Difference between revisions of "Expressing "just" with "gang""

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* <em>刚</em> 到 这里 <strong>五 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gāng</em> dào zhèlǐ <strong>wǔ fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just got here five minutes ago.</span>
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* <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>半 年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gāng</em> lái Zhōngguó <strong>bàn nián</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just got to China six months ago.</span>
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* 我们 <em>刚</em> 认识 <strong>十 天</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> rènshi <strong> shí tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just met each other ten days ago.</span>
* 我 <em>刚</em> 学 中文 <strong>两 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> xué Zhōngwén <strong>liǎng gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.</span>
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* <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>两 个 月</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gāng</em> lái Zhōngguó <strong>liǎng ge yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just got to China two months ago.</span>
* 他 <em>刚</em> 走 <strong>十 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> zǒu <strong>shí fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just left ten minutes ago.</span>
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* 我 弟弟 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>半年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ dìdi <em>gāng</em> gōngzuò <strong> bànnián </strong>.</span> <span class="trans">My younger brother just started working half a year ago.</span>
* 我们 <em>刚</em> 认识 <strong>个 月</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> rènshi <strong>yī gè yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just met each other a month ago.</span>
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* 她  <em>刚</em> 结婚 <strong> 个 月 </strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gāng</em> jiéhūn <strong>sān ge yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">She just got married three months ago.</span>
* 小心 点 , 这 个 电脑 <em>刚</em> 买 <strong>两 天</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn diǎn, zhè ge diànnǎo <em>gāng</em> mǎi <strong>liǎng tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.</span>
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* 小心 点 , 我 的 电脑 <em>刚</em> 买 <strong>两 天</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn, zhè ge diànnǎo <em>gāng</em> mǎi <strong>liǎng tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.</span>
* 我 也 <em>刚</em> 知道 <strong>两 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě <em>gāng</em> zhīdao <strong>liǎng fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just found out two minutes ago.</span>
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* 他 <em>刚</em> 去 美国 <strong>一 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> qù Měiguó <strong>yī gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just went to the U.S. a week ago.</span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 06:32, 22 September 2015

When something recently happened, or in the immediate past, in English we use the word "just." For example, if you pass a turn you were supposed to make, you might say, "Ugh, I was just there!" or "I just passed it!" In Chinese, "just" can be expressed with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).

Expressing "just" happened

Structure

刚 (gāng) expresses an action that happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.

Subj. + 刚 + Verb

or

Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb

Examples

  • 我们 知道。 Wǒmen gāng zhīdao. We just found out.
  • 她们 走。Tāmen gāng zǒu. They just left.
  • 老板 出去。 Lǎobǎn gāng chūqù. The boss just went out.
  • 妈妈 到 家。 Māma gāng dào jiā. Mom just got home.
  • 吃 完 饭。gāng chī wán fàn. I just finished eating.

"Just" happened, with a specific time period

Structure

刚 (gāng) can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".

Subj. + 刚 + VO + Duration

Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago."

Examples

  • 我们 认识 十 天Wǒmen gāng rènshi shí tiān. We just met each other ten days ago.
  • 来 中国 两 个 月gāng lái Zhōngguó liǎng ge yuè. He just got to China two months ago.
  • 我 弟弟 工作 半年Wǒ dìdi gāng gōngzuò bànnián . My younger brother just started working half a year ago.
  • 结婚 三 个 月 gāng jiéhūn sān ge yuè. She just got married three months ago.
  • 小心 点 , 我 的 电脑 两 天Xiǎoxīn, zhè ge diànnǎo gāng mǎi liǎng tiān. Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.


See also

Sources and further reading

Books