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

Line 3: Line 3:
 
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.  
 
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 ==  
+
== Used with One-Syllable Verb ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Verb + 到 + Time / Event
+
Verb (+ 一直) + 到 + Time / Event
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
You will sometimes see 一直 proceeding 到, which serves the purpose of the emphasis on the "ongoing duration."
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
Line 14: Line 18:
  
 
*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>
 +
*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>
 +
*我们 在 酒吧 聊 <em>到</em> 半夜 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiǔbā liáo <em>dào</em> bànyè.</span><span class="trans">We were chatting in the bar til midnight.</span>
 
*你 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 <strong>住</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 弟弟 要 在 我们 家 <strong>住</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> 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 会 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>
 
*今天 的 会 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 <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 <em>到</em> 妈妈 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao yīzhí <em>dào</em> māma huílái.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't stop crying until the mother came back.</span>
+
</div>
 +
 
 +
== Used with Verb-Obj. ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Verb + Obj. (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
== Examples ==
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*他 打游戏 一直 <em>到</em> 他 妈妈 回家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ yóuxì yīzhí <em>dào</em> tā māma huí jiā.</span><span class="trans">He didn't stop playing computer games until his mother came home.</span>
 +
*我 邻居 吵架 一直 <em>到</em> 警察 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ línjū chǎojià yīzhí chǎo <em>dào</em> jǐngchá guòlái.</span><span class="trans">My neighbors didn't end their fight until the police came.</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>
 
*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>
 
*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>

Revision as of 07:33, 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.

Used with One-Syllable Verb

Structure

Verb (+ 一直) + 到 + Time / Event

You will sometimes see 一直 proceeding 到, which serves the purpose of the emphasis on the "ongoing duration."

Examples

  • 我们 一直 等 天黑 。Wǒmen yīzhí děng dào tiānhēi.We waited until it was getting dark.
  • 你们 要 玩 几 点 ?Nǐmen yào wán dào dào jǐ diǎn?When will you be done playing?
  • 我们 在 酒吧 聊 半夜 。Wǒmen zài jiǔbā liáo dào bànyè.We were chatting in the bar til midnight.
  • 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?
  • 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.

Used with Verb-Obj.

Structure

Verb + Obj. (+ 一直) + Verb + 到 + Time / Event

Examples

  • 他 打游戏 一直 打 他 妈妈 回家 。Tā dǎ yóuxì yīzhí dǎ dào tā māma huí jiā.He didn't stop playing computer games until his mother came home.
  • 我 邻居 吵架 一直 吵 警察 过来 。Wǒ línjū chǎojià yīzhí chǎo dào jǐngchá guòlái.My neighbors didn't end their fight until the police came.
  • 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