Expressing duration of inaction

Saying how long you have done something is pretty simple in Chinese. Saying how long you have not done something is just as easy.

Structure

Expressing how long something has not been done is slightly different to expressing the duration of an action.

Subject + Duration + 没 + Verb + Object + 了

So now the duration comes right after the subject and 了 is at the end of the sentence. The verb has to be negated with 没, as the action hasn't happened.

Examples

• 他 已经 三 天 没 洗澡 了。Tā yǐjīng sān tiān méi xǐzǎo le.He has already gone three days without showering.
• 我 两年 没 抽烟 了。Wǒ liǎng nián méi chōuyān le.It's been two years since I smoked.
• 他们 两天 没 吃饭 了。Tāmen liǎng tiān méi chīfàn le.They haven't eaten for two days.

See also

• Expressing duration
• Uses of le

Sources and Further Reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 231-2) →buy