Difference between revisions of "Expressing "when" with "dengdao""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
The word 等到 (děngdào) can trip up learners because while it can literally mean "wait until," it also has the less literal translation meaning "when (the time comes)" or "by the time." This is a pattern that appears in complex sentences, with 等到 acting as a [[conjunction]] and appearing in the first part as the first word in the sentence.
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The word 等到 (děngdào) can trip up learners, because while it can literally mean "to wait until," it also has the less literal translation meaning "when (the time comes)" or "by the time (something happens)." This is a pattern that appears in complex sentences, with 等到 acting as a [[conjunction]] and appearing in the first part as the first word in the sentence.
  
 
== Used for the Future ==
 
== Used for the Future ==
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When talking about the future, the second part of the sentence uses [[就]] (jiù) or [[再]] (zài).
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
  
*<em>等到</em> 你 感觉 不 舒服 ,<strong>就</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> nǐ gǎnjué bù shūfu, <strong>jiù</strong> wǎn le.</span><span class="trans">It will be too late when you feel not well.</span>
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*<em>等到</em> 老板 知道 <strong>就</strong> 麻烦 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> lǎobǎn zhīdào <strong>jiù</strong> máfan le.</span><span class="trans">When the boss finds out, we'll be in trouble.</span>
*<em>等到</em> 秋天 ,这些 树叶 <strong></strong> 会 变 黄 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> qiūtiān, zhèxiē shùyè <strong>jiù</strong> huì biàn huáng.</span><span class="trans">When it is autumn, the leaves will have already become yellow.</span>
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*<em></em> 雨 停 了 我 <strong></strong> 出门 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> yǔ tíng le wǒ <strong>zài</strong> chūmén.</span><span class="trans">When the rain stops, I'll go outside.</span>
*<em></em> 雨 停 了 我 <strong></strong> 出门 。<span class="pinyin"><em>děng</em> yǔ tíng le <strong>zài</strong> chūmén.</span><span class="trans">When the rain stops, then I will go outside.</span>
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*<em>等到</em> 秋天 ,这些 树叶 <strong></strong> 会 变 黄 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> qiūtiān, zhèxiē shùyè <strong>jiù</strong> huì biàn huáng.</span><span class="trans">When autumn arrives, these leaves will turn yellow.</span>
*<em>等</em> 做完 这个 项目 ,我 <strong>就</strong> 休假 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> zhège xiàngmù jiéshù, wǒ <strong>jiù</strong> xiūjià.</span><span class="trans">I will take a vacation when I complete this project.</span>
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*<em>等</em> 做 完 这个 项目 ,我 <strong>就</strong> 休假 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> zuò wán zhège xiàngmù, wǒ <strong>jiù</strong> xiūjià.</span><span class="trans">I will take a vacation when I finish this project.</span>
*<em></em> 老板 签字 <strong>再</strong> 做 安排 。<span class="pinyin"><em>děng</em> lǎobǎn qiān le zì <strong>zài</strong> zuò ānpái.</span><span class="trans">I will make arrangements when the boss signs the paper.</span>
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*<em>等到</em> 老板 签 了 字 ,我 <strong>再</strong> 做 安排 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> lǎobǎn qiān le zì, wǒ <strong>zài</strong> zuò ānpái.</span><span class="trans">I will make arrangements once the boss signs off on it.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== Used for the Past ==
 
== Used for the Past ==
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For the past, the second part of the sentence uses [[才]] (cái). This pattern is very similar to [[Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"|how 直到 (zhídào) is used to mean "all the way until"]], and also overlaps with the [[Expressing lateness with "cai"|use of 才 to express lateness]].
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
  
*<em>等</em> 我 ,<strong>才</strong> 发现 手机 忘 在 了 朋友 家 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> wǒ shàng le chē, <strong>cái</strong> fāxiàn shǒujī wàng zài le péngyou jiā.</span><span class="trans">I didn't realize I left my cellphone at my friend's place until I got in the car.</span>
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*<em>等</em> 我 ,<strong>才</strong> 发现 手机 忘 在 了 出租车 上 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> wǒ huí le jiā, <strong>cái</strong> fāxiàn shǒujī wàng zài le chūzūchē shàng.</span><span class="trans">I didn't realize I left my cell phone in the taxi until I got home.</span>
*<em>等到</em> 孩子 上 了 小学 ,她 <strong>才</strong> 开始 工作 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> háizi shàng le xiǎoxué, tā <strong>cái</strong> kāishǐ gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">She didn't start working until her children went to elementary school.</span>
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*<em>等到</em> 孩子 上 了 小学 ,她 <strong>才</strong> 开始 工作 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> háizi shàng le xiǎoxué, tā <strong>cái</strong> kāishǐ gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">She didn't start working until her children had started elementary school.</span>
 
*<em>等</em> 学生 都 安静 了 ,老师  <strong>才</strong> 开始 上课 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> xuéshēng dōu ānjìng le, lǎoshī <strong>cái</strong> kāishǐ shàngkè.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't begin the class until the students all became quiet.</span>
 
