Difference between revisions of "Expressing "just" with "gang""
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| − | * | + | * 我们 <em>刚</em> 知道。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">We just found out.</span> |
| − | + | * 她们 <em>刚</em> 走。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu.</span> <span class="trans">They just left.</span> | |
| − | * 她们 <em>刚</em> | + | * 我 <em>刚</em> 吃 完 饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> chī wán fàn.</span> <span class="trans">I just finished eating.</span> |
| − | * 我 <em>刚</em> 吃 完 | + | * 老板 <em>刚</em> 出去。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gāng</em> chūqù.</span> <span class="trans">The boss just went out.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 妈妈 <em>刚</em> 到 家。 <span class="pinyin">Māma <em>gāng</em> dào jiā.</span> <span class="trans">Mom just got home.</span> |
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Revision as of 06:24, 22 September 2015
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Keywords
When something recently happened, or in the immediate past, in English we use the word "just." For example, if you pass a turn you were supposed to make, you might say, "Ugh, I was just there!" or "I just passed it!" In Chinese, "just" can be expressed with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).
Contents
Expressing "just" happened
Structure
刚 (gāng) expresses an action that happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.
Subj. + 刚 + Verb
or
Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb
Examples
- 我们 刚 知道。 We just found out.
- 她们 刚 走。 They just left.
- 我 刚 吃 完 饭。 I just finished eating.
- 老板 刚 出去。 The boss just went out.
- 妈妈 刚 到 家。 Mom just got home.
"Just" happened, with a specific time period
Structure
刚 (gāng) can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".
Subj. + 刚 + VO + Duration
Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago."
Examples
- 我 刚 到 这里 五 分钟 。 I just got here five minutes ago.
- 我 刚 来 中国 半 年 。 I just got to China six months ago.
- 我 刚 学 中文 两 个 星期 。 I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.
- 他 刚 走 十 分钟 。 He just left ten minutes ago.
- 我们 刚 认识 一 个 月 。 We just met each other a month ago.
- 小心 点 ， 这 个 电脑 刚 买 两 天 。 Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.
- 我 也 刚 知道 两 分钟 。 I just found out two minutes ago.
- 他 刚 去 美国 一 个 星期 。 He just went to the U.S. a week ago.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 216)→buy
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 239) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 81) →buy
