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

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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 [[adverb]]s, comes before the verb in a sentence.
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If you are trying to describe a daily routine, a habit, or just something that consistently happens, you can use the word 总是 (zǒngshì). 总是 (zǒngshì) means "always," and like other [[adverb]]s, comes before the verb in a sentence.
  
== 总是 with Verbs==
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== 总是 (zǒngshì) 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.
+
总是 (zǒngshì) is an adverb that is often translated to English as "always." It is placed before the verb that it modifies.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subject + 总是 + Verb
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Subj. + 总是 + Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 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"><em>zǒngshì</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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*<em>总是</em> 忘记 这 个 词。<span class="pinyin"><em>zǒngshì</em> wàngjì zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I always forget this word.</span>  
* <em>总是</em> 买 很多 衣服。<span class="trans">She always buys a lot of clothes.</span>
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*他 <em>总是</em> 一个人 吃饭。<span class="pinyin"><em>zǒngshì</em> yīgèrén chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">He always eats alone.</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 男朋友 <em>总是</em> 说 脏话。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou <em>zǒngshì</em> shuō zānghuà.</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend always uses foul language.</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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*我 的 学生 <em>总是</em> 问 我 很多 有意思 的 问题。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de xuéshēng <em>zǒngshì</em> wèn wǒ hěn duō yǒu yìsi de wèntí.</span><span class="trans">My students always ask me lots of interesting questions.</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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* 每 次 他 <em>总是</em> 点 红烧肉。<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>
 
* 小 孩子 不 能 <em>总是</em> 吃 肉。<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>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 总是 with Adjectives==
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== 总是 (zǒngshì) with Adjectives==
  
=== Structure with Adjectives===
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=== Structure ===
  
When 总是 (zǒngshì) is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as [[Adjectives with "name" and "zheme"|"这么 (zhème)", "那么 (nàme)",]] "很 (hěn)", "特别 (tèbié)" etc.
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When 总是 (zǒngshì) is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as 很 (hěn), 特别 (tèbié), [[Adjectives with "name" and "zheme"|这么 (zhème), 那么 (nàme),]] etc.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
总是 + Modifier + Adj.
+
总是 + Adv. + Adj.
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你 回家 <em>总是</em> 这么 晚。<span class="trans">You always come home really late.</span>
 
* 海南 <em>总是</em> 那么 热。<span class="trans">Hainan is always that hot.</span>
 
* 别 <em>总是</em> 不 高兴。<span class="trans">Don't always be unhappy.</span>
 
* 她 <em>总是</em> 很 开心,真好!<span class="trans">She is always excited, that's good!</span>
 
* 这 个 饭店 的 面 <em>总是</em> 那么 好吃。<span class="trans">This restaurant's noodles are always really delicious.</span>
 
* 你 为什么 <em>总是</em> 这么 忙?<span class="trans">Why are you always so busy?</span>
 
* 他 <em>总是</em> 很 累。<span class="trans">He is always tired.</span>
 
* 下雨 的 时候,我 <em>总是</em> 很 难过。<span class="trans">When it rains, I am always very sad.</span>
 
* 中国 菜 <em>总是</em> 这么 油。<span class="trans">Chinese food is always oily.</span>
 
* 中国 人 <em>总是</em> 那么 热情。<span class="trans">Chinese people are always cordial.</span>
 
* 他 做 事 <em>总是</em> 那么 慢。<span class="trans">He always does things so slow.</span>
 
</div>
 
 
==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 ===
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* 他 <em>总是</em> 很 累。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zǒngshì</em> hěn lèi.</span><span class="trans">He is always tired.</span>
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* 你 为什么 <em>总是</em> 很 忙?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ wèishénme <em>zǒngshì</em> hěn máng?</span><span class="trans">Why are you always very busy?</span>
 +
* 你 家 <em>总是</em> 很 干净。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā <em>zǒngshì</em> hěn gānjìng.</span><span class="trans">Your house is always very clean.</span>
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* 孩子们 <em>总是</em> 非常 开心。<span class="pinyin">Háizi men <em>zǒngshì</em> fēicháng kāixīn.</span><span class="trans">The children are always very happy.</span>
 +
* 我 的 学生 <em>总是</em> 特别 努力。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de xuéshēng <em>zǒngshì</em> tèbié nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">My students are always very hard-working.</span>
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
  
