Difference between revisions of "Emphasizing quantity with "dou""
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== Structure == | == Structure == | ||
| − | You can use 都 (dōu) to emphasis the large quantity of something, particularly a group of people. The subject should be some sort of large group (like a majority of people or things), e.g. "很多人" or " | + | You can use 都 (dōu) to emphasis the large quantity of something, particularly a group of people. The subject should be some sort of large group (like a majority of people or things), e.g. "很多人" or "大家." |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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== Examples == | == Examples == | ||
| + | |||
| + | First let's look at some typical examples using "很多" to emphasize that it's "a lot." Note that in English, it would be totally redundant and unnecessary to add "all" into these sentences, but in Chinese it's ''totally natural'' (and kind of weird not to). You just have to get used to it. | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 很 多 人 <em>都</em> 想 工作。<span class="trans">A lot of people want to work.</span> | + | * 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 你 。 <span class="trans">A lot of people like you.</span> |
| + | * 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 想 工作。<span class="trans">A lot of people want to work.</span> | ||
| + | * 很 <strong>多</strong> 咖啡厅 <em>都</em> 有 wifi。<span class="trans">A lot of cafes have wifi.</span> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Now let's look at some examples using "大家" or "everyone." Again, in English, it would be totally redundant and unnecessary to add "all" into these sentences, but in Chinese it's ''totally natural'' (and kind of weird not to). You just have to get used to it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 今天 <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 来 了 。<span class="trans">Today, everyone came.</span> | ||
| + | * <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 说 你 很 聪明 。<span class="trans">Everyone says you're smart.</span> | ||
| + | * <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 忘 了 他 的 名字 。<span class="trans">Everyone forgot his name.</span> | ||
* 大家 <em>都</em> 应该 知道。<span class="trans">Everyone should know.</span> | * 大家 <em>都</em> 应该 知道。<span class="trans">Everyone should know.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | One other common way to use 都 is when you're talking about something that happens really often, such as "every day" ("每天"). Use 都 here in Chinese, even if it feels unnatural. (Fake it 'til you make it!) | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 我 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 要 上班 。 <span class="trans">I have to go to work every day.</span> | ||
| + | * 我 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 上 淘宝 。 <span class="expl">(''Taobao'' is China's biggest online shopping website)</span><span class="trans">I go on ''Taobao'' every day.</span> | ||
| + | * 她 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 去 KTV 。 <span class="trans">She goes to karaoke every day.</span> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Here are some other examples that don't use 很多 or 大家 (but are still quite typical): | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
* 英国 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒。<span class="trans">English people all like drinking beer.</span> | * 英国 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒。<span class="trans">English people all like drinking beer.</span> | ||
| − | * 中国 人 <em>都</em> 说 中文。 | + | * 中国 人 <em>都</em> 说 中文。 <span class="trans">Chinese people all speak Chinese.</span> |
| − | * 我 的 家人 <em>都</em> 爱 中国。 | + | * 我 的 家人 <em>都</em> 爱 中国。 <span class="trans">My family members all love China.</span> |
| − | * 我们 五 个 人 <em>都</em> 去。 | + | * 我们 五 个 人 <em>都</em> 去。 <span class="trans">All five of us are going.</span> |
| − | + | * 我 的 朋友 <em>都</em> 喜欢 去 KTV。 <span class="trans">My friends all like to go to karaoke.</span> | |
| − | * | ||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[The "all" adverb]] | ||
* [[Expressing "every" with "mei" and "dou"]] | * [[Expressing "every" with "mei" and "dou"]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| Line 50: | Line 77: | ||
{{Basic Grammar|都|A2|大家 / 很多人 + 都……|很 多 人 <em>都</em> 想 工作。|grammar point|ASGWNEYM}} | {{Basic Grammar|都|A2|大家 / 很多人 + 都……|很 多 人 <em>都</em> 想 工作。|grammar point|ASGWNEYM}} | ||
| + | [[Similar|The "all" adverb]] | ||
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}} | {{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}} | ||
{{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}} | ||
Revision as of 03:04, 19 February 2014
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
都 (dōu) is one of those characters that on the surface may seem simple, but actually has many different subtle uses. In this article, we will look at using 都 to emphasize quantity.
Structure
You can use 都 (dōu) to emphasis the large quantity of something, particularly a group of people. The subject should be some sort of large group (like a majority of people or things), e.g. "很多人" or "大家."
Subject + 都 + Verb + Object
Examples
First let's look at some typical examples using "很多" to emphasize that it's "a lot." Note that in English, it would be totally redundant and unnecessary to add "all" into these sentences, but in Chinese it's totally natural (and kind of weird not to). You just have to get used to it.
- 很 多 人 都 喜欢 你 。 A lot of people like you.
- 很 多 人 都 想 工作。A lot of people want to work.
- 很 多 咖啡厅 都 有 wifi。A lot of cafes have wifi.
Now let's look at some examples using "大家" or "everyone." Again, in English, it would be totally redundant and unnecessary to add "all" into these sentences, but in Chinese it's totally natural (and kind of weird not to). You just have to get used to it.
- 今天 大家 都 来 了 。Today, everyone came.
- 大家 都 说 你 很 聪明 。Everyone says you're smart.
- 大家 都 忘 了 他 的 名字 。Everyone forgot his name.
- 大家 都 应该 知道。Everyone should know.
One other common way to use 都 is when you're talking about something that happens really often, such as "every day" ("每天"). Use 都 here in Chinese, even if it feels unnatural. (Fake it 'til you make it!)
- 我 每天 都 要 上班 。 I have to go to work every day.
- 我 每天 都 上 淘宝 。 (Taobao is China's biggest online shopping website)I go on Taobao every day.
- 她 每天 都 去 KTV 。 She goes to karaoke every day.
Here are some other examples that don't use 很多 or 大家 (but are still quite typical):
- 英国 人 都 喜欢 喝 啤酒。English people all like drinking beer.
- 中国 人 都 说 中文。 Chinese people all speak Chinese.
- 我 的 家人 都 爱 中国。 My family members all love China.
- 我们 五 个 人 都 去。 All five of us are going.
- 我 的 朋友 都 喜欢 去 KTV。 My friends all like to go to karaoke.
