Using "dao" to mean "to go to"
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Used for
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Keywords
A simple and direct way to indicate that you arrived somewhere is to use the verb 到 (dào).
Contents
Place
Structure
The verb 到 (dào) is used to talk about going to places.
Subject + 到 + Place
Examples
- 你 要 到 哪儿 ？ Where are you going to?
- 我 到 上海 。 I am bound for Shanghai.
- 他们 已经 到 酒吧 了 。 They already got to the bar.
- 我 刚 到家 。 I just got home.
- 你 到 公司 了 吗 ？ Did you get to the company?
- 我们 先 到北京 ， 然后 到香港 。 First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.
- 你 到 南京 路 的 时候 ， 给 我 打 电话 吧 。 When you arrive at Nanjing Road, give me a call.
- 两 年 以前 我 到 了 中国 。 Two years ago I arrived in China.
- 从 这里 到 那 里 需要 一 个 小时 。 To arrive there from here takes an hour.
- 请 问 这 个 地铁 到 火车站 吗 ？
Place and action
Structure
If you are going to a place to do something else, you can add 去 (qù) and the verb. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something."
Subject + 到 + Place + 去 + Action
Examples
- 我 到 中国 去 学习 中文 。 I go to China to study Chinese.
- 你 到 那儿 去 做 什么 ？ What did you go there to do?
- 他们 要 到 酒吧 去 喝 酒 。 They are going to the bar to drink.
- 今年 我们 到 中国 去 旅游 。 This year we are going to China to travel.
- 我们 到 公园 去 看 书 吧 。 Let's go to the park to read.
- 我们 经常 到 KTV 去 唱 歌 。 We often go to Karaoke to sing songs.
- 明天 我 到 女朋友 家 里 去 见 她 的 父母 。 Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.
- 我 想 到 商店 去 买 点 水果 。 I want to go to the store to buy fruit.
- 你们 到 哪 里 去 吃 饭 啊 ？ Where do you all go to eat food?
- 小 狗 到 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了 。 The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.
到, 去, and 走
Sometimes it can be hard to figure out exactly which word to use in Chinese to mean "go." 到 (dào) is used when you talk about arriving at a place, emphasizing the destination. 去 (qù) is used when you are going to a place. The exact meaning is "to go," and it emphasizes getting somewhere. 走 (zǒu) is used when talking about "leaving." The emphasis is on getting away from a particular place.
