Difference between revisions of "Expressing "always" with "conglai""

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*<em>从来 都</em> 一个人 住,已经 习惯 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái dōu</em> yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.</span><span class="trans">I have always lived alone; I'm used to it already.</span>
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*<em>从来 都</em> 这样 。<span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái dōu</em> zhèyàng.</span><span class="trans">He's always like this.</span>
*她 <em>从来 都</em> 这么 自私 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái dōu</em> zhème zìsī.</span><span class="trans">She's always been this selfish.</span>
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*她 <em>从来 都</em> 这么 晚 睡 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái dōu</em> zhème wǎn shuì.</span><span class="trans">She always goes to bed so late.</span>
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*他 说话 <em>从来 都</em> 很 大声 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuōhuà <em>cónglái dōu</em> hěn dàshēng.</span><span class="trans">He always speaks very loudly.</span>
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*这个 岛上 的 男人 <em>从来 都</em> 穿 裙子 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège dǎoshàng de nánrén <em>cónglái dōu</em> chuān qúnzi.</span><span class="trans">Men on this island have always worn dresses.</span>
 
*我们 下棋 ,<em>从来 都</em> 是 他 赢 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiàqí, <em>cónglái dōu</em> shì tā yíng.</span><span class="trans">He always wins when we play chess.</span>
 
*我们 下棋 ,<em>从来 都</em> 是 他 赢 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiàqí, <em>cónglái dōu</em> shì tā yíng.</span><span class="trans">He always wins when we play chess.</span>
*他 说话 <em>从来 都</em> 很 大声 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuōhuà <em>cónglái dōu</em> hěn dàshēng.</span><span class="trans">He always speaks very loudly.</span>
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*<em>从来 都</em> 一个人 住 ,已经 习惯 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái dōu</em> yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.</span><span class="trans">I have always lived alone; I'm used to it already.</span>
*她 找 男朋友 <em>从来 都</em> 找 长 得 帅 的。<span class="pinyin">Tā zhǎo nánpéngyou <em>cónglái dōu</em> zhǎo zhǎng de shuài de.</span><span class="trans">She always find those good-looking guys when she looks for a boyfriend.</span>
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*她 买 衣服 <em>从来 都</em> 只 买 名牌 。<span class="pinyin">Tā mǎi yīfu <em>cónglái dōu</em> zhǐ mǎi míngpái.</span><span class="trans">She always buys brand-name ones when she buys clothes.</span>
*他 工作 <em>从来 都</em> 很 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gōngzuò <em>cónglái dōu</em> hěn nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">He always works very hard.</span>
 
*我 的 学生 <em>从来 都</em> 这么 有自信。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de xuéshēng <em>cónglái dōu</em> zhème yǒu zìxìn.</span><span class="trans">My students are always so confident.</span>
 
 
*这 种 电影 <em>从来 都</em> 是 最 受 年轻人 欢迎 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng diànyǐng <em>cónglái dōu</em> shì zuì shòu niánqīng rén huānyíng de.</span><span class="trans">This type of movie is always the most popular with young people.</span>
 
*这 种 电影 <em>从来 都</em> 是 最 受 年轻人 欢迎 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng diànyǐng <em>cónglái dōu</em> shì zuì shòu niánqīng rén huānyíng de.</span><span class="trans">This type of movie is always the most popular with young people.</span>
 
*成功 <em>从来 都</em> 要 靠 自己 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Chénggōng <em>cónglái dōu</em> yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">Success always depends on one's own hard word.</span>
 
*成功 <em>从来 都</em> 要 靠 自己 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Chénggōng <em>cónglái dōu</em> yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">Success always depends on one's own hard word.</span>

Revision as of 06:37, 16 November 2017

Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."

Structure

Without the negative adverbs 不 and 没, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.) When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after 从来.

Subj. + 从来 + 都 + Predicate

Examples

  • 从来 都 这样 。cónglái dōu zhèyàng.He's always like this.
  • 从来 都 这么 晚 睡 。cónglái dōu zhème wǎn shuì.She always goes to bed so late.
  • 他 说话 从来 都 很 大声 。Tā shuōhuà cónglái dōu hěn dàshēng.He always speaks very loudly.
  • 这个 岛上 的 男人 从来 都 穿 裙子 。Zhège dǎoshàng de nánrén cónglái dōu chuān qúnzi.Men on this island have always worn dresses.
  • 我们 下棋 ,从来 都 是 他 赢 。Wǒmen xiàqí, cónglái dōu shì tā yíng.He always wins when we play chess.
  • 从来 都 一个人 住 ,已经 习惯 了 。cónglái dōu yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.I have always lived alone; I'm used to it already.
  • 她 买 衣服 从来 都 只 买 名牌 。Tā mǎi yīfu cónglái dōu zhǐ mǎi míngpái.She always buys brand-name ones when she buys clothes.
  • 这 种 电影 从来 都 是 最 受 年轻人 欢迎 的 。Zhè zhǒng diànyǐng cónglái dōu shì zuì shòu niánqīng rén huānyíng de.This type of movie is always the most popular with young people.
  • 成功 从来 都 要 靠 自己 努力 。Chénggōng cónglái dōu yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.Success always depends on one's own hard word.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites