Difference between revisions of "Expressing "just now" with "gangcai""

Line 18: Line 18:
  
 
* 你 <em>刚才</em> <strong>说</strong> 什么?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>shuō</strong> shénme le? </span> <span class="trans">What did you just say? </span>
 
* 你 <em>刚才</em> <strong>说</strong> 什么?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>shuō</strong> shénme le? </span> <span class="trans">What did you just say? </span>
* <em>刚才</em> 谁 <strong> 来 </strong> 了?<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> shéi <strong>  lái </strong>le? </span> <span class="trans">Just now who came? </span>
+
* <em>刚才</em> 谁 <strong> 来 </strong> 了?<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> shéi <strong>  lái </strong>le? </span> <span class="trans">Who came just now? </span>
* <em>刚才</em> 你 <strong>去</strong> 哪儿 了?<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> nǐ <strong>qù</strong> nǎr le? </span> <span class="trans">Just now where did you go? </span>
+
* <em>刚才</em> 你 <strong>去</strong> 哪儿 了?<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> nǐ <strong>qù</strong> nǎr le? </span> <span class="trans">Where did you go just now? </span>
* <em>刚才</em> 我 <strong>去</strong> 洗手间 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> wǒ <strong>qù</strong> xǐshǒujiān le. </span> <span class="trans">Just now I went to the washroom. </span>
+
* <em>刚才</em> 我 <strong>去</strong> 洗手间 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> wǒ <strong>qù</strong> xǐshǒujiān le. </span> <span class="trans">I just went to the washroom. </span>
 
* 老板 <em>刚才</em> <strong>生气</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>shēngqì</strong> le. </span> <span class="trans">The boss just got angry. </span>
 
* 老板 <em>刚才</em> <strong>生气</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>shēngqì</strong> le. </span> <span class="trans">The boss just got angry. </span>
* 你们 <em>刚才</em> 在 <strong>看</strong> 什么?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>gāngcái</em> zài <strong>kàn</strong> shénme? </span> <span class="trans">What were you looking at? </span>
+
* 你们 <em>刚才</em> 在 <strong>看</strong> 什么?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>gāngcái</em> zài <strong>kàn</strong> shénme? </span> <span class="trans">What were you looking at just now? </span>
 
* 不好意思,我 <em>刚才</em> <strong>出去</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>chūqù</strong> le. </span> <span class="trans">I'm sorry, I just now stepped out. </span>
 
* 不好意思,我 <em>刚才</em> <strong>出去</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>chūqù</strong> le. </span> <span class="trans">I'm sorry, I just now stepped out. </span>
 
* 宝宝 <em>刚才</em> <strong>哭</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>kū</strong> le.</span> <span class="trans">The baby just now cried. </span>
 
* 宝宝 <em>刚才</em> <strong>哭</strong> 了。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>gāngcái</em> <strong>kū</strong> le.</span> <span class="trans">The baby just now cried. </span>

Revision as of 04:15, 27 January 2016

In order to say that something "just now" occurred, use the time noun 刚才 (gāngcái). It can be placed in front of the verb or the subject of a statement.

Structure

This grammar structure is pretty straightforward. Similar to the English "just now," you can put 刚才 (gāngcái) right before the verb in a sentence. It can also come before the subject or after the subject.

刚才 + Verb

Examples

  • 刚才 什么?gāngcái shuō shénme le? What did you just say?
  • 刚才 了?Gāngcái shéi lái le? Who came just now?
  • 刚才 哪儿 了?Gāngcái nǎr le? Where did you go just now?
  • 刚才 洗手间 了。Gāngcái xǐshǒujiān le. I just went to the washroom.
  • 老板 刚才 生气 了。Lǎobǎn gāngcái shēngqì le. The boss just got angry.
  • 你们 刚才 什么?Nǐmen gāngcái zài kàn shénme? What were you looking at just now?
  • 不好意思,我 刚才 出去 了。Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ gāngcái chūqù le. I'm sorry, I just now stepped out.
  • 宝宝 刚才 了。Bǎobǎo gāngcái le. The baby just now cried.
  • 他们 刚才开会 了。Tāmen gāngcáikāihuì le. They went to a meeting just now.
  • 刚才 有 人 你。Gāngcái yǒu rén zhǎo nǐ. Just now there was someone looking for you.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books