Difference between revisions of "Expressing "about to happen" with "le""

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* 你 <em>快</em> 到 家 <em>了</em> 吗? <span class="trans">Are you going to come home soon/ are you almost home?</span>
 
* 你 <em>快</em> 到 家 <em>了</em> 吗? <span class="trans">Are you going to come home soon/ are you almost home?</span>
 
* 我 觉得 <em>快</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> ,我们 走 吧。 <span class="trans">I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.</span>
 
* 我 觉得 <em>快</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> ,我们 走 吧。 <span class="trans">I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.</span>
* <em>快</em> 过年 <em>了</em> ,你 什么 时候 回家? <span class="trans">It's almost Chinese New Year, when are you going back to your hometown?</span>
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* <em>快 </em> 过年 <em>了</em> ,你 什么 时候 回家? <span class="trans">It's almost Chinese New Year, when are you going back to your hometown?</span>
 
* 小李 <em>快</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ,你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">XiaoLi is almost crying, stop joking around.</span>
 
* 小李 <em>快</em> 哭 <em>了</em> ,你 别 开 玩笑 了。 <span class="trans">XiaoLi is almost crying, stop joking around.</span>
* 我们 <em>快</em> 到<em>了</em>。<span class="trans">We are about to arrive.</span>
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* 我们 <em>快</em> 到 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">We are about to arrive.</span>
* 这 个 老人 <em>快</em> 死<em>了</em>。<span class="trans">This old person is going to die soon.</span>
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* 这 个 老人 <em>快</em> 死 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">This old person is going to die soon.</span>
 
* 你们 <em>快</em> 结婚<em>了</em>?<span class="trans">Are you soon getting married?</span>
 
* 你们 <em>快</em> 结婚<em>了</em>?<span class="trans">Are you soon getting married?</span>
*  <em>快</em> 下车<em>了</em>,你 再 等 一会儿。<span class="trans">You are soon getting out of the car, wait a moment.</span>
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*  <em>快</em> 下 车<em>了</em>,你 再 等 一会儿。<span class="trans">You are soon getting out of the car, wait a moment.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 08:51, 21 February 2014

Remember that 了 (le) is not only for the past! When something is about to happen, you can also indicate this with a 了 (le). Normally it is paired with a 快 (kuài) and/or a 要 (yào), however.

快……了 with Verbs

When using "快……了" (kuài... le) with verbs, it takes on a meaning similar to the English "just about to".

Structure

快 + Verb/Verb Phrase + 了

Examples

  • 下班 吗? Are you going to get off work soon?
  • 这 些 工作 做 完 I am almost finished with work.
  • 到 家 吗? Are you going to come home soon/ are you almost home?
  • 我 觉得 下雨 ,我们 走 吧。 I think it's going to rain soon. Let's go.
  • 过年 ,你 什么 时候 回家? It's almost Chinese New Year, when are you going back to your hometown?
  • 小李 ,你 别 开 玩笑 了。 XiaoLi is almost crying, stop joking around.
  • 我们 We are about to arrive.
  • 这 个 老人 This old person is going to die soon.
  • 你们 结婚Are you soon getting married?
  • 下 车,你 再 等 一会儿。You are soon getting out of the car, wait a moment.

Notice that for some translations, it's more natural to use the English word "almost" instead of "soon."

快 + 要……了 with Verbs

Another way you will see this same pattern used is in conjunction with the modal verb 要 (yào). 要 can have multiple meanings, one of which is "will" (referring to the future). You can insert it into the basic pattern, right before the verb.

Structure

快 + 要 + Verb/Verb Phrase + 了

Examples

  • 快 要 下班 吗? Will you be getting off work soon?
  • 这 些 工作 快 要 做 完 ,我 晚点 下班。 I will almost finish this work, I'll get off work a little late.
  • 快 要 到 家 吗? Will you be coming home soon?
  • 我 觉得 快 要 下雨 ,我们 走 吧。 I think it will start raining soon. Let's go.
  • 快 要 过年 ,你 什么 时候 回家? It'll be Chinese New Year soon, when are you going back to your hometown?
  • 小李 快 要 ,你 别 开 玩笑 了。 XiaoLi will soon be crying, stop joking around.
  • 我们 快 要We will arrive soon.
  • 这 个 老人 快 要This old person will die soon.
  • 你们 快 要 结婚Will you soon be getting married?
  • 快 要 下车,你 再 等 一会儿。You will soon get out of the car, wait a moment.

These examples are the same as some of the ones above, with a "要" (yào) added. The addition of the "要" (yào) does not change the meanings.

快……了 with Adjectives

In this structure, 快 (kuài) is closer to the meaning of "almost" in English.

Structure

快 + Adjective + 了

Note that for adjectives, you don't normally add a 要 (yào) like you do for verbs (see above).

Examples

  • I'm almost ready.
  • The meat is almost done [cooking].
  • 他 的 脏 袜子 His dirty socks are about to smell bad.
  • It’s almost getting dark.
  • 你 的 咖啡 Your coffee is almost cool.
  • 水果 The fruit is almost ruined.
  • 不 能 再 喝 了,我 I don't want to drink more, I am almost drunk.
  • 迟到 I was almost late.
  • 衣服 The clothes are almost clean.
  • 杯子 The cup is almost filled up.

要... 了 with Verbs

Structure

You can also just use 要 (yào) before the verb, without 快 (kuài) .

Subject + 要 + Verb/Verb Phrase + 了

Note that for adjectives, you don't normally use 要 (yào) like this, as you do for verbs (see above).

Examples

  • 见 妈妈 ,高兴 吗? You're about to see your mom. Are you happy?
  • 我 觉得 下雨 I think it's about to rain.
  • 生气 I'm going to get angry!
  • 迟到 I'm going to be late!
  • 他们 的 孩子 出生 Their child is about to be born.
  • 9 点 了, 超市 关门 It's 9 o'clock. The supermarket is about to close.
  • 圣诞节 ,你 有 什么 打算? It's almost Christmas. What plans do you have?
  • 结婚 !哈哈! I'm about to get married! Ha ha!
  • 我 觉得 我 感冒 I think I'm about to get a cold. / I think I'm coming down with a cold.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites