Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with "dou… le""

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*<em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em>,快 起床 吧!<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> jiǔ diǎn <em>le</em>, kuài qǐchuáng ba!</span><span class="trans">It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!</span>
 
*<em>都</em> 九点 <em>了</em>,快 起床 吧!<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> jiǔ diǎn <em>le</em>, kuài qǐchuáng ba!</span><span class="trans">It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!</span>
*现在 <em>都</em> 二十一 世纪 <em>了</em>,你 还 这么 想?<span class="pinyin">Xiànzài <em>dōu</em> èrshí-yī shìjì <em>le</em>, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?</span>
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*<em>都</em> 十二 点 <em>了</em>,你 还不 睡?<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> shí'èr diǎn <em>le</em>, nǐ hái bù shuì?</span><span class="trans">It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?</span>
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*<em>都</em> 一 个 小时 <em>了</em>,他 还 在 厕所 里。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> yī gè xiǎoshí <em>le</em>, tā hái zài cèsuǒ lǐ.</span><span class="trans">It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.</span>
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*<em>都</em> 二十一 世纪 <em>了</em>,你 还 这么 想?<span class="pinyin"><em>Dōu</em> èrshí-yī shìjì <em>le</em>, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?</span><span class="trans">It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?</span>
 
*你 <em>都</em> 快 三十 <em>了</em>,说话 还 像 个 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dōu</em> kuài sānshí <em>le</em>, shuōhuà hái xiàng gè háizi.</span><span class="trans">You're  30, and you still talk like a small child.</span>
 
*你 <em>都</em> 快 三十 <em>了</em>,说话 还 像 个 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dōu</em> kuài sānshí <em>le</em>, shuōhuà hái xiàng gè háizi.</span><span class="trans">You're  30, and you still talk like a small child.</span>
 
*饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>,快 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Fàn <em>dōu</em> liáng <em>le</em>. Kuài chī ba.</span><span class="trans">The food is cold already. Let's eat.</span>
 
*饭 <em>都</em> 凉 <em>了</em>,快 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Fàn <em>dōu</em> liáng <em>le</em>. Kuài chī ba.</span><span class="trans">The food is cold already. Let's eat.</span>
 
*牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>,扔掉 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Niúnǎi <em>dōu</em> huài <em>le</em>, rēngdiào ba.</span><span class="trans">The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.</span>
 
*牛奶 <em>都</em> 坏<em>了</em>,扔掉 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Niúnǎi <em>dōu</em> huài <em>le</em>, rēngdiào ba.</span><span class="trans">The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.</span>
*他<em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>,你 别 生气 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>dōu</em> dàoqiàn <em>le</em>, nǐ bié shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.</span>
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*我 <em>都</em> 说 了 三 遍 <em>了</em>,不想 再 说 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dōu</em> shuō le sān biàn <em>le</em>, bù xiǎng zài shuō le.</span><span class="trans">I've said it three times already. I don't want to repeat any more.</span>
 +
*这个 电影 你 <em>都</em> 看 过 <em>了</em> 了,看 别的 吧。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng nǐ <em>dōu</em> kàn guo <em>le</em>, kàn biéde bā.</span><span class="trans">You've seen this movie already. Let's watch something else.</span>
 +
*他 <em>都</em> 道歉 <em>了</em>,你 别 生气 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>dōu</em> dàoqiàn <em>le</em>, nǐ bié shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 08:06, 27 June 2017

都⋯⋯ 了 (dōu... le) is used to express that something has already happened, similar to "已经⋯⋯ 了." However it is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经⋯⋯ 了." The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经⋯⋯ 了." Here the meaning is the same as "都⋯⋯ 了."

Structure

都 + Time Word / Quantity + 了

Subj. + 都 + Adj. / Verb + 了

Examples

  • 九点 ,快 起床 吧!Dōu jiǔ diǎn le, kuài qǐchuáng ba!It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!
  • 十二 点 ,你 还不 睡?Dōu shí'èr diǎn le, nǐ hái bù shuì?It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?
  • 一 个 小时 ,他 还 在 厕所 里。Dōu yī gè xiǎoshí le, tā hái zài cèsuǒ lǐ.It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.
  • 二十一 世纪 ,你 还 这么 想?Dōu èrshí-yī shìjì le, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?
  • 快 三十 ,说话 还 像 个 孩子。dōu kuài sānshí le, shuōhuà hái xiàng gè háizi.You're 30, and you still talk like a small child.
  • ,快 吃 吧。Fàn dōu liáng le. Kuài chī ba.The food is cold already. Let's eat.
  • 牛奶 ,扔掉 吧 。Niúnǎi dōu huài le, rēngdiào ba.The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.
  • 说 了 三 遍 ,不想 再 说 了 。dōu shuō le sān biàn le, bù xiǎng zài shuō le.I've said it three times already. I don't want to repeat any more.
  • 这个 电影 你 看 过 了,看 别的 吧。Zhège diànyǐng nǐ dōu kàn guo le, kàn biéde bā.You've seen this movie already. Let's watch something else.
  • 道歉 ,你 别 生气 了。dōu dàoqiàn le, nǐ bié shēngqì le.He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

HSK4