Grammar set - 8 Flashcards
Expressing earliness with “jiu”
=》Just as 才 (cái) can express lateness, 就 (jiù) can be used to indicate that something happened earlier or sooner than expected. It can also be used in the near future to indicate something will happen very soon.
Used as “Right Away” (in the Future)
》When something happens "right away," you're talking about "very soon" in the future. 》The pattern is as follows:
% Structure = Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb
Examples
我 马上 就 来 。Wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái.I’ll be there in a second.
米饭 二十 分钟 就 好 。Mǐfàn èrshí fēnzhōng jiù hǎo.The rice will be ready in 20 minutes.
你们 现在 就 出门 吗 ？Nǐmen xiànzài jiù chūmén ma?Are you leaving the house right now?
他们 一会儿 就 到 。Tāmen yīhuìr jiù dào.They will be here in a few minutes.
老板 明天 就 回来 。Lǎobǎn míngtiān jiù huílái.The boss will be back tomorrow.
》Note that it can sometimes be hard to translate the feeling of "soonness" into English, but in every one of these examples, the time given in the sentences feels "soon" to the speaker. Used as "Early" (in the Past)
% Structure = Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了
Examples
》In English this use of 就 might be expressed with "as early as," but usually it's not specifically marked.
我 昨晚 八 点 半 就 睡觉 了 。Wǒ zuówǎn bā diǎn bàn jiù shuìjiào le.I went to bed at eight thirty last night.
这个 问题 他 十 分钟 就 解决 了 。Zhège wèntí tā shí fēnzhōng jiù jiějué le.It only took him ten minutes to solve this problem.
这 本 书 你 一 个 晚上 就 看 完 了 ？Zhè běn shū nǐ yī gè wǎnshang jiù kàn wán le?It only took you just one night to finish reading this book?
她 十八 岁 就 大学 毕业 了 。Tā shíbā suì jiù dàxué bìyè le.She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.
我们 早上 九点 上课 ，他 八点 就 来 了 。Wǒmen zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.We have class at nine in the morning, and he came at eight.
》From the example sentences it is clear that 了 naturally occurs with a verb used after 就. This is because verbs following 就 generally have the feeling of being completed.
Colloquial Saying 早就
=》早就 means “long ago,” and is usually used to express a kind of impatience or surprise on the part of the speaker. It comes before the verb.
我 早就 知道 了 ！Wǒ zǎo jiù zhīdào le!I knew that long ago!
她 早就 结婚 了 。Tā zǎo jiù jiéhūn le.She got married long time ago.
他们 早就 分手 了 。Tāmen zǎo jiù fēnshǒu le.They broke up a long time ago.
我们 早就 毕业 了 。Wǒmen zǎo jiù bìyè le.We graduated a long time ago!
我 早就 跟 你 说 过 ，他 不 是 好人 。Wǒ zǎo jiù gēn nǐ shuō guo, tā bù shì hǎo rén.I told you a long time ago that he’s not a good guy.
Expressing lateness with “cai”
=》One of the ways to express lateness in Chinese is with 才 (cái).
》To express that something happened later than expected, you can use 才.
% Structure = Subj. + Time + 才 + Verb
》In English this might be expressed with "as late as" or "not until." This form is often used with a time number of some sort, like a specific time, age etc. Examples
我 昨天 晚上 十一 点 才 到 家 。Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang shíyī diǎn cái dào jiā.I didn’t arrived at home until eleven o’clock last night.
他 二十 五 岁 才 上 大学 。Tā èrshí-wǔ suì cái shàng dàxué.He didn’t go to college until he was 25.
她 四十 岁 才 结婚 。Tā sìshí suì cái jiéhūn.She didn’t get married until she was forty.
我 女儿 昨天 十二 点 才 睡觉 ，作业 太 多 了 。Wǒ nǚ’ér zuótiān shí’èr diǎn cái shuìjiào, zuòyè tài duō le.My daughter didn’t go to bed until 12 o’clock yesterday. Too much homework.
你 九点 上班 ，八 点 半 才 起床 ？Nǐ jiǔ diǎn shàngbān, bā diǎn bàn cái qǐchuáng?You get up at 8:30 while you need to show up at work at nine?
飞机 刚刚 才 起飞 ，晚点 了 两 个 小时 。Fēijī gānggāng cái qǐfēi, wǎndiǎn le liǎng gè xiǎoshí.The flight just took off. It was late for two hours.
电影 七点 半 开始 ，可是 因为 堵车 ，我们 八点 才 到 。Diànyǐng qī diǎn bàn kāishǐ, kěshì yīnwèi dǔchē, wǒmen bā diǎn cái dào.The movie began at 7:30, but we didn’t arrive until eight because of traffic.
