Difference between revisions of "Advanced uses of "zong""

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== Used with Auxiliary Verb ==
 
== Used with Auxiliary Verb ==
  
In this structure, 总, with its companion character (usually a modal/[[auxiliary verb]]), means "always will (fill in character/action here)" Once again, it gives the feeling of something very concrete and factual.
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In this structure, 总, with its companion character (usually a modal/[[auxiliary verb]]), means "always will (fill in character/action here)" Once again, it gives the feeling of something very concrete and factual. As you'll see in the examples, below, however, the word "always" don't always work well in a natural translation to English.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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*这里 是 他 家,他 <em>总 会</em> 回来 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ shì tā jiā, tā <em>zǒng huì</em> huílái de.</span><span class="trans">This is his home. He will always come back.</span>
 
*这里 是 他 家,他 <em>总 会</em> 回来 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ shì tā jiā, tā <em>zǒng huì</em> huílái de.</span><span class="trans">This is his home. He will always come back.</span>
*咱们 <em>总 得</em> 想 个 办法 啊。<span class="pinyin">Zánmen <em>zǒngdé</em> xiǎng bànfǎ a.</span><span class="trans">We always have to come up with something to do.</span>
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*咱们 <em>总 得</em> 想 个 办法 啊。<span class="pinyin">Zánmen <em>zǒng děi</em> xiǎng ge bànfǎ a.</span><span class="trans">We're going to have to come up with some kind of solution.</span>
*不管 发生 了 什么,人 <em>总 要</em> 吃饭 吧。<span class="pinyin">Bùguǎn fāshēngle shénme, rén <em>zǒng yào</em> chīfàn ba.</span><span class="trans">No matter what happens, people have to eat.</span>
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*不管 发生 了 什么,人 <em>总 要</em> 吃饭 吧。<span class="pinyin">Bùguǎn fāshēngle shénme, rén <em>zǒng yào</em> chīfàn ba.</span><span class="trans">No matter what happens, people still have to eat.</span>
*他 是 你 爸爸,你 <em>总 要</em> 礼貌 一点 吧。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì nǐ bàba, nǐ <em>zǒng yào</em> lǐmào yīdiǎn ba.</span><span class="trans">He is your father, you should always a little more polite.</span>
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*他 是 你 爸爸,你 <em>总 要</em> 礼貌 一点 吧。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì nǐ bàba, nǐ <em>zǒng yào</em> lǐmào yīdiǎn ba.</span><span class="trans">He is your father, so you need to be a little more polite.</span>
*你 拿 了 人家 的 钱,<em>总 得</em> 帮 人家 做 事 吧。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nále rénjiā de qián, <em>zǒngdé</em> bāng rénjiā zuòshì ba.</span><span class="trans">You took their money, so you're always going to have to help them do stuff.</span>
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*你 拿 了 人家 的 钱,<em>总 得</em> 帮 人家 做 事 吧。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ ná le rénjiā de qián, <em>zǒng děi</em> bāng rénjiā zuòshì ba.</span><span class="trans">You took their money, so you're going to have to help them with the work.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 08:24, 10 November 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-zong.jpg

总 (zǒng) can often be simply translated as "always," but it has other advanced uses as well. It can express "no matter how long or under what circumstances, facts are facts." It can also express "no matter what." It is often paired with other words to form set phrases such as 总会, 总归, 总得, 总要, 总能, etc. It can also be structured together with other unconditional compound phrases like 无论 and 不管. You cannot place it directly after the verb.


Used with Auxiliary Verb

In this structure, 总, with its companion character (usually a modal/auxiliary verb), means "always will (fill in character/action here)" Once again, it gives the feeling of something very concrete and factual. As you'll see in the examples, below, however, the word "always" don't always work well in a natural translation to English.

Structure

总 + 会 / 得 / 要 / 能 + Verb

Examples

  • 这里 是 他 家,他 总 会 回来 的。Zhèlǐ shì tā jiā, tā zǒng huì huílái de.This is his home. He will always come back.
  • 咱们 总 得 想 个 办法 啊。Zánmen zǒng děi xiǎng ge bànfǎ a.We're going to have to come up with some kind of solution.
  • 不管 发生 了 什么,人 总 要 吃饭 吧。Bùguǎn fāshēngle shénme, rén zǒng yào chīfàn ba.No matter what happens, people still have to eat.
  • 他 是 你 爸爸,你 总 要 礼貌 一点 吧。Tā shì nǐ bàba, nǐ zǒng yào lǐmào yīdiǎn ba.He is your father, so you need to be a little more polite.
  • 你 拿 了 人家 的 钱,总 得 帮 人家 做 事 吧。Nǐ ná le rénjiā de qián, zǒng děi bāng rénjiā zuòshì ba.You took their money, so you're going to have to help them with the work.

Used with 不 and 没

When 总 is used together with a negating word (like 不 or 没), it often has a tone of speculation, judgment or suggestion. The sentence often ends with a 吧.

Structure

总 + 不 / 没 + Verb

Examples

  • 你们 之间 的 联系 这么 少,看 起来 像 是 一 家 人。Nǐmen zhī jiān de liánxì zhème shǎo, kàn qǐlái zǒng xiàng shì yījiā rén.You talk to each other so little. It seems that you're barely family.
  • 他 这么 大 年纪 了,我们 能 让 他 一个人 去 吧?Tā zhème dà niánjìle, wǒmen zǒng néng ràng tā yīgè rén qù ba?He's so old. We can't let him go there all alone. What do you think?
  • 这么 晚 了, 会 出 了 什么事 吧?Zhème wǎnle, zǒng huì chūle shénme shì ba?It's getting late. Do you think something bad happened?
  • 这 件 事 会 是 内部 的 人 做 的 吧?Zhè jiàn shì zǒng huì shì nèibù de rén zuò de ba?Do you think this is an inside job?
  • 他 想 带 父母 去 旅行,可是 时间。Tā xiǎng dài fùmǔ qù lǚxíng, kěshì zǒng méi shíjiān.He wants to take her parents to travel, but he's always not able to find time.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books