Difference between revisions of "Expressing "be going to" with "yao""

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* 我 <em>要</em> 去 吃饭,你 去 吗?
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* 我 <em>要</em> 去 吃饭,你 去 吗?   <span class="trans">I am going to go eat, do you want to go.</span>
* 星期天 我 <em>要</em> 去 北京。
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* 星期天 我 <em>要</em> 去 北京。<span class="trans">I am going to Beijing on Sunday.</span>
* 我 <em>要</em> 学 中文。
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* 我 <em>要</em> 学 中文。<span class="trans">I am going to learn Chinese.</span>
* 我 <em>要</em> 去 中国 工作。
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* 我 <em>要</em> 去 中国 工作。<span class="trans">I am going to China to work.</span> 
* 我 <em>要</em> 给 妈妈 电话。
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* 我 <em>要</em> 给 妈妈 电话。<span class="trans">I am going to call my mom.</span>
* 我 <em>要</em> 去 洗手间。
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* 我 <em>要</em> 去 洗手间。<span class="trans">I am going to the bathroom.</span>
* 不好意思,我 <em>要</em> 出去 一 下。
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* 不好意思,我 <em>要</em> 出去 一 下。<span class="trans">Excuse me, I am going out for a little bit.</span>
* 我 <em>要</em> 买 一 个 iPhone。
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* 我 <em>要</em> 买 一 个 iPhone。<span class="trans">I am going to buy an iPhone.</span>
* 我 <em>要</em> 做 咖啡,你 喝 吗?
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* 我 <em>要</em> 做 咖啡,你 喝 吗?<span class="trans">I am going to make coffee, do you want to drink some?</span>
* 下班 以后 你 <em>要</em> 去 哪里?
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* 下班 以后 你 <em>要</em> 去 哪里?<span class="trans">Where are you going after work?</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 05:59, 25 February 2014

The auxiliary verb 要 (yào) has a lot of meanings, and here we'll tackle the "be going to" meaning. This can be confusing at first, dealing with the multiple meanings of (yào), but stick with it!

Structure

The idea behind this usage of 要 (yào) is that someone is "planning to" or "going to" or "preparing to" do something. It's not that they just want to, or have to, it's that they fully expect to do it. It's in their plan.

Subject + 要 + Verb

Examples

  • 去 吃饭,你 去 吗? I am going to go eat, do you want to go.
  • 星期天 我 去 北京。I am going to Beijing on Sunday.
  • 学 中文。I am going to learn Chinese.
  • 去 中国 工作。I am going to China to work.
  • 给 妈妈 电话。I am going to call my mom.
  • 去 洗手间。I am going to the bathroom.
  • 不好意思,我 出去 一 下。Excuse me, I am going out for a little bit.
  • 买 一 个 iPhone。I am going to buy an iPhone.
  • 做 咖啡,你 喝 吗?I am going to make coffee, do you want to drink some?
  • 下班 以后 你 去 哪里?Where are you going after work?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries