Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

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==See also==
 
==See also==
  
*[[Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"]]
+
* [[Expressing "and" with "he"]]
*[[Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"]]
+
* [[Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"]]
 +
* [[Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==

Revision as of 02:16, 23 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) can only link 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