Difference between revisions of "Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…""

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*你 <em>越</em>  孩子 学 ,孩子 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 想 学 。<span class="trans">The more you push the kid to learn, the less he wants to learn.</span>
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*你 <em>越</em>  孩子 学 ,孩子 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 想 学 。<span class="trans">The more you push the kid to learn, the less he wants to learn.</span>
 
*他 <em>越</em> 问 ,我 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 想 说。<span class="trans">The more he asks, the less I want to tell.</span>
 
*他 <em>越</em> 问 ,我 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 想 说。<span class="trans">The more he asks, the less I want to tell.</span>
 
*你 <em>越</em> 这样 说 ,他 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 听 。<span class="trans">The more you talk this way, the less he would listen.</span>
 
*你 <em>越</em> 这样 说 ,他 <em>越</em> <strong>不</strong> 听 。<span class="trans">The more you talk this way, the less he would listen.</span>

Revision as of 01:37, 16 July 2019

More than "putting stuff" after two instances of 越 (yuè) in a sentence, there are a number of very specific patterns you will notice if you want to get more sophisticated with 越 (yuè) and go beyond using the simpler 越来越 (yuèláiyuè).

Pattern with a Single Subject

Structure

Subj. + 越 ⋯⋯ ,越 ⋯⋯

Not that it's normally verbs or verb phrases following each 越, but adjectives are also possible (typically after the second 越).

Examples

  • 我们 生气 。The more we think about it, the angrier we get.
  • 喜欢 。The more I look at it, the more I like it.

Sometimes this pattern is best translated into English as "more and more," which is similar to 越来越 (yuèláiyuè).

  • 快 。He ran faster and faster.
  • 大 。The rain got heavier and heavier.

Pattern with Two Different Subjects

Structure

What follows the first 越 is mostly the reason why the second 越 phrase happens.

Subj. 1 + 越 ⋯⋯ ,Subj. 2 + 越 ⋯⋯

Again, it's normally verbs or verb phrases following each 越, but adjectives are also possible (typically after the second 越).

Examples

  • 说 ,我 生气 。The more she talks, the angrier I get.
  • 你们 看 我 ,我 紧张 。The more you look at me, the more nervous I am.
  • 走 ,腿 痛 。The more I walk, the more my legs hurt.

The More... the Less...

Structure

越 ⋯⋯ 越 + 不 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 让 孩子 学 ,孩子 想 学 。The more you push the kid to learn, the less he wants to learn.
  • 问 ,我 想 说。The more he asks, the less I want to tell.
  • 这样 说 ,他 听 。The more you talk this way, the less he would listen.

Colloquial Saying

This pattern involves the same verb repeated after each 越. It is limited to a small number of single-syllable verbs related to sensory perception, but you do hear it used.

Structure

Subj. + 越 + Verb + 越 + 想 + Verb

Examples

  • 这 本 书 我 想 看 。The more I read this book, the more I want to read.
  • 这 种 零食 让 人 想 吃 。The more you eat it, the more you will want to eat.
  • 我 吃 了 这 个 药 以后 总是 想 睡觉 ,而且 想 睡 。I'm always so sleepy after taking this medicine. And also, the more I sleep, the more l want to sleep.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books