》You can use 才 alone with the verb to indicate the lateness when the context is clear:
你 怎么 才 吃 晚饭 ？已经 十点 了 。Nǐ zěnme cái chī wǎnfàn? Yǐjīng shí diǎn le.How come you are eating supper now? It’s 10 pm.
你 怎么 才 来 ？我们 等 了 半 个 多 小时 。 Nǐ zěnme cái lái? Wǒmen děng le bàn gè duō xiǎoshí.How come you came here so late? We’ve waited for more than half an hour.
》Note that verbs following 才 cannot take 了, as the action does not have the sense of being completed. So it is wrong to say:
X - 我 昨天 晚上 十一 点 才 到 家 了 。Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang shíyī diǎn cái dào jiā le.
Sequencing with “xian” and “zai”
=》The word 再 (zài) actually has a lot of uses, beyond just “again.” 先⋯⋯，再⋯⋯ (xiān…, zài…) is a pattern used for sequencing events, much like “First…, then…” in English. This pattern can also include 然后 (ránhòu) meaning “and after that.”
Basic Usage
=》In the pattern below, 再 has a meaning of “then” or “and then.”
% Structure = 先 ⋯⋯ ，再 ⋯⋯
Examples
先 洗 手 再 吃。Xiān xǐ shǒu zài chī.Wash your hands, and then eat.
我 喜欢 先 洗澡 ，再 睡觉。Wǒ xǐhuan xiān xǐzǎo, zài shuìjiào.I prefer to take a bath before I go to bed.
请 你 先 买 票 再 进。Qǐng nǐ xiān mǎi piào zài jìn.Please buy a ticket before you enter.
你 要 先 做 作业 ，再 看 电视。Tā yào xiān zuò zuòyè, zài kàn diànshì.First you need to do your homework, and then you can watch.
我 想 先 找 工作 ，再 搬家 。Wǒ xiǎng xiān zhǎo gōngzuò, zài bānjiā.I want to find a job first, and then move to a new place.
Colloquial Usage with 再说
=》You may have learned that 再说 can mean “in addition.” Well, this usage of 再 is a more literal combination of 再说, fitting into the 先⋯⋯再⋯⋯ pattern.
》So in this usage, 再说 doesn't really mean "in addition." Rather, it most literally means "and then we'll talk." In other words, "let's just do this now," and then after we see the result, we can talk some more about next steps. There's kind of a "let's see how this goes first" feeling to the expression. 》Note that in the pattern below, the sentence normally ends with 再说.
% Structure = 先 + [Verb Phrase] + 再说
Examples
先 吃饭 再说 。Xiān chīfàn zàishuō.Let’s eat first, then we’ll talk.
先 休息 一下 再说 。Xiān xiūxi yīxià zàishuō.Let’s rest a little first, then talk.
你 先 看 完再说 。Nǐ xiān kàn wán zàishuō.Finish reading first, and then we can talk.
我 先 问 一下 老板 再说 。Wǒ xiān wèn yīxià lǎobǎn zàishuō.I’m going to ask the boss first.
你们 先 讨论 一下 再说 。Nǐmen xiān tǎolùn yīxià zàishuō.You guys discuss a little first, then we’ll talk.
“and then” with 接着
=》当描述一系列前后关联的行为步骤或事件发生的过程时，你需要用到更丰富的连词。”然后”是最常用的，表示”and then”；”接着”作为连词表示”next, afterwards”。跟”然后”比，”接着”还可以作为副词，表示”动作的继续”，如”接着做，接着说”。
》A great example to help you understand this:
今 早 我 起床 以后 先 准备 早饭 ，再 叫 孩子们 起床 ，接着 我们 一起 吃早饭 ，然后 我 送 他们 去 学校 。Jīn zǎo wǒ qǐchuáng yǐhòu xiān zhǔnbèi zǎofàn, zài jiào háizi men qǐchuáng, jiēzhe wǒmen yīqǐ chī zǎofàn, ránhòu wǒ sòng tāmen qù xuéxiào.After I got up this morning, I first prepared breakfast, and then I woke up the kids. Afterwards, we ate breakfast together. After that, I took them to school.
The opposite of “cha hen duo” is “chabuduo”
=》You might be used to thinking of 差不多 (chàbùduō) as a single word, and that’s totally OK. But if you want to negate the whole idea of rough equivalency, then you need to think of it as a phrase and use 差很多 (chà hěn duō). Not surprisingly, it’s a little less versatile than 差不多 (chàbùduō).
Structure
》When 差不多 (chàbùduō) is a predicate, it literally means "the difference is not much." The opposite, then, would be 差很多 (chà hěn duō), which literally means "the difference is very great." Less literally, if 差不多 (chàbùduō) means "more or less the same," then 差很多 (chà hěn duō) means "not the same at all" or "very different."
% Structure = Subj. + 差很多
% Structure = A + 跟 / 和 + B + 差很多
Examples
中西方 的 文化 差 很 多 。Zhōng xīfāng de wénhuà chà hěn duō.Chinese culture and western culture are quite different.
