Difference between revisions of "Expressing "ever since" with "zicong""

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When you need to use 以来 in a more formal or written context, you can add 自, 从, or 自从 (or other similar words) before the time or event to make it into a "sandwich pattern."
 
When you need to use 以来 in a more formal or written context, you can add 自, 从, or 自从 (or other similar words) before the time or event to make it into a "sandwich pattern."
  
== Basic Structure with "zicong" or "cong" and "yilai" ==
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
自 / 从 / 自从 + Time / Event + 以来
 
</div>
 
 
== Examples ==
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
*<strong>从</strong> 他 爸爸 去世 <em>以来</em> ,他 一直 没 回 过 家 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Cóng</strong> tā bàba qùshì <em>yǐlái</em>, tā yīzhí méi huí guo jiā.</span><span class="trans">He hasn't returned home since his father passed away.</span>
 
*<strong>从</strong> 毕业 <em>以来</em>,她 一直 在 教 汉语 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Cóng</strong> bìyè <em>yǐlái</em>, tā yīzhí zài jiāo Hànyǔ.</span><span class="trans">She has been teaching Chinese since she graduated.</span>
 
*<strong>自</strong> 改革 开放 <em>以来</em> ,中国 社会 发生 了 巨大 的 变化 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zì</strong> gǎigé kāifàng <em>yǐlái</em>, Zhōngguó shèhuì fāshēng le jùdà de biànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Tremendous changes have been taking place in China since the reform and opening up to the outside world.</span>
 
*<strong>自从</strong> 妹妹 出生 <em>以来</em> ,妈妈 就 更 忙 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zìcóng</strong> mèimei chūshēng <em>yǐlái</em>, māma jiù gèng máng le.</span><span class="trans">Ever since my little sister was born, mom has been busier than ever.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
  
 
== Structure with "zicong" ==
 
== Structure with "zicong" ==
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<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="o"> <em>从</em> 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。<span class="trans">Starting from tomorrow, I'm going to study seriously.</span> </li>
+
<li class="o"><em>从</em> 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ yào rènzhēn kàn shū.</span></li>
<li class="x"> <em>自从</em> 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。</li>
+
<li class="x"><em>自从</em> 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。<span class="pinyin"></em>Zìcóng</em> míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ yào rènzhēn kàn shū.</span><span class="trans">Starting from tomorrow, I'm going to study seriously.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
Note that 从 can be used to denote [["From… To…" with "cong… dao…"|starting points in place <em>and</em> time]], whereas 自从 can ''only'' be used to express starting points in <em>time</em>.
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul>
 +
<li class="o"><em>从</em> 我 家 到 机场 的 距离 是 一 百 公里 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> wǒ jiā dào jīchǎng de jùlí shì yī bǎi gōnglǐ.</span></li>
 +
<li class="x"><em>自从</em> 我 家 到 机场 的 距离 是 一 百 公里 。<span class="pinyin"></em>Zìcóng</em> wǒ jiā dào jīchǎng de jùlí shì yī bǎi gōnglǐ.</span><span class="trans">From my home to the airport, the distance is 100 kilometers.</span> </li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 +
</div>
  
 +
== Structure with "zicong" Alternatives and "yilai" ==
 +
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
自 / 从 / 自从 + Time / Event + 以来
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that can be used to denote [["From… To…" with "cong… dao…"|starting points in place <em>and</em> time]], whereas 自从 can only be used to express starting points in <em>time</em>.
+
== Examples ==
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*<strong>从</strong> 他 爸爸 去世 <em>以来</em> ,他 一直 没 回 过 家 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Cóng</strong> tā bàba qùshì <em>yǐlái</em>, tā yīzhí méi huí guo jiā.</span><span class="trans">He hasn't returned home since his father passed away.</span>
 +
*<strong></strong> 毕业 <em>以来</em>,她 一直 在 教 汉语 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Cóng</strong> bìyè <em>yǐlái</em>, tā yīzhí zài jiāo Hànyǔ.</span><span class="trans">She has been teaching Chinese since she graduated.</span>
 +
*<strong>自</strong> 改革 开放 <em>以来</em> ,中国 社会 发生 了 巨大 的 变化 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zì</strong> gǎigé kāifàng <em>yǐlái</em>, Zhōngguó shèhuì fāshēng le jùdà de biànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Tremendous changes have been taking place in China since the reform and opening up to the outside world.</span>
 +
*<strong>自从</strong> 妹妹 出生 <em>以来</em> ,妈妈 就 更 忙 了 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zìcóng</strong> mèimei chūshēng <em>yǐlái</em>, māma jiù gèng máng le.</span><span class="trans">Ever since my little sister was born, mom has been busier than ever.</span>
 +
 
