Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to happen" with "le""
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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快 + Verb (+ Object) /adj.+ 了
+
快 + Verb/Verb Phrase + 了
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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* 这 些 工作 <em>快</em> 做 完 <em>了</em> ，我 晚点 下班。 <span class="trans">I'll be finished with this work soon, so I'll get off work a little late.</span>
 
* 这 些 工作 <em>快</em> 做 完 <em>了</em> ，我 晚点 下班。 <span class="trans">I'll be finished with this work soon, so I'll get off work a little late.</span>
 
* 你 <em>快</em> 到 家 <em>了</em> 吗？ <span class="trans">Will you arrive at home soon?</span>
 
* 你 <em>快</em> 到 家 <em>了</em> 吗？ <span class="trans">Will you arrive at home soon?</span>
−
* 我 觉得 <em>快</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> ，我们 <em>快</em> 走 吧。 <span class="trans">I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.</span>
+
* 我 觉得 <em>快</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> ，我们 走 吧。 <span class="trans">I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.</span>
 
* <em>快</em> 过年 <em>了</em> ，你 什么 时候 回家？ <span class="trans">It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?</span>
 
* <em>快</em> 过年 <em>了</em> ，你 什么 时候 回家？ <span class="trans">It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?</span>
−
* 小李 <em>快</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">Xiao Li is about to cry. Stop joking around.</span>
+
* 小李 <em>快</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">XiaoLi is about to cry. Stop joking around.</span>
−
* 他的脏袜子 <em>快</em> 臭 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">His dirty socks are about to smell bad.</span>
+
* 我们 <em>快</em> 到<em>了</em>。
−
* 天<em>快</em> 黑 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">It’s getting dark.</span>
+
* 这 个 老人 <em>快</em> 死<em>了</em>。
−
*你的咖啡<em>快</em>凉<em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">Your coffee is getting cool.</span>
+
* 你们 <em>快</em> 结婚<em>了</em>？
 +
*  <em>快</em> 下车<em>了</em>，你 再 等 一会儿。
 +
 
 
</div>
 
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 你 <em>快 要</em> 下班 <em>了</em> 吗？ <span class="trans">Are you getting off work soon?</span>
 
* 你 <em>快 要</em> 下班 <em>了</em> 吗？ <span class="trans">Are you getting off work soon?</span>
 +
* 这 些 工作 <em>快 要</em> 做 完 <em>了</em> ，我 晚点 下班。 <span class="trans">I'll be finished with this work soon, so I'll get off work a little late.</span>
 +
* 你 <em>快 要</em> 到 家 <em>了</em> 吗？ <span class="trans">Will you arrive at home soon?</span>
 +
* 我 觉得 <em>快 要</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> ，我们 走 吧。 <span class="trans">I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.</span>
 
* <em>快 要</em> 过年 <em>了</em> ，你 什么 时候 回家？ <span class="trans">It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?</span>
 
* <em>快 要</em> 过年 <em>了</em> ，你 什么 时候 回家？ <span class="trans">It'll be Chinese New Year soon. When are you going back to your hometown?</span>
−
* 小李 <em>快 要</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">Xiao Li is about to cry. Stop joking around.</span>
+
* 小李 <em>快 要</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ，你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">XiaoLi is about to cry. Stop joking around.</span>
 +
* 我们 <em>快 要</em> 到<em>了</em>。
 +
* 这 个 老人 <em>快 要</em> 死<em>了</em>。
 +
* 你们 <em>快 要</em> 结婚<em>了</em>？
 +
*  <em>快 要</em> 下车<em>了</em>，你 再 等 一会儿。
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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* 我 <em>快</em> 好 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">I'm almost ready.</span>
 
* 我 <em>快</em> 好 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">I'm almost ready.</span>
 
* 肉 <em>快</em> 熟 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">The meat is almost done [cooking].</span>
 
* 肉 <em>快</em> 熟 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">The meat is almost done [cooking].</span>
−
* 天 <em>快</em> 黑 <em>了</em> ，他 怎么 还 没 回来？ <span class="trans">It's almost dark. Why isn't he back yet?</span>
+
* 他 的 脏 袜子 <em>快</em> 臭 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">His dirty socks are about to smell bad.</span>
 +
* 天 <em>快</em> 黑 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">It’s getting dark.</span>
 +
* 你 的 咖啡 <em>快</em> 凉 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">Your coffee is getting cool.</span>
 +
* 水果 <em>快</em> 坏 <em>了</em>。
 +
* 不 能 再 喝 了，我 <em>快</em> 醉 <em>了</em>。
 +
* 我 <em>快</em> 迟到 <em>了</em>。
 +
* 衣服 <em>快</em> 干 <em>了</em>。
 +
* 杯子 <em>快</em> 满 <em>了</em>。
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 09:28, 28 October 2013

“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

When using "快...了" with verbs, it takes on a meaning similar to the English "just about to".

Structure

快 + Verb/Verb Phrase + 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 觉得 快 下雨 了 ，我们 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。 XiaoLi is about to cry. Stop joking around.
  • 我们 快 到了。
  • 这 个 老人 快 死了。
  • 你们 快 结婚了？
  • 快 下车了，你 再 等 一会儿。

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?
  • 这 些 工作 快 要 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 要 到 家 了 吗？ Will you arrive at home soon?
  • 我 觉得 快 要 下雨 了 ，我们 走 吧。 I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.
  • 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。 XiaoLi is about to cry. Stop joking around.
  • 我们 快 要 到了。
  • 这 个 老人 快 要 死了。
  • 你们 快 要 结婚了？
  • 快 要 下车了，你 再 等 一会儿。

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

In this structure, 快 is closer to the meaning of "almost" in English.

Structure

快 + Adjective + 了

Examples

  • 我 快 好 了 。 I'm almost ready.
  • 肉 快 熟 了 。 The meat is almost done [cooking].
  • 他 的 脏 袜子 快 臭 了。 His dirty socks are about to smell bad.
  • 天 快 黑 了 。 It’s getting dark.
  • 你 的 咖啡 快 凉 了。 Your coffee is getting cool.
  • 水果 快 坏 了。
  • 不 能 再 喝 了，我 快 醉 了。
  • 我 快 迟到 了。
  • 衣服 快 干 了。
  • 杯子 快 满 了。

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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