这 两 个 词 的 意思 差不多，但是 用法 差 很 多 。Zhè liǎng gè cí de yìsi chàbùduō, dànshì yòngfǎ chà hěn duō.The meanings of these two words are basically the same, but their usages are very different.
她 和 她 老公 的 年龄 差 很 多 。Tā hé tā lǎogōng de niánlíng chà hěn duō.There is a big difference between her age and her husband’s age.
公司 今年 的 收入 跟 去年 差 很 多 。Gōngsī jīnnián de shōurù gēn qùnián chà hěn duō.The company’s income of this year is a lot less than last year.
这个 服务员 和 经理 的 服务 态度 差 很 多 。Zhège fúwùyuán hé jīnglǐ de fúwù tàidu chà hěn duō.There is a big difference in the attitude between this waiter and his manager.
我 的 生活 习惯 跟 我 父母 差 很 多 。Wǒ de shēnghuó xíguàn gēn wǒ fùmǔ chà hěn duō.My life habits are very different from my parents’.
两个 老师 都 很 好 ，不过 他们 的 学历 差 很 多 。Liǎng gè lǎoshī dōu hěn hǎo, bùguò tāmen de xuélì chà hěn duō.They are both great teachers, but their education are very different.
老 版本 跟 新版本 的 功能 差 很 多 。Lǎo bǎnběn hé xīn bǎnběn de gōngnéng chà hěn duō.There are huge differences in the features between the old version and the new one.
这 两 件 衣服 看起来 差不多 ，但是 质量 差 很 多 。Zhè liǎng jiàn yīfu kànqǐlái chàbuduō, dànshì zhìliàng chà hěn duō.These two pieces of clothing look pretty much the same, but their quality is very different.
他们 是 双胞胎 ，但是 两 个 人 的 性格 差 很 多 。Tāmen shì shuāngbāotāi, dànshì liǎng gè rén de xìnggé chà hěn duō.They are twins, but there is a big difference in personality between them.
Using “always” as a complaint with “laoshi”
=》We have a few ways to say “always” in Chinese, and one of them is to use the word 老是 (lǎoshì).
》老是 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always." It expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or continues. 老是 also has an unsatisfied or frustrated tone and can be interchanged with the word 总是. You can also use 老 instead of 老是.
% Structure = 老是 + Predicate
》The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. 》When 老是 is used together with an adjective, 老是 usually has an adverb such as 不, 很, 非常, 这么, 那 etc., after it.
Examples
你 怎么 老是 加班 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì jiābān?Why do you always work late?
那个 孩子 老 说 脏 话 。Nàge háizi lǎo shuō zāng huà.That kid always says bad words.
你 怎么 老是 不 高兴 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì bù gāoxìng? How are you always unhappy?
你 儿子 上课 的 时候 老是 说话 。Nǐ érzi shàngkè de shíhou lǎoshì shuōhuà.Your son talks all the time in the class.
这个 老师 老是 这么 严肃 。Zhège lǎoshī lǎoshì zhème yánsù.This teacher is always so serious.
别 老是 抱怨 。Bié lǎoshì bàoyuàn.Stop complaining all the time.
这个 机器 老 出 问题 。Zhège jīqì lǎo chū wèntí.There is always something wrong with this machine.
他 经常 迟到 ，还 老是 找 借口 。Tā jīngcháng chídào, hái lǎoshì zhǎo jièkǒu.He’s always late. And he always makes excuses.
奶奶 老是 忘 带 钥匙 。Nǎinai lǎoshì wàng dài yàoshi.My grandma forgets to take her keys all the time.
你 老是 这么 凶 干吗 ？Nǐ lǎoshì zhème xiōng gànmá?Why are you always so mean to me?
他 真 讨厌 ，老是 跟 朋友 借钱 。Tā zhēn tǎoyàn, lǎoshì gēn péngyou jièqián.He’s such a nuisance. He borrows money from his friend very often.
Using “cai” for small numbers
=》The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
Used as a Verb
=》In this case, 才 means “is only” or “only have.”
% Structure = 才 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun
》In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small. Examples
你 才 二十 岁 ？Nǐ cái èrshí suì?You’re only twenty?
这 个 班 才 两 个 学生 。 Zhège bān cái liǎng gè xuéshēng.This class only has two students.
你 的 工资 才 两 千 ？Nǐ de gōngzī cái liǎng qiān?Your salary is only two thousand RMB?
这 顿 饭 才 二十 块 ，太 便宜 了 ！Zhè dùn fàn cái èrshí kuài. Tài piányi le!This meal only cost twenty kuai. It’s too cheap!
你 才 一百 斤 ，还 要 减肥 ？One “jin” = 500gNǐ cái yī bǎi jīn, hái yào jiǎnféi?You’re only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?
