Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao""
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| − | *< | + | *<strong>还有</strong> 十 天 宝宝 <em>就</em> 一 岁 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Háiyǒu</strong> shí tiān bǎobao <em>jiù</em> yī suì le.</span><span class="trans">In ten more days, the baby will be one year old.</span> |
| − | *< | + | *<strong>还有</strong> 十 分钟 我 <em>就</em> 下班 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Háiyǒu</strong> shí fēnzhōng wǒ <em>jiù</em> xiàbān le.</span><span class="trans">In 10 more minutes I get off work.</span> |
| − | *< | + | *<strong>还有</strong> 五 天 <em>就要</em> 放假 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Háiyǒu</strong> wǔ tiān <em>jiù yào</em> fàngjià le.</span><span class="trans">In 10 more days, I go on vacation.</span> |
| − | *< | + | *<strong>还有</strong> 一 个 月 <em>就要</em> 过年 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Háiyǒu</strong> yī gè yuè <em>jiù yào</em> guònián le.</span><span class="trans">In another month it will be Chinese New Year.</span> |
| − | *< | + | *<strong>还有</strong> 两 个 星期 我们 <em>就要</em> 考试 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Háiyǒu</strong> liǎng gè xīngqí wǒmen <em>jiù yào</em> kǎoshì le.</span><span class="trans">We're just two weeks away from the exam date.</span> |
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Revision as of 03:54, 25 December 2017
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Keywords
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
Basic Pattern
Structure
(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb + 了
Examples
- 她 就要 出国 了 。She's going abroad.
- 就要 下雨 了 ！It's about to rain!
- 我们 的 大老板 就要 来 了 。Our big boss is coming soon.
- 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?
In this case, 就要 can be replaced by 快要 or 快.
Advanced Pattern
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 + Subj. ＋ 就 (要) + Verb + 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 我 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 我们 就要 考试 了 。We're just two weeks away from the exam date.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 183) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 267-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 196-7) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 271) [ →buy]
Websites
- ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 了 (le): Something's About to Happen (free podcast content)
