Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

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In Chinese it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one verb phrase after another, in this structure:
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{{Grammar Box}}
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Linking actions together in a sentence is very straightforward and to the point. Because of this, there is no new word or phrase needed!
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== Structure ==
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In Chinese, it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one [[verb phrase]] after another, in this structure:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + Verb Phrase 1 + Verb Phrase 2
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Subj. + [Verb Phrase 1] + [Verb Phrase 2]
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
No connecting word is needed. A common mistake in the early stages of learning Chinese is to try and link verbs with 和. This is incorrect - can only link nouns. Just place one verb after another.
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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; [[Expressing "and" with "he"|(hé) is for linking nouns]]. Just use one verb phrase after another and the sequence of events is clear.
  
Some examples:
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 咱们 去 咖啡店 <em>喝 咖啡</em>
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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>
* 回家 <em>吃饭</em>
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* 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 去 图书馆 <em>看书</em>
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* 他 不 想 <em></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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* 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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* 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 the USA.  </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>
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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>
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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 for Chinese New Year.</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>
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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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Note that the English translations of these sentences use the word "and," but there is no equivalent to it in Chinese.
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==See also==
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* [[Expressing "and" with "he"]]
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* [[Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"]]
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* [[Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|477-484}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|207-8}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|384-5}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)|125}}
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
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{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
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{{Basic Grammar|none|A2|(Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2)|我们 <em>去</em> 咖啡店 <em>喝</em> 咖啡 吧。|grammar point|ASGPRGAX}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}
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{{Similar|Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"}}
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}

Latest revision as of 08:57, 21 April 2021

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 the USA.
  • 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 for 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