Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao""
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== 就要 Used without Time Word == | == 就要 Used without Time Word == | ||
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=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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*他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kuài yào</em> qù Měiguó le.</span><span class="trans">He's about to go to the USA.</span> | *他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kuài yào</em> qù Měiguó le.</span><span class="trans">He's about to go to the USA.</span> | ||
*<em>快</em> 下 雨 了！<span class="pinyin"><em>Kuài</em> xià yǔ le!</span><span class="trans">It's about to rain!</span> | *<em>快</em> 下 雨 了！<span class="pinyin"><em>Kuài</em> xià yǔ le!</span><span class="trans">It's about to rain!</span> | ||
| + | *我 <em>就要</em> 饿 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù yào</em> è sǐ le.</span><span class="trans">I'm about to starve to death.</span> | ||
*他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiù yào</em> jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They are about to get married.</span> | *他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiù yào</em> jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They are about to get married.</span> | ||
*<em>就要</em> 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin"><em>Jiù yào</em> xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?</span><span class="trans">The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?</span> | *<em>就要</em> 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin"><em>Jiù yào</em> xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?</span><span class="trans">The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?</span> | ||
Revision as of 07:08, 28 July 2017
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就要 (jiùyào) is similar to 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning "about to." They are interchangeable in some cases. But there is a major difference that you need to take a good look at.
Contents
就要 Used without Time Word
In this case, 就要 can be replaced by 快要 or 快. But 就要 can't be
Structure
就要 + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 他 快要 去 美国 了。He's about to go to the USA.
- 快 下 雨 了！It's about to rain!
- 我 就要 饿 死 了。I'm about to starve to death.
- 他们 就要 结婚 了。They are about to get married.
- 就要 下课 了，还有 别的 问题 吗？The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?
就要 Used with Time Word
快要 (kuài yào) is generally "about to" [happen], but 就要 (jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要 (yào) here can be omitted. For this one, you wouldn't normally use "about to" for this English translation, but the feeling is nevertheless that the impending event is coming up fast.
Structure
还有 + Time Period + 就（要） + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 还有 十 天 宝宝 就 一 岁 了。In ten more days, the baby will be one year old.
- 还有 十 分钟 就 下班 了。In 10 more minutes I get off work.
- 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了。In 10 more days, I go on vacation.
- 还有 一 个 月 就要 过年 了。In another month it will be Chinese New Year.
- 还有 两 个 星期 就要 考试 了。We're just two weeks away from the test date.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p.183)→buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 267-8) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 196-7) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 271)→buy
Websites
- ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 了 (le): Something's About to Happen (free podcast content)