*<em>等</em> 学生 都 安静 了 ,老师  <strong>才</strong> 开始 上课 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> xuéshēng dōu ānjìng le, lǎoshī <strong>cái</strong> kāishǐ shàngkè.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't begin the class until the students all became quiet.</span>
*<em>等</em> 他 有 了 孩子 ,<strong>才</strong> 知道 做 父母 多么 不 容易 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> tā yǒu le háizi, <strong>cái</strong> zhīdào zuò fùmǔ duōme bù róngyì.</span><span class="trans">It wasn't until he had a child that he realized how hard it is to be a parent.</span>
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*<em>等</em> 他 有 了 孩子 ,<strong>才</strong> 知道 做 父母 多么 不 容易 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děng</em> tā yǒu le háizi, <strong>cái</strong> zhīdào zuò fùmǔ duōme bù róngyì.</span><span class="trans">It wasn't until he had had a child that he realized how hard it is to be a parent.</span>
*<em>等到</em> 他 癌症 ,<strong>才</strong> 意识到 健康 有 多 宝贵 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> tā de le áizhèng, <strong>cái</strong> yìshí dào jiànkāng yǒu duō bǎoguì.</span><span class="trans">He didn't realize how precious health is until he had cancer.</span>
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*<em>等到</em> 他 到 家 了 ,<strong>才</strong> 发现 他 没有 带 钥匙 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Děngdào</em> tā dào jiā le, <strong>cái</strong> fāxiàn tā méiyǒu dài yàoshi.</span><span class="trans">It wasn't until he got home that he found that he didn't have his keys.</span>
  
 
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|等到|B1|等(到) + Time / Event ,Subj. + 再 / 就 ⋯⋯|<em>等到</em> 大学 毕业 ,我 就 不 住 在 学校 了。|grammar point|ASG68F61}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|等到|B1|等(到) + Time / Event ,Subj. + 再 / 就 ⋯⋯|<em>等到</em> 大学 毕业 ,我 就 不 住 在 学校 了。|grammar point|ASG68F61}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
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{{Rel char|才}}
 
{{Rel char|才}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing lateness with "cai"}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Complex Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Translation|when}}
 
{{Translation|when}}
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{{Translation|once}}
 
{{Translation|until}}
 
{{Translation|until}}

Latest revision as of 02:53, 11 November 2020

The word 等到 (děngdào) can trip up learners, because while it can literally mean "to wait until," it also has the less literal translation meaning "when (the time comes)" or "by the time (something happens)." This is a pattern that appears in complex sentences, with 等到 acting as a conjunction and appearing in the first part as the first word in the sentence.

Used for the Future

When talking about the future, the second part of the sentence uses (jiù) or (zài).

Structure

等(到) + Time / Event ,Subj. + 再 / 就 + Predicate

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

  • 等到 老板 知道 麻烦 了。Děngdào lǎobǎn zhīdào jiù máfan le.When the boss finds out, we'll be in trouble.
  • 雨 停 了 我 出门 。Děng yǔ tíng le wǒ zài chūmén.When the rain stops, I'll go outside.
  • 等到 秋天 ,这些 树叶 会 变 黄 。Děngdào qiūtiān, zhèxiē shùyè jiù huì biàn huáng.When autumn arrives, these leaves will turn yellow.
  • 做 完 这个 项目 ,我 休假 。Děng zuò wán zhège xiàngmù, wǒ jiù xiūjià.I will take a vacation when I finish this project.
  • 等到 老板 签 了 字 ,我 做 安排 。Děngdào lǎobǎn qiān le zì, wǒ zài zuò ānpái.I will make arrangements once the boss signs off on it.

Used for the Past

For the past, the second part of the sentence uses (cái). This pattern is very similar to how 直到 (zhídào) is used to mean "all the way until", and also overlaps with the use of 才 to express lateness.

Structure

等(到) + Time / Event ,Subj. + 才 + Predicate

Examples

  • 我 回 了 家 , 发现 手机 忘 在 了 出租车 上 。Děng wǒ huí le jiā, cái fāxiàn shǒujī wàng zài le chūzūchē shàng.I didn't realize I left my cell phone in the taxi until I got home.
  • 等到 孩子 上 了 小学 ,她 开始 工作 。Děngdào háizi shàng le xiǎoxué, tā cái kāishǐ gōngzuò.She didn't start working until her children had started elementary school.
  • 学生 都 安静 了 ,老师 开始 上课 。Děng xuéshēng dōu ānjìng le, lǎoshī cái kāishǐ shàngkè.The teacher didn't begin the class until the students all became quiet.
  • 他 有 了 孩子 , 知道 做 父母 多么 不 容易 。Děng tā yǒu le háizi, cái zhīdào zuò fùmǔ duōme bù róngyì.It wasn't until he had had a child that he realized how hard it is to be a parent.
  • 等到 他 到 家 了 , 发现 他 没有 带 钥匙 。Děngdào tā dào jiā le, cái fāxiàn tā méiyǒu dài yàoshi.It wasn't until he got home that he found that he didn't have his keys.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books