Difference between revisions of "Expressing concern with "kongpa""

Latest revision as of 08:57, 17 December 2020

Level

B2 / HSK4
Level

B2
Level

HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
Used for

Expressing concern
Keywords

恐怕

恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're literally afraid of; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon."

Structure

恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. It's often used with auxiliary verbs such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.

(Reason,) 恐怕 + Subj. ⋯⋯

Note that it sounds better to put 恐怕 before the subject of the sentence.

Examples

今天恐怕要下雨。Jīntiān kǒngpà yào xià yǔ.I'm afraid it's going to rain today.
这件事恐怕得你帮忙。Zhè jiàn shì kǒngpà děi nǐ bāngmáng.I'm afraid we're going to need your help with this matter.
这样做恐怕不太合适。Zhèyàng zuò kǒngpà bù tài héshì.I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do this.
这是很重要的决定，你恐怕不能这么着急。Zhè shì hěn zhòngyào de juédìng, nǐ kǒngpà bù néng zhème zhāojí.This is an important decision. I'm afraid you can't rush this one.
老婆，我晚上要加班，恐怕不能回家吃晚饭了。Lǎopo, wǒ wǎnshang yào jiābān, kǒngpà bù néng huíjiā chī wǎnfàn le.Dear, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.
这个颜色太粉了，恐怕我女儿不喜欢。Zhège yánsè tài fěn le, kǒngpà wǒ nǚ'ér bù xǐhuan.This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.
你现在知道被骗了？恐怕骗子早就跑了。Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piàn le? Kǒngpà piànzi zǎo jiù pǎo le.You finally realized that you were ripped off? I'm afraid the scammer is long gone.

恐怕 is also often used in conjunction with 吧. When it is used with 吧, it expresses a soft but concerned tone and is typically used when the speaker wishes to give their advice or opinion on a matter.

恐怕没那么容易吧。Kǒngpà méi nàme róngyì ba.I'm afraid it's not that easy.
一个人去那个地方恐怕不太安全吧。Yīgèrén qù nàge dìfang kǒngpà bù tài ānquán ba.I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.
你这样说，恐怕她会不高兴吧。Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, kǒngpà tā huì bù gāoxìng ba.If you put it that way, I'm afraid she will be upset.

Sources and further reading

Videos

Yoyo Chinese: "Have to and Don't have to"