Used with a Verb
% Structure =才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun
Examples
她 才 来 两 个 月 。Tā cái lái liǎng gè yuè.She’s been been for only two months.
这 家 店 关门 了 ？可是 它 才 开业 一 个 星期 。Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā kāiyè cái yī gè xīngqī.This shop is out of business? But it’s only been one week since it opened.
已经 两天 了 ，你 才 看完 一 页 ？Yǐjīng liǎngtiān le, nǐ cái kàn wán yī yè?It’s been two days and you only finished reading one page?
我们 才 玩 一会儿 ，再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？Wǒmen cái wán yīhuìr, zài wán yīhuìr ba?We only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?
他们 结婚 了 ？他们 才 认识 三 个 月 ！Tāmen jiéhūn le? Tāmen cái rènshi sān gè yuè!They got married? They’ve only knew each other for three months!
Using “ye” and “dou” together
=》If you are trying to draw similarities amongst a group, you will want to pair two key words together. You will want to use 也 (yě) first followed by 都 (dōu) to express that a group of people have something in common. Positive Form
》If you're using 也 (yě) and 都 (dōu) in the same sentence, remember to put 也 (yě) first:
% Structure = Subj. + 也都 + Predicate
》The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
Examples
我 很 好 ，我 的 家人 也 都 很 好 。Wǒ hěn hǎo, wǒ de jiārén yě dōu hěn hǎo.I’m good. So are my family.
大人 很 喜欢 这个 餐厅 ，孩子们 也 都 很 喜欢 。Dàren hěn xǐhuan zhège cāntīng, háizi men yě dōu hěn xǐhuan.Both adults and children like this restaurant.
我 老板 是 美国 人 ，很多 客户 也 都 是 美国 人 。Wǒ lǎobǎn shì Měiguó rén, hěn duō kèhù yě dōu shì Měiguó rén.My boss is American. Lots of our clients are also Americans.
他 很 高 ，他 的 两 个 弟弟 也 都 比较 高 。Tā hěn gāo, tā de liǎng gè dìdi yě dōu bǐjiào gāo.He’s tall. So are his two younger brothers.
老板 加班 ，你们 也 都 要 加班 吗 ？Lǎobǎn jiābān, nǐmen yě dōu yào jiābān ma?The boss works late, but do you all need to work late?
Negative Form
=》If you’re using 不(bù) or 没(méi) with 也都 ( (yě dōu) in the same sentence, remember to put 不(bù) or 没(méi) after 也都 (yě dōu):
% Structure = Subj. + 也都 + 不 / 没 + Predicate
Examples
我们 也 都 没 吃饭 ，一起 去 吧 。Wǒmen yě dōu méi chīfàn, yīqǐ qù ba.We all haven’t eaten. Let’s go together.
这些 不 贵 ，那些 也 都 不 贵 。Zhèxiē bù guì, nàxiē yě dōu bù guì.These are not expensive. Those aren’t expensive, either.
我 不 喜欢 Trump ，我 的 朋友 也 都 不 喜欢 他 。Wǒ bù xǐhuan Trump, wǒ de péngyou yě dōu bù xǐhuan tā.I don’t like Trump. My friends don’t like him, either.
你 觉得 你 不 容易 ？我们 也 都 不 容易 。Nǐ juéde nǐ bù róngyì? Wǒmen yě dōu bù róngyì.You’re saying it isn’t easy for you? It isn’t for us, either.
我 没 去 过 美国 ，我 的 家人 也 都 没 去 过 。Wǒ méi qù guo Měiguó, wǒ de jiārén yě dōu méi qù guo.I’ve never been to America. My family have never been there, either.
Adjectives with “name” and “zheme”
=》In English, the words “that” and “so” are often used to increase the extent of an adjective (ex. “he is so tall” or “this food is so good”). In Chinese, 那么 (nàme) and 这么 (zhème) serve the same function.
》All you have to do to use this grammar structure is put the 那么 or 这么 in front of the adjective.
% Structure = Subj. + 那么 / 这么 + Adj.
Examples
他 说得 这么 快 ，你们 听 得 懂 吗 ？Tā shuōde zhème kuài, nǐmen tīng de dǒng ma?He speak so fast. Can you understand?
我 没 想到 这个 考试 这么 难 。Wǒ méi xiǎng dào zhège kǎoshì zhème nán.I didn’t expect this exam is so difficult.
雨 这么 大，明天 再 去 吧 。Yǔ zhème dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.It’s raining so heavily. How about we go tomorrow?
你 那么 聪明 ，一定 能 猜到 。Nǐ nàme cōngming, yīdìng néng cāi dào.You’re so smart. You can guess.
老板 那么 忙 ，肯定 没 时间 。Lǎobǎn nàme máng, kěndìng méi shíjiān.The boss is so busy. He definitely won’t have time for this.
