Comparing "turan" and "huran"

\r\nBoth 突然 (tūrán) and 忽然 (hūrán) express the something happens in a very short time or is unexpected. Both can be translated as "unexpectedly" or "surprisingly", however, 突然 is a bit harsher in tone while 忽然 is a bit softer. Also, their grammatical features are subtly different, as outlined in this article. \r\n== Both 突然 and 忽然 can be used as Adverbs == 突然 and 忽然 both can put in the sentence as adverbs or adjectives, just make sure to put them before the verb or the adjective!\r\n=== Before a Verb===\r\n

突然/忽然 + Verb

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 睡觉 的 时候，我 的 电话突然 响了。While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.
• 睡觉 的 时候，我 的 电话忽然 响了。While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.
• 他 说着说着突然 不 说 了。 He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.
• 他 说着说着忽然 不 说 了。 He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.

\r\n=== Before an Adjective ===\r\n

突然/忽然 + Adjective

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 天 突然 暗 了。
• 天 忽然 暗 了。
• The sky suddenly got dark.
• 灯 突然 不 亮 了。
• 灯 忽然 不 亮 了。
• The lights suddenly went out

\r\n=== At the Beginning of a Sentence ===\r\nYou can place 突然 and 忽然 at the beginning of a sentence, just make sure to add a comma after it!\r\n=== Structure ===\r\n

突然/忽然，...

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 突然，他 进来 了。
• 忽然，他 进来 了。
• Suddenly, he entered.

\r\n== 突然 can be used as an Adjective ==\r\n突然 can be used as an adjective (directly modifying nouns), while 忽然 cannot.\r\n === Structure as an Adjective===\r\n

突然 + (的) + Noun

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 这 是 一 场 突然 事故，我们 都 没 想 到。This was a sudden accident. None of us thought it could happen.
• 你 知道 怎么 处理 这 种 突然 的 情况 吗？Do you know how to handle this kind of sudden situation?

\r\n== 突然 can be used as a complement ==\r\n突然 as an adjective can also be sued as a complement (called 补语 in Chinese). 忽然 cannot be used as a complement. \r\n=== Structure for verb and complement===\r\n

Subject + Verb + 得 + 突然

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 事情 发生 得 太 突然，我们 不 知道 怎么 办。Things happened so suddenly, we didn't know what to do.
• 这 场 雨 下 得 太 突然，都 淋湿 了。This rain fell so suddenly, everything got soaked.

\r\n== 突然 can be used as the predicate ==\r\nJust like other adjectives, 突然 can be used as the predicate of a sentence. It is usually added with a modifier like 很, 非常, 不 etc. It can also end with 得很, 得多, 极了, etc. complements.\r\n\r\n=== Structure with modifier + 突然 ===\r\n

Subject + modifier + 突然

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 这 个 决定 太 突然 了。This decision was too sudden.
• 对 她 来说，这 次 升职 其实 不 突然。To her, this promotion wasn't actually surprising.

\r\n=== Structure with 突然 + modifier===\r\n

Subject + 突然 + Modifier

\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n

• 离开 上海 突然 得 很。Leaving Shanghai is really surprising.
• 这 次 生病 比 上 次 突然 得 多。Getting sick this time is much more surprising than the last time.

\r\n== Example of right and wrong sentences ==\r\n

• 这 个 决定 很 忽然。
• 这 个 决定 很 突然。 突然 can be a predicate, while 忽然 cannot.
• 一切 发生 得 太 忽然。
• 一切 发生 得 太 突然。 突然 can be a complement, but 忽然 cannot.

\r\n== Example Dialog ==\r\n

• A: 我 正在 睡觉，忽然 电话响了，是 Amy 打 来 的。I was sleeping, when suddenly the phone rang. It was Amy.
• B: 她 说 什么？What did she say?
• A: 她 结婚 了。She got married.
• B: 啊，这 个 消息 太突然 了。Oh, this news is really sudden.

\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n*现代汉语八百词（增订本） (突然 p.540) →buy\r\n*现代汉语虚词例释 (忽然p.247)→buy\r\n* Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 231-2) →buy\r\n*Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)(突然 忽然p.113)→buy\r\n=== Dictionaries ===

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (忽然p.574 突然p.1378) →buy\r\n

HSK4