Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with "dou""
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都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is a pattern used to express that something has already happened, similar to "[["Already" with "yijing"|已经⋯⋯了]]." However, 都⋯⋯了 is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经⋯⋯ 了." The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经⋯⋯ 了." Here the meaning is the same as "都⋯⋯ 了." | 都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is a pattern used to express that something has already happened, similar to "[["Already" with "yijing"|已经⋯⋯了]]." However, 都⋯⋯了 is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经⋯⋯ 了." The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经⋯⋯ 了." Here the meaning is the same as "都⋯⋯ 了." | ||
| − | == | + | == Used with Time Word == |
| − | + | === Structure === | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | 都 + Time Word + 了 | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == Examples == | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *<em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em> | + | *<em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em>，快点 起床 ！<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> jiǔ diǎn <em>le</em>, kuài diǎn qǐchuáng!</span><span class="trans">It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!</span> |
*<em>都</em> 十二 点 <em>了</em>，你 还不 睡？<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> shí'èr diǎn <em>le</em>, nǐ hái bù shuì?</span><span class="trans">It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?</span> | *<em>都</em> 十二 点 <em>了</em>，你 还不 睡？<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> shí'èr diǎn <em>le</em>, nǐ hái bù shuì?</span><span class="trans">It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?</span> | ||
*<em>都</em> 一 个 小时 <em>了</em>，他 还 在 厕所 里。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> yī gè xiǎoshí <em>le</em>, tā hái zài cèsuǒ lǐ.</span><span class="trans">It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.</span> | *<em>都</em> 一 个 小时 <em>了</em>，他 还 在 厕所 里。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> yī gè xiǎoshí <em>le</em>, tā hái zài cèsuǒ lǐ.</span><span class="trans">It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.</span> | ||
*<em>都</em> 二十一 世纪 <em>了</em>，你 还 这么 想？<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> èrshí-yī shìjì <em>le</em>, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?</span> | *<em>都</em> 二十一 世纪 <em>了</em>，你 还 这么 想？<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> èrshí-yī shìjì <em>le</em>, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?</span> | ||
| − | *你 <em>都</em> | + | |
| + | == Used with Verb or Adjective == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | Subj. + 都 + Predicate + 了 | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | *你 <em>都</em> 三十 <em>了</em>，说话 还 像 个 孩子 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dōu</em> sānshí <em>le</em>, shuōhuà hái xiàng gè háizi.</span><span class="trans">You're 30, and you still talk like a small child.</span> | ||
*饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>，快 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Fàn <em>dōu</em> liáng <em>le</em>. Kuài chī ba.</span><span class="trans">The food is cold already. Let's eat.</span> | *饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>，快 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Fàn <em>dōu</em> liáng <em>le</em>. Kuài chī ba.</span><span class="trans">The food is cold already. Let's eat.</span> | ||
*牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>，扔掉 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Niúnǎi <em>dōu</em> huài <em>le</em>, rēngdiào ba.</span><span class="trans">The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.</span> | *牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>，扔掉 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Niúnǎi <em>dōu</em> huài <em>le</em>, rēngdiào ba.</span><span class="trans">The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.</span> | ||
| − | *我 <em>都</em> 说 了 三 遍 <em>了</em> | + | *我 <em>都</em> 说 了 三 遍 <em>了</em> ，别 来 烦 我 ！<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dōu</em> shuō le sān biàn <em>le</em>, Bié lāi fán wǒ!</span><span class="trans">I've said it three times already. Leave me alone!</span> |
| − | *这个 电影 你 <em>都</em> 看 过 <em>了</em>，看 别的 吧。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng nǐ <em>dōu</em> kàn | + | *这个 电影 你 <em>都</em> 看 过 <em>了</em> ，看 别的 吧。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng nǐ <em>dōu</em> kàn <em>guo</em> le, kàn biéde bā.</span><span class="trans">You've seen this movie already. Let's watch something else.</span> |
*他 <em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>，你 别 生气 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>dōu</em> dàoqiàn <em>le</em>, nǐ bié shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.</span> | *他 <em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>，你 别 生气 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>dōu</em> dàoqiàn <em>le</em>, nǐ bié shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.</span> | ||
Revision as of 08:57, 28 August 2017
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Keywords
都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is a pattern used to express that something has already happened, similar to "已经⋯⋯了." However, 都⋯⋯了 is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经⋯⋯ 了." The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经⋯⋯ 了." Here the meaning is the same as "都⋯⋯ 了."
Contents
Used with Time Word
Structure
都 + Time Word + 了
Examples
- 都 九点 了，快点 起床 ！It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!
- 都 十二 点 了，你 还不 睡？It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?
- 都 一 个 小时 了，他 还 在 厕所 里。It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.
- 都 二十一 世纪 了，你 还 这么 想？It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?
Used with Verb or Adjective
Structure
Subj. + 都 + Predicate + 了
Examples
- 你 都 三十 了，说话 还 像 个 孩子 。You're 30, and you still talk like a small child.
- 饭 都 凉 了，快 吃 吧。The food is cold already. Let's eat.
- 牛奶 都 坏了，扔掉 吧 。The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.
- 我 都 说 了 三 遍 了 ，别 来 烦 我 ！I've said it three times already. Leave me alone!
- 这个 电影 你 都 看 过 了 ，看 别的 吧。You've seen this movie already. Let's watch something else.
- 他 都 道歉 了，你 别 生气 了。He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 97-99) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 178) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 329 ) →buy
