Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to happen" with "le""

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“快...了” expresses something that has not happened yet, but in a short time or relatively short time it will. In certain contexts, you can remove the middle part, and just say 快了. Using this structure is like say "going to. . .real soon."
 
“快...了” expresses something that has not happened yet, but in a short time or relatively short time it will. In certain contexts, you can remove the middle part, and just say 快了. Using this structure is like say "going to. . .real soon."
  
== Structure ==
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== Basic Usage with Verbs ==
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=== Structure ===
  
 
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== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
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== Structure ==
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== Usage with 快 + 要 ==
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Another way you will see this same pattern used is in conjunction with the [[modal verb]] 要 (yào).  [[Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings|要 can have multiple meanings]], one of which is "will" (referring to the future).  You can insert it into the basic pattern, right before the verb.
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=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
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快 + 要 + Verb + 了
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</div>
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=== Examples ===
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* 你 <em>快 要</em> 下班 了 吗?
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* <em>快 要</em> 过年 了,你 什么 时候 回家?
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* 小李 <em>快 要</em> 哭 了,你 别 开 玩笑 了。
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</div>
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These examples are the same as some of the ones above, with a "要" added.  The addition of the "要" does not change the meanings.
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== Usage with Adjectives ==
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=== Structure ===
  
 
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</div>
  
== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
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Revision as of 10:09, 3 February 2013

“快...了” expresses something that has not happened yet, but in a short time or relatively short time it will. In certain contexts, you can remove the middle part, and just say 快了. Using this structure is like say "going to. . .real soon."

Basic Usage with Verbs

Structure

快 + Verb (+ Object) + 了

Examples

  • 下班 了 吗?
  • 这 些 工作 做 完 了,我 晚点 下班。
  • 到 家 了 吗?
  • 到 了,你 开始 做 饭 吧。
  • 我 觉得 下雨 了,我们 走 吧。
  • 过年 了,你 什么 时候 回家?
  • 小李 哭 了,你 别 开 玩笑 了。

Usage with 快 + 要

Another way you will see this same pattern used is in conjunction with the modal verb 要 (yào). 要 can have multiple meanings, one of which is "will" (referring to the future). You can insert it into the basic pattern, right before the verb.

Structure

快 + 要 + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 快 要 下班 了 吗?
  • 快 要 过年 了,你 什么 时候 回家?
  • 小李 快 要 哭 了,你 别 开 玩笑 了。

These examples are the same as some of the ones above, with a "要" added. The addition of the "要" does not change the meanings.

Usage with Adjectives

Structure

快 + Ajective + 了

Examples

  • 黑 了,他 怎么 还 没 回来?
  • 死 了。

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites