Difference between revisions of "Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou""

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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
"每...都..." (měi...dōu...) is a pattern used to express "every" when talking about a quantitative amount. This is similar to how we say  "every day I eat cereal" or "every student passed the exam".
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每次⋯⋯ 都⋯⋯ (měi ... dōu...) is a pattern used to express "every time." Translating from English, you might feel that the only part really needed is 每次 (měi cì), since it literally means "every time." This is incorrect! Not only is [[The "all" adverb "dou"|the adverb 都 (dōu)]] ''required'', but it's arguably more vital than the 每次 (měi cì)! So it's important to get used to using both parts.
  
== Using 每...都 to mean "every"  ==
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== Structure ==
  
Using 每 and 都 together is pretty simple.
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This pattern actually builds on the [[Expressing "every" with "mei"|basic 每……都…… pattern]], which you should already know. In this grammar structure, we go beyond just saying things like "every person" or "every day," and focus on what happens '''''every time''' a certain action is done.''
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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每次 + Event 1 + 都 + Event 2
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</div>
  
每 + Number + Measure Word + Noun + 都 + Adjective/Verb
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== Examples ==
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
Note is that if the number is simply just "one", then it's usually omitted.
 
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*我 <em></em> (一) 个 星期 三<em> 都</em> 去 实习。<span class="trans">I go to my internship every Wednesday.</span>
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*她 <em>每次</em> 来 我 家 <strong>都</strong> 带 花 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>měi cì</em> lái wǒ jiā <strong>dōu</strong> dài huā.</span><span class="trans">She brings flowers every time she visits me.</span>
*他 <em></em> (一) 天 <em>都</em> 上 班。<span class="trans">He works every day.</span>
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*为什么 <em>每次</em> 来 他 <strong>都</strong> 不 在 ?<span class="pinyin">Wèishénme <em>měi cì</em> wǒ lái tā <strong>dōu</strong> bù zài?</span><span class="trans">How come he's not here every time I come?</span>
*我姐姐 <em></em><em></em>要 弹 一小时 钢琴 。<span class="trans">My old sister has to play the piano for one hour everyday.</span>
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*我 <em>每次</em> 玩 这个 游戏 <strong>都</strong> 输 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>měi cì</em> wán zhège yóuxì <strong>dōu</strong> shū.</span><span class="trans">Every time I play this game, I lose.</span>
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*你 怎么 <em>每次</em> 吃 火锅 <strong>都</strong> 拉肚子 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>měicì</em> chī huǒguō <strong>dōu</strong> lādùzi?</span><span class="trans">How come you have diarrhea every time you eat hotpot?</span>
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*他 <em>每次</em> 迟到 <strong>都</strong> 说 因为 堵车 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>měicì</em> chídào <strong>dōu</strong> shuō yīnwèi dǔchē.</span><span class="trans">Every time he's late, he says it's because of bad traffic.</span>
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*我 <em>每次</em> 经过 这 家 店 <strong>都</strong> 会 进去 看看 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>měi cì</em> jīngguò zhè jiā diàn <strong>dōu</strong> huì jìnqù kànkan.</span><span class="trans">Every time I pass this shop, I go inside and take a look.</span>
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*我 妹妹 <em>每次</em> 打针 <strong>都</strong> 哭 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ mèimei <em>měicì</em> dǎzhēn <strong>dōu</strong> kū.</span><span class="trans">My little sister cries every time she has to get a shot.</span>
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*<em>每次</em> 遇到 生词 他 <strong>都</strong> 要 查 字典 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Měi cì</em> yùdào shēngcí tā <strong>dōu</strong> yào chá zìdiǎn.</span><span class="trans">Every time he comes across a new word, he looks it up in the dictionary.</span>
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*<em>每次</em> 编辑 <strong>都</strong> 要 保存 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Měi cì</em> biānjí <strong>dōu</strong> yào bǎocún.</span><span class="trans">Every time you edit, you need to save it.</span>
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*爸爸 <em>每次</em> 出差 <strong>都</strong> 给 我 买 礼物 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>měi cì</em> chūchāi <strong>dōu</strong> gěi wǒ mǎi lǐwù.</span><span class="trans">Dad buys presents for me every time he goes on business trips.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Just make sure that when you went to express "every one" with 每, as in "every day I take a nap", don't forget the 都! Sometimes you don't necessarily need it, but when in doubt, just use it to be safe! 都 can also be used to say "both" if there are only two things being referenced. It's possible to think of this as being "all two" of something, even if that sounds somewhat weird in English. It's just how Chinese says "both", by using the same word that it uses for other, larger numbers as well.
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== See also ==
 
