Expressing "about to happen" with "le"

“快...了” (kuài... le) expresses that in a short time or relatively short time something is going to happen. Sometimes you can remove the middle part, and just say "快了" by itself (meaning "soon"). Using this structure is like say "going to... real soon."

Basic Usage with Verbs

Structure

快 + Verb (+ Object) + 了

Examples

• 你 快 下班 了 吗？ Are you getting off work soon?
• 这 些 工作 快 做 完 了 ，我 晚点 下班。 I'll be finished with this work soon, so I'll get off work a little late.
• 你 快 到 家 了 吗？ Will you arrive at home soon?
• 我 快 到 了 ，你 开始 做 饭 吧。 I'll be there soon. Go ahead and get started making dinner.
• 我 觉得 快 下雨 了 ，我们 快 走 吧。 I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.
• 快 过年 了 ，你 什么 时候 回家？ It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?
• 小李 快 哭 了 ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 Xiao Li is about to cry. Stop joking around.
• 他 快 死 了 。 He's about to die.

Notice that for some translations, it's more natural to use the English word "almost" instead of "soon."

Usage with 快 + 要

Another way you will see this same pattern used is in conjunction with the modal verb 要 (yào). 要 can have multiple meanings, one of which is "will" (referring to the future). You can insert it into the basic pattern, right before the verb.

Structure

快 + 要 + Verb + 了

Examples

• 你 快 要 下班 了 吗？ Are you getting off work soon?
• 快 要 过年 了 ，你 什么 时候 回家？ It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?
• 小李 快 要 哭 了 ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 Xiao Li is about to cry. Stop joking around.

These examples are the same as some of the ones above, with a "要" added. The addition of the "要" does not change the meanings.

Usage with Adjectives

Structure

快 + Ajective + 了

Examples

• 我 快 好 了 。 I'm almost ready.
• 肉 快 熟 了 。 The meat is almost done [cooking].
• 天 快 黑 了 ，他 怎么 还 没 回来？ It's almost dark. Why isn't he back yet?

See also

• "Nearly" with "jihu"
• Approximations with "chabuduo"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p.183)→buy