总是+subject+verb<span class="expl">强调“总是”后面的主语。</span>
 
 
subject+总是+verb<span class="expl">强调“总是”后面的动词。</span>
 
</div>
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* <em>总是</em> 她 迟到。<span class="expl">This sentence emphasizes that it is "her" who is late, not anyone else.</span><span class="trans">It is she that is always late.</span>
 
* 她 <em>总是</em> 迟到。<span class="expl">This sentence emphasizes the frequency of her lateness.</span><span class="trans"> She is always late.</span>
 
</div>
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 为什么 <em>总是</em> 你 吃 肉?我 也 想 吃。<span class="expl">Emphasizes that person eating meat is "you".</span><span class="trans">Why do you always eat meat? I also want to eat.</span>
 
* 你 <em>总是</em> 吃 肉,这样 不 好。<span class="expl">Emphasizes that you eat meat too often.</span><span class="trans">You always eat meat, that is not good.</span>
 
</div>
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* <em>总是</em> 这 个 老师 帮 我。<span class="expl">Emphasizes that "this teacher" always helps, not another teacher.</span><span class="trans">It is this teacher that always helps me.</span>
 
* 这 个 老师 <em>总是</em> 帮 我。<span class="expl">Emphasizes how often a certain teacher helps "me".</span><span class="trans">This teacher always helps me.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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*[["Always" with "conglai"]]
 
*[["Always" with "conglai"]]
 
   
 
   
== Sources and further reading ==
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (p. 271) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)|271}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (p. 18) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|18}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (p. 79) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|79}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|总是|A2|总是 + V.|他 <em>总是</em> 迟到。|grammar point|ASGXJPJS}}
+
{{HSK|HSK3}}
 +
{{Basic Grammar|总是|A2|总是 + Verb|他 <em>总是</em> 迟到。|grammar point|ASGXJPJS}}
 
{{Rel char|老是}}
 
{{Rel char|老是}}
 
{{Rel char|总}}
 
{{Rel char|总}}
 
{{Rel char|老}}
 
{{Rel char|老}}
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{{Similar|"All along" with "yizhi"}}
 
{{Similar|"Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Always" with "conglai"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Always" with "conglai"}}   

Latest revision as of 09:31, 2 April 2019

If you are trying to describe a daily routine, a habit, or just something that consistently happens, you can use the word 总是 (zǒngshì). 总是 (zǒngshì) means "always," and like other adverbs, comes before the verb in a sentence.

总是 (zǒngshì) 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

Subj. + 总是 + Verb

Examples

  • 总是 迟到。zǒngshì chídào.He is always late.
  • 总是 忘记 这 个 词。zǒngshì wàngjì zhège cí.I always forget this word.
  • 总是 一个人 吃饭。zǒngshì yīgèrén chīfàn.He always eats alone.
  • 你 男朋友 总是 说 脏话。Nǐ nánpéngyou zǒngshì shuō zānghuà.Your boyfriend always uses foul language.
  • 我 的 学生 总是 问 我 很多 有意思 的 问题。Wǒ de xuéshēng zǒngshì wèn wǒ hěn duō yǒu yìsi de wèntí.My students always ask me lots of interesting questions.

总是 (zǒngshì) with Adjectives

Structure

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

总是 + Adv. + Adj.

Examples

  • 总是 很 累。zǒngshì hěn lèi.He is always tired.
  • 你 为什么 总是 很 忙?Nǐ wèishénme zǒngshì hěn máng?Why are you always very busy?
  • 你 家 总是 很 干净。Nǐ jiā zǒngshì hěn gānjìng.Your house is always very clean.
  • 孩子们 总是 非常 开心。Háizi men zǒngshì fēicháng kāixīn.The children are always very happy.
  • 我 的 学生 总是 特别 努力。Wǒ de xuéshēng zǒngshì tèbié nǔlì.My students are always very hard-working.


See also

Sources and further reading