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

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* 我们 <em>刚</em> 知道。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">We just found out.</span>
 
* 我们 <em>刚</em> 知道。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">We just found out.</span>
 
* 她们 <em>刚</em> 走。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu.</span> <span class="trans">They just left.</span>
 
* 她们 <em>刚</em> 走。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu.</span> <span class="trans">They just left.</span>
* 老板 <em></em> 出去。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gāng</em> chūqù.</span> <span class="trans">The boss just went out.</span>
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* 老板 <em>刚刚</em> 到 办公室。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gānggāng</em> dào bàngōngshì.</span> <span class="trans">The boss just came to the office.</span>
* 妈妈 <em>刚</em> 到 家。 <span class="pinyin">Māma <em>gāng</em> dào jiā.</span> <span class="trans">Mom just got home.</span>
+
* 我老婆 <em>刚</em> 生 完 孩子。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒlǎopo <em>gāng</em> shēng wán háizi.</span> <span class="trans">My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.</span>
* 我 <em></em> 吃 完 饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> chī wán fàn.</span> <span class="trans">I just finished eating.</span>
+
* 我 <em>刚刚</em> 下班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gānggāng</em> xiàbān.</span> <span class="trans">I just get off work.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 02:41, 6 November 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 刚刚 到 办公室。 Lǎobǎn gānggāng dào bàngōngshì. The boss just came to the office.
  • 我老婆 生 完 孩子。 Wǒlǎopo gāng shēng wán háizi. My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.
  • 刚刚 下班。gānggāng xiàbān. I just get off work.

"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 + Verb. + Obj. + 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 bàn nián . 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