Difference between revisions of "Expressing "until" with "dao""
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*我们 一直 等 <em>到</em> 天黑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <em>dào</em> tiānhēi.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span> | *我们 一直 等 <em>到</em> 天黑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <em>dào</em> tiānhēi.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 <strong>住</strong> <em>到</em> 什么 时候 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ dìdi yào zài wǒmen jiā <strong>zhù</strong> <em>dào</em> shénme shíhou?</span><span class="trans">How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?</span> |
| − | *你们 要 玩 <em>到</em> | + | *你们 要 玩 <em>到</em> 几 点 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán dào <em>dào</em> jǐ diǎn?</span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span> |
| − | *今天 的 | + | *今天 的 会 一直 开 <em>到</em> 晚上 九点 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de huì yīzhí kāi <em>dào</em> wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.</span><span class="trans">Today's meeting wasn't over until 9pm.</span> |
| − | *我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 <em>到</em> | + | *我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 <em>到</em> 半夜 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiǔbā yīzhí liáo <em>dào</em> bànyè.</span><span class="trans">We were chatting in the bar til midnight.</span> |
*宝宝 一直 哭 <em>到</em> 妈妈 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao yīzhí kū <em>dào</em> māma huílái.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.</span> | *宝宝 一直 哭 <em>到</em> 妈妈 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao yīzhí kū <em>dào</em> māma huílái.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.</span> | ||
*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span> | *我们 吃 火锅 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span> | ||
| + | *我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 <strong>写</strong> <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè <em>xiě</em> shí'èr diǎn bàn.</span><span class="trans">My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.</span> | ||
*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span> | *她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span> | ||
Revision as of 07:14, 4 January 2018
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
One kind of complement in Chinese involves putting 到 after the verb. 到 (dào) is used to indicate that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state.
Structure
Verb + 到 + Time / Event
Examples
- 我们 一直 等 到 天黑 。We waited until it was getting dark.
- 你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 住 到 什么 时候 ？How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?
- 你们 要 玩 到 几 点 ？When will you be done playing?
- 今天 的 会 一直 开 到 晚上 九点 。Today's meeting wasn't over until 9pm.
- 我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 到 半夜 。We were chatting in the bar til midnight.
- 宝宝 一直 哭 到 妈妈 回来 。The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.
- 我们 吃 火锅 吃 到 火锅店 关门 。We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.
- 我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 写 到 十二 点 半 。My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.
- 她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 到 手机 没 电 。She called her mom until her phone was dead.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 240) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 93-95) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
