Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
从...到... (cóng...dào...) is used in the same way as "from ... to ..." as in English, and it can be used both for times and places.
Contents
Used for time
To express from one time to another, the following structure is used:
Structure
Subj. + 从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2
The "time" here does not necessarily have to be a standard time word; it can also be an event or action, as we would say, in English, something like "from getting on the plane until arriving in China, I felt nervous."
Examples
- 从 一号 到 五号 都 在 下雨。From the first to the fifth, it's been raining all the time.
- 老板 从 周二 到 周五 都 要 出差。From Tuesday until Friday the boss will go on a business trip.
- 我 从 2004 年 到 都 在 上海 工作。From 2004 to 2008, I have always worked in Shanghai.
- 她 从 18岁 到 现在 都 一个人 住。She's lived alone since she was 18.
- 你 不能 从 早 到 晚 不 吃 东西。You can't eat nothing from day to night.
This is the easiest way to talk about doing something from one time through to another. Remember that there are two options for the word order of time words, so the 从 ... 到 ... (cóng...dào...) phrase can go before or after the subject.
Used for place
The 从...到... (cóng...dào...) structure can also be used to express from one place to another, and is used
Structure
Subj. + 从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2
Examples
- 从 酒店 到 机场 不太 远。From the hotel to the airport is not too far.
- 从 上海 到 北京 只 要 几 个 小时。From Shanghai to Beijing only takes a few hours.
- 从 中国 到 美国，只 能 坐 飞机。From China to America, you can only take the airpalne.
- 从 你家 到 火车站 要 多长 时间？How long does it take to get from your place to the train station?
- 从 这里 到 我们 公司，你 会 看见 很多 美女。From here to our company, you'll see many beautiful girls.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 84-5) →buy
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 112-3) →buy
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p. 89) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 237-8) →buy
