Difference between revisions of "Time words and word order"
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| − | {{Grammar Box}} | + | {{Grammar Box}} \r\nRemembering where to put the time words, such as "yesterday", "tomorrow", "this week" etc., in a sentence is really important to speaking Chinese correctly. Luckily, it's similar to English, so it's easy to master.\r\n== Structure ==\r\nIn Chinese, time words can appear in one of two positions in the sentence: either at the beginning of the sentence (before the subject), or directly after the subject. The structures are:\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\n'''Time''' + Subject + Verb + Object\r\nSubject + '''Time''' + Verb + Object\r\n</div>\r\nSo if you start speaking with "time first" English word order, you can carry on and get away with it. If, however, you're saving the time word for the ''end'' of the sentence, you can be pretty sure that it doesn't sound at all natural to your Chinese audience.\r\n== Examples ==\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* <em>昨天</em> 我 去 了 酒吧。<span class="trans">Yesterday I went to the bar.</span> |
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| − | == Structure == | ||
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| − | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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| − | '''Time''' + Subject + Verb + Object | ||
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| − | </div> | ||
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| − | == Examples == | ||
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| − | <div class="liju"> | ||
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| − | * <em>昨天</em> 我 去 了 酒吧。<span class="trans">Yesterday I went to the bar.</span> | ||
* 我 <em>昨天</em> 去 了 酒吧。<span class="trans">I went to the bar yesterday.</span> | * 我 <em>昨天</em> 去 了 酒吧。<span class="trans">I went to the bar yesterday.</span> | ||
* <em>下 个 星期</em> 他 要 回国。<span class="trans">Next week he is going back to his country.</span> | * <em>下 个 星期</em> 他 要 回国。<span class="trans">Next week he is going back to his country.</span> | ||
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*<em>现在</em> 你 能 来 我 办公室 吗？<span class="trans">Now you can come to my office?</span> | *<em>现在</em> 你 能 来 我 办公室 吗？<span class="trans">Now you can come to my office?</span> | ||
*你 <em>现在</em> 能 来 我 办公室 吗？<span class="trans">Can you come to my office now?</span> | *你 <em>现在</em> 能 来 我 办公室 吗？<span class="trans">Can you come to my office now?</span> | ||
| − | </div> | + | </div>\r\n==See also== |
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| − | ==See also== | ||
*[[Word order]] | *[[Word order]] | ||
*[[Using "zai" with verbs]] | *[[Using "zai" with verbs]] | ||
*[[Wanting to do something with yao]] | *[[Wanting to do something with yao]] | ||
| − | *[[Expressing completion with le]] | + | *[[Expressing completion with le]]\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 75-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] |
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| − | == Sources and further reading == | ||
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| − | === Books === | ||
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| − | * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 75-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] | ||
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 205-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 205-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] | ||
| − | *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 98)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] | + | *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 98)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] \r\n[[Category:A2 grammar points]] |
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| − | [[Category:A2 grammar points]] | ||
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}} | {{Used for|Expressing time and date}} | ||
{{Used for|Sentence Patterns}} | {{Used for|Sentence Patterns}} | ||
Revision as of 06:22, 26 November 2013
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\r\nRemembering where to put the time words, such as "yesterday", "tomorrow", "this week" etc., in a sentence is really important to speaking Chinese correctly. Luckily, it's similar to English, so it's easy to master.\r\n== Structure ==\r\nIn Chinese, time words can appear in one of two positions in the sentence: either at the beginning of the sentence (before the subject), or directly after the subject. The structures are:\r\n
\r\nTime + Subject + Verb + Object\r\nSubject + Time + Verb + Object\r\n
\r\nSo if you start speaking with "time first" English word order, you can carry on and get away with it. If, however, you're saving the time word for the end of the sentence, you can be pretty sure that it doesn't sound at all natural to your Chinese audience.\r\n== Examples ==\r\n
\r\n* 昨天 我 去 了 酒吧。Yesterday I went to the bar.
- 我 昨天 去 了 酒吧。I went to the bar yesterday.
- 下 个 星期 他 要 回国。Next week he is going back to his country.
- 他 下 个 星期 要 回国。He is going back to his country next week.
- 明年 我 要 开 一 个 公司。Next year I want to open a company.
- 我 明年 要 开 一 个 公司。I want to open a company next year.
- 下 个 月 我们 结婚 吧？Next month shall we get married?
- 我们 下 个 月 结婚 吧？Shall we get married next month?
- 现在 你 能 来 我 办公室 吗？Now you can come to my office?
- 你 现在 能 来 我 办公室 吗？Can you come to my office now?
\r\n==See also==
- Word order
- Using "zai" with verbs
- Wanting to do something with yao
- Expressing completion with le\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 75-7) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 205-6) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 98)→buy \r\n