今天 怎么 这么 冷 ？Jīntiān zěnme zhème lěng?Why is it so cold today?
你 怎么 这么 没 礼貌 ？Nǐ zěnme zhème méi lǐmào?Why are you so impolite?
这个 老外 怎么 会 了解 那么 多 中国 历史 ？Zhège lǎowài zěnme huì liǎojiě nàme duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?How come this foreigner knows so much about Chinese history?
中国 人口 这么 多 ，当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题 。Zhōngguó rénkǒu zhème duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.China has such a big population. Of course there will be many social problems.
科技 那么 发达 ，什么 都 是 有 可能 的 。Kējì nàme fādá, shénme dōu shì yǒu kěnéng de.Science and technology is so developed. Nothing is impossible.
When to use which one
=》You might be thinking 那 and 这 have different meanings. How can they be used the same way? Well, there are some differences. 这么 is used when the thing you are talking about is close by, when you would say “this” or 这个. On the other hand, if the object is far away, you would use 那么. Furthermore, this distance doesn’t have to be physical, it can also refer to time, so you would use 那么 with things like “yesterday” or “tomorrow.”
Expressing “quite” with “ting”
=》挺 (tǐng) can be used before an adjective to mean “quite,” or “rather,” or “pretty,” as in “pretty good.”
Used with Adjectives
=》Using 挺 with an adjective means “quite.”
Structure = 挺 + Adj. + 的
Examples
这个 老师 挺 年轻 的 。Zhège lǎoshī tǐng niánqīng de.This teacher is quite young.
你 男朋友 挺 帅 的 。Nǐ nánpéngyou tǐng shuài de.Your boyfriend is quite handsome.
最近 大家 都 挺 忙 的 。Zuìjìn dàjiā dōu tǐng máng de.We’ve all been quite busy lately.
这 件 衣服 大小 挺 合适 的 。Zhè jiàn yīfu dàxiǎo tǐng héshì de.The size of this piece of clothes is quite suitable.
他 家 不是 挺 有钱 的 吗 ？Tā jiā bù shì tǐng yǒuqián de ma?Isn’t his family is quite rich?
Used with Verbs
=》In English, we’re limited on what words come after the word “quite.” Though Chinese is open to take on verbs after 挺, these verbs are mostly psychological verbs.
% Structure = 挺 + [Verb Phrase] + 的
Examples
我 挺 喜欢 这 份 工作 的 。Wǒ tǐng xǐhuan zhè fèn gōngzuò de.I quite like this job.
我 女儿 挺 怕 他 爸爸 的 。Wǒ nǚ’ér tǐng pà tā bàba de.My daughter is quite afraid of his father.
那 件 事 我 挺 后悔 的 。Nà jiàn shì wǒ tǐng hòuhuǐ de.I regret that piece of matter a lot.
我们 都挺 想 你 的 。Wǒmen dōu tǐng xiǎng nǐ de.We all miss you a lot.
你 不是挺爱 他 的 吗 ？怎么 分手 了 ？Nǐ bù shì tǐng ài tā de ma? Zěnme fēnshǒu le?Don’t you love him a lot? How come you broke up with him?
Expressing “rather” with “bijiao”
=》It’s rather nice to be able to read an article on how to use 比较 (bǐjiào) to mean “rather.” And here it is!
Used with Adjectives
=》The adverb 比较 can be used to express “quite,” “rather,” or “relatively.” It’s a way of comparing one thing with a general idea instead of comparing two concrete things.
% Structure = Subj. + 比较 + Adj.
Examples
这个 问题 比较 简单 。Zhège wèntí bǐjiào jiǎndān.This question is rather easier.
我 觉得 这个 价格 比较 贵 。Wǒ juéde zhège jiàgé bǐjiào guì.I think this price is rather reasonable.
我 家 离 市中心 比较 近 。Wǒ jiā lí shìzhōngxīn bǐjiào jìn.My place is rather close to downtown.
大 城市 的 工作 压力 比较 大 。Dà chéngshì de gōngzuò yālì bǐjiào dà.Working pressure in big cities are rather more.
你 上班 坐 地铁 比较 方便 还是 骑车 比较 方便 ？Nǐ shàngbān zuò dìtiě bǐjiào fāngbiàn háishì qíchē bǐjiào fāngbiàn?Is is rather convenient for you to take the metro to work or ride a bike?
Used with Verbs
% Structure = Subj. + 比较 + [Verb Phrase]
Examples
我 比较 讨厌 男人 说 脏话 。Wǒ bǐjiào tǎoyàn nánrén shuō zānghuà.I hate it when men say dirty words.
你 比较 喜欢 用 gmail 还是 hotmail ？Nǐ bǐjiào xǐhuan yòng gmail háishì hotmail?Do you prefer to use Gmail or hotmail?
我 父母 比较 反对 我 找 外国 男朋友 。Wǒ fùmǔ bǐjiào fǎnduì wǒ zhǎo wàiguó nánpéngyou.My parents quite object to the fact that I’m with a foreign boyfriend.
民众 比较 支持 新 的 就业 政策 。Mínzhòng bǐjiào zhīchí xīn de jiùyè zhèngcè.The public comparatively support the new employment policy.
老板 通常 比较 关注 结果 ，不是 过程 。Lǎobǎn tōngcháng bǐjiào guānzhù jiéguǒ, bù shì guòchéng.The boss usually pay more attention on the results in stead of the process.
Ending a non-exhaustive list with “shenme de”
=》什么的(shénme de) is an informal way to express “etc.,” and is used to end a list of items when it is obvious to the listener what class of things the speaker is talking about. 什么的 can also be used after a single item if it is obvious enough what might follow.
% Structure = Noun 1, Noun 2 (+ Noun 3) + 什么的
Examples
我 奶奶 不 吃 肉 ，只 吃 蔬菜 、豆腐 什么的 。Wǒ nǎinai bù chī ròu, zhī chī shūcài, dòufu shénme de.My grandma doesn’t eat meat. She only eats vegetables, tofu, and so on.
养狗 很 麻烦 ，你 要 喂 它 ，给 他 洗澡 ，跟 它 玩 什么的 。Yǎng gǒu hěn máfan, nǐ yào wèi tā, gěi tā xǐzǎo, gēn tā wán shénme de.Having a dog gives you too much trouble. You need to feed it, give it a bath, play with it, and so on.
数学 、物理 、化学 什么的 ，我 都 不 感兴趣 。Shùxué, wùlǐ, huàxué shénme de, wǒ dōu bù gǎnxìngqù.Math, physics, chemistry, and so on. I’m not interested in any of them.
我 喜欢 实用 的 礼物 ，手表 、衣服 、书 什么的 。Wǒ xǐhuan shíyòng de lǐwù, shǒubiǎo, yīfu, shū shénme de.I like practical presents, watch, clothes, books and so on.
我们 见面 一般 就是 吃饭、聊天 什么的 。Wǒmen jiànmiàn yībān jiùshì chīfàn, liáotiān shénme de.When we meet, we just eat and talk, and so on.
明天 去 野餐 ，我们 要 不 要 买 一些 水果 ，零食 什么的 ？Míngtiān qù yěcān, wǒmen yào bu yào mǎi yīxiē shuǐguǒ, língshí shénme de?We are going on picnic tomorrow. Shall we buy some fruits, snacks, and so on?
跑步、游泳 、篮球 什么的 ，这些 运动 他 都 喜欢 。Pǎobù, yóuyǒng, lánqiú shénme de, zhèxiē yùndòng tā dōu xǐhuan.Running, swimming, basketball, and so on. He likes all these sports.
长城 、故宫 什么的 ，都 是 北京 很 有名 的 景点 。Chángchéng, Gùgōng shénme de, dōu shì Běijīng hěn yǒumíng de jǐngdiǎn.The Great Wall, Summer Palace, and so on. They’re all very famous tourist attractions in Beijing.
一个人 住 ，洗衣服 、做饭 什么的 都 要 自己 做 。Yīgèrén zhù, xǐ yīfu, zuòfàn shénme de dōu yào zìjǐ zuò.When you live alone, you need to do things all by yourself, doing laundry, cooking, and so on.
电视 、洗衣机 什么的 ，我 爸爸 都 会 修 。Diànshì, xǐyījī shénme de, wǒ bàba dōu huì xiū.Television, washing machine, and so on. My father can fix many things.
》It can be a little impolite to use 什么的 after a list of peoples names, in which case 等 can be used in place of 什么的. When referring to a list of friends in informal contexts there is no problem using 什么的.
Expressing “stuff like that” with “zhileide”
=》之类的 (zhī lèi de) can be translated as “and so on” or “and stuff like that.” As in English, this grammar point is used to continue a list without explicitly mentioning further items within it.
% Structure = 像 ⋯⋯ 之类的 + [Category]
》The 像 can also be left out:
% Structure = ⋯⋯ 之类的 + [Category]
Examples # 我家 附近 有 很 多 像 KFC 之类的 快餐 店 。Wǒ jiā fùjìn yǒu hěn duō xiàng KFC zhī lèi de kuàicān diàn.There are many fast-food restaurants in my neighborhood like KFC and stuff like that.
你 喜欢《星球大战》之类的 电影 吗 ？Nǐ xǐhuan “Xīngqiú Dà Zhàn” zhī lèi de diànyǐng ma?Do you like movies like “Star Wars”?
我 没 看 过 像 吸血鬼 之类的 故事 。Wǒ méi kàn guo xiàng xīxuèguǐ zhī lèi de gùshi.I haven’t seen stories like vampire and stuff like that.
