Difference between revisions of "Result complement "-wan" for finishing"

m (Text replacement - "Māmā" to "Māma")
(38 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Of all the result complements in Chinese, this one is one of the most satisfying to use, since it implies "finishing" something. On its own, 完 (wán) means "to finish" or "complete." Using it in this grammar structure, it expresses the idea of doing the verb until you are complete.
+
On its own, 完 (wán) means "to finish" or "to complete." Using it in this grammar structure, it expresses the idea of doing some action to completion.
 +
 
 +
== Basic Usage ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
Line 8: Line 10:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Verb + 完
 +
</div>
  
Subj. + Verb + + Obj.
+
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*我们 明天 可以 做 <em>完</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen míngtiān kěyǐ zuò <em>wán</em>.</span><span class="trans">We can finish doing it tomorrow.</span>
 +
*你 能 吃 <em>完</em> 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng chī <em>wán</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you finish eating all?</span>
 +
*我 今天 要 写 <em></em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān yào xiě <em>wán</em>.</span><span class="trans">I need to finish writing it today.</span>
 +
*我 没 看 <em>完</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi kàn <em>wán</em>.</span><span class="trans">I didn't finish reading it.</span>
  
 +
</div>
 +
 +
== Usage of 完了 (wán le) ==
 +
 +
Frequently, you'll also see a 了 (le) at the end, [[expressing completion with "le"|indicating completion]].
 +
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Verb + 完 + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Line 17: Line 38:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 说 <em>完</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ shuō <em>wán</em> le.</span> <span class="trans">I am finished talking.</span>
+
*我 说 <em>完</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shuō <em>wán</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I am finished talking.</span>
* 你 吃 <em>完</em> 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī <em>wán</em> le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Are you done eating?</span>
+
*你 吃 <em>完</em> <strong>了</strong> 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī <em>wán</em> <strong>le</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you done eating?</span>
* 你 做 <em>完</em> 以后,就 可以 下班 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuò <em>wán</em> yǐhòu, jiù kěyǐ xiàbān le.</span> <span class="trans">After you finish doing it, you can get off work.</span>
+
*我 看 <em>完</em> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ kàn <em>wán</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I have finished watching it.</span>
* 你 今天 可以 做 <em>完</em> 作业 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ jīntiān kěyǐ zuò <em>wán</em> zuòyè ma?</span> <span class="trans">Can you finish doing your homework today?</span>
+
*<em>完</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Mài <em>wán</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">It's sold out.</span>
* 你 什么时候 可以 看 <em>完</em> 这 本 书? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ shénme shíhou kěyǐ kàn <em>wán</em> zhè běn shū?</span> <span class="trans">When can you finish reading this book?</span>
+
*我们 打扫 <em>完</em> <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dǎsǎo <em>wán</em> <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We finished cleaning.</span>
* 我 想 看 <em>完</em> 电影 再 回家。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng kàn <em>wán</em> diànyǐng zài huíjiā.</span> <span class="trans">I want to finish watching the movie and then go back home.</span>
+
 
* 妈妈 洗 <em></em> 衣服 以后 就 去 做 晚饭 了。 <span class="pinyin">Māma xǐ <em>wán</em> yīfu yǐhòu jiù qù zuò wǎnfàn le.</span> <span class="trans">After mom finished washing clothes, she went to go cook dinner.</span>
+
</div>
* <em>完</em> 这 些 作业 需要 两 个 小时 。 <span class="pinyin">Zuò <em>wán</em> zuòyè xūyào liǎng gè xiǎoshí.</span> <span class="trans">To finish your homework you will need two hours.</span>
+
 
* 看 <em>完</em> 以后 告诉 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Kàn <em>wán</em> yǐhòu gàosu wǒ.</span> <span class="trans">Tell me when you have finished watching.</span>
+
== Where to put the object ==
* 我们 学 <em>完</em> 了 一百 个 词 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xué <em>wán</em> le yībǎi ge cí.</span> <span class="trans">We have finished learning 100 words.</span>
+
 
 +
If there is an object followed by the verb, must be placed between the verb and the object. To indicate completion, 了 usually goes after the object.
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Verb + 完 + Obj. + 了
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
A few examples:
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*我 做 <em>完</em> 作业 <em></em> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuò <em>wán</em> zuòyè <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I finished doing my homework.</span>
 +
*老板 开 <em>完</em> 会 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn kāi <em>wán</em> huì <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The boss finished having the meeting.</span>
 +
*看 <em>完</em> 这本书 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ kàn <em>wán</em> zhè běn shū <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I finished reading this book.</span>
 +
*我们 学 <em>完</em> 这 篇 课文 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xué <em>wán</em> zhè piān kèwén <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We finished studying this lesson.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 35: Line 70:
  
