Expressing "be going to" with "yao"

Level

A1 / HSK2
Level

A1
Level

HSK2
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "would like to" with "xiang" (HSK1)
- Expressing "about to happen" with "le" (HSK2)
- Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao" (HSK2)
Used for

Referring to the future, Referring to changes of situation, Expressing desires, Expressing determination
Keywords

要

The auxiliary verb 要 (yào) has a lot of meanings, and here we'll tackle the "be going to" meaning. This can be confusing at first, dealing with the multiple meanings of 要 (yào), but stick with it!

Structure

The idea behind this usage of 要 (yào) is that someone is "planning to" or "going to" or "preparing to" do something. It's not that they just want to, or have to, it's that they fully expect to do it. It's in their plan.

Subject + 要 + Verb

Examples

我要去吃饭，你去吗？ I am going to go eat, do you want to go.
星期天我要去北京。I am going to Beijing on Sunday.
我要学中文。I am going to learn Chinese.
我要去中国工作。I am going to China to work.
我要给妈妈电话。I am going to call my mom.
我要去洗手间。I am going to the bathroom.
不好意思，我要出去一下。Pardon me, I am going out real quick.
我要买一个 iPhone。I am going to buy an iPhone.
我要做咖啡，你喝吗？I am going to make coffee, do you want to drink some?
下班以后你要去哪里？Where are you going after work?

Instead of using 要 it is also possible to use the word 想. These two words are usually interchangeable, and both generally mean "to want". In most sentences you can easily make a 要 sentence into a 想 sentence, because these two words are placed in the same place in the sentence. The only thing that will happen is that you control the "hardness" of what you are stating. 要 is often used when it is something you want to/need to do and will take into action. 想 is often used as an idea of one's mind, that you may or may not take into action.

Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. ) →buy

Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)→buy

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. ) →buy