Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

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* 我 要 <em>回</em>家 <em>吃</em>饭。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào <em>huí</em>jiā <em>chī</em>fàn. </span> <span class="trans">I want to go home and eat. </span>
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* 我 要 <em>回</em>家 <em>吃</em>饭。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào <em>huí</em>jiā <em>chī</em>fàn. </span><span class="trans">I want to go home and eat. </span>
* 你 要 <em>去</em> 超市 <em>买</em> 东西 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào <em>qù</em> chāoshì <em>mǎi</em> dōngxi ma? </span> <span class="trans">Are you going to the supermarket to buy things? </span>
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* 你 要 <em>去</em> 超市 <em>买</em> 东西 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào <em>qù</em> chāoshì <em>mǎi</em> dōngxi ma? </span><span class="trans">Are you going to the supermarket to buy things? </span>
* 他 不 想 <em>去</em> 图书馆 <em>看</em> 书。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng <em>qù</em> túshūguǎn <em>kàn</em> shū. </span> <span class="trans">He doesn't want to go to the library and read. </span>
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* 他 不 想 <em>去</em> 图书馆 <em>看</em> 书。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng <em>qù</em> túshūguǎn <em>kàn</em> shū. </span><span class="trans">He doesn't want to go to the library and read. </span>
* 你 <em>打</em> 电话 <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ</em> diànhuà <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you call and tell him? </span>
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* 你 <em>打</em> 电话 <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ</em> diànhuà <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma? </span><span class="trans">Did you call and tell him? </span>
* 我们 要 <em>坐</em> 飞机 <em>去</em> 美国。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yào <em>zuò</em>  fēijī  <em>qù</em> Měiguó. </span> <span class="trans">We are going to take an airplane to go to America.  </span>
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* 我们 要 <em>坐</em> 飞机 <em>去</em> 美国。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yào <em>zuò</em>  fēijī  <em>qù</em> Měiguó. </span><span class="trans">We are going to take an airplane to go to America.  </span>
* 你们 可以 <em>上</em> 网 <em>买</em> 机票 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàng</em> wǎng <em>mǎi</em> jīpiào ma? </span> <span class="trans">Can you use the Internet to buy airplane tickets? </span>
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* 你们 可以 <em>上</em> 网 <em>买</em> 机票 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàng</em> wǎng <em>mǎi</em> jīpiào ma? </span><span class="trans">Can you use the Internet to buy airplane tickets? </span>
* 老板 下周 <em>去</em> 北京 <em>开</em> 会。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xià zhōu <em>qù</em> Běijīng <em>kāi</em> huì. </span> <span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to Beijing to have a meeting. </span>
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* 老板 下周 <em>去</em> 北京 <em>开</em> 会。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xià zhōu <em>qù</em> Běijīng <em>kāi</em> huì. </span><span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to Beijing to have a meeting. </span>
* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em>家 <em>过</em> 年。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rén 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>
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* 中国人 都 要 <em>回</em>家 <em>过</em> 年。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rén 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 for myself on the weekend. </span>
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* 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 for myself on the weekend. </span>
* 早上 我 先 <em>刷</em> 牙 <em>洗</em> 脸,再 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǒ xiān <em>shuā</em> yá <em>xǐ</em> liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. </span> <span class="trans">In the morning, I first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then I eat breakfast. </span>
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* 早上 我 先 <em>刷</em> 牙 <em>洗</em> 脸,再 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǒ xiān <em>shuā</em> yá <em>xǐ</em> liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. </span><span class="trans">In the morning, I first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then I eat breakfast. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 03:57, 24 May 2017

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) is for linking nouns. Just use one verb phrase after another and the sequence of events is clear.

Examples

  • 我 要 饭。 Wǒ yào huíjiā chīfàn. I want to go home and eat.
  • 你 要 超市 东西 吗?Nǐ yào chāoshì mǎi dōngxi 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 and tell him?
  • 我们 要 飞机 美国。Wǒmen yào zuò fēijī Měiguó. We are going to take an 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 会。Lǎobǎn xià zhōu Běijīng kāi huì. Next week the boss will go to Beijing to have a meeting.
  • 中国人 都 要 年。Zhōngguó rén dōu yào huíjiā guònián. 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 zuòfàn. I like to buy food to cook for myself on the weekend.
  • 早上 我 先 脸,再 吃 早饭。Zǎoshang wǒ xiān shuā liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. In the morning, I first brush my teeth and wash my face, and 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