Difference between revisions of "Expressing "until" with "dao""

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*我们 一直 等 <strong>到</strong> <em>天黑</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <strong>dào</strong> <em> tiānhēi</em>.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span>
 
*我们 一直 等 <strong>到</strong> <em>天黑</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <strong>dào</strong> <em> tiānhēi</em>.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span>
 
*他们 想 在 这里 住 <strong>到</strong> <em>春天</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen xiǎng zài zhèlǐ zhù <strong>dào</strong> <em> chūntiān</em>.</span><span class="trans">They want to live here until it's spring.</span>
 
*他们 想 在 这里 住 <strong>到</strong> <em>春天</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen xiǎng zài zhèlǐ zhù <strong>dào</strong> <em> chūntiān</em>.</span><span class="trans">They want to live here until it's spring.</span>
*你们 要 玩 <strong>到</strong> <em>什么 时候</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán <strong>dào</strong> <em> shénme shíhou</em>? </span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span>
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*你们 要 玩 <strong>到</strong> <em>什么 时候</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán <strong>dào</strong> <em> shénme shíhou</em>?</span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span>
 
*爸爸 看电视 看 <strong>到</strong> <em>半夜</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba kàn diànshì <strong>dào</strong> <em>bànyè</em>.</span><span class="trans">My dad watched TV until midnight.</span>
 
*爸爸 看电视 看 <strong>到</strong> <em>半夜</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba kàn diànshì <strong>dào</strong> <em>bànyè</em>.</span><span class="trans">My dad watched TV until midnight.</span>
 
*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <strong>到</strong> <em>火锅店 关门</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī <strong>dào</strong> <em>huǒguōdiàn guānmén</em>.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span>
 
*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <strong>到</strong> <em>火锅店 关门</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī <strong>dào</strong> <em>huǒguōdiàn guānmén</em>.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span>
*我们 部门 从 八点 开始 开会,一直 开 <strong>到</strong> <em>中午</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen bùmén cóng bā diǎn kāishǐ kāihuì, yīzhí kāi <strong>dào</strong> <em>zhōngwǔ</em>.</span><span class="trans">We had a department meeting from 8am to noon.</span>
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*今天 的 部门 会议 一直 开 <strong>到</strong> <em>晚上 九点</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de bùmén huìyì yīzhí kāi <strong>dào</strong> <em>wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn</em>.</span><span class="trans">This department meeting wasn't over until 9pm.</span>
*她 给 她 妈妈 打 电话 一直 打 <strong>到</strong> <em>手机 没 电</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi tā māma dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <strong>dào</strong> <em>shǒujī méi diàn</em>.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span>
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*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 <strong>到</strong> <em>手机 没 电</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <strong>dào</strong> <em>shǒujī méi diàn</em>.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span>
*周五 晚上 我 跟 同事 去 KTV ,我们 一直 唱 <strong>到</strong> <em>第二天 早上 五点</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōuwǔ wǎnshang wǒ gēn tóngshì qù KTV, wǒmen yīzhí chàng <strong>dào</strong> <em>dìèr tiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn</em>.</span><span class="trans">I went to the KTV Friday evening with my coworker. We sang until 5 o'clock the next morning.</span>
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*我们 在 Karaoke 一直 唱 <strong>到</strong> <em>第二天 早上 五点</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài Karaoke yīzhí chàng <strong>dào</strong> <em>dì-èr tiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn</em>.</span><span class="trans">We were singing at KTV til 5 o'clock the next morning.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 09:52, 6 November 2017

Chinese-grammar-wiki-dao.jpg

One kind of complement in Chinese involves putting 到 after the verb. 到 (dào) is used to indicate that the action has obtained a goal or a certain state.

Structure

Verb + 到 + Time

Examples

  • 我 昨天 晚上 工作 十二 点 半Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang gōngzuò dào shí'èr diǎn bàn.I worked until 12:30 last night.
  • 我们 一直 等 天黑Wǒmen yīzhí děng dào tiānhēi.We waited until it was getting dark.
  • 他们 想 在 这里 住 春天Tāmen xiǎng zài zhèlǐ zhù dào chūntiān.They want to live here until it's spring.
  • 你们 要 玩 什么 时候Nǐmen yào wán dào shénme shíhou?When will you be done playing?
  • 爸爸 看电视 看 半夜Bàba kàn diànshì dào bànyè.My dad watched TV until midnight.
  • 我们 吃 火锅 吃 火锅店 关门Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī dào huǒguōdiàn guānmén.We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.
  • 今天 的 部门 会议 一直 开 晚上 九点Jīntiān de bùmén huìyì yīzhí kāi dào wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.This department meeting wasn't over until 9pm.
  • 她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 手机 没 电Tā gěi dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ dào shǒujī méi diàn.She called her mom until her phone was dead.
  • 我们 在 Karaoke 一直 唱 第二天 早上 五点Wǒmen zài Karaoke yīzhí chàng dào dì-èr tiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn.We were singing at KTV til 5 o'clock the next morning.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4