Difference between revisions of "Expressing "until" with "dao""
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*我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吵 <em>到</em> 警察 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ línjū jīntiān chǎojià le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chǎo <em>dào</em> jǐngchá guòlái.</span><span class="trans">My neighbors had a fight today, which lasted until the police came.</span> | *我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吵 <em>到</em> 警察 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ línjū jīntiān chǎojià le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chǎo <em>dào</em> jǐngchá guòlái.</span><span class="trans">My neighbors had a fight today, which lasted until the police came.</span> | ||
*我们 晚上 去 吃火锅 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen wǎnshang qù chī huǒguō le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chī <em>dào</em> huǒguō diàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We went to eat hotpot tonight and we didn't finish until the place was closed.</span> | *我们 晚上 去 吃火锅 了 ，<strong>一直</strong> 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen wǎnshang qù chī huǒguō le, <strong>yīzhí</strong> chī <em>dào</em> huǒguō diàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We went to eat hotpot tonight and we didn't finish until the place was closed.</span> | ||
| + | *他 昨天 一天 都 在 打游戏 ，<strong>一直</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 他 妈妈 回家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuótiān yī tiān dōu zài dǎ yóuxì, <strong>yīzhí</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> tā māma huí jiā.</span><span class="trans">He was playing computer games all day yesterday. He didn't stop until his mother came home.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | If the is a verb phrase | + | If the is a verb phrase proceeding 到, use this structure: |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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*你 知不知道 我们 <strong>等 你</strong> 等 <em>到</em> 半夜 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhī bu zhīdào wǒmen děng <em>dào</em> bànyè?</span><span class="trans">Do you know we waited for you until midnight?</span> | *你 知不知道 我们 <strong>等 你</strong> 等 <em>到</em> 半夜 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhī bu zhīdào wǒmen děng <em>dào</em> bànyè?</span><span class="trans">Do you know we waited for you until midnight?</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *我 女儿 昨天 晚上 <strong>写作业</strong> 写 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě <strong>xiě zuòyè</strong> <em>dào</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 <strong>打电话</strong> 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou <strong>dǎ diànhuà</strong> dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her boyfriend and they kept talking until her phone was out of battery.</span> | |
| − | *她 给 男朋友 | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 05:06, 22 February 2018
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Level
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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 (+ 一直) + 到 + Time / Event
You will sometimes see 一直 (yīzhí) proceeding 到, which serves the purpose of the emphasis on the "ongoing duration."
Note that the verbs are mostly single-syllable verb.
Examples
- 你们 要 玩 到 几 点 ？When will you be done playing?
- 我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 到 半夜 。We were chatting in the bar until midnight.
- 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?
- 昨天 的 会 一直 开 到 晚上 九点 。Yesterday's meeting lasted until 9 pm.
- 我 邻居 今天 吵架 了 ，一直 吵 到 警察 过来 。My neighbors had a fight today, which lasted until the police came.
- 我们 晚上 去 吃火锅 了 ，一直 吃 到 火锅店 关门 。We went to eat hotpot tonight and we didn't finish until the place was closed.
- 他 昨天 一天 都 在 打游戏 ，一直 打 到 他 妈妈 回家 。He was playing computer games all day yesterday. He didn't stop until his mother came home.
If the is a verb phrase proceeding 到, use this structure:
[Verb Phrase] (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event
Some examples:
- 你 知不知道 我们 等 你 等 到 半夜 ？Do you know we waited for you until midnight?
- 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 打 到 手机 没 电 。She called her boyfriend and they kept talking until her phone was out of battery.
See also
- Verbs with gei
- Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"
- "Zai" following verbs
- Expressing "when" with "dengdao"
- Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"
