Difference between revisions of "Actions in a row"

m (Text replacement - "America" to "the USA")
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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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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 for 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>

Revision as of 08:38, 15 June 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 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