Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"
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* 你 要 <em>去</em> 超市 <em>买</em> 东西 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào <em>qù</em> chāoshì <em>mǎi</em> dōngxī ma?</span> <span class="trans">Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?</span>
 
* 你 要 <em>去</em> 超市 <em>买</em> 东西 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào <em>qù</em> chāoshì <em>mǎi</em> dōngxī ma?</span> <span class="trans">Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?</span>
 
* 他 不 想 <em>去</em> 图书馆 <em>看</em> 书。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng <em>qù</em> túshūguǎn <em>kàn</em> shū.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't want to go to the library and read.</span>
 
* 他 不 想 <em>去</em> 图书馆 <em>看</em> 书。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng <em>qù</em> túshūguǎn <em>kàn</em> shū.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't want to go to the library and read.</span>
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* 你 <em>打 电话</em> <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ diànhuà</em> <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you call him and tell him?</span>
+
* 你 <em>打</em> 电话 <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ</em> diànhuà <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you call him and tell him?</span>
 
* 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 <em>去</em> 海南 <em>看</em> 海。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ <em>qù</em> Hǎinán <em>kàn</em> hǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.</span>
 
* 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 <em>去</em> 海南 <em>看</em> 海。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ <em>qù</em> Hǎinán <em>kàn</em> hǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.</span>
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* 你们 可以 <em>上网</em> <em>买</em> 机票 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàngwǎng</em> <em>mǎi</em> jīpiào ma?</span> <span class="trans">Can you use the internet to buy airplane tickets?</span>
+
* 你们 可以 <em>上</em> 网<em>买</em> 机票 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàng</em> wǎng <em>mǎi</em> jīpiào ma?</span> <span class="trans">Can you use the internet to buy airplane tickets?</span>
−
* 老板 下周 <em>去</em> 美国 <em>出差</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu <em>qù</em> Měiguó <em>chūchāi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.</span>
+
* 老板 下周 <em>去</em> 美国 <em>出</em> 差。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu <em>qù</em> Měiguó <em>chū</em> chāi.</span> <span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.</span>
 
* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em> 家 <em>过</em> 年。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén dōu yào <em>huí</em> jiā <em>guò</em> nián.</span> <span class="trans">Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year.</span>
 
* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em> 家 <em>过</em> 年。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén dōu yào <em>huí</em> jiā <em>guò</em> nián.</span> <span class="trans">Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year.</span>
 
* 周末 我 喜欢 自己 <em>买</em> 菜 <em>做</em> 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ <em>mǎi</em> cài <em>zuò</em> fàn.</span> <span class="trans"> I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend.</span>
 
* 周末 我 喜欢 自己 <em>买</em> 菜 <em>做</em> 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ <em>mǎi</em> cài <em>zuò</em> fàn.</span> <span class="trans"> I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend.</span>

Revision as of 02:35, 14 October 2015

Linking actions together in a sentence is very straightforward and to the point. Because of this, there is no new word or phrase needed!

Structure

In Chinese it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one verb phrase after another, in this structure:

Subj. + [Verb Phrase 1] + [Verb Phrase 2]

No connecting word is needed. A common mistake in the early stages of learning Chinese is to try and link verbs with 和 (hé). This is incorrect - 和 (hé) can only link nouns. Just place one verb after another.

Examples

  • 我 要 回 家 吃 饭。 Wǒ yào huí jiā chī fàn. I want to go home and eat.
  • 你 要 去 超市 买 东西 吗？Nǐ yào qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxī ma? Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?
  • 他 不 想 去 图书馆 看 书。 Tā bù xiǎng qù túshūguǎn kàn shū. He doesn't want to go to the library and read.
  • 你 打 电话 告诉 他 了 吗？Nǐ dǎ diànhuà gàosu tā le ma? Did you call him and tell him?
  • 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 去 海南 看 海。 Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ qù Hǎinán kàn hǎi. I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.
  • 你们 可以 上 网买 机票 吗？Nǐmen kěyǐ shàng wǎng mǎi jīpiào ma? Can you use the internet to buy airplane tickets?
  • 老板 下周 去 美国 出 差。 Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu qù Měiguó chū chāi. Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.
  • 中国人 都 要 回 家 过 年。 Zhōngguórén dōu yào huí jiā guò nián. Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year.
  • 周末 我 喜欢 自己 买 菜 做 饭。Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ mǎi cài zuò fàn. I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend.
  • 早上 我 要 先 刷 牙 洗 脸，再 吃 早饭。Zǎoshang wǒ yào shuā yá xǐ liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth, wash my face and then eat breakfast.

Note that the English translations of these sentences use the word "and", but there is no equivalent to it in Chinese.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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