Using "dao" to mean "to go to"

A simple and direct way to indicate that you arrived somewhere is to use the verb 到 (dào).

Structure for place

The verb 到 (dào) is used to talk about going to places.

Subject + 到 + Place

Examples

• 你 要 到 哪儿？Where are you going to?
• 我 到 上海。I arrived at Shanghai.
• 他们 已经 到 酒吧 了。They already got to the bar.
• 我 刚到家。I just got home.
• 你 到 公司 了 吗？Did you get to the company?
• 我们 先到北京，然后到香港。First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.
• 你 到 南京 路 的 时候， 给 我 打 电话 吧。When you arrive at Nanjing Road, give me a call.
• 两 年 以前 我到 了 中国。Two years ago I arrived in China.
• 从 这里 到 那 里 需要 一 个 小时。To arrive there from here takes an hour.
• 请 问 这 个 地铁 到 火车站 吗？Can you ask the metro what train station we arrived at?

Structure for place and action

If you are going to a place to do something else, you can add 去 and the verb. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something."

Subject + 到 + Place + 去 + Action

Examples

• 我 到 中国 去 学习 中文。I go to China to study Chinese.
• 你 到 那儿 去 做 什么？What did you go there to do?
• 他们 要 到 酒吧 去 喝 酒。They are going to the bar to drink.
• 今年 我们 到 中国 去 旅游。This year we are going to China to travel.
• 我们 到 公园 去 看 书 吧。Let's go to the park to read.
• 我们 经常 到 KTV 去 唱 歌。We often go to Karaoke to sing songs.
• 明天 我 到 女朋友 家 里 去 见 她 的 父母。Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.
• 我 想 到 商店 去 买 点 水果。I want to go to the store to buy fruit.
• 我们 到 哪 里 去 吃 饭 啊？Did you all go there to eat food?
• 小 狗 到 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了。The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.

See also

• Using "zai" with verbs
• Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"
• "From… To…" with "cong… dao…"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 200)
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 72) →buy