Expressing "be going to" with "yao"

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 要 (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

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

See also

• About to happen with "le"
• Wanting to do something with "yao"
• Auxiliary verb "hui" for "will"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. ) →buy

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)→buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. ) →buy