你们 公司 谁 负责 管理 之类的 工作 ？Nǐmen gōngsī shéi fùzé guǎnlǐ zhī lèi de gōngzuò?In your company, who is in charge of management and stuff like that?
她 很 适合 做 像 市场 推广 之类的 工作 。Tā hěn shìhé zuò xiàng shìchǎng tuīguǎng zhī lèi de gōngzuò.She’s very suitable for jobs like marketing.
她 穿 的 衣服 都 是 Gucci、Chanel 之类的 名牌 。Tā chuān de yīfu dōu shì Gucci, Chanel zhī lèi de míngpái.All the clothes she wears are all brands like Gucci and Chanel.
年轻人 很 喜欢 用 像 支付宝 之类的 电子 支付 方式 。Niánqīng rén hěn xǐhuan yòng xiàng Zhīfùbǎo zhī lèi de diànzǐ zhīfù fāngshì.Young people love using electronic methods of payment like Alipay.
很多 中国 老人 喜欢 广场舞 、太极 之类的 运动 。Hěn duō Zhōngguó lǎorén xǐhuan guǎngchǎng wǔ, Tàijí zhī lèi de yùndòng.Many old Chinese people are fond of exercising like square dance, taiji.
我们 学校 很少 办 才艺 比赛 之类的 活动 。Wǒmen xuéxiào hěnshǎo bàn cáiyì bǐsài zhī lèi de huódòng.Our school rarely holds activities like talent show.
中国 女孩 会 怎么 回应 像 “你 真 漂亮” 之类的 话 ？Zhōngguó nǚhái huì zěnme huíyìng xiàng”nǐ zhēn piàoliang”zhī lèi de huà?How would Chinese girls respond to words like “You are beautiful?”
Non-exhaustive lists with “dengdeng”
=》等等 (děng děng), or simply 等 (děng), is just like saying “and so on” or “etc.” in English, but just a bit more formal. Both are placed after listing a series of items (generally with a list that exceeds two items).
》The basic structure is easy. Just make a list of things, and add 等 (děng) or 等等 (děng děng) to the end of the list. It's the same as in English when we use "etc." at the end of a list.
% Structure = A1，A2 ⋯⋯ 等 / 等等
Examples
西瓜、菠萝、葡萄 ，等等 ，我 都 喜欢 吃 。 Xīguā, bōluó, pútáo, děngděng, wǒ dōu xǐhuan chī.Watermelons, pineapples, apples, grapes and so on, I like them all.
我 爸爸 很 喜欢 运动 ，比如 跑步、游泳、打羽毛球，等等 。Wǒ bàba hěn xǐhuan yùndòng, bǐrú pǎobù, yóuyǒng, děngděng.My father likes exercising very much, for example, running, swimming, playing badminton, etc.
Bruce Li、Jackie Chan、Jet Li 等 都 是 有名 的 功夫 明星 。 Bruce Li, Jackie Chan, Jet Li děng dōu shì yǒumíng de gōngfu míngxīng.Bruce Li, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, etc. are all famous Chinese martial arts stars.
我们 公司 有 市场部、设计部、技术部 ，等等 。Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu shìchǎng bù, shèjì bù, jìshù bù, děngděng.Our company has marketing department, design department, technology department, etc.
联合国 的 工作 语言 有 英语、法语、西班牙语 等 。Liánhéguó de gōngzuò yǔyán yǒu Yīngyǔ, Fǎyǔ, Xībānyáyǔ děng.The working languages of the UN are English, French, Spanish, etc.
》等 (děng) can also be added to the end of a list and is followed by a noun that represents the list. In this case, you can only use 等:
% Structure = A1，A2 ⋯⋯ 等 + [Category] + Predicate
》The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
长城、故宫 等 景点 都 是 北京 有名 的 景点 。 Chángchéng, Gùgōng děng jǐngdiǎn dōu shì Běijīng yǒumíng de jǐngdiǎn.The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, etc. are all famous tourist attractions in Beijing.
北京、上海、广州 等 城市 的 经济 都 很 发达 。Běijīng, Shànghǎi, Guǎngzhōu děng chéngshì de jīngjì dōu hěn fādá.Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and so on are economically developed cities.
牛津、剑桥 等 大学 是 英国 最 有名 的大学 。Niújīn, Jiànqiáo děng dàxué shì Yīngguó zuì yǒumíng de dàxué.Oxford, Cambridge and so on are the most famous British Universities.
中国、印度、巴西 等 国家 都 是 发展中 国家 。Zhōngguó, Yìndù, Bāxī děng guójiā dōu shì fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā.China, India, Brazil and so on are all developing countries.
食品安全、环保、和平等 话题 都是 热点 话题 。Shípǐn ānquán, huánbǎo, hépíng děng huàtí dōu shì rèdiǎn huàtí.Food safety, environmental protection, peace and so on are all hot topics.
