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> | * 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> 走。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu. </span> <span class="trans">They just left. </span> | ||
| − | * 老板 <em>刚刚</em> 到 办公室。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gānggāng</em> dào bàngōngshì. </span> <span class="trans">The boss just came | + | * 老板 <em>刚刚</em> 到 办公室。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gānggāng</em> dào bàngōngshì. </span> <span class="trans">The boss just came into the office. </span> |
| − | * 我老婆 <em>刚</em> 生 完 孩子。 <span class="pinyin"> | + | * 我老婆 <em>刚</em> 生 完 孩子。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎopo <em>gāng</em> shēng wán háizi. </span> <span class="trans">My wife just finished giving birth to our baby. </span> |
* 你 <em>刚刚</em> 下班 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>gānggāng</em> xiàbān ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you just get off work? </span> | * 你 <em>刚刚</em> 下班 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>gānggāng</em> xiàbān ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you just get off work? </span> | ||
Revision as of 09:35, 29 January 2016
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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.
- 老板 刚刚 到 办公室。 The boss just came into the office.
- 我老婆 刚 生 完 孩子。 My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.
- 你 刚刚 下班 吗？ Did you just get off work?
"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 + Verb. (+ Obj.) + 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 认识 她 十 天。 We just met each other ten days ago.
- 他 刚 来 中国 两 个 月。 He just got to China two months ago.
- 我 弟弟 刚 工作 半年。 My younger brother just started working half a year ago.
- 她 刚 结婚 三 个 月 。 She just got married three months ago.
- 我 的 车 刚 买 两 天，开 的时候 小心 点。 I just bought the car two days ago. Be careful when you drive.
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
