Difference between revisions of "Comparing "changchang" and "jingchang""
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| − | * A: 你 以前<em>经常</em> 不 吃 早 饭 吗？ | + | * A: 你 以前<em>经常</em> 不 吃 早 饭 吗？<span class="trans">You didn't often eat breakfast before?</span> |
| − | * B: 对，我 <em>常常</em> 睡 到 中午 十二点。 | + | * B: 对，我 <em>常常</em> 睡 到 中午 十二点。<span class="trans">Right, I often slept until noon.</span> |
| − | * A: 不 <em>经常</em> 吃 早 饭 不 是 个 好 习惯。 | + | * A: 不 <em>经常</em> 吃 早 饭 不 是 个 好 习惯。<span class="trans">Not eating breakfast often isn't a good habit.</span> |
| − | * B: 我 知道。我 决定 以后 <em>经常</em> 吃 早饭。 | + | * B: 我 知道。我 决定 以后 <em>经常</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="trans">I know. I decided I'm going to eat breakfast often from now on.</span> |
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Revision as of 09:58, 18 June 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Both 常常 and 经常 express similar concepts, though using them properly requires attention to some small details.
Contents
Both are used as adverbs expressing frequency
常常 and 经常 both express that the action happened many times, and that the time between each time it happens is very short.
Structure
常常/经常 + Verb
Examples
- 奶奶 去世 以前，我 常常 去 看 她。Before Grandma died, I often went to see her.
- 以前， 我 经常 不 吃 早 饭。Before, I often didn't eat breakfast.
经常 can also be used to describe actions in the future
经常 can also be used in actions in the future. You cannot do this with 常常。
Structure
经常 + Verb
Examples
- 你 以后 要 经常 做 运动。Later, you are going to exercise often.
- 这个项目 做完 以后， 我 会 经常 陪 你。Once this project is done, then I can go with you more often.
经常 is also used as an adjective
经常 is not only a time adverb, it can also be an adjective. When using it as an adjective, place it before the noun or using it in combination with 性 to make it into 经常性. You cannot do thing with 常常.
Structure
经常 + Noun
Examples
- 她 忘记 带 钥匙 是 经常 的 事情。Her forgetting to bring a key is a frequent occurrence.
- 接待 客户 经常 性 工作。Greeting customers is a common job.
Negative form “不常”/“不经常”
The negative form of 经常 is 不经常. 常常 is usually 不常 in it's negative form.
Structure
不 + 经常
不 + 常
Examples
- 我 不经常 看 电视。I don't watch television very often.
- 他 不常 来 我 家。He doesn't come to my house very often.
Examples of right and wrong sentences
- 你 以后 要 常常 做 运动。"常常" can't be used in the future.
- 你 以后 要 经常 做 运动。Later, you are going to exercise often.
- 这 是 常常 的 事。"常常" can not be an adjective.
- 这 是 经常 的 事。This is a common event.
- 我 知道 他 不常常 一个人 喝酒。The abbreviation should be "不常".
- 我 知道 他 不常 一个人 喝酒。I know he doesn't often drink alone.
- 我 知道 他 不经常 一个人 喝酒。
Example dialog
- A: 你 以前经常 不 吃 早 饭 吗？You didn't often eat breakfast before?
- B: 对，我 常常 睡 到 中午 十二点。Right, I often slept until noon.
- A: 不 经常 吃 早 饭 不 是 个 好 习惯。Not eating breakfast often isn't a good habit.
- B: 我 知道。我 决定 以后 经常 吃 早饭。I know. I decided I'm going to eat breakfast often from now on.
See also
Sources and further reading
Websites
The two types of verbal plurality: the case of jingchang (經 常) ‘usually’ and changchang (常常) ‘often’