 
== Using 每 and 都 when focusing on a certain action ==
 
 
 
In this grammar structure, we focus on every time a certain action is done, like "every time he speaks I can't understand him."
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
每 +Verb + Number+ 都 + Adjective/Verb
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
*她 <em>每</em> <strong>说</strong> 一 句 话 <em>都</em> 要 听 一下。<span class="trans">Every time she speaks, she listens as well.</span>
 
*我 <em>每</em> <strong>看完</strong> 一部电影 <em>都</em> 想 跟 他讨论。<span class="trans">Every time I finish watching a movie, I want to discuss it with him.</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
  
==See also==
 
 
*[[Pronoun "mei" for "every"]]
 
*[[Pronoun "mei" for "every"]]
 
*[[Emphasising quantity with "dou"]]
 
*[[Emphasising quantity with "dou"]]
*[[Measure words for verbs]]
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*[[Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu..."]]
  
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 87-8) [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|87-8}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 267) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|267}}
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 284-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|284-5}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Similar|Measure Words for Verbs}}
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{Similar|Emphasising quantity with "dou"}}
 
{{Similar|Emphasising quantity with "dou"}}
 
{{Similar|Pronoun "mei" for "every"}}
 
{{Similar|Pronoun "mei" for "every"}}
{{Similar|Expressing "all" with "shenme dou"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "everyone" with "shei"}}
 
 
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}}
 
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}}
{{Basic Grammar|每|B1|每⋯⋯都⋯⋯|<em>每</em> 次 <em>都</em> 不 在。|grammar point|ASGXHQEF}}
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{{Similar|Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu..."}}
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{{Basic Grammar|每|B1|每次 + Event 1 + 都 + Event 2|为什么 <em>每</em> 次 <em>都</em> 不 在。|grammar point|ASGXHQEF}}
 
{{Rel char|都}}
 
{{Rel char|都}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}
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{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Used for|}}
 
{{Translation|every}}
 
{{Translation|every}}
 
{{Translation|all}}
 
{{Translation|all}}

Latest revision as of 08:53, 21 April 2021

每次⋯⋯ 都⋯⋯ (měi cì... dōu...) is a pattern used to express "every time." Translating from English, you might feel that the only part really needed is 每次 (měi cì), since it literally means "every time." This is incorrect! Not only is the adverb 都 (dōu) required, but it's arguably more vital than the 每次 (měi cì)! So it's important to get used to using both parts.

Structure

This pattern actually builds on the basic 每……都…… pattern, which you should already know. In this grammar structure, we go beyond just saying things like "every person" or "every day," and focus on what happens every time a certain action is done.

每次 + Event 1 + 都 + Event 2

Examples

  • 每次 来 我 家 带 花 。měi cì lái wǒ jiā dōu dài huā.She brings flowers every time she visits me.
  • 为什么 每次 我 来 他 不 在 ?Wèishénme měi cì wǒ lái tā dōu bù zài?How come he's not here every time I come?
  • 每次 玩 这个 游戏 输 。měi cì wán zhège yóuxì dōu shū.Every time I play this game, I lose.
  • 你 怎么 每次 吃 火锅 拉肚子 ?Nǐ zěnme měicì chī huǒguō dōu lādùzi?How come you have diarrhea every time you eat hotpot?
  • 每次 迟到 说 因为 堵车 。měicì chídào dōu shuō yīnwèi dǔchē.Every time he's late, he says it's because of bad traffic.
  • 每次 经过 这 家 店 会 进去 看看 。měi cì jīngguò zhè jiā diàn dōu huì jìnqù kànkan.Every time I pass this shop, I go inside and take a look.
  • 我 妹妹 每次 打针 哭 。Wǒ mèimei měicì dǎzhēn dōu kū.My little sister cries every time she has to get a shot.
  • 每次 遇到 生词 他 要 查 字典 。Měi cì yùdào shēngcí tā dōu yào chá zìdiǎn.Every time he comes across a new word, he looks it up in the dictionary.
  • 每次 编辑 要 保存 。Měi cì biānjí dōu yào bǎocún.Every time you edit, you need to save it.
  • 爸爸 每次 出差 给 我 买 礼物 。Bàba měi cì chūchāi dōu gěi wǒ mǎi lǐwù.Dad buys presents for me every time he goes on business trips.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books