就 (jiù) Flashcards
Expressing “then” with “jiu”
AS COULDN’T BE OTHERWISE, but in a no patronising way (We usually would say, then, just, so, all of it)
Usually, the first part of the sentence will set up a situation. Then the second part, with 就 (jiù) leading the way, indicates what should be done as a result.
…, 就 + Verb Phrase
Not always easy to translate, you could think of 就 (jiù) as meaning “just” or “then.”
你 喜欢 喝 奶茶，我们 就 买 奶茶 吧。Nǐ xǐhuan hē nǎichá, wǒmen jiù mǎi nǎichá ba. So you like milk tea. Then we’ll buy milk tea.
你 最 有 经验，就 听 你的 吧。Nǐ zuì yǒu jīngyàn, jiù tīng nǐ de ba. You have the most experience. We’ll just listen to you.
我 听到 这个 坏 消息，就 给 你 打 电话 了。Wǒ tīngdào zhège huài xiāoxi, jiù gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà le. As soon as I heard this bad news, I called you.
你 现在 身体 不 好，就 不 要 喝酒 了。Nǐ xiànzài shēntǐ bù hǎo, jiù bùyào hē jiǔ le. Your health isn’t good now. So just stop drinking.
Informal indeed
就是
Used as “Only Because”
就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean “only (because of) that and nothing else.” In this case, 是 can’t be omitted. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it’s not required.
他 不 去 旅游 就是 不 想 花钱 。
Tā bù qù lǚyóu jiùshì bù xiǎng huāqián.
He didn’t travel only because he doesn’t want to spend the money.
你 不 参加 比赛 就是 怕 输 吗 ？
Nǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài jiùshì pà shū ma?
You’re not entering the competition just because you’re afraid of losing?
Emphasis on an action (Vibe)
In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But 就 can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it’s also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well.
Structure
就(是) + (不) + Verb
我 就 不 告诉 你 。
Wǒ jiù bù gàosu nǐ.
I’m just not going to tell you.
我 父母 就是 不 让 我 一个人 去 。
Wǒ fùmǔ jiùshì bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.
My parents simply won’t let me go alone.
Used as “As Soon As”
一 + Event 1，就 + Event 2
If the subjects are the same, then you don’t need to repeat the subject for the second one.
饿 死了，我 一 下课 就 要 去 吃 午饭 。
È sǐ le, wǒ yī xiàkè jiù yào qù chī wǔfàn.
I’m starving. I’m going to have lunch as soon as class is over.
老师 一 来 大家 就 不 说话 了。
Lǎoshī yī lái dàjiā jiù bù shuōhuà le.
As soon as the teacher came, everyone stopped talking.
Used as “Every Time”
一 + Reason，就 + Result
她 一 生气 就 脸红 。
Tā yī shēngqì jiù liǎn hóng.
Every time she gets angry, her face turns red.
你 怎么 一 吃 火锅 就 拉肚子 ？
Nǐ zěnme yī chī huǒguō jiù lādùzi?
How come you get diarrhea every time you eat hotpot?
About to
就要 (jiùyào) is similar to 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning “about to.” They are interchangeable
(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb + 了 (，⋯⋯)
Examples
就 要 下雨 了 。Jiù yào xiàyǔ le. It’s about to rain.
他们 就 要 结婚 了 。Tāmen jiù yào jiéhūn le. They are about to get married.
Used as “Right Away” (in the Future)
When something happens “right away,” you’re talking about “very soon” in the future.
Structure:
The pattern is as follows:
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.
“as early as,”
This use of 就 might be translated “as early as,” but usually the earliness is not specifically marked in English.
Subj. + [Point in Time] + 就 + Verb + 了
Examples
我们 九点 上课 ，他 八点 就 来 了 。
Wǒmen jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.
We have class at nine, but he came in at eight.
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.
Not only can 就 emphasize a “point in time,” but it can also emphasize a “time period,” indicating that something happened very quickly.
Subj. + Time Period + 就 + Verb + 了
A few examples:
你 一 个 晚上 就 看 完 了 ？
Nǐ yī gè wǎnshang jiù kàn wán le?
It only took you just one night to finish reading it?
