Difference between revisions of "Expressing concern with "kongpa""
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | |||
恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're ''literally'' afraid of; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon." | 恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're ''literally'' afraid of; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon." | ||
| Line 16: | Line 15: | ||
*今天 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>要</strong> 下雨 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>yào</strong> xià yǔ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's going to rain today.</span> | *今天 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>要</strong> 下雨 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>yào</strong> xià yǔ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's going to rain today.</span> | ||
| − | *这 是 | + | *这 件 事 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>得</strong> 你 帮忙 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>kǒngpà</em> <strong>děi</strong> nǐ bāngmáng.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid we're going to need your help with this matter.</span> |
| − | *老婆 ，我 晚上 要 加班 ，<em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。<span class="pinyin"> | + | *这样 做 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 合适 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng zuò <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài héshì.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do this.</span> |
| − | *这个 颜色 太 粉 了 ，<em>恐怕</em> 我女儿 不 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yánsè tài | + | *这 是 很 重要 的 决定 ，你 <em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 这么 着急 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì hěn zhòngyào de juédìng, nǐ <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> zhème zhāojí.</span><span class="trans">This is an important decision. I'm afraid you can't rush this one.</span> |
| − | + | *老婆 ，我 晚上 要 加班 ，<em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎopo, wǒ wǎnshàng yào jiābān, <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> huíjiā chī wǎnfàn le.</span><span class="trans">Wife, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.</span> | |
| − | *你 现在 知道 被 骗 了 ？<em>恐怕</em> 骗子 早就 跑了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piànle? <em>Kǒngpà</em> piànzi zǎo jiù | + | *这个 颜色 太 粉 了 ，<em>恐怕</em> 我女儿 不 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège yánsè tài fěn le, <em>kǒngpà</em> wǒ nǚ'ér bù xǐhuān.</span><span class="trans">This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.</span> |
| − | + | *你 现在 知道 被 骗 了 ？<em>恐怕</em> 骗子 早就 跑了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piànle? <em>Kǒngpà</em> piànzi zǎo jiù pǎo le.</span><span class="trans">You finally realized that you were ripped off? I'm afraid the scammer is long gone.</span> | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | 恐怕 is also often used in conjunction with 吧. When it is used with 吧, it expresses a soft but concerned tone and is typically used when the speaker wishes to give their advice or opinion on a matter. | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| Line 31: | Line 30: | ||
*<em>恐怕</em> 没 那么 容易 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kǒngpà</em> méi nàme róngyì <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not that easy.</span> | *<em>恐怕</em> 没 那么 容易 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kǒngpà</em> méi nàme róngyì <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not that easy.</span> | ||
*一个人 去 那个 地方 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 安全 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Yīgèrén qù nàge dìfāng <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài ānquán <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.</span> | *一个人 去 那个 地方 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 安全 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Yīgèrén qù nàge dìfāng <em>kǒngpà</em> bù tài ānquán <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.</span> | ||
| − | *你 这样 说 ，<em>恐怕</em> 她 会 不 高兴 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, <em>kǒngpà</em> tā huì bù gāoxìng <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid she will be upset | + | *你 这样 说 ，<em>恐怕</em> 她 会 不 高兴 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, <em>kǒngpà</em> tā huì bù gāoxìng <strong>ba</strong>.</span><span class="trans">If you put it that way, I'm afraid she will be upset.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 01:11, 12 November 2020
恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid that," or "I'm concerned that," or even "I'm worried that," followed by some sort of reason. It doesn't need to be something you're literally afraid of; it may be that you're just trying to soften the blow of some bad news, as in, "I'm afraid that I'm too busy washing my hair tomorrow night to come over and see the 2000 pictures of your trip to ComicCon."
Contents
Structure
恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. It's often used with auxiliary verbs such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.
(Reason,) 恐怕 ⋯⋯
Examples
- 今天 恐怕 要 下雨 。I'm afraid it's going to rain today.
- 这 件 事 恐怕 得 你 帮忙 。I'm afraid we're going to need your help with this matter.
- 这样 做 恐怕 不太 合适 。I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do this.
- 这 是 很 重要 的 决定 ，你 恐怕 不 能 这么 着急 。This is an important decision. I'm afraid you can't rush this one.
- 老婆 ，我 晚上 要 加班 ，恐怕 不 能 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。Wife, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.
- 这个 颜色 太 粉 了 ，恐怕 我女儿 不 喜欢 。This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.
- 你 现在 知道 被 骗 了 ？恐怕 骗子 早就 跑了 。You finally realized that you were ripped off? I'm afraid the scammer is long gone.
恐怕 is also often used in conjunction with 吧. When it is used with 吧, it expresses a soft but concerned tone and is typically used when the speaker wishes to give their advice or opinion on a matter.
- 恐怕 没 那么 容易 吧 。I'm afraid it's not that easy.
- 一个人 去 那个 地方 恐怕 不太 安全 吧 。I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.
- 你 这样 说 ，恐怕 她 会 不 高兴 吧 。If you put it that way, I'm afraid she will be upset.
我 with 恐怕
A common mistake many people make when learning 恐怕 is putting a pronoun, such as 我, before 恐怕. It's a reasonable assumption, as 恐怕 translates to, "I'm afraid" but the pronoun is more or less implied and grammatically incorrect when preceded by 我. You can add in 我, but it needs to go after 恐怕.
- 我 恐怕 帮不了 你 。Never put 我 before 恐怕!
- 恐怕 我 帮不了 你 。I'm afraid I can't help you.
See also
- "Would like to" with xiang
- Wanting to do something with yao
- Auxiliary verb
- Auxiliary verb "hui" for "will"
Sources and further reading
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: "Have to and Don't have to"
Books
- HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 76) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 164-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 301) [ →buy]
