Difference between revisions of "Using "dao" to mean "to go to""

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A simple and direct way to indicate that you arrived somewhere is to use the verb 到 (dào).
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A simple and direct way to indicate that you or someone is going to a specific place or has arrived at a specific place is to use the verb 到 (dào).
  
 
== Place ==
 
== Place ==
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* 我 <em>到</em> 上海 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dào</em> Shànghǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I am bound for Shanghai.</span>
 
* 我 <em>到</em> 上海 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dào</em> Shànghǎi.</span> <span class="trans">I am bound for Shanghai.</span>
 
* 他们 已经 <em>到</em> 酒吧 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen yǐjīng <em>dào</em> jiǔbā le.</span> <span class="trans">They already got to the bar.</span>
 
* 他们 已经 <em>到</em> 酒吧 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen yǐjīng <em>dào</em> jiǔbā le.</span> <span class="trans">They already got to the bar.</span>
* 我 刚 <em>到</em>家 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gāng <em>dào</em>jiā.</span> <span class="trans">I just got home.</span>
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* 我 刚 <em>到</em> 家 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gāng <em>dào</em> jiā.</span> <span class="trans">I just got home.</span>
 
* 你 <em>到</em> 公司 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dào</em> gōngsī le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you get to the company?</span>
 
* 你 <em>到</em> 公司 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dào</em> gōngsī le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Did you get to the company?</span>
* 我们 先 <em>到</em>北京 , 然后 <em>到</em>香港 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiān <em>dào</em>Běijīng, ránhòu <em>dào</em>Xiānggǎng.</span> <span class="trans">First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.</span>
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* 我们 先 <em>到</em> 北京 , 然后 <em>到</em> 香港 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiān <em>dào</em> Běijīng, ránhòu <em>dào</em> Xiānggǎng.</span> <span class="trans">First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.</span>
 
* 你 <em>到</em> 南京 路 的 时候 , 给 我 打 电话 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dào</em> Nánjīng lù de shíhou, gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà bā.</span> <span class="trans">When you arrive at Nanjing Road, give me a call.</span>
 
* 你 <em>到</em> 南京 路 的 时候 , 给 我 打 电话 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dào</em> Nánjīng lù de shíhou, gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà bā.</span> <span class="trans">When you arrive at Nanjing Road, give me a call.</span>
 
* 两 年 以前 我 <em>到</em> 了 中国 。 <span class="pinyin">Liǎng nián yǐqián wǒ <em>dào</em> le Zhōngguó.</span> <span class="trans">Two years ago I arrived in China.</span>
 
* 两 年 以前 我 <em>到</em> 了 中国 。 <span class="pinyin">Liǎng nián yǐqián wǒ <em>dào</em> le Zhōngguó.</span> <span class="trans">Two years ago I arrived in China.</span>
 
* 从 这里 <em>到</em> 那 里 需要 一 个 小时 。 <span class="pinyin">Cóng zhèlǐ <em>dào</em> nà lǐ xūyào yī gè xiǎoshí.</span> <span class="trans">To arrive there from here takes an hour.</span>
 
* 从 这里 <em>到</em> 那 里 需要 一 个 小时 。 <span class="pinyin">Cóng zhèlǐ <em>dào</em> nà lǐ xūyào yī gè xiǎoshí.</span> <span class="trans">To arrive there from here takes an hour.</span>
* 请 问 这 个 地铁 <em>到</em> 火车站 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Qǐng wèn zhè gè dìtiě <em>dào</em> huǒchēzhàn ma?</span> <span class="trans"></span>
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* 请 问 这 个 地铁 <em>到</em> 火车站 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Qǐng wèn zhè gè dìtiě <em>dào</em> huǒchēzhàn ma?</span> <span class="trans">Excuse me, does this subway go to the train station?</span>
  
 
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* 他们 要 <em>到</em> 酒吧 去 喝 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen yào <em>dào</em> jiǔbā qù hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">They are going to the bar to drink.</span>
 
* 他们 要 <em>到</em> 酒吧 去 喝 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen yào <em>dào</em> jiǔbā qù hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">They are going to the bar to drink.</span>
 
* 今年 我们 <em>到</em> 中国 去 旅游 。 <span class="pinyin">Jīnnián wǒmen <em>dào</em> Zhōngguó qù lǚyóu.</span> <span class="trans">This year we are going to China to travel.</span>
 
