Difference between revisions of "Expressing "it depends" with "kan""

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*学 音乐 <strong>还是</strong> 学 画画 <em>要看</em> 孩子 的 兴趣 。<span class="pinyin">Xué yīnyuè <strong>háishì</strong> xué huàhuà <em>yào kàn</em> háizi de xìngqù.</span><span class="trans">It depends on your child's interest when it comes to picking between studying music or painting.</span>
 
*学 音乐 <strong>还是</strong> 学 画画 <em>要看</em> 孩子 的 兴趣 。<span class="pinyin">Xué yīnyuè <strong>háishì</strong> xué huàhuà <em>yào kàn</em> háizi de xìngqù.</span><span class="trans">It depends on your child's interest when it comes to picking between studying music or painting.</span>
 
*<strong>能不能</strong> 留在 中国 <em>要看</em> 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Néng bu néng</strong> liú zài Zhōngguó <em>yào kàn</em> wǒ néng bu néng nádào Qiānzhèng.</span><span class="trans">Whether or not I can stay in China depends on whether or not I can get a visa.</span>
 
*<strong>能不能</strong> 留在 中国 <em>要看</em> 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Néng bu néng</strong> liú zài Zhōngguó <em>yào kàn</em> wǒ néng bu néng nádào Qiānzhèng.</span><span class="trans">Whether or not I can stay in China depends on whether or not I can get a visa.</span>
*<strong>谁</strong> 当 总统 <em>得看</em> 大选 的 结果 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shéi</strong> dāng zǒngtǒng <em>děi kàn</em> dàxuǎn de jiéguǒ.</span><span class="trans">The results of the election will determine who will be president. Who will be the next president depends on the result of the election.</span>
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*<strong>谁</strong> 当 总统 <em>得看</em> 大选 的 结果 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shéi</strong> dāng zǒngtǒng <em>děi kàn</em> dàxuǎn de jiéguǒ.</span><span class="trans">Who the next president will be depends on the result of the election.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 09:13, 27 April 2018

Chinese-grammar-wiki-kan.jpg

Although there are a number of ways to express "it depends" in Chinese, the most common ones in informal spoken Chinese involve the verb 看 (kàn). Some common expressions include 要看 (yào kàn) and 得看 (děi kàn). Both mean "(it) depends (on)." Literally, they would translate as "have to look at," so the logic is not hard to understand. If you're looking for more formal language, consider 取决于 (qǔjué yú), "to be dependent on."

Basic Pattern

If you're answering a question with "it depends on..." then this is the pattern you want.

Structure

这 / 那 + 要看 / 得看 + [Unclear Situation]

Examples

Keep in mind that the "answers" below are meant to be an answer to some imaginary question that we don't include.

  • 得看 你 的 时间 。Zhè děi kàn nǐ de shíjiān.This depends on when you are available.
  • 得看 天气 怎么样 。Zhè děi kàn tiānqì zěnmeyàng.It depends on how the weather is.
  • 得看 考试 结果 。děi kàn kǎoshì jiéguǒ.That depends on whether the result of the test.
  • 要看 他 愿 不 愿意 。yào kàn tā yuàn bu yuànyì.That depends on whether he feels like it or not.
  • 要看 老板 怎么 想 。yào kàn lǎobǎn zěnme xiǎng.It depends on what the boss thinks.

Advanced Pattern

Structure

If you're going to write a full sentence explaining what "it" depends on, then you're going to need to lead off with some kind of explanation of the "unknown outcome" of what "it depends" on. So you'll start with the "unknown outcome" in the first part of the sentence (before 要看 / 得看), and then end up with what "it depends on" (after 要看 / 得看).

[Unknown Outcome] + 要看 / 得看 + [Unclear Situation]

The "unknown outcome" normally includes some kind of question word, meaning something like "whether or not x happens" or "what x does," etc.

Examples

  • 去不去 得看 我 的 心情 。Qù bu qù de kàn wǒ de xīnqíng.Whether or not I go depends on my mood.
  • 什么时候要看 公司 的 安排 。Shénme shíhouyào kàn gōngsī de ānpái. Departure time depends on the company's arrangement.
  • 学 音乐 还是 学 画画 要看 孩子 的 兴趣 。Xué yīnyuè háishì xué huàhuà yào kàn háizi de xìngqù.It depends on your child's interest when it comes to picking between studying music or painting.
  • 能不能 留在 中国 要看 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。Néng bu néng liú zài Zhōngguó yào kàn wǒ néng bu néng nádào Qiānzhèng.Whether or not I can stay in China depends on whether or not I can get a visa.
  • 当 总统 得看 大选 的 结果 。Shéi dāng zǒngtǒng děi kàn dàxuǎn de jiéguǒ.Who the next president will be depends on the result of the election.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books