Difference between revisions of "Expressing duration of inaction"

Line 1: Line 1:
Expressing how long someone has ''not'' been done is slightly different to expressing the [[Expressing duration|duration of an action]]. The structure is:
+
== Structure ==
 +
 
 +
Expressing how long someone has ''not'' been done is slightly different to expressing the [[Expressing duration|duration of an action]].  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Line 9: Line 11:
 
So now the duration comes right after the subject and 了 is at the end of the sentence. The verb has to be [[Negation of past actions|negated with 没]], as the action ''hasn't'' happened.
 
So now the duration comes right after the subject and 了 is at the end of the sentence. The verb has to be [[Negation of past actions|negated with 没]], as the action ''hasn't'' happened.
  
Some examples:
+
== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">

Revision as of 06:23, 21 May 2012

Structure

Expressing how long someone has not been done is slightly different to expressing the duration of an action.

Subject + Duration + 没 + Verb + Object + 了

So now the duration comes right after the subject and 了 is at the end of the sentence. The verb has to be negated with 没, as the action hasn't happened.

Examples

  • 他 已经 三 天 没 洗澡
  • 两 个 月 没 喝 啤酒
  • 他们 十 个 小时 没 吃饭

See also