Difference between revisions of "Expressing concern with "kongpa""

 
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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."
 
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. The meaning is similar to "perhaps" or "probably." It's often used with auxiliary verbs, such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.
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恐怕 comes at the beginning of the sentence. It's often used with auxiliary verbs such as 要, 会, 能, 得, etc.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
(Reason,) 恐怕 ⋯⋯
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(Reason,) 恐怕 + Subj. ⋯⋯
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Note that it sounds better to put 恐怕 ''before the subject'' of the sentence.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
  
*今天 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>要</strong> 下雨 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid it's going to rain today.</span>
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*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 很重要 的 决定 ,你 <em>恐怕</em> 不 <strong>能</strong> 这么 着急 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid you can't rush this decision as it is a big one to make.</span>
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*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="trans">Wife, I'm going to work late tonight. I'm afraid I can't go home to eat dinner.</span>
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*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="trans">This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.</span>
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*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>
*这件事 <em>恐怕</em> <strong>得</strong> 你 帮忙 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid you have to help me with this.</span>
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*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 wǎnshang yào jiābān, <em>kǒngpà</em> bù <strong>néng</strong> huíjiā chī wǎnfàn le.</span><span class="trans">Dear, 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="trans">You finally realized the fact that you were ripped off? I'm afraid that guy was long gong.</span>
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*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 xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">This pink is too much. I'm afraid my daughter isn't going to like it.</span>
*你 约 人家 出来 吃饭 ,你 却 跟 人家 AA ,这 <em>恐怕</em> 不太 合适 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid it wasn't appropriate that you asked her out for dinner and also asked to split the bill after dinner.</span>
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*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 piàn le? <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>
  
 
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</div>
  
"恐怕"也经常和""连用,表示一种委婉、商量、劝告的语气,而说话人有自己的想法。
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恐怕 is also often used in conjunction with . 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">
 
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*<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="trans">I'm afraid it's not that easy.</span>
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*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 dìfang <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="trans">I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.</span>
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*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>
*你 这样 说 ,<em>恐怕</em> 她 会 不 高兴 <strong>吧</strong> 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid she will be upset about the way you talk.</span>
 
 
 
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== 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:
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
<ul>
 
<li class="x"><em>我</em> <em>恐怕</em> 帮不了 你 。<span class="expl">Never put 我 before 恐怕!</span></li>
 
<li class="o"><strong>恐怕</strong> <em>我</em> 帮不了 你 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid I can't help you.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
 
 
 
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</div>
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4下|76}}
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|164-5}}
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|164-5}}
 
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|301}}
 
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|301}}
  
 
[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|恐怕|B2|恐怕 + Fact|<em>恐怕</em> 今天 做 不 完。|grammar point|ASGD4BA3}}
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|恐怕|B2|恐怕 + Subj. ⋯⋯|<em>恐怕</em> 今天 做 不 完。|grammar point|ASGD4BA3}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing concern}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing concern}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}

Latest revision as of 08:57, 17 December 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-恐怕.jpg

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."

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 + Subj. ⋯⋯

Note that it sounds better to put 恐怕 before the subject of the sentence.

Examples

  • 今天 恐怕 下雨 。Jīntiān kǒngpà yào xià yǔ.I'm afraid it's going to rain today.
  • 这 件 事 恐怕 你 帮忙 。Zhè jiàn shì kǒngpà děi nǐ bāngmáng.I'm afraid we're going to need your help with this matter.
  • 这样 做 恐怕 不太 合适 。Zhèyàng zuò kǒngpà bù tài héshì.I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do this.
  • 这 是 很 重要 的 决定 ,你 恐怕 这么 着急 。Zhè shì hěn zhòngyào de juédìng, nǐ kǒngpànéng zhème zhāojí.This is an important decision. I'm afraid you can't rush this one.
  • 老婆 ,我 晚上 要 加班 ,恐怕 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。Lǎopo, wǒ wǎnshang yào jiābān, kǒngpànéng huíjiā chī wǎnfàn le.Dear, 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 。Zhège yánsè tài fěn le, kǒngpà wǒ nǚ'ér bù xǐhuan.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 。Nǐ xiànzài zhīdào bèi piàn le? Kǒngpà piànzi zǎo jiù pǎo le.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 Kǒngpà méi nàme róngyì ba.I'm afraid it's not that easy.
  • 一个人 去 那个 地方 恐怕 不太 安全 Yīgèrén qù nàge dìfang kǒngpà bù tài ānquán ba.I'm afraid it's not safe to go there alone.
  • 你 这样 说 ,恐怕 她 会 不 高兴 Nǐ zhèyàng shuō, kǒngpà tā huì bù gāoxìng ba.If you put it that way, I'm afraid she will be upset.

See also

Sources and further reading

Videos

Books