Difference between revisions of "Expressing "it seems" with "haoxiang""

Revision as of 08:37, 3 November 2017

Level

B1 / HSK4
Level

B1
Level

HSK4
Similar to
- Appearance with "kanqilai" (B1)
- Assessing situations with "kanlai" (B2)
- Expressing "as if" with "sihu" (C1)
Similar to
- Appearance with "kanqilai" (HSK3)
- Assessing situations with "kanlai" (HSK4)
- Expressing "as if" with "sihu" (HSK6)
Used for

Observing
Keywords

好像, 像

To express "seems," the word 好像 (hǎoxiàng) can be used.

Structure

The structure for this is:

Subj. + 好像 + Observation

Note that if this structure is used without a subject, it has the meaning of "it seems that..." in English. This could then be followed by an entire statement.

Examples

他好像是英国人。Tā hǎoxiàng shì Yīngguó rén.He seems to be British.
你好像不是本地人。Nǐ hǎoxiàng bù shì běndì rén.You don't seem to be local.
她好像有点喜欢你。Tā hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎn xǐhuan nǐ.It seems that she has a crush on you.
他们好像分手了。Tāmen hǎoxiàng fēnshǒu le.They seem to have broken up.
你好像生病了。Nǐ hǎoxiàng shēngbìng le.It seems like you're sick.
好像要下雨了。Hǎoxiàng yào xiàyǔ le.It seems that it's going to rain.
我们好像见过。Wǒmen hǎoxiàng jiàn guo.It seems that we've met.
好像没有人能帮他。Hǎoxiàng méiyǒu rén néng bāng tā.It seems that nobody can help him.
牛奶好像过期了，别喝了。Niúnǎi hǎoxiàng guòqī le, bié hē le.The milk might have expired. Stop drinking it.
你好像很怕你老婆。Nǐ hǎoxiàng hěn pà nǐ lǎopo.You seem to fear your wife.

Sources and further reading

Books

Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 41) →buy
Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 101) →buy
Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 157) →buy

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 *他们 <em>好像</em> 分手 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>hǎoxiàng</em> fēnshǒu le.</span><span class="trans">They seem to have broken up.</span>
 *你 <em>好像</em> 生病 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hǎoxiàng</em> shēngbìng le.</span><span class="trans">It seems like you're sick.</span>
-*<em>好像</em> 要 下雨 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Hǎoxiàng</em> yào xiàyǔ le.</span><span class="trans">It seems like it's going to rain.</span>
+*<em>好像</em> 要 下雨 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Hǎoxiàng</em> yào xiàyǔ le.</span><span class="trans">It seems that it's going to rain.</span>
 *我们 <em>好像</em> 见 过 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>hǎoxiàng</em> jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">It seems that we've met.</span>
 *<em>好像</em> 没有 人 能 帮 他 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Hǎoxiàng</em> méiyǒu rén néng bāng tā.</span><span class="trans">It seems that nobody can help him.</span>