Difference between revisions of "Expressing "would rather" with "ningke""
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| − | 宁可 is used | + | {{Grammar Box}} |
| + | 宁可 (nìngkě) is used when the speaker wants to compare two unfavorable options, and choose one over the other. We usually express this as "would rather... than..." in English. | ||
| + | == Using 宁可 with 也不 == | ||
| − | + | === Structure === | |
| + | |||
| + | This construction puts 宁可 at the beginning of the sentence followed by 也不. 宁可 is followed by the less unfavorable option and 也不 is followed by the most unfavorable option. | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | 宁可⋯⋯ ，也不⋯⋯ | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | ||
| + | === Examples === | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * <em> | + | *我 <em>宁可</em> 没有 男朋友 ，<em>也 不</em> 要 随便 找 一 个 男朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>nìngkě</em> méiyǒu nán péngyǒu, <em>yě bù</em> yào suíbiàn zhǎo yī gè nánpéngyǒu.</span><span class="trans">I'd rather have no boyfriend than find a random one.</span> |
| − | * <em> | + | *我们 <em>宁可</em> 早到 <em>也 不</em> 要 迟到 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>nìngkě</em> zǎo dào <em>yě bù</em> yào chídào.</span><span class="trans">We'd rather arrive early than late.</span> |
| + | *他 <em>宁可</em> 输 ，<em>也 不</em> 放弃 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>nìngkě</em> shū, <em>yě bù</em> fàngqì.</span><span class="trans">He'd rather lose than give up.</span> | ||
| + | *我 <em>宁可</em> 这个 月 少 花 一点 ，<em>也 不</em> 找 父母 要 钱 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>nìngkě</em> zhège yuè shǎo huā yīdiǎn, <em>yě bù</em> zhǎo fùmǔ yào qián.</span><span class="trans">I'd rather spend less money this month than ask my parents for money.</span> | ||
| + | *妈妈 <em>宁可</em> 把 这些 东西 送 给 陌生人 ，<em>也 不</em> 扔掉 。<span class="pinyin">Māma <em>nìngkě</em> bǎ zhèxiē dōngxi sòng gěi mòshēngrén, <em>yě bù</em> rēngdiào.</span><span class="trans">Mom would rather give these things to strangers than throw them away.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | == Using 宁可 with 也要 == | |
| + | |||
| + | In this construction 宁可 is used a little differently. 宁可 is followed by unfavorable actions while 也要 is followed by things that you desire or something that you intend to achieve. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 宁可 | + | 宁可 ⋯⋯ ，也要 ⋯⋯ |
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | Here the speaker must pay a price in order to complete or gain something, a bit like "even though X, I'm still willing to do Y." | |
| − | + | === Examples === | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
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| − | < | + | *我 <em>宁可</em> 熬夜 <em>也 要</em> 做完 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>nìngkě</em> áoyè <em>yě yào</em> zuò wán.</span><span class="trans">I'd rather stay up tonight just to finish it.</span> |
| − | 宁可 | + | *孩子们 <em>宁可</em> 不 吃饭 ，<em>也 要</em> 多 玩 一会儿 。<span class="pinyin">Háizimen <em>nìngkě</em> bù chīfàn, <em>yě yào</em> duō wán yīhuǐr.</span><span class="trans">The kids would rather not eat just to play a little longer.</span> |
| + | *他 <em>宁可</em> 和 女朋友 分手 ，<em>也 要</em> 留 在 国外 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>nìngkě</em> hé nǚpéngyǒu fēnshǒu, <em>yě yào</em> liú zài guówài.</span><span class="trans">He would rather break up with his girlfriend just to stay abroad.</span> | ||
| + | *她 <em>宁可</em> 花 一半 的 工资 租 房子 ，<em>也 要</em> 一个人 住 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>nìngkě</em> huā yībàn de gōngzī zū fángzi, <em>yě yào</em> yī gè rén zhù.</span><span class="trans">She would rather spend half of her salary just to live alone.</span> | ||
| + | *我 <em>宁可</em> 坐 三十 个 小时 的 硬座 ，<em>也 要</em> 回 老家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>nìngkě</em> zuò sānshí gè xiǎoshí de yìngzuò, <em>yě yào</em> huí lǎojiā.</span><span class="trans">I would rather sit in a hard seat for 30 hours if I can get home.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
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=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate | + | {{Source|Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇)|196}} |
| + | {{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5)|180}} | ||
| + | {{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|84, 99}} | ||
| + | {{Source|HSK Standard Course 5上|145}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category: B2 grammar points]] | ||
| + | {{Basic Grammar|宁可|B2|宁可⋯⋯，也⋯⋯|他 <em>宁可</em> 输，<em>也</em> 不 放弃。|grammar point|ASGF3F2Y}} | ||
| + | {{Used for|Giving alternatives}} | ||
| + | {{Similar|Expressing "rather than..." with "yuqi... buru"}} | ||
| + | {{Similar|Comparisons with "buru"}} | ||
| + | {{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} | ||
Latest revision as of 02:45, 18 January 2021
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
宁可 (nìngkě) is used when the speaker wants to compare two unfavorable options, and choose one over the other. We usually express this as "would rather... than..." in English.
Contents
Using 宁可 with 也不
Structure
This construction puts 宁可 at the beginning of the sentence followed by 也不. 宁可 is followed by the less unfavorable option and 也不 is followed by the most unfavorable option.
宁可⋯⋯ ，也不⋯⋯
Examples
- 我 宁可 没有 男朋友 ，也 不 要 随便 找 一 个 男朋友 。I'd rather have no boyfriend than find a random one.
- 我们 宁可 早到 也 不 要 迟到 。We'd rather arrive early than late.
- 他 宁可 输 ，也 不 放弃 。He'd rather lose than give up.
- 我 宁可 这个 月 少 花 一点 ，也 不 找 父母 要 钱 。I'd rather spend less money this month than ask my parents for money.
- 妈妈 宁可 把 这些 东西 送 给 陌生人 ，也 不 扔掉 。Mom would rather give these things to strangers than throw them away.
Using 宁可 with 也要
In this construction 宁可 is used a little differently. 宁可 is followed by unfavorable actions while 也要 is followed by things that you desire or something that you intend to achieve.
Structure
宁可 ⋯⋯ ，也要 ⋯⋯
Here the speaker must pay a price in order to complete or gain something, a bit like "even though X, I'm still willing to do Y."
Examples
- 我 宁可 熬夜 也 要 做完 。I'd rather stay up tonight just to finish it.
- 孩子们 宁可 不 吃饭 ，也 要 多 玩 一会儿 。The kids would rather not eat just to play a little longer.
- 他 宁可 和 女朋友 分手 ，也 要 留 在 国外 。He would rather break up with his girlfriend just to stay abroad.
- 她 宁可 花 一半 的 工资 租 房子 ，也 要 一个人 住 。She would rather spend half of her salary just to live alone.
- 我 宁可 坐 三十 个 小时 的 硬座 ，也 要 回 老家。I would rather sit in a hard seat for 30 hours if I can get home.
