Difference between revisions of "Expressing lateness with "cai""
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=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | * [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 | + | * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 117 - 118) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy] |
=== Websites === | === Websites === | ||
Revision as of 09:16, 28 December 2011
To express that something happened later than expected, you can use 才. The structure is:
Subject + Time + 才 + Verb + Object
In English this might be expressed with "as late as" or "not until". Some examples:
- 我们 十点 上课，可是 他 十点一刻 才 来。
- 昨天 晚上 我的 女儿 一点半 才 回家。
- 他 二十八 岁 才 拿到 驾驶执照。
Note that verbs following 才 cannot take 了，as the action does not have the sense of being completed. So, in the above situation, it is wrong to say:
- 昨天晚上我的女儿一点半才回家了
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 117 - 118) →buy
Websites
- East Asia Student: 就 and 才 in Mandarin: as early as, not until
