Difference between revisions of "Expressing a last chance with "zaibu... jiu...""

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What comes right after 再不 is the action that needs to be taken ''now''. What comes after 就 is the dire consequences which will immediately result is that action is not taken.
 
What comes right after 再不 is the action that needs to be taken ''now''. What comes after 就 is the dire consequences which will immediately result is that action is not taken.
  
=== Examples ===
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Technically this pattern is just a combination of the [[Expressing "again" in the future with "zai"|"again" in the future 再]] and the [[Expressing "then" with "jiu"|就 for expressing "then"]]. But somehow this pattern does not easily come to mind for most learners when you want to express "if you don't... ''now''.... then..." so it gets its own grammar point.
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== Examples ==
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Note that there is a sense of urgency in each of these sentences, even if the word 现在 isn't present. That's why an implied "now" has been added in for some English translations.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
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* <em>再 不</em> 走,我 <em>就</em> 叫 保安 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> zǒu, wǒ <em>jiù</em> jiào bǎoān le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't leave now, I'm going to call security.</span>
* 今年 最后 一 次 优惠 , <em>再不</em> <em>就</em> 没 了 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnnián zuìhòu yī cì yōuhuì, <em>zài bù</em> qiǎng <em>jiù</em> méi le.</span><span class="trans">It's the final sale of the year. If you don't grab it, it'll be gone!</span>
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* <em>再 不</em> 走 我们 开会 <em>就</em> 要 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Zài bù</em> zǒu wǒmen kāihuì <em>jiù</em> yào chídào le.</span><span class="trans">If we don't leave now, we will be late for our meeting.</span>
* <em>再不</em> 走 我们 开会 <em>就</em> 要 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Zài bù</em> zǒu wǒmen kāihuì <em>jiù</em> yào chídào le.</span><span class="trans">If we don't leave now, we will be late for our meeting.</span>
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* <em>再 不</em> 努力,你 <em>就</em> 会 被 淘汰。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> nǔlì, nǐ <em>jiù</em> huì bèi táotài.</span><span class="trans">If you don't start working hard, you're going to get eliminated.</span>
* 火车 快 开 了,<em>再不</em> 检 票 <em>就</em> 来不及 了。<span class="pinyin">Huǒchē kuài kāi le, <em>zài bù</em> jiǎn piào <em>jiù</em> láibují le.</span><span class="trans">The train is about to leave, and it will be too late if we don't check the tickets.</span>
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* 火车 开 了,<em>再 不</em> 检票 <em>就</em> 来不及 了。<span class="pinyin">Huǒchē kuài kāi le, <em>zài bù</em> jiǎnpiào <em>jiù</em> láibují le.</span><span class="trans">The train is about to leave! If we don't get our tickets checked now, we're not going to make it.</span>
* 告诉 他,不 要 让 他 误会,<em>再不</em> <em>就</em> 真的 误会 了。<span class="pinyin">kuài gàosu tā, bù yào ràng tā wùhuì, <em>zài bù</em> shuō <em>jiù</em> zhēnde wùhuì le.</span><span class="trans">Don't let him get the wrong idea, or he'll get the wrong idea.</span>
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* 今年 最后 一 次 优惠 , <em>再 不</em> <em>就</em> 没 了 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnnián zuìhòu yī cì yōuhuì, <em>zài bù</em> qiǎng <em>jiù</em> méi le.</span><span class="trans">It's the final sale of the year. If you don't grab it, it'll be gone!</span>
* <em>再不</em> 学习,下 个 月 <em>就</em> 没有 生活费 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> xuéxí, xià gè yuè <em>jiù</em> méiyǒu shēnghuófèi le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't study, you won't have money to live on next month.</span>
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* 你 快 告诉 他,不 要 让 他 误会,<em>再 不</em> <em>就</em> 真的 误会 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kuài gàosu tā, bùyào ràng tā wùhuì, <em>zài bù</em> shuō <em>jiù</em> zhēnde wùhuì le.</span><span class="trans">Hurry up and tell him; don't let him get the wrong idea. If you don't tell him now he's really going to get the wrong message.</span>
* 你 <em>再不</em> 努力,你 <em>就</em> 会 被 淘汰。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài bù</em> nǔlì, nǐ <em>jiù</em> huì bèi táotài.</span><span class="trans">If you don't work hard, you'll be out of a job.</span>
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* 你 <em>再 不</em> 学习,下 个 月 <em>就</em> 没有 生活费 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài bù</em> xuéxí, xià gè yuè <em>jiù</em> méiyǒu shēnghuófèi le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't study, you won't have an allowance to live on next month.</span>
* 你 <em>再不</em> 打 电话,你 <em>就</em> 失去 这个 机会 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài bù</em> dǎ diànhuà, <em>jiù</em> shīqù zhège jīhuì le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't call, you'll lose this chance.</span>
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* <em>再 不</em> 打 电话,你 <em>就</em> 失去 这个 机会 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> dǎ diànhuà, <em>jiù</em> shīqù zhège jīhuì le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't call now, you're going to miss out on this opportunity.</span>
* <em>再不</em> 穿 羽绒服,我 <em>就</em> 冻死 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> chuān yǔróngfú, <em>jiù</em> dòngsǐ le.</span><span class="trans">If I don't wear a down jacket, I'm going to freeze to death.</span>
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* 如果 我们 现在 <em>再 不</em> 去 旅游,以后 更 没有 机会 了。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ wǒmen xiànzài <em>zài bù</em> qù lǚyóu, yǐhòu <em>jiù</em> gèng méiyǒu jīhuì le.</span><span class="trans">If we don't travel now, we won't have the opportunity in the future.</span>
* <em>再不</em> 走,我 <em></em> 叫 保安 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> zǒu, <em>jiù</em> jiào bǎoān le.</span><span class="trans">If you don't leave, I'm going to call security.</span>
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* <em>再 不 </em> 穿 羽绒服,我 <em></em> 冻死 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>zài bù</em> chuān yǔróngfú, <em>jiù</em> dòngsǐ le.</span><span class="trans">If I don't wear a down jacket, I'm going to freeze to death.</span>
* 如果 我们 现在 <em>再不</em> 去 旅游,以后 更 没有 机会 了。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ wǒmen xiànzài <em>zài bù</em> qù lǚyóu, yǐhòu <em>jiù</em> gèng méiyǒu jīhuì le.</span><span class="trans">If we don't travel now, we won't have a chance in the future.</span>
 
