néng shàng yī gè hǎo dàxué.Both of my parents really hope that I can go to a good college.
