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

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* 我 <em>刚</em> 认识 她 <strong> 十 天</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> rènshi tā <strong>shí tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just met each other ten days ago.</span>
 
* 我 <em>刚</em> 认识 她 <strong> 十 天</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> rènshi tā <strong>shí tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just met each other ten days ago.</span>
* 他 <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>两 个 月</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái Zhōngguó <strong>liǎng ge yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just got to China two months ago.</span>
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* 他 <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>两 个 月</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái Zhōngguó <strong>liǎng yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just got to China two months ago.</span>
 
* 我 弟弟 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>半年</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ dìdi <em>gāng</em> gōngzuò <strong> bàn nián </strong>.</span> <span class="trans">My younger brother just started working half a year ago.</span>
 
* 我 弟弟 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>半年</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ dìdi <em>gāng</em> gōngzuò <strong> bàn nián </strong>.</span> <span class="trans">My younger brother just started working half a year ago.</span>
* 她  <em>刚</em> 结婚 <strong> 三 个 月 </strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> jiéhūn <strong>sān ge yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">She just got married three months ago.</span>
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* 她  <em>刚</em> 结婚 <strong> 三 个 月 </strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> jiéhūn <strong>sān yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">She just got married three months ago.</span>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
  

Revision as of 03:00, 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 吗?gānggāng xiàbān ma? Did you 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

  • 认识 她 十 天gāng rènshi tā shí tiān. We just met each other ten days ago.
  • 来 中国 两 个 月gāng lái Zhōngguó liǎng gè 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 gè 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