Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"

从...到... (cóng...dào...) is used in the same way as "from ... to ..." as in English, and it can be used both for times and places.

Used for time

To express from one time to another, the following structure is used:

Structure

Subject + 从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2

The "time" here does not necessarily have to be a standard time word; it can also be an event or action, as we would say, in English, something like "from getting on the plane until arriving in China, I felt nervous."

Examples

• 从 一号 到 五号，我 在 北京。Cóng yī hào dào wǔ hào, wǒ zài Běijīng.From the first to the fifth, I am in Beijing.
• 他 从 七点 到 十点 都 在 上网。Tā cóng qī diǎn dào shí diǎn dōu zài shàngwǎng.He is online from 7 o'clock to 10 o'clock.
• 我们 从 早 到 晚 都 在 喝 啤酒。Wǒmen cóng zǎo dào wǎn dōu zài hē píjiǔ.We drink beer from morning until night.
• 从 去年 到 现在，我 一直 没 有 女朋友。Cóng qùnián dào xiànzài, wǒ yīzhí méiyǒu nǚpéngyou.From last year to now, I haven't had a girlfriend.
• 从 现在 到 明天 早上，你 不 能 出去。Cóng xiànzài dào míngtiān zǎoshang, nǐ bùnéng chūqù.From now to tomorrow morning, you are not allowed to go out.
• 我 从 明天 到 下 周 一 都 在 北京 出差。Wǒ cóng míngtiān dào xià zhōuyī dōu zài Běijīng chūchāi.From tomorrow until next Monday I will be in Beijing on a business trip.
• 从 2004 年 到 2008年，我 一直 都 在 上海。Cóng èr-líng-líng-sì nián dào èr-líng-líng-bā nián, wǒ yīzhí dōu zài Shànghǎi.From 2004 to 2008, I have always lived in Shanghai.
• 她 从 出生 到 现在 都 没 见 过 她 的 妈妈。Tā cóng chūshēng dào xiànzài dōu méi jiànguò tā de māmā.From birth till now, she never saw her mom.
• 你 不 要 从 早 到 晚 都 看 电视。Nǐ bùyào cóng zǎo dào wǎn dōu kàn diànshì.You don't want to watch television from morning till evening.
• 从 那个时候 到 现在，我 一直 在 这 个 公司 工作。Cóng nàge shíhou dào xiànzài, wǒ yīzhí zài zhè gè gōngsī gōngzuò.From that time till now, I've always worked at this company.

This is the easiest way to talk about doing something from one time through to another. Remember that there are two options for the word order of time words, so the 从 ... 到 ... (cóng...dào...) phrase can go before or after the subject.

Used for place

The 从...到... (cóng...dào...) structure can also be used to express from one place to another, and is used

Structure

Subject + 从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2

Examples

• 请问，从 超市 到 银行 怎么 走？Qǐngwèn, cóng chāoshì dào yínháng zěnme zǒu?May I ask, how do I get from the supermarket to the bank?
• 从 地铁 站 到 学校，有 很 多 饭 店。Cóng dìtiě zhàn dào xuéxiào, yǒu hěnduō fàndiàn.There are many restaurants from the metro station to the school.
• 从 酒吧 到 宾馆 有 多 远？Cóng jiǔbā dào bīnguǎn yǒu duō yuǎn?How far is the bar from the hotel?
• 从 我 家 到 机场 不太 远。Cóng wǒjiā dào jīchǎng bù tài yuǎn.From my home to the airport is not too far.
• 从 这里 到 洗手间 怎么 走？Cóng zhèlǐ dào xǐshǒujiān zěnme zǒu?How do I get from here to the toilet?
• 从 上海 到 东京 只 要 几 个 小时。Cóng Shànghǎi dào Dōngjīng zhǐyào jǐ gè xiǎoshí.From Shanghai to Tokyo only takes a few hours.
• 从 成都 到 西藏，需要 三 天。Cóng Chéngdū dào Xīzàng, xūyào sān tiān.It takes three days to go from Chengdu to Tibet.
• 从 我 家 到 地铁站 有 很 多 学校。Cóng wǒjiā dào dìtiě zhàn yǒu hěnduō xuéxiào.From my home to the metro station there are lots of schools.
• 从 这儿 到 火车站 需要 多久？Cóng zhè'er dào huǒchē zhàn xūyào duōjiǔ?How long does it take to get from here to the train station?
• 从 这里 到 公园，你 会 看到 很 多 美女。Cóng zhèlǐ dào gōngyuán, nǐ huì kàn dào hěnduō měinǚ.From here to the park, you can see many beautiful girls.

See also

• "(Ever) Since" with "(zi)cong"
• To go to a place

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 84-5) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 112-3) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p. 89) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 237-8) →buy