 
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{{Translation|never}}
 
{{Translation|never}}
 
{{Translation|again}}
 
{{Translation|again}}
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{{Translation|if}}
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{{Translation|then}}

Latest revision as of 03:21, 17 December 2020

When time is running out and you need to emphasize that someone needs to act now or else something bad is going to happen, that's when you know you need the pattern 再不…… 就…… (zàibù... jiù...)!

Structure

(Subj. +) 再不 …… 就 ……(了)

What comes right after 再不 is the action that needs to be taken now. What comes after 就 is the dire consequences which will immediately result is that action is not taken.

Technically this pattern is just a combination of the "again" in the future 再 and the 就 for expressing "then". But somehow this pattern does not easily come to mind for most learners when you want to express "if you don't... now.... then..." so it gets its own grammar point.

Examples

Note that there is a sense of urgency in each of these sentences, even if the word 现在 isn't present. That's why an implied "now" has been added in for some English translations.

  • 再 不 走,我 叫 保安 了。zài bù zǒu, wǒ jiù jiào bǎoān le.If you don't leave now, I'm going to call security.
  • 再 不 走 我们 开会 要 迟到 了。Zài bù zǒu wǒmen kāihuì jiù yào chídào le.If we don't leave now, we will be late for our meeting.
  • 再 不 努力,你 会 被 淘汰。zài bù nǔlì, nǐ jiù huì bèi táotài.If you don't start working hard, you're going to get eliminated.
  • 火车 快 开 了,再 不 检票 来不及 了。Huǒchē kuài kāi le, zài bù jiǎnpiào jiù láibují le.The train is about to leave! If we don't get our tickets checked now, we're not going to make it.
  • 今年 最后 一 次 优惠 , 再 不 没 了 。Jīnnián zuìhòu yī cì yōuhuì, zài bù qiǎng jiù méi le.It's the final sale of the year. If you don't grab it, it'll be gone!
  • 你 快 告诉 他,不 要 让 他 误会,再 不 真的 误会 了。Nǐ kuài gàosu tā, bùyào ràng tā wùhuì, zài bù shuō jiù zhēnde wùhuì le.Hurry up and tell him; don't let him get the wrong idea. If you don't tell him now he's really going to get the wrong message.
  • 再 不 学习,下 个 月 没有 生活费 了。zài bù xuéxí, xià gè yuè jiù méiyǒu shēnghuófèi le.If you don't study, you won't have an allowance to live on next month.
  • 再 不 打 电话,你 失去 这个 机会 了。zài bù dǎ diànhuà, nǐ jiù shīqù zhège jīhuì le.If you don't call now, you're going to miss out on this opportunity.
  • 如果 我们 现在 再 不 去 旅游,以后 就 更 没有 机会 了。Rúguǒ wǒmen xiànzài zài bù qù lǚyóu, yǐhòu jiù gèng méiyǒu jīhuì le.If we don't travel now, we won't have the opportunity in the future.
  • 再 不 穿 羽绒服,我 冻死 了。zài bù chuān yǔróngfú, wǒ jiù dòngsǐ le.If I don't wear a down jacket, I'm going to freeze to death.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5