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="x">我 <strong>完 了 </strong> 电影。<span class="expl">In Chinese we need to know: did you <em>watch</em> the movie, or <em>make</em> the movie?</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>wán le</strong> diànyǐng.</span></li>
+
<li class="x">我 <em>完</em> 了 电影 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>wán</em> le diànyǐng.</span></li>
<li class="o"><strong></strong> 电影 。<span class="expl">Tell us that you watched it till the end.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>kàn wán le</strong> diànyǐng.</span><span class="trans">I finished watching the movie.</span></li>
+
<li class="o">我看 <em>完</em> 电影 。<span class="expl">To tell us that you watched it till the end.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ kàn <em>wán</em> le diànyǐng.</span><span class="trans">I finished watching the movie.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
Line 42: Line 77:
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 +
 
* [[Result complements "dao" and "jian"]]
 
* [[Result complements "dao" and "jian"]]
 
* [[Result complement "-cuo"]]
 
* [[Result complement "-cuo"]]
Line 50: Line 86:
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 273-84) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
+
{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|273-84}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 97-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
+
{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|97-9}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2]] (p. 42) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2|42}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2]] (p. 86) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2|86}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 152-3) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|152-3}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 87-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
+
{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|87-8}}
* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp. 186-7) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
+
{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|186-7}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK2}}
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
 
[[Category:Result complement]]
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
{{Basic Grammar|完|A2|Subj. + Verb + 完 + Obj.|我 说 <em>完</em> 了。|grammar point|ASGNQUC1}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|完|A2|Verb + 完 (+ 了)|我 说 <em>完</em> 了。|grammar point|ASGNQUC1}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Similar|Result complements "dao" and "jian"}}
 
{{Similar|Result complements "dao" and "jian"}}

Revision as of 08:47, 10 April 2019

On its own, 完 (wán) means "to finish" or "to complete." Using it in this grammar structure, it expresses the idea of doing some action to completion.

Basic Usage

Structure

As well as with 到 (dào) and 见 (jiàn), you can also form result complements with 完 (wán). This indicates that an action is finished or completed.

Subj. + Verb + 完

Examples

  • 我们 明天 可以 做 Wǒmen míngtiān kěyǐ zuò wán.We can finish doing it tomorrow.
  • 你 能 吃 吗 ?Nǐ néng chī wán ma?Can you finish eating all?
  • 我 今天 要 写 Wǒ jīntiān yào xiě wán.I need to finish writing it today.
  • 我 没 看 Wǒ méi kàn wán.I didn't finish reading it.

Usage of 完了 (wán le)

Frequently, you'll also see a 了 (le) at the end, indicating completion.

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 完 + 了

Examples

  • 我 说 Wǒ shuō wán le.I am finished talking.
  • 你 吃 吗 ? Nǐ chī wán le ma?Are you done eating?
  • 我 看 了 。Wǒ kàn wán le.I have finished watching it.
  • Mài wán le.It's sold out.
  • 我们 打扫 Wǒmen dǎsǎo wán le.We finished cleaning.

Where to put the object

If there is an object followed by the verb, 完 must be placed between the verb and the object. To indicate completion, 了 usually goes after the object.

Subj. + Verb + 完 + Obj. + 了

A few examples:

  • 我 做 作业 Wǒ zuò wán zuòyè le.I finished doing my homework.
  • 老板 开 Lǎobǎn kāi wán huì le.The boss finished having the meeting.
  • 我 看 这本书 Wǒ kàn wán zhè běn shū le.I finished reading this book.
  • 我们 学 这 篇 课文 Wǒmen xué wán zhè piān kèwén le.We finished studying this lesson.

In English we say "I finished the movie," or "I finished supper," but in Chinese you should explicitly use the verb implied in English along with 完了 (wán le) to emphasize that you completed the action: "watch the movie (till the end)" or "eat (all my) supper."

  • 了 电影 。wán le diànyǐng.
  • 我看 了 电影 。To tell us that you watched it till the end.Wǒ kàn wán le diànyǐng.I finished watching the movie.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books