Books

HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 76) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 164-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 301) [ →buy]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
+恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're ''literally'' afraid of; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon."
-恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're literally ''afraid of''; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon."
 == Structure ==
-恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. The meaning is similar to "perhaps" or "probably." It's often used with auxiliary verbs, such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.
+恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. It's often used with auxiliary verbs such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.
 <div class="jiegou">
-(Reason,) 恐怕 ⋯⋯
+(Reason,) 恐怕 + Subj. ⋯⋯
 </div>
+Note that it sounds better to put 恐怕 ''before the subject'' of the sentence.
 == Examples ==
@@ Line 16: / Line 17: @@
 *今天 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>要</strong> 下雨 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>yào</strong> xià yǔ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's going to rain today.</span>
-*这 是 很重要 的 决定 ，你 <em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 这么 着急 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì hěn zhòngyào de juédìng, nǐ <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> zhème zhāojí.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid you can't rush this decision as it is a big one to make.</span>
+*这 件 事 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>得</strong> 你 帮忙 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>děi</strong> nǐ bāngmáng.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid we're going to need your help with this matter.</span>
-*老婆 ，我 晚上 要 加班 ，<em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎopó, wǒ wǎnshàng yào jiābān, <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> huí jiā chī wǎnfànle.</span><span class="trans">Wife, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.</span>
+*这样 做 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 合适 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng zuò <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài héshì.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do this.</span>
-*这个 颜色 太 粉 了 ，<em>恐怕</em> 我女儿 不 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yánsè tài fěnle, <em>kǒngpà</em> wǒ nǚ'ér bù xǐhuān.</span><span class="trans">This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.</span>
+*这 是 很 重要 的 决定 ，你 <em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 这么 着急 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì hěn zhòngyào de juédìng, nǐ <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> zhème zhāojí.</span><span class="trans">This is an important decision. I'm afraid you can't rush this one.</span>
-*这件事 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>得</strong>  你 帮忙 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>dé</strong> nǐ bāngmáng.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid you have to help me with this.</span>
+*老婆 ，我 晚上 要 加班 ，<em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎopo, wǒ wǎnshang yào jiābān, <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> huíjiā chī wǎnfàn le.</span><span class="trans">Dear, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.</span>
-*你 现在 知道 被 骗 了 ？<em>恐怕</em> 骗子 早就 跑了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piànle? <em>Kǒngpà</em> piànzi zǎo jiù pǎole.</span><span class="trans">You finally realized the fact that you were ripped off? I'm afraid that guy was long gone.</span>
+*这个 颜色 太 粉 了 ，<em>恐怕</em> 我女儿 不 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yánsè tài fěn le, <em>kǒngpà</em> wǒ nǚ'ér bù xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.</span>
-*这样做 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 合适 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng zuò <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài héshì.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it wasn't appropriate to do it this way.</span>
+*你 现在 知道 被 骗 了 ？<em>恐怕</em> 骗子 早就 跑了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piàn le? <em>Kǒngpà</em> piànzi zǎo jiù pǎo le.</span><span class="trans">You finally realized that you were ripped off? I'm afraid the scammer is long gone.</span>
 </div>
-"恐怕" is also often used in conjunction with "吧". When it is used with "吧", it expresses a soft but concerned tone and is typically used when the speaker wishes to give their advice or opinion on a matter.
+恐怕 is also often used in conjunction with 吧. When it is used with 吧, it expresses a soft but concerned tone and is typically used when the speaker wishes to give their advice or opinion on a matter.
-"恐怕"也经常和"吧"连用，表示一种委婉、商量、劝告的语气，而说话人有自己的想法。
 <div class="liju">
 *<em>恐怕</em> 没 那么 容易 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kǒngpà</em> méi nàme róngyì <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not that easy.</span>
-*一个人 去 那个 地方 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 安全 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Yīgè rén qù nàgè dìfāng <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài ānquán <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.</span>
+*一个人 去 那个 地方 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 安全 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Yīgèrén qù nàge dìfang <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài ānquán <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.</span>
-*你 这样 说 ，<em>恐怕</em> 她 会 不 高兴 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, <em>kǒngpà</em> tā huì bù gāoxìng <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid she will be upset about the way you talk.</span>
+*你 这样 说 ，<em>恐怕</em> 她 会 不 高兴 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, <em>kǒngpà</em> tā huì bù gāoxìng <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">If you put it that way, I'm afraid she will be upset.</span>
-</div>
-== 我 with 恐怕 ==
-A common mistake many people make when learning 恐怕 is putting a pronoun, such as 我, before 恐怕. It's a reasonable assumption, as 恐怕 translates to, "I'm afraid" but the pronoun is more or less implied and grammatically incorrect when preceded by 我:
-<div class="liju">
-<ul>
-<li class="x"><em>我</em> <em>恐怕</em> 帮不了 你 。<span class="expl">Never put 我 before 恐怕!</span></li>
-<li class="o"><strong>恐怕</strong> <em>我</em> 帮不了 你 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Kǒngpà</strong> <em>wǒ</em> bāng bùliǎo nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid I can't help you.</span></li>
-</ul>
 </div>
@@ Line 70: / Line 55: @@
 [[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 {{HSK|HSK4}}
-{{Basic Grammar|恐怕|B2|恐怕 + Fact|<em>恐怕</em> 今天 做 不 完。|grammar point|ASGD4BA3}}
+{{Basic Grammar|恐怕|B2|恐怕 + Subj. ⋯⋯|<em>恐怕</em> 今天 做 不 完。|grammar point|ASGD4BA3}}
 {{Used for|Expressing concern}}
 {{POS|Adverbs}}