Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao"

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.

Basic Pattern

Structure

(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb + 了

Examples

• 她 就要 出国 了 。Tā jiù yào chūguó le.She's going abroad.
• 就要 下雨 了 ！Jiù yào xiàyǔ le!It's about to rain!
• 我们 的 大老板 就要 来 了 。Wǒmen de dà lǎobǎn jiùyào lái le.Our big boss is coming soon.
• 他们 就要 结婚 了 。Tāmen jiù yào jiéhūn le.They are about to get married.
• 就要 下课 了 ，还有 别的 问题 吗 ？Jiù yào xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?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 。Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobao jiù yī suì le.In ten more days, the baby will be one year old.
• 还有 十 分钟 我 就 下班 了 。Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng wǒ jiù xiàbān le.In 10 more minutes I get off work.
• 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了 。Háiyǒu wǔ tiān jiù yào fàngjià le.In 10 more days, I go on vacation.
• 还有 一 个 月 就要 过年 了 。Háiyǒu yī gè yuè jiù yào guònián le.In another month it will be Chinese New Year.
• 还有 两 个 星期 我们 就要 考试 了 。Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí wǒmen jiù yào kǎoshì le.We're just two weeks away from the exam date.

See also

• Expressing "nearly" with "jihu"
• Approximations with "chabuduo"
• Expressing future with "jiang"

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)