Difference between revisions of "Expressing "how often""
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* 他们 <em>一年</em> 搬 一 次 家。<span class="trans">They move once a year. </span> | * 他们 <em>一年</em> 搬 一 次 家。<span class="trans">They move once a year. </span> | ||
* 我 的 前男友 <em>一 年</em> 换 一 个 女朋友。<span class="trans">My ex-boyfriend has a new girlfriend every year. </span> | * 我 的 前男友 <em>一 年</em> 换 一 个 女朋友。<span class="trans">My ex-boyfriend has a new girlfriend every year. </span> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == When NOT to use this pattern == | ||
| + | |||
| + | The thing about using the pattern above is that it's expected that the activity is done ''regularly'', as part of a ''habit''. If it's not an activity that's regularly engaged in, it's weird to use the pattern. Consider the following examples: | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li class="q">你 <em>多 长 时间</em> 换 <em>一 次</em> 手机 ？<span class="trans">How often do you buy a new cell phone?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li class="q">你 <em>多 长 时间</em> 加 <em>一 次</em> 班 ？<span class="trans">How often do you work overtime?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li class="q">你 <em>多 长 时间</em> 吃 <em>一 次</em> 牛油果 ？<span class="trans">How often do you eat avocado?</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In these cases, the speaker is trying to get any idea of how often the other person does something, regardless of how regular or habitual it is. In this case, just use 经常 (or similar) to ask about it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li class="o">你 <strong>经常</strong> 换 手机 吗 ？<span class="trans">Do you often buy a new cell phone?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li class="o">你 <strong>经常</strong> 加班 吗 ？<span class="trans">Do you often work overtime?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li class="o">你 <strong>很 少</strong> 吃 牛油果 吧 ？<span class="trans">You rarely eat avocado, right?</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 08:46, 29 February 2016
| This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it. |
Asking "how often" is one of those things that seems so simple in English, but relatively complicated in Chinese. The way to ask in Chinese is, literally, "how long of a time" (do something) "one time." So you'll need the phrases 多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān) and 一次 (yī cì).
Contents
Asking the questions "how often?"
Structure
Subj. + 多长时间 + Verb + 一次 (+ Obj.)
Examples
- 你 多 长 时间 看 电影 一 次 ？
- 你 多 长 时间 看 一 次 电影？
- 你们 多 长 时间 吃 火锅 一 次？
- 你们 多 长 时间 吃 一 次 火锅？
- 你 多 长 时间 回 老家一 次？
- 你 多 长 时间 回 一 次 老家？
- 你 的 手机 多 长 时间 充电 一 次？
- 你 多 长 时间 充电一 次？
- 你 多 长 时间 洗 车 一 次？
- 你 多 长 时间 洗 一 次 车？
Making a Statement about Frequency
Structure
Subj. + [Length of Time] + Verb + [How Many Times] (+ Obj.)
Examples
- 我 一周 给 妈妈 打 两 个 电话。I give mom a call twice a week.
- 老板 一个月 出 一 次 差。The boss goes on business trip once a month.
- 她 一天 要 说 几 百 遍 “谢谢”。She says "thank you" a few hundred times a day.
- 他们 一年 搬 一 次 家。They move once a year.
- 我 的 前男友 一 年 换 一 个 女朋友。My ex-boyfriend has a new girlfriend every year.
When NOT to use this pattern
The thing about using the pattern above is that it's expected that the activity is done regularly, as part of a habit. If it's not an activity that's regularly engaged in, it's weird to use the pattern. Consider the following examples:
- 你 多 长 时间 换 一 次 手机 ？How often do you buy a new cell phone?
- 你 多 长 时间 加 一 次 班 ？How often do you work overtime?
- 你 多 长 时间 吃 一 次 牛油果 ？How often do you eat avocado?
In these cases, the speaker is trying to get any idea of how often the other person does something, regardless of how regular or habitual it is. In this case, just use 经常 (or similar) to ask about it.
- 你 经常 换 手机 吗 ？Do you often buy a new cell phone?
- 你 经常 加班 吗 ？Do you often work overtime?
- 你 很 少 吃 牛油果 吧 ？You rarely eat avocado, right?
