Difference between revisions of "Emphasizing quantity with "dou""

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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> rén <em>dōu </em> xǐhuān nǐ.</span><span class="trans">A lot of people like you.</span>
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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō</strong> rén <em>dōu</em> xǐhuān nǐ.</span><span class="trans">A lot of people like you.</span>
* 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 想 找 好 工作。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> rén <em>dōu </em> xiǎng zhǎo hǎo gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">A lot of people want to find a good job.</span>
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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 人 <em>都</em> 想 找 好 工作。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> rén <em>dōu</em> xiǎng zhǎo hǎo gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">A lot of people want to find a good job.</span>
* 很 <strong>多</strong> 地方 <em>都</em> 有 wifi。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> dìfāng <em>dōu </em> yǒu wifi.</span><span class="trans">A lot of places have wifi.</span>
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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 地方 <em>都</em> 有 wifi。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō</strong> dìfāng <em>dōu</em> yǒu wifi.</span><span class="trans">A lot of places have wifi.</span>
* 很 <strong>多</strong> 小孩 <em>都</em> 不 喜欢 上学。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> xiǎohái <em>dōu </em> bù xǐhuān shàngxué .</span><span class="trans">A lot of kids don't like to go to school.</span>
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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 小孩 <em>都</em> 不 喜欢 上学。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> xiǎohái <em>dōu</em> bù xǐhuān shàngxué .</span><span class="trans">A lot of kids don't like to go to school.</span>
* 很 <strong>多</strong> 朋友 <em>都</em> 有 车。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō </strong> péngyǒu <em>dōu </em> yǒu chē .</span><span class="trans">A lot of friends have cars.</span>
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* 很 <strong>多</strong> 朋友 <em>都</em> 有 车。<span class="pinyin">Hěn <strong>duō</strong> péngyǒu <em>dōu</em> yǒu chē .</span><span class="trans">A lot of friends have cars.</span>
 
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* 今天 <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 来 了 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <strong>dàjiā </strong> <em>dōu </em> láile.</span><span class="trans">Today, everyone came.</span>
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* 今天 <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 来 了 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <strong>dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu</em> láile.</span><span class="trans">Today, everyone came.</span>
* <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 说 你 很 聪明 。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā </strong> <em>dōu </em> shuō nǐ hěn cōngmíng.</span><span class="trans">Everyone says you're smart.</span>
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* <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 说 你 很 聪明 。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā </strong> <em>dōu</em> shuō nǐ hěn cōngmíng.</span><span class="trans">Everyone says you're smart.</span>
* <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 忘 了 他 的 名字 。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā </strong> <em>dōu </em> wàngle tā de míngzì.</span><span class="trans">Everyone forgot his name.</span>
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* <strong>大家</strong> <em>都</em> 忘 了 他 的 名字 。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu</em> wàngle tā de míngzì.</span><span class="trans">Everyone forgot his name.</span>
* 大家 <em>都</em> 应该 知道。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu </em> yīnggāi zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">Everyone should know.</span>
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* 大家 <em>都</em> 应该 知道。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu</em> yīnggāi zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">Everyone should know.</span>
* 大家 <em>都</em> 喜欢 吃 中国菜。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu </em> xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài. </span><span class="trans">Everyone likes eating Chinese food.</span>
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* 大家 <em>都</em> 喜欢 吃 中国菜。<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Dàjiā</strong> <em>dōu</em> xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài. </span><span class="trans">Everyone likes eating Chinese food.</span>
 
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* 我 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 要 上班 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu </em> yào shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I have to go to work every day.</span>
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* 我 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 要 上班 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu</em> yào shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I have to go to work every day.</span>
* 我 朋友 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 上 淘宝 。 <span class="expl">(''Taobao'' is China's biggest online shopping website)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ  péngyǒu <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu </em> shàng Táobǎo.</span><span class="trans">My friends go on ''Taobao'' every day.</span>
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* 我 朋友 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 上 淘宝 。 <span class="expl">(''Taobao'' is China's biggest online shopping website)</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ  péngyǒu <strong>měitiān</strong> <em>dōu</em> shàng Táobǎo.</span><span class="trans">My friends go on ''Taobao'' every day.</span>
* 她 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 去 KTV 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu </em> qù KTV.</span><span class="trans">She goes to karaoke every day.</span>
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* 她 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 去 KTV 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>měitiān</strong> <em>dōu</em> qù KTV.</span><span class="trans">She goes to karaoke every day.</span>
* 妈妈 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 给 我们 做 晚饭。 <span class="pinyin">Māma <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu </em> gěi wǒmen zuò wǎnfàn .</span><span class="trans">Mom cooks dinner for us every day.</span>
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* 妈妈 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 给 我们 做 晚饭。 <span class="pinyin">Māma <strong>měitiān</strong> <em>dōu</em> gěi wǒmen zuò wǎnfàn .</span><span class="trans">Mom cooks dinner for us every day.</span>
* 老师 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 迟到。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu </em> chídào .</span><span class="trans"> The teacher comes late every day.</span>
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* 老师 <strong>每天</strong> <em>都</em> 迟到。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī <strong>měitiān </strong> <em>dōu</em> chídào .</span><span class="trans"> The teacher comes late every day.</span>
 
