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, and 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. Then, I eat breakfast. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 06:55, 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. Then, I 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