 +
</div>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 08:53, 18 November 2020

自从 means "ever since" in English, and is used to express the starting point of an action in the past. It can be followed by phrases using the markers 起 and 以后.

When you need to use 以来 in a more formal or written context, you can add 自, 从, or 自从 (or other similar words) before the time or event to make it into a "sandwich pattern."


Structure with "zicong"

自从 + [Starting Point]

Examples

  • 自从 来 到 湖南,我 越来越 能 吃 辣 了。Zìcóng lái dào Húnán, wǒ yuèláiyuè néng chī là le .Ever since arriving in Hunan, I've been more and more able to eat spicy food.
  • 自从 金融 危机 爆发,就业 市场 越来越 不 景气 了 。Zìcóng ljīnróng wēijī bàofā, jiùyè shìchǎng yuèláiyuè bù jǐngqì le .Ever since the economic crisis, the job market has gotten worse and worse.
  • 自从 他 跟 我 分手 后,他 就 没有 联系 过 我。Zìcóng tā gēn wǒ fēnshǒu, tā jiù méiyǒu liánxì guo wǒ.Ever since he broke up with me, he hasn't contacted me.
  • 自从 用 手机 付款 后,我 很 少 带 现金 出门 。Zìcóng yòng shǒujī fùkuǎn hòu, wǒ hěnshǎo dài xiànjīn chūmén .Ever since I've started using my phone to pay for stuff, I rarely take cash when I go out.
  • 自从 吵 完 架,两 个 人 再 也 没有 说 过 话。Zìcóng chǎo wán jià, liǎng ge rén zài yě méiyǒu shuō guo huà .Since their fight, the two of them haven't spoken at all.

In the above examples, 从 can be used interchangeably with 自从. The main difference is that 从 can also be used to state starting points in the future, a little like "from" in English. 自从 cannot be used in this way.

  • 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。Cóng míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ yào rènzhēn kàn shū.
  • 自从 明天 开始,我 要 认真 看 书。Zìcóng míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ yào rènzhēn kàn shū.Starting from tomorrow, I'm going to study seriously.

Note that 从 can be used to denote starting points in place and time, whereas 自从 can only be used to express starting points in time.

  • 我 家 到 机场 的 距离 是 一 百 公里 。Cóng wǒ jiā dào jīchǎng de jùlí shì yī bǎi gōnglǐ.
  • 自从 我 家 到 机场 的 距离 是 一 百 公里 。Zìcóng wǒ jiā dào jīchǎng de jùlí shì yī bǎi gōnglǐ.From my home to the airport, the distance is 100 kilometers.

Structure with "zicong" Alternatives and "yilai"

自 / 从 / 自从 + Time / Event + 以来

Examples

  • 他 爸爸 去世 以来 ,他 一直 没 回 过 家 。Cóng tā bàba qùshì yǐlái, tā yīzhí méi huí guo jiā.He hasn't returned home since his father passed away.
  • 毕业 以来,她 一直 在 教 汉语 。Cóng bìyè yǐlái, tā yīzhí zài jiāo Hànyǔ.She has been teaching Chinese since she graduated.
  • 改革 开放 以来 ,中国 社会 发生 了 巨大 的 变化 。 gǎigé kāifàng yǐlái, Zhōngguó shèhuì fāshēng le jùdà de biànhuà.Tremendous changes have been taking place in China since the reform and opening up to the outside world.
  • 自从 妹妹 出生 以来 ,妈妈 就 更 忙 了 。Zìcóng mèimei chūshēng yǐlái, māma jiù gèng máng le.Ever since my little sister was born, mom has been busier than ever.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5