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* 英国 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Yīngguó rén <em>dōu </em> xǐhuān hē píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">British people all like drinking beer.</span>
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* 英国 人 <em>都</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Yīngguó rén <em>dōu</em> xǐhuān hē píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">British people all like drinking beer.</span>
* 中国 人 <em>都</em> 说 中文。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rén <em>dōu </em> shuō Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">Chinese people all speak Chinese.</span>
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* 中国 人 <em>都</em> 说 中文。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rén <em>dōu</em> shuō Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">Chinese people all speak Chinese.</span>
* 我 的 家人 <em>都</em> 爱 中国。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de jiārén <em>dōu </em> ài Zhōngguó.</span> <span class="trans">My family members all love China.</span>
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* 我 的 家人 <em>都</em> 爱 中国。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de jiārén <em>dōu</em> ài Zhōngguó.</span> <span class="trans">My family members all love China.</span>
* 我们 五 个 人 <em>都</em> 去。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen wǔ gèrén <em>dōu </em> qù.</span><span class="trans">All five of us are going.</span>
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* 我们 五 个 人 <em>都</em> 去。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen wǔ gèrén <em>dōu</em> qù.</span><span class="trans">All five of us are going.</span>
* 我 的 朋友 <em>都</em> 喜欢 去 KTV。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyǒu <em>dōu </em> xǐhuān qù KTV.</span><span class="trans">My friends all like to go to karaoke.</span>
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* 我 的 朋友 <em>都</em> 喜欢 去 KTV。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyǒu <em>dōu</em> xǐhuān qù KTV.</span><span class="trans">My friends all like to go to karaoke.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 02:56, 2 July 2015

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 (dōu) 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 (hěnduō rén)" or "大家 (dàjiā)."

Subject + 都 + Verb + Object


Examples

First let's look at some typical examples using 很多 (hěnduō) 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). Eventually it will become more natural.

  • 喜欢 你 。 Hěn duō rén dōu xǐhuān nǐ.A lot of people like you.
  • 想 找 好 工作。Hěn duō rén dōu xiǎng zhǎo hǎo gōngzuò.A lot of people want to find a good job.
  • 地方 有 wifi。Hěn duō dìfāng dōu yǒu wifi.A lot of places have wifi.
  • 小孩 不 喜欢 上学。Hěn duō xiǎohái dōu bù xǐhuān shàngxué .A lot of kids don't like to go to school.
  • 朋友 有 车。Hěn duō péngyǒu dōu yǒu chē .A lot of friends have cars.

Now let's look at some examples using "大家 (dàjiā)" 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 来 了 。Jīntiān dàjiā dōu láile.Today, everyone came.
  • 大家 说 你 很 聪明 。Dàjiā dōu shuō nǐ hěn cōngmíng.Everyone says you're smart.
  • 大家 忘 了 他 的 名字 。Dàjiā dōu wàngle tā de míngzì.Everyone forgot his name.
  • 大家 应该 知道。Dàjiā dōu yīnggāi zhīdào.Everyone should know.
  • 大家 喜欢 吃 中国菜。Dàjiā dōu xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài. Everyone likes eating Chinese food.

One other common way to use 都 (dōu) is when you're talking about something that happens really often, such as "every day" ("每天 (měitiān)"). Use 都 (dōu) here in Chinese, even if it feels unnatural. (Fake it 'til you make it!)

  • 每天 要 上班 。 měitiān dōu yào shàngbān.I have to go to work every day.
  • 我 朋友 每天 上 淘宝 。 (Taobao is China's biggest online shopping website)Wǒ péngyǒu měitiān dōu shàng Táobǎo.My friends go on Taobao every day.
  • 每天 去 KTV 。 měitiān dōu qù KTV.She goes to karaoke every day.
  • 妈妈 每天 给 我们 做 晚饭。 Māma měitiān dōu gěi wǒmen zuò wǎnfàn .Mom cooks dinner for us every day.
  • 老师 每天 迟到。 Lǎoshī měitiān dōu chídào . The teacher comes late every day.

Here are some other examples that don't use 很多 (hěnduō) or 大家 (dàjiā) or 每天 (měitiān) (but are still quite typical):

  • 英国 人 喜欢 喝 啤酒。Yīngguó rén dōu xǐhuān hē píjiǔ.British people all like drinking beer.
  • 中国 人 说 中文。 Zhōngguó rén dōu shuō Zhōngwén.Chinese people all speak Chinese.
  • 我 的 家人 爱 中国。Wǒ de jiārén dōu ài Zhōngguó. My family members all love China.
  • 我们 五 个 人 去。 Wǒmen wǔ gèrén dōu qù.All five of us are going.
  • 我 的 朋友 喜欢 去 KTV。 Wǒ de péngyǒu dōu xǐhuān qù KTV.My friends all like to go to karaoke.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books