A softer “but” with “buguo”
=》Instead of just using 可是 or 但是, you can also use the softer and more informal 不过 (búguò).
》Just like its counterparts, 不过 is a conjunction that comes between two distinct clauses.
% Structure = ⋯⋯ ，不过 ⋯⋯
Examples # 这 件 衣服 我 很 喜欢 ，不过 有点 贵 。 Zhè jiàn yīfu wǒ hěn xǐhuan, bùguò yǒudiǎn guì.I like this clothing, but it's a little bit expensive.
这 家 餐厅 我 没 去 过 ，不过 我 听说 还 不错 。Zhè jiā cāntīng wǒ méi qù guo, bùguò wǒ tīngshuō hái bùcuò.I’ve never been to this restaurant, but I heard it’s pretty good.
这个 学生 很 聪明 ，不过 有点 懒 。Zhège xuéshēng hěn cōngming, bùguò yǒudiǎn lǎn.This student is very smart, but he’s a little lazy.
那儿 的 天气 不 太 好 ，不过 我们 玩 得 很 开心 。Nàr de tiānqì bù tài hǎo, bùguò wǒmen wán de hěn kāixīn.The whether there was not very good, but we had a lot of fun.
他 是 东北 人 ，不过 他 没有 口音 。Tā shì Dōngběi rén, bùguò tā méiyǒu kǒuyīn.He’s from Northeast, but he doesn’t have the accent.
他 说 得 不错 ，不过 不 认识 汉字 。Tā shuō de bùcuò, bùguò bù rènshi hànzì.He can speak well, but he doesn’t know any Chinese characters.
我 的 钱包 丢 了 ，不过 没 丢 什么 重要 的 东西 。Wǒ de qiánbāo diū le, bùguò méi diū shénme zhòngyào de dōngxi.I lost my wallet, but I didn’t lose anything important.
刚 来 的 时候 很 想家 ，不过 现在 习惯 了 。Gāng lái de shíhou hěn xiǎng jiā, bùguò xiànzài xíguàn le.I was homesick when I first came here, but I’m getting used to it now.
你 可以 参加 ，不过 有 个 条件 。Nǐ kěyǐ cānjiā, bùguò wǒ yǒu gè tiáojiàn.You can participate, but there is a condition.
我们 在 考虑 ，不过 还没 决定 。Wǒmen zài kǎolǜ, bùguò hái méi juédìng.We’re considering, but we haven’t decided yet.
Expressing “how about” with “yaobu”
=》Colloquially, 要不 (yàobù) can be used for making suggestions, like how we use “how about” in English.
》要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.
% Structure = Reason / Situation ，要不 + Suggestion
or
% Structure = 要不 + Suggestion ，Reason / Situation
Examples
大家 都 有点 累 了，要不 休息 一会儿 吧 。Dàjiā dōu yǒudiǎn lèi le, yàobù xiūxi yīhuìr ba.Everyone is a little tired. Let’s rest for a while.
要不 我们 一起 去 吧 ，一个人 去 没 意思 。Yàobù wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba, yīgèrén qù méi yìsi.How about we go together? It’s no fun to go by myself.
这个 星期 我 比较 忙 ，要不 下 个 星期 见 ？Zhège xīngqī wǒ bǐjiào máng, yàobù xià gè xīngqī jiàn?I’m pretty busy this week. How about we meet up next week?
要不 我们 换 个 地方 吧 ，这里 太 吵 了 。Yàobù wǒmen huàn gè dìfang ba, zhèlǐ tài chǎo le.How about we go to somewhere else? It’s too loud here.
要不 你 先 走 吧 ，我 还没 做完 。Yàobù nǐ xiān zǒu ba, wǒ hái méi zuò wán.How about you go first? I haven’t finished yet.
下雨 了，要不 明天 去 吧 。Xiàyǔ le, yàobù míngtiān qù ba.It’s raining. How about we go tomorrow?
这么 远 ，要不 我 开车 送 你 去 ？Zhème yuǎn, yàobù wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù?It’s so far. How about I drive you there?
Multiple Meanings
=》When 要不 (yào bù) is used to mean “otherwise”, it’s a shortened form of 要不然, which literally means “if that’s not the case.”
》Note 要不 (yào bù) can also be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to 要么. 》Here are a few examples of 要不 (yào bù) used as "otherwise":
你 先 吃 吧 ，要不然 饭 就 凉 了 。Nǐ xiān chī ba, yào bùrán fàn jiù liáng le.You should eat, otherwise the food gets cold.
打车 吧 ，要不 会 迟到 的 。Dǎchē ba, yào bù huì chídào de.You should take a taxi, otherwise you’ll be late.
快 回家 吧 ，要不 你 爸妈 会 担心 的 。Kuài huíjiā ba, yào bù nǐ bà mā huì dānxīn de.Hurry up. Go home, or your parents will start to worry.
