Difference between revisions of "Expressing "just" with "gang""

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{{Similar|"Just now" with "gangcai"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Just now" with "gangcai"}}   
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 +
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{Translation|Just}}
 
{{Translation|Just}}

Revision as of 08:14, 16 July 2013

Sometimes things happen in a flash, or they happen a very short time before you say something, and to express that, you can use 刚 (gāng).

Structure

刚 expresses that the action happened not long ago. It's used the same way as 刚刚.

Subject + 刚 + V.

Examples

  • 走。He just left.
  • 我们 下班。We just got off work.
  • 吃 完 饭。We just ate a meal.
  • 做 完 今天 的 工作。I just finished today's work.
  • 宝宝 起床。Baby just got out of bed.

Structure

刚 can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".

Subject + 刚 + VO + Duration

Examples

  • 到 这里 五 分钟。I just got here five minutes ago.
  • 来 中国 半 年。I just got to China six months ago.
  • 学 中文 两 个 星期。I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.

Make sure you pay attention to "刚来一会儿。" and "刚来没一会儿。". Both have the same meaning, expressing that the 来 happened a short while ago.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books