Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao""
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*我 <em>快</em> 饿 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>kuài </em> è sǐ le.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going starve very soon.</span> | *我 <em>快</em> 饿 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>kuài </em> è sǐ le.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going starve very soon.</span> | ||
| − | *他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em> | + | *他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kuài yào</em> qù Měiguó le.</span> <span class="trans">He's going to America very soon.</span> |
| − | *<em>快要</em> 下 雨 了！<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>快要</em> 下 雨 了！<span class="pinyin"><em>Kuài yào</em> xià yǔ le!</span> <span class="trans">It's going to rain very soon!</span> |
| − | *他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em> | + | *他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiù yào</em> jiéhūn le.</span> <span class="trans">They are going to get married very soon.</span> |
| − | *<em>就要</em> 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin"><em> | + | *<em>就要</em> 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin"><em>Jiù yào</em> xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?</span> <span class="trans">The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?</span> |
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== Situations where only "就要" can be used == | == Situations where only "就要" can be used == | ||
| − | 快要( | + | 快要(kuài yào) is general "going to happen soon", but 就要(jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要(yào) here can be omitted. |
==== Structure ==== | ==== Structure ==== | ||
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*还有 十 天 宝宝 <em>就</em> 一 岁 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobǎo <em>jiù</em> yī suì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> | *还有 十 天 宝宝 <em>就</em> 一 岁 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobǎo <em>jiù</em> yī suì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> | ||
*还有 十 分钟 <em>就</em> 下班 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng <em>jiù</em> xiàbān le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> | *还有 十 分钟 <em>就</em> 下班 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng <em>jiù</em> xiàbān le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> | ||
| − | *还有 五 天 <em>就要</em> 放假 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu wǔ tiān <em> | + | *还有 五 天 <em>就要</em> 放假 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu wǔ tiān <em>jiù yào</em> fàngjià le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> |
| − | *还有 一 个 月 <em>就要</em> 过 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu yī gè yuè <em> | + | *还有 一 个 月 <em>就要</em> 过 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu yī gè yuè <em>jiù yào</em> guònián le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> |
| − | *还有 两 个 星期 <em>就要</em> 考试 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí <em> | + | *还有 两 个 星期 <em>就要</em> 考试 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí <em>jiù yào</em> kǎoshì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 03:37, 10 February 2017
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就要 (jiùyào) are similar with 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning "about to." They are interchangeable in some cases. But there is a major difference that you need to take a good look at.
Contents
Situations where both can be used
Colloquially, you can just say "快" instead of "快要". But "就要" can't be used that way.
Structure
快（要） / 就（要） + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 我 快 饿 死 了。 I'm going starve very soon.
- 他 快要 去 美国 了。 He's going to America very soon.
- 快要 下 雨 了！ It's going to rain very soon!
- 他们 就要 结婚 了。 They are going to get married very soon.
- 就要 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？ The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?
Situations where only "就要" can be used
快要(kuài yào) is general "going to happen soon", but 就要(jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要(yào) here can be omitted.
Structure
还有 + Time Period + 就（要） + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 还有 十 天 宝宝 就 一 岁 了。 Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
- 还有 十 分钟 就 下班 了。 Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
- 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了。 Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
- 还有 一 个 月 就要 过 年 了。 Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
- 还有 两 个 星期 就要 考试 了。 Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p.183)→buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 267-8) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 196-7) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 271)→buy
Websites
- ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 了 (le): Something's About to Happen (free podcast content)
