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

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* 他 <em>总是</em> 迟到。<span class="trans">He is always late.</span>
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* 他 <em>总是</em> 迟到。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒng shì </em> chídào.</span><span class="trans">He is always late.</span>
* 我 <em>总是</em> 忘记 这 个 词。<span class="trans">I always forget this word.</span>  
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* 我 <em>总是</em> 忘记 这 个 词。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zǒng shì </em> wàngjì zhè gè cí.</span><span class="trans">I always forget this word.</span>  
* 她 <em>总是</em> 买 很多 衣服。<span class="trans">She always buys a lot of clothes.</span>
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* 她 <em>总是</em> 买 很多 衣服。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒng shì </em> mǎi hěnduō yīfú.</span><span class="trans">She always buys a lot of clothes.</span>
* 你 不 应该 <em>总是</em> 抱怨。<span class="trans">You shouldn't always complain.</span>
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* 你 不 应该 <em>总是</em> 抱怨。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù yīnggāi <em>zǒng shì </em> bàoyuàn.</span><span class="trans">You shouldn't always complain.</span>
* 他 <em>总是</em> 有 很 多 有意思 的 想法。<span class="trans">He always has a lot of interesting opinions.</span>
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* 他 <em>总是</em> 有 很 多 有意思 的 想法。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒng shì </em> yǒu hěnduō yǒuyìsi de xiǎngfǎ.</span><span class="trans">He always has a lot of interesting opinions.</span>
* 为什么 你 <em>总是</em> 跟 那 个 老男人 在 一起?<span class="trans">Why are you always together with that old man?</span>
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* 为什么 你 <em>总是</em> 跟 那 个 老男人 在 一起?<span class="pinyin">Wèishéme nǐ <em>zǒng shì </em> gēn nàgè lǎo nánrén zài yīqǐ?</span><span class="trans">Why are you always together with that old man?</span>
* 每 次 他 <em>总是</em> 点 红烧肉。<span class="trans">Every time he always orders braised meat.</span>
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* 每 次 他 <em>总是</em> 点 红烧肉。<span class="pinyin">Měi cì tā <em>zǒng shì </em> diǎn hóngshāo ròu.</span><span class="trans">Every time he always orders braised meat.</span>
* 她 <em>总是</em> 穿 裙子。<span class="trans">She always wears skirts.</span>
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* 她 <em>总是</em> 穿 裙子。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒng shì </em> chuān qúnzi.</span><span class="trans">She always wears skirts.</span>
* 小 孩子 不 能 <em>总是</em> 吃 肉。<span class="trans">Young children can't always eat meat.</span>
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* 小 孩子 不 能 <em>总是</em> 吃 肉。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo háizi bùnéng <em>zǒng shì </em> chī ròu.</span><span class="trans">Young children can't always eat meat.</span>
* 他 <em>总是</em> 一 个 人 吃 饭。<span class="trans">He always eats alone.</span>
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* 他 <em>总是</em> 一 个 人 吃 饭。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒng shì </em> yīgè rén chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">He always eats alone.</span>
 
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Revision as of 17:02, 17 October 2014

If you're always in the habit of doing something, or you have a daily routine, you can express this by using 总是 (zǒngshì). 总是 (zǒngshì) means "always," and like other adverbs, comes before the verb in a sentence.

总是 with Verbs

总是 (zǒngshì) is an adverb that is often translated to English as "always". It is placed before the verb that it modifies.

Structure

Subject + 总是 + Verb

Examples

  • 总是 迟到。zǒng shì chídào.He is always late.
  • 总是 忘记 这 个 词。zǒng shì wàngjì zhè gè cí.I always forget this word.
  • 总是 买 很多 衣服。zǒng shì mǎi hěnduō yīfú.She always buys a lot of clothes.
  • 你 不 应该 总是 抱怨。Nǐ bù yīnggāi zǒng shì bàoyuàn.You shouldn't always complain.
  • 总是 有 很 多 有意思 的 想法。zǒng shì yǒu hěnduō yǒuyìsi de xiǎngfǎ.He always has a lot of interesting opinions.
  • 为什么 你 总是 跟 那 个 老男人 在 一起?Wèishéme nǐ zǒng shì gēn nàgè lǎo nánrén zài yīqǐ?Why are you always together with that old man?
  • 每 次 他 总是 点 红烧肉。Měi cì tā zǒng shì diǎn hóngshāo ròu.Every time he always orders braised meat.
  • 总是 穿 裙子。zǒng shì chuān qúnzi.She always wears skirts.
  • 小 孩子 不 能 总是 吃 肉。Xiǎo háizi bùnéng zǒng shì chī ròu.Young children can't always eat meat.
  • 总是 一 个 人 吃 饭。zǒng shì yīgè rén chīfàn.He always eats alone.

总是 with Adjectives

Structure with Adjectives

When 总是 (zǒngshì) is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as "这么 (zhème)", "那么 (nàme)", "很 (hěn)", "特别 (tèbié)" etc.

总是 + Modifier + Adj.

Examples

  • 你 回家 总是 这么 晚。You always come home really late.
  • 海南 总是 那么 热。Hainan is always that hot.
  • 总是 不 高兴。Don't always be unhappy.
  • 总是 很 开心,真好!She is always excited, that's good!
  • 这 个 饭店 的 面 总是 那么 好吃。This restaurant's noodles are always really delicious.
  • 你 为什么 总是 这么 忙?Why are you always so busy?
  • 总是 很 累。He is always tired.
  • 下雨 的 时候,我 总是 很 难过。When it rains, I am always very sad.
  • 中国 菜 总是 这么 油。Chinese food is always oily.
  • 中国 人 总是 那么 热情。Chinese people are always cordial.
  • 他 做 事 总是 那么 慢。He always does things so slow.

Different emphasis about 总是

When the subject is put after 总是 (zǒngshì),the emphasis is on the subject itself. When the emphasis is on the predicate, the subject is put before 总是 (zǒngshì)。

Structure

总是+subject+verb强调“总是”后面的主语。

subject+总是+verb强调“总是”后面的动词。

Examples

  • 总是 她 迟到。This sentence emphasizes that it is "her" who is late, not anyone else.It is she that is always late.
  • 总是 迟到。This sentence emphasizes the frequency of her lateness. She is always late.
  • 为什么 总是 你 吃 肉?我 也 想 吃。Emphasizes that person eating meat is "you".Why do you always eat meat? I also want to eat.
  • 总是 吃 肉,这样 不 好。Emphasizes that you eat meat too often.You always eat meat, that is not good.
  • 总是 这 个 老师 帮 我。Emphasizes that "this teacher" always helps, not another teacher.It is this teacher that always helps me.
  • 这 个 老师 总是 帮 我。Emphasizes how often a certain teacher helps "me".This teacher always helps me.

See also

Sources and further reading