Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

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* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em> 家 <em>过</em> 年。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén dōu yào <em>huí</em> jiā <em>guò</em> nián. </span> <span class="trans">Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year. </span>
 
* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em> 家 <em>过</em> 年。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén dōu yào <em>huí</em> jiā <em>guò</em> nián. </span> <span class="trans">Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year. </span>
 
* 周末 我 喜欢 自己 <em>买</em> 菜 <em>做</em> 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ <em>mǎi</em> cài <em>zuò</em> fàn. </span> <span class="trans"> I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend. </span>
 
* 周末 我 喜欢 自己 <em>买</em> 菜 <em>做</em> 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ <em>mǎi</em> cài <em>zuò</em> fàn. </span> <span class="trans"> I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend. </span>
* 早上 我 要 先 <em>刷</em> 牙 <em>洗</em> 脸,再 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǒ yào xiān <em>shuā</em> yá <em>xǐ</em> liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. </span> <span class="trans">In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth and wash my face, then eat breakfast. </span>
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* 早上 我 要 先 <em>刷</em> 牙 <em>洗</em> 脸,再 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǒ yào xiān <em>shuā</em> yá <em>xǐ</em> liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. </span> <span class="trans">In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then eat breakfast. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 06:54, 21 January 2016

Linking actions together in a sentence is very straightforward and to the point. Because of this, there is no new word or phrase needed!

Structure

In Chinese it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one verb phrase after another, in this structure:

Subj. + [Verb Phrase 1] + [Verb Phrase 2]

No connecting word is needed. A common mistake in the early stages of learning Chinese is to try and link verbs with 和 (hé). This is incorrect - 和 (hé) can only link nouns. Just place one verb after another.

Examples

  • 我 要 饭。 Wǒ yào huí jiā chī fàn. I want to go home and eat.
  • 你 要 超市 东西 吗?Nǐ yào chāoshì mǎi dōngxī ma? Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?
  • 他 不 想 图书馆 书。Tā bù xiǎng túshūguǎn kàn shū. He doesn't want to go to the library and read.
  • 电话 告诉 他 了 吗? diànhuà gàosu tā le ma? Did you call him and tell him?
  • 我们 要 飞机 美国。Wǒmen yào zuò fēijī Měiguó. We are going to take the airplane to go to America.
  • 你们 可以 机票 吗?Nǐmen kěyǐ shàng wǎng mǎi jīpiào ma? Can you use the internet to buy airplane tickets?
  • 老板 下周 北京 差。Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu Běijīng chū chāi. Next week the boss will go toBeijing on a business trip.
  • 中国人 都 要 年。Zhōngguórén dōu yào huí jiā guò nián. Chinese people all go back home and spend Chinese New Year.
  • 周末 我 喜欢 自己 饭。Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ mǎi cài zuò fàn. I like to buy food to cook by my self on the weekend.
  • 早上 我 要 先 脸,再 吃 早饭。Zǎoshang wǒ yào xiān shuā liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then eat breakfast.

Note that the English translations of these sentences use the word "and", but there is no equivalent to it in Chinese.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books