Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"

从...到... (cóng...dào...) is used in the same way as "from ... to ...", and as in English, it can be used both for times and places.

Time

To express from one time to another, the following structure is used:

Subject + 从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2

• 从 一号 到 五号，我 在 北京。From the first to the fifth, I am in Beijing.
• 他 从 七点 到 十点 都 在 上网。He is online from 7 o'clock to 10 o'clock.
• 我们 从 早 到 晚 都 在 喝 啤酒。We drink beer from early to late.

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 ... phrase can go before or after the subject.

Place

The 从...到 structure can also be used to express from one place to another, and is used

Subject + 从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2

Here are some examples:

• 请问，从 超级 市场 到 银行 怎么 走？May I ask, how do I get from the supermarket to the bank??
• 我 开车 从 地铁 站 到 学校。I drive from the metro station to the school.
• 从 酒吧 到 酒店 有 多 远？How far is the bar to the hotel?

See also

• "(Ever) Since" with "(zi)cong"
• To go to a place

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 84-5) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 112 - 113) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 89) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 237-8) →buy