Difference between revisions of "Measure words for verbs"

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*去 过 两 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">qù guo liǎng <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">have been there twice.</span>
 
*去 过 两 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">qù guo liǎng <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">have been there twice.</span>
 +
*读 两 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">dú liǎng <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">Read it twice.</span>
 
*说 了 很 多 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">shuō le hěn duō <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">have said it many times.</span>
 
*说 了 很 多 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">shuō le hěn duō <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">have said it many times.</span>
*读 两 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">dú liǎng <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">Read it twice.</span>
 
*已经 听 了 十几 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">yǐjīng tīng le shí jǐ <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">have already listened to it more than ten times.</span>
 
 
*打 了 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ le sān <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Hit three times.</span>
 
*打 了 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ le sān <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Hit three times.</span>
 
+
*要 听 几 <em>遍</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Yào tīng jǐ <em>biàn</em>?</span><span class="trans">How many times do I need to listen to it?</span>
 
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Revision as of 03:15, 26 October 2017

When a verb is done more than once, it also requires a measure word to accompany it. This way the measure word is acting as a way to count the frequency or re-occurrence of an action.

Structure

Verb + Number + Measure Word

The grammar pattern is very similar to English. For example, "看三次" and "saw three times" mirror each other in structure. In Chinese sentences, these measure words can either come after the verb (as a complement) or before the word (as an adverb). You should also know that, like nouns, some verbs have special measure words to go with them. The basic verbal measure word, however, is 次.

Examples

  • 去 过 两 qù guo liǎng have been there twice.
  • 读 两 dú liǎng biànRead it twice.
  • 说 了 很 多 shuō le hěn duō have said it many times.
  • 打 了 三 dǎ le sān xiàHit three times.
  • 要 听 几 Yào tīng jǐ biàn?How many times do I need to listen to it?

See also