Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

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* 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 <em>去</em> 海南 <em>看</em> 海。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ <em>qù</em> Hǎinán <em>kàn</em> hǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.</span>
 
* 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 <em>去</em> 海南 <em>看</em> 海。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ <em>qù</em> Hǎinán <em>kàn</em> hǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.</span>
 
* 你 <em>打 电话</em> <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ diànhuà</em> <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you call him and tell him?</span>
 
* 你 <em>打 电话</em> <em>告诉</em> 他 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dǎ diànhuà</em> <em>gàosu</em> tā le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you call him and tell him?</span>
* 我 要 <em>打 电话</em> <em></em> 位子。 <span class="pinyin">yào <em>dǎ diànhuà</em> <em>dìng</em> wèizi.</span> <span class="trans">I want to call to make the reservation.</span>
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* 早上 我 要 <em></em> <em></em> 脸,再 吃 早饭。 <span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǒ yào <em>shuā</em> <em></em> liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn.</span> <span class="trans">In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth, wash my face and then eat breakfast.</span>
* 你们 可以 <em>上网</em> <em>买</em> 机票。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàngwǎng</em> <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>上网</em> <em>买</em> 机票 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ <em>shàngwǎng</em> <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> 美国 <em>出差</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu <em>qù</em> Měiguó <em>chūchāi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.</span>
 
* 老板 下周 <em>去</em> 美国 <em>出差</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu <em>qù</em> Měiguó <em>chūchāi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.</span>
* 周末 我 喜欢 <em>买</em> 菜 <em>做</em> 饭。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan <em>mǎi</em> cài <em>zuò</em> fàn.</span> <span class="trans"> I like to buy food to cook 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 by my self on the weekend.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 02:25, 14 October 2015

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.
  • 我 想 跟 男朋友 一起 海南 海。 Wǒ xiǎng gēn nánpéngyou yīqǐ Hǎinán kàn hǎi. I want to go to Hainan and see the sea together with my boyfriend.
  • 打 电话 告诉 他 了 吗 ? dǎ diànhuà gàosu tā le ma? Did you call him and tell him?
  • 早上 我 要 先 脸,再 吃 早饭。 Zǎoshang wǒ yào shuā liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn. In the morning, I need to first brush my teeth, wash my face and then eat breakfast.
  • 你们 可以 上网 机票 吗?Nǐmen kěyǐ shàngwǎng mǎi jīpiào ma? Can you use the internet to buy airplane tickets?
  • 老板 下周 美国 出差Lǎobǎn xiàzhōu Měiguó chūchāi. Next week the boss will go to the US on a business trip.
  • 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.

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