Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao""

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*我 <em>快</em> 饿 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>kuài </em> è sǐ le.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going starve very soon.</span>
 
*我 <em>快</em> 饿 死 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>kuài </em> è sǐ le.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going starve very soon.</span>
*他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kuàiyào</em> qù Měiguó le.</span> <span class="trans">He's going to America very soon.</span>
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*他 <em>快要</em> 去 美国 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kuài yào</em> qù Měiguó le.</span> <span class="trans">He's going to America very soon.</span>
*<em>快要</em> 下 雨 了!<span class="pinyin"><em>Kuàiyào</em> xià yǔ le!</span> <span class="trans">It's going to rain very soon!</span>
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*<em>快要</em> 下 雨 了!<span class="pinyin"><em>Kuài yào</em> xià yǔ le!</span> <span class="trans">It's going to rain very soon!</span>
*他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiùyào</em> jiéhūn le.</span> <span class="trans">They are going to get married very soon.</span>
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*他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiù yào</em> jiéhūn le.</span> <span class="trans">They are going to get married very soon.</span>
*<em>就要</em> 下课 了,还有 别的 问题 吗?<span class="pinyin"><em>Jiùyào</em> xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?</span> <span class="trans">The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?</span>
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*<em>就要</em> 下课 了,还有 别的 问题 吗?<span class="pinyin"><em>Jiù yào</em> xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?</span> <span class="trans">The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?</span>
  
 
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== Situations where only "就要" can be used ==
 
== Situations where only "就要" can be used ==
  
快要(kuàiyào) is general "going to happen soon", but 就要(jiùyào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要(yào) here can be omitted.
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快要(kuài yào) is general "going to happen soon", but 就要(jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要(yào) here can be omitted.
  
 
==== Structure ====
 
==== Structure ====
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*还有 十 天 宝宝 <em>就</em> 一 岁 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobǎo <em>jiù</em> yī suì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
 
*还有 十 天 宝宝 <em>就</em> 一 岁 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobǎo <em>jiù</em> yī suì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
 
*还有 十 分钟 <em>就</em> 下班 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng <em>jiù</em> xiàbān le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
 
*还有 十 分钟 <em>就</em> 下班 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng <em>jiù</em> xiàbān le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
*还有 五 天 <em>就要</em> 放假 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu wǔ tiān <em>jiùyào</em> fàngjià le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
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*还有 五 天 <em>就要</em> 放假 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu wǔ tiān <em>jiù yào</em> fàngjià le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
*还有 一 个 月 <em>就要</em> 过 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu yī gè yuè <em>jiùyào</em> guònián le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
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*还有 一 个 月 <em>就要</em> 过 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu yī gè yuè <em>jiù yào</em> guònián le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
*还有 两 个 星期 <em>就要</em> 考试 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí <em>jiùyào</em> kǎoshì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
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*还有 两 个 星期 <em>就要</em> 考试 了。<span class="pinyin">Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí <em>jiù yào</em> kǎoshì le.</span> <span class="trans">Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 03:37, 10 February 2017

就要 (jiùyào) are similar with 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning "about to." They are interchangeable in some cases. But there is a major difference that you need to take a good look at.

Situations where both can be used

Colloquially, you can just say "快" instead of "快要". But "就要" can't be used that way.

Structure

快(要) / 就(要) + Verb Phrase + 了

Examples

  • 饿 死 了。kuài è sǐ le. I'm going starve very soon.
  • 快要 去 美国 了。kuài yào qù Měiguó le. He's going to America very soon.
  • 快要 下 雨 了!Kuài yào xià yǔ le! It's going to rain very soon!
  • 他们 就要 结婚 了。Tāmen jiù yào jiéhūn le. They are going to get married very soon.
  • 就要 下课 了,还有 别的 问题 吗?Jiù yào xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma? The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?

Situations where only "就要" can be used

快要(kuài yào) is general "going to happen soon", but 就要(jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要(yào) here can be omitted.

Structure

还有 + Time Period + 就(要) + Verb Phrase + 了

Examples

  • 还有 十 天 宝宝 一 岁 了。Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobǎo jiù yī suì le. Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
  • 还有 十 分钟 下班 了。Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng jiù xiàbān le. Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
  • 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了。Háiyǒu wǔ tiān jiù yào fàngjià le. Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
  • 还有 一 个 月 就要 过 年 了。Háiyǒu yī gè yuè jiù yào guònián le. Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.
  • 还有 两 个 星期 就要 考试 了。Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí jiù yào kǎoshì le. Only three days away from the upcoming holiday.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites