Difference between revisions of "Expressing "be going to" with "yao""

Revision as of 01:43, 17 January 2017

Level

A1 / HSK2
Level

A1
Level

HSK2
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "would like to" with "xiang" (HSK1)
- Expressing "about to happen" with "le" (HSK2)
- Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao" (HSK2)
Used for

Referring to the future, Referring to changes of situation, Expressing desires, Expressing determination
Keywords

要

The auxiliary verb 要 (yào) has several different meanings, and here we'll tackle the "be going to" meaning. You'll use this when you are discussing your plans with someone.

Structure

The idea behind this usage of 要 (yào) is that someone is "planning to" or "going to" or "preparing to" do something. It's not that they just want to, or have to, it's that they fully expect to do it. It's in their plan. This usage of 要 (yào) typically includes a time word of some sort, which may be placed before or after the subject.

Subj. + 要 + Verb

Examples

我明天要买一个 iPhone。 Wǒ míngtiān yào mǎi yī gè iPhone.I am going to buy an iPhone tomorrow.
你们现在要出去吗？ Nǐmen xiànzài yào chūqù ma?Are you all going out now?
我们今年要去美国。 Wǒmen jīnnián yào qù Měiguó.We are planning to go to the U.S. this year.
他 下个月 要来中国工作。 Tā xià gè yuè yào lái Zhōngguó gōngzuò.He is coming to China to work next month.
你 下个星期 要去她家吃晚饭吗？ Nǐ xià gè xīngqī yào qù tā jiā chī wǎnfàn ma?Are you going to her place for dinner next week?
这个 星期天 你要做什么？Zhège Xīngqītiān nǐ yào zuò shénme? What are you doing this Sunday?
我晚上要给妈妈打电话。 Wǒ wǎnshàng yào gěi māma dǎ diànhuà. I am going to call my mom this evening.
下午老师要来我家。 Xiàwǔ lǎoshī yào lái wǒ jiā. The teacher is coming to my place this afternoon.
老板明天要见他们吗？ Lǎobǎn míngtiān yào jiàn tāmen ma? Is the boss going to meet them tomorrow?
下班以后 你要回家吗？ Xiàbān yǐhòu nǐ yào huí jiā ma? Are you planning to go home after getting off work?

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. ) →buy

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 *你 <strong>下 个 星期</strong> <em>要</em> 去 她 家 吃 晚饭 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ xià gè xīngqī <em>yào</em> qù tā jiā chī wǎnfàn ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you going to her place for dinner next week?</span>
 *这 个 <strong>星期天</strong> 你 <em>要</em> 做 什么？<span class="pinyin">Zhège <strong>Xīngqītiān</strong> nǐ <em>yào</em> zuò shénme?</span> <span class="trans">What are you doing this Sunday?</span>
-*我 <strong>晚上</strong> <em>要</em> 给 妈妈 打电话。  <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong> wǎnshang</strong> <em>yào</em> gěi māma dǎ diànhuà.</span> <span class="trans">I am going to call my mom this evening.</span>
+*我 <strong>晚上</strong> <em>要</em> 给 妈妈 打电话。  <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong> wǎnshàng</strong> <em>yào</em> gěi māma dǎ diànhuà.</span> <span class="trans">I am going to call my mom this evening.</span>
 *<strong>下午</strong> 老师 <em>要</em>  来 我家。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Xiàwǔ</strong> lǎoshī <em>yào</em>  lái wǒ jiā.</span> <span class="trans">The teacher is coming to my place this afternoon.</span>
 *老板 <strong>明天</strong> <em>要</em> 见 他们 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <strong>míngtiān</strong> <em>yào</em> jiàn tāmen ma?</span> <span class="trans">Is the boss going to meet them tomorrow? </span>