Difference between revisions of "Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
越来越 (yuèláiyuè) is used frequently in Chinese to express that some quality or state is increasing with time, and is often translated into English as "more and more." This is the simple form of this pattern, which uses 来, but there is also a [[Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…"|more complex one (which uses two different adjectives/verbs)]].
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越来越 (yuèláiyuè) is used frequently in Chinese to express that some quality or state is increasing with time and is often translated into English as "more and more." This is the simple form of this pattern, which uses 来, but there is also a [[Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…"|more complex one (which uses two different adjectives/verbs)]].
  
 
== Used with Adjectives ==
 
== Used with Adjectives ==
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*你 女儿 <em>越来越</em> 漂亮 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚér <em>yuèláiyuè</em> piàoliang <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Your daughter is getting more and more beautiful.</span>
 
*你 女儿 <em>越来越</em> 漂亮 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚér <em>yuèláiyuè</em> piàoliang <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Your daughter is getting more and more beautiful.</span>
 
*你 说 得 <em>越来越</em> 好 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō de <em>yuèláiyuè</em> hǎo <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You speak better and better.</span>
 
*你 说 得 <em>越来越</em> 好 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō de <em>yuèláiyuè</em> hǎo <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You speak better and better.</span>
*技术 <em>越来越</em> 发达 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Jìshù <em>yuèláiyuè</em> fādá <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Technology is more and more developed.</span>
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*技术 <em>越来越</em> 发达 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Jìshù <em>yuèláiyuè</em> fādá <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Technology is getting more and more developed.</span>
 
*空气 污染 <em>越来越</em> 严重 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Kōngqì wūrǎn <em>yuèláiyuè</em> yánzhòng <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The air pollution is getting worse and worse.</span>
 
*空气 污染 <em>越来越</em> 严重 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Kōngqì wūrǎn <em>yuèláiyuè</em> yánzhòng <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The air pollution is getting worse and worse.</span>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*你 好像 <em>越来越</em> 喜欢 上海 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ hǎoxiàng <em>yuèláiyuè</em> xǐhuan Shànghǎi <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">It seems you like Shanghai more and more.</span>
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*<em>越来越</em> 喜欢 上海 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>yuèláiyuè</em> xǐhuan Shànghǎi <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I like Shanghai more and more.</span>
*学生们 <em>越来越</em> 爱 学习 汉语 <strong>了</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xuéshēng men <em>yuèláiyuè</em> ài xuéxí Hànyǔ <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The students like learning Chinese language more and more.</span>
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*<em>越来越</em> 了解 我 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>yuèláiyuè</em> liǎojiě wǒ <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You know me better and better.</span>
 
*我 <em>越来越</em> 理解 我 的 父母 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yuèláiyuè</em> lǐjiě wǒ de fùmǔ <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I understand my parents more and more.</span>
 
*我 <em>越来越</em> 理解 我 的 父母 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yuèláiyuè</em> lǐjiě wǒ de fùmǔ <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I understand my parents more and more.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
When the verb is negative in Chinese, a translation like "less and less" with a positive verb might be more appropriate in English than sticking with a "more and more" translation.  
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When the verb is negative in Chinese, a translation like "less and less" with a positive verb might be more appropriate in English than sticking with a "more and more" translation. The Chinese pattern doesn't change, though.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|40}}
 
{{Source|Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)|295}}  
 
{{Source|Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)|295}}  
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|153-4}}
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|153-4}}
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Similar|"Along with…" Using "suizhe"}}
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
{{Similar|"Even more" with "geng"}}
 
 
{{Basic Grammar|越来越|B1|Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了|天气 <em>越来越</em> 冷 了。|grammar point|ASG7UE4H}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|越来越|B1|Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了|天气 <em>越来越</em> 冷 了。|grammar point|ASG7UE4H}}
 
{{Rel char|越}}
 
{{Rel char|越}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
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{{Similar|"Along with…" Using "suizhe"}}
 +
{{Similar|Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…"}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Used for| Expressing quality}}
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{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Used for| Expressing degree}}
 
{{Translation|more}}
 
{{Translation|more}}

Latest revision as of 07:54, 4 March 2019

越来越 (yuèláiyuè) is used frequently in Chinese to express that some quality or state is increasing with time and is often translated into English as "more and more." This is the simple form of this pattern, which uses 来, but there is also a more complex one (which uses two different adjectives/verbs).

Used with Adjectives

This structure expresses that something is becoming more and more adjective over time, with the latter adjective changing with the verb. The most common structure is:

Structure

Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了

Examples

  • 天气 越来越Tiānqì yuèláiyuè lěng le.The weather is getting colder and colder.
  • 你 女儿 越来越 漂亮 Nǐ nǚér yuèláiyuè piàoliang le.Your daughter is getting more and more beautiful.
  • 你 说 得 越来越Nǐ shuō de yuèláiyuè hǎo le.You speak better and better.
  • 技术 越来越 发达 Jìshù yuèláiyuè fādá le.Technology is getting more and more developed.
  • 空气 污染 越来越 严重 Kōngqì wūrǎn yuèláiyuè yánzhòng le.The air pollution is getting worse and worse.

Used with Verbs

Structure

Subj. + 越来越 + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 越来越 喜欢 上海 yuèláiyuè xǐhuan Shànghǎi le.I like Shanghai more and more.
  • 越来越 了解 我 yuèláiyuè liǎojiě wǒ le.You know me better and better.
  • 越来越 理解 我 的 父母 yuèláiyuè lǐjiě wǒ de fùmǔ le.I understand my parents more and more.

When the verb is negative in Chinese, a translation like "less and less" with a positive verb might be more appropriate in English than sticking with a "more and more" translation. The Chinese pattern doesn't change, though.

  • 越来越 相信 他 yuèláiyuè xiāngxìn tā le.I believe him less and less.
  • 越来越 懂 我 yuèláiyuè dǒng wǒ le.You understand me less and less.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books