Difference between revisions of "Expressing lateness with "cai""

Line 35: Line 35:
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[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]
+
* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 117-8) [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]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
  

Revision as of 06:31, 30 January 2012

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 来。
  • 昨天 晚上 我的 女儿 一点半 回家。
  • 他 二十八 岁 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

Websites