Difference between revisions of "Expressing "although" with "suiran" and "danshi""

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*<em>虽然</em> 不 想 去 ,<em>但是</em> 还是 去 了 。 <span class="trans">Although he didn't want to go, he did after all.</span>
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*<em>虽然</em> 不 想 去 ,<em>但是</em> 还是 去 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>suīrán</em> bù xiǎng qù, <em>dànshì</em> háishì qù le.</span><span class="trans">Although he didn't want to go, he did after all.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 他 家 很 有钱,<em>可是</em> 他 从来 不 浪费 钱 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> tā jiā hěn yǒuqián, <em>kěshì</em> tā cónglái bù làngfèi qián.</span><span class="trans">Even though his family is rich, he never wastes money.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 他 家 很 有钱,<em>可是</em> 他 从来 不 浪费 钱 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> tā jiā hěn yǒuqián, <em>kěshì</em> tā cónglái bù làngfèi qián.</span><span class="trans">Even though his family is rich, he never wastes money.</span>
 
*这 件 衣服 <em>虽然</em> 有点 贵 ,<em>但是</em> 质量 很 好 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>suīrán</em> yǒudiǎn guì, <em>dànshì</em> zhìliàng hěn hǎo.</span><span class="trans">Although this piece of clothing is a little expensive, the quality is pretty good.</span>
 
*这 件 衣服 <em>虽然</em> 有点 贵 ,<em>但是</em> 质量 很 好 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>suīrán</em> yǒudiǎn guì, <em>dànshì</em> zhìliàng hěn hǎo.</span><span class="trans">Although this piece of clothing is a little expensive, the quality is pretty good.</span>
*<em>虽然</em> 错 ,<em>可是</em> 他 不是 故意 的 。<span class="trans">Although you are busy, you still need to spend more time with your kid.</span>
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*<em>虽然</em> 他 错 ,<em>可是</em> 不 能 全 怪 他 。<span class="trans">Although he did something wrong, you can't blame it .</span>
*<em>虽然</em> 没 见 过 我爷爷 ,<em>可是</em> 我 知道 很 多 他 的 故事 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>suīrán</em> méi jiàn guo wǒ yéye, <em>kěshì</em> wǒ zhīdào hěn duō tā de gùshi.</span><span class="trans">Although I've never seen my grandfather, I know many stories about him.</span>
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*<em>虽然</em> 学历 高 ,<em>可是</em> 没 经验 。<span class="trans">Although .</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 奶奶 已经 八十 多 了 ,<em>但是</em> 她 精神 很 好 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> nǎinai yǐjīng bāshí duō le, <em>dànshì</em> tā jīngshén hěn hǎo.</span><span class="trans">Although grandma is in her eighties, she look very well.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 奶奶 已经 八十 多 了 ,<em>但是</em> 她 精神 很 好 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> nǎinai yǐjīng bāshí duō le, <em>dànshì</em> tā jīngshén hěn hǎo.</span><span class="trans">Although grandma is in her eighties, she look very well.</span>
*我们 认识 的 时间 <em>虽然</em> 不 长 ,<em>但是</em> 我们 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen rènshi de shíjiān <em>suīrán</em> bù cháng, <em>dànshì</em> wǒmen yǐjīng jiàn guò hǎo jǐ cì le.</span><span class="trans">Although we haven't known each other for a long time, we've met several times.</span>
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*认识 的 时间 <em>虽然</em> 不 长 ,<em>但是</em> 我 已经 很 了解 他 了 。<span class="pinyin">rènshi de shíjiān <em>suīrán</em> bù cháng, <em>dànshì</em> yǐjīng hěn liǎojiě tā le.</span><span class="trans">Although I haven't known him for a long time, I've known him very deeply.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 她 说 不 太 饿 ,<em>但是</em> 她 点 了 很 多 菜 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> tā shuō bù tài è, <em>dànshì</em> tā diǎn le hěn duō cài.</span><span class="trans">Even though she said she isn't very hungry, she ordered a lot of food.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 她 说 不 太 饿 ,<em>但是</em> 她 点 了 很 多 菜 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> tā shuō bù tài è, <em>dànshì</em> tā diǎn le hěn duō cài.</span><span class="trans">Even though she said she isn't very hungry, she ordered a lot of food.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 这 次 考试 不 重要 ,<em>但是</em> 我 也 要 好好 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> zhè cì kǎoshì bù zhòngyào, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ yě yào hǎohǎo zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">Although this exam is not important, I'm going to prepare well anyway.</span>
 
