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

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*我 昨天 晚上 工作 <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang gōngzuò <em>dào</em> shí'èr diǎn bàn.</span><span class="trans">I worked until 12:30 last night.</span>
 
 
*我们 一直 等 <em>到</em> 天黑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <em>dào</em> tiānhēi.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span>
 
*我们 一直 等 <em>到</em> 天黑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yīzhí děng <em>dào</em> tiānhēi.</span><span class="trans">We waited until it was getting dark.</span>
*他们 想 这里 住 <em>到</em> 春天 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen xiǎng zài zhèlǐ zhù <em>dào</em> chūntiān.</span><span class="trans">They want to live here until spring.</span>
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*你 弟弟 要 我们 家 <strong></strong> <em>到</em> 什么 时候 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ dìdi yào zài wǒmen jiā <strong>zhù</strong> <em>dào</em> shénme shíhou?</span><span class="trans">How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?</span>
*你们 要 玩 <em>到</em> 什么 时候 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán dào <em>dào</em> shénme shíhou?</span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span>
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*你们 要 玩 <em>到</em> 几 点 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào wán dào <em>dào</em> jǐ diǎn?</span><span class="trans">When will you be done playing?</span>
*今天 的 部门 会议 一直 开 <em>到</em> 晚上 九点 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de bùmén huìyì yīzhí kāi <em>dào</em> wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.</span><span class="trans">This department meeting wasn't over until 9pm.</span>
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*今天 的 一直 开 <em>到</em> 晚上 九点 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de huì yīzhí kāi <em>dào</em> wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.</span><span class="trans">Today's meeting wasn't over until 9pm.</span>
*我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 <em>到</em> 第 二 天 早上 五 点 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiǔbā yīzhí liáo <em>dào</em> dì-èr tiān zǎoshang wǔ diǎn.</span><span class="trans">We were chatting in the bar til 5 o'clock the next morning.</span>
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*我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 <em>到</em> 半夜 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiǔbā yīzhí liáo <em>dào</em> bànyè.</span><span class="trans">We were chatting in the bar til midnight.</span>
 
*宝宝 一直 哭 <em>到</em> 妈妈 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao yīzhí kū <em>dào</em> māma huílái.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.</span>
 
*宝宝 一直 哭 <em>到</em> 妈妈 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao yīzhí kū <em>dào</em> māma huílái.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.</span>
 
*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī  <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span>
 
*我们 吃 火锅 吃 <em>到</em> 火锅店 关门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen chī huǒguō chī  <em>dào</em> huǒguōdiàn guānmén.</span><span class="trans">We ate hotpot until the hotpot place was closed.</span>
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*我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 <strong>写</strong> <em>到</em> 十二 点 半 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè <em>xiě</em> shí'èr diǎn bàn.</span><span class="trans">My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.</span>
 
*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span>
 
*她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 <em>到</em> 手机 没 电 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ <em>dào</em> shǒujī méi diàn.</span><span class="trans">She called her mom until her phone was dead.</span>
  

Revision as of 07:14, 4 January 2018

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 / Event

Examples

  • 我们 一直 等 天黑 。Wǒmen yīzhí děng dào tiānhēi.We waited until it was getting dark.
  • 你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 什么 时候 ?Nǐ dìdi yào zài wǒmen jiā zhù dào shénme shíhou?How much longer is your younger brother going to stay in our house?
  • 你们 要 玩 几 点 ?Nǐmen yào wán dào dào jǐ diǎn?When will you be done playing?
  • 今天 的 会 一直 开 晚上 九点 。Jīntiān de huì yīzhí kāi dào wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn.Today's meeting wasn't over until 9pm.
  • 我们 在 酒吧 一直 聊 半夜 。Wǒmen zài jiǔbā yīzhí liáo dào bànyè.We were chatting in the bar til midnight.
  • 宝宝 一直 哭 妈妈 回来 。Bǎobao yīzhí kū dào māma huílái.The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.
  • 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.
  • 我 女儿 昨天 晚上 写作业 十二 点 半 。Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān wǎnshang xiě zuòyè xiě shí'èr diǎn bàn.My daughter didn't finish her homework until 12:30 last night.
  • 她 给 男朋友 打 电话 一直 打 手机 没 电 。Tā gěi nánpéngyou dǎ diànhuà yīzhí dǎ dào shǒujī méi diàn.She called her mom until her phone was dead.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4