Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with "dou… le""
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− | * 你 <em>都</em> 快 三十 <em>了</em>,还 不 结婚?<span class="trans">You're almost | + | * 你 <em>都</em> 快 三十 <em>了</em>,还 不 结婚?<span class="trans">You're almost 30, and you still aren't married?</span> |
− | * 现在 <em>都</em> 二 十 一 世纪 <em>了</em>,你 怎么 还 这么 想?<span class="trans">It's already the 21st century | + | * 现在 <em>都</em> 二 十 一 世纪 <em>了</em>,你 怎么 还 这么 想?<span class="trans">It's already the 21st century, can you believe that?</span> |
* <em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em>,快 起床 吧!<span class="trans">It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!</span> | * <em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em>,快 起床 吧!<span class="trans">It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!</span> | ||
− | * 他 <em>都</em> 到 <em>了</em>,你 不 能 不 见 他。<span class="trans">He already arrived.You've got to see him.</span> | + | * 他 <em>都</em> 到 <em>了</em>,你 不 能 不 见 他。<span class="trans">He's already arrived. You've got to see him.</span> |
− | * 饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>,他 怎么 还 不 回来?<span class="trans">The food is cold already. Why | + | * 饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>,他 怎么 还 不 回来?<span class="trans">The food is cold already. Why hasn't he come back yet?</span> |
− | * 牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>,你怎么还不把它扔掉 ?<span class="trans">The milk's gone bad | + | * 牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>,你怎么还不把它扔掉 ?<span class="trans">The milk's gone bad, why haven't you thrown it away?</span> |
− | * 他<em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>,你 还 不能 原谅 他 吗!<span class="trans">He's made an apology.Are you not gonna forgive him?</span> | + | * 他<em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>,你 还 不能 原谅 他 吗!<span class="trans">He's made an apology. Are you not gonna forgive him?</span> |
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Revision as of 12:17, 18 October 2014
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
"都……了" (dōu... le) is used to express that something has already happened, similar to "已经……了". However it is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经……了". The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经……了". Here the meaning is the same as "都……了".
Structure
都 + Verb/Adjective/Quantity + 了
Examples
- 你 都 快 三十 了,还 不 结婚?You're almost 30, and you still aren't married?
- 现在 都 二 十 一 世纪 了,你 怎么 还 这么 想?It's already the 21st century, can you believe that?
- 都 九点 了,快 起床 吧!It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!
- 他 都 到 了,你 不 能 不 见 他。He's already arrived. You've got to see him.
- 饭 都 凉 了,他 怎么 还 不 回来?The food is cold already. Why hasn't he come back yet?
- 牛奶 都 坏了,你怎么还不把它扔掉 ?The milk's gone bad, why haven't you thrown it away?
- 他都 道歉 了,你 还 不能 原谅 他 吗!He's made an apology. Are you not gonna forgive him?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 97-99) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词(增订本) (pp. 178) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典(第5版) (pp.329 ) →buy