*<em>虽然</em> 这 次 考试 不 重要 ,<em>但是</em> 我 也 要 好好 准备 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Suīrán</em> zhè cì kǎoshì bù zhòngyào, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ yě yào hǎohǎo zhǔnbèi.</span><span class="trans">Although this exam is not important, I'm going to prepare well anyway.</span>

Revision as of 02:09, 13 September 2017

The grammar pattern "虽然⋯⋯ 但是⋯⋯" (suīrán... dànshì...) is one of the most common used patterns in Chinese, especially in written Chinese. You can think of it as meaning "although," but unlike in English, you still need to follow it with a "but" word in Chinese.

Structure

"虽然(suīrán) ⋯⋯ ,但是(dànshì) ⋯⋯ " expresses that while the former part of the sentence is true, there is an adverse reaction in the latter part.

虽然 ⋯⋯ ,但是 / 可是 ⋯⋯

Simply put, the pattern means, although..., but... In English, you wouldn't normally need the "but" there, but it is required in Chinese. Be aware that "可是" can be used interchangeably with "但是" for the "but" part.

Examples

  • 虽然 不 想 去 ,但是 还是 去 了 。 suīrán bù xiǎng qù, dànshì háishì qù le.Although he didn't want to go, he did after all.
  • 虽然 他 家 很 有钱,可是 他 从来 不 浪费 钱 。Suīrán tā jiā hěn yǒuqián, kěshì tā cónglái bù làngfèi qián.Even though his family is rich, he never wastes money.
  • 这 件 衣服 虽然 有点 贵 ,但是 质量 很 好 。Zhè jiàn yīfu suīrán yǒudiǎn guì, dànshì zhìliàng hěn hǎo.Although this piece of clothing is a little expensive, the quality is pretty good.
  • 虽然 他 有 错 ,可是 不 能 全 怪 他 。Although he did something wrong, you can't blame it .
  • 虽然 学历 高 ,可是 没 经验 。Although .
  • 虽然 奶奶 已经 八十 多 了 ,但是 她 精神 很 好 。Suīrán nǎinai yǐjīng bāshí duō le, dànshì tā jīngshén hěn hǎo.Although grandma is in her eighties, she look very well.
  • 我 认识 他 的 时间 虽然 不 长 ,但是 我 已经 很 了解 他 了 。Wǒ rènshi tā de shíjiān suīrán bù cháng, dànshì wǒ yǐjīng hěn liǎojiě tā le.Although I haven't known him for a long time, I've known him very deeply.
  • 虽然 她 说 不 太 饿 ,但是 她 点 了 很 多 菜 。Suīrán tā shuō bù tài è, dànshì tā diǎn le hěn duō cài.Even though she said she isn't very hungry, she ordered a lot of food.
  • 虽然 这 次 考试 不 重要 ,但是 我 也 要 好好 准备 。Suīrán zhè cì kǎoshì bù zhòngyào, dànshì wǒ yě yào hǎohǎo zhǔnbèi.Although this exam is not important, I'm going to prepare well anyway.
  • 虽然 他 已经 在 上海 住 了 两 年 了 ,但是 还是 不太 了解 这个 城市 。 Suīrán tā yǐjīng zài Shànghǎi zhù le liǎng nián le, dànshì háishì bù tài liǎojiě zhège chéngshì.Although he's been living Shanghai for two years, he still doesn't know much about this city.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books