* 今年 我们 <em>到</em> 中国 去 旅游 。 <span class="pinyin">Jīnnián wǒmen <em>dào</em> Zhōngguó qù lǚyóu.</span> <span class="trans">This year we are going to China to travel.</span>
* 我们 <em>到</em> 公园 去 看 书 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>dào</em> gōngyuán qù kān shū bā.</span> <span class="trans">Let's go to the park to read.</span>
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* 我们 <em>到</em> 公园 去 看书 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>dào</em> gōngyuán qù kànshū bā.</span> <span class="trans">Let's go to the park to read.</span>
* 我们 经常 <em>到</em> KTV 去 唱 歌 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jīngcháng <em>dào</em> KTV qù chàng gē.</span> <span class="trans">We often go to Karaoke to sing songs.</span>
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* 我们 经常 <em>到</em> KTV 去 唱歌 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jīngcháng <em>dào</em> KTV qù chànggē.</span> <span class="trans">We often go to Karaoke to sing songs.</span>
* 明天 我 <em>到</em> 女朋友 家 里 去 见 她 的 父母 。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān wǒ <em>dào</em> nǚpéngyou jiā lǐ qù jiàn tā de fùmǔ.</span> <span class="trans">Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.</span>
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* 明天 我 <em>到</em> 女朋友 家里 去 见 她 的 父母 。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān wǒ <em>dào</em> nǚpéngyou jiālǐ qù jiàn tā de fùmǔ.</span> <span class="trans">Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.</span>
* 我 想 <em>到</em> 商店 去 买 点 水果 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>dào</em> shāng diàn qù mǎi diǎn shuǐguǒ.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to the store to buy fruit.</span>
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* 我 想 <em>到</em> 商店 去 买 点 水果 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>dào</em> shāngdiàn qù mǎi diǎn shuǐguǒ.</span> <span class="trans">I want to go to the store to buy fruit.</span>
* 你们 <em>到</em> 哪 里 吃 饭 啊 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>dào</em> nǎ lǐ chī fàn a?</span> <span class="trans">Where do you all go to eat food?</span>
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* 你们 <em>到</em> 哪里 吃饭 啊 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>dào</em> nǎlǐ chīfàn a?</span> <span class="trans">Where do you all go to eat food?</span>
 
* 小 狗 <em>到</em> 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎo gǒu <em>dào</em> shāfā shàng qù shuìjiào le.</span> <span class="trans">The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.</span>
 
* 小 狗 <em>到</em> 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎo gǒu <em>dào</em> shāfā shàng qù shuìjiào le.</span> <span class="trans">The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.</span>
  

Revision as of 02:43, 22 July 2015

A simple and direct way to indicate that you or someone is going to a specific place or has arrived at a specific place is to use the verb 到 (dào).

Place

Structure

The verb 到 (dào) is used to talk about going to places.

Subject + 到 + Place

Examples

  • 你 要 哪儿 ? Nǐ yào dào nǎr? Where are you going to?
  • 上海 。 dào Shànghǎi. I am bound for Shanghai.
  • 他们 已经 酒吧 了 。 Tāmen yǐjīng dào jiǔbā le. They already got to the bar.
  • 我 刚 家 。 Wǒ gāng dào jiā. I just got home.
  • 公司 了 吗 ? dào gōngsī le ma? Did you get to the company?
  • 我们 先 北京 , 然后 香港 。 Wǒmen xiān dào Běijīng, ránhòu dào Xiānggǎng. First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.
  • 南京 路 的 时候 , 给 我 打 电话 吧 。 dào Nánjīng lù de shíhou, gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà bā. When you arrive at Nanjing Road, give me a call.
  • 两 年 以前 我 了 中国 。 Liǎng nián yǐqián wǒ dào le Zhōngguó. Two years ago I arrived in China.
  • 从 这里 那 里 需要 一 个 小时 。 Cóng zhèlǐ dào nà lǐ xūyào yī gè xiǎoshí. To arrive there from here takes an hour.
  • 请 问 这 个 地铁 火车站 吗 ? Qǐng wèn zhè gè dìtiě dào huǒchēzhàn ma? Excuse me, does this subway go to the train station?

Place and action

Structure

If you are going to a place to do something else, you can add 去 (qù) and the verb. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something."

Subject + 到 + Place + 去 + Action

Examples

  • 中国 去 学习 中文 。 dào Zhōngguó qù xuéxí Zhōngwén. I go to China to study Chinese.
  • 那儿 去 做 什么 ? dào nàr qù zuò shénme? What did you go there to do?
  • 他们 要 酒吧 去 喝 酒 。 Tāmen yào dào jiǔbā qù hē jiǔ. They are going to the bar to drink.
  • 今年 我们 中国 去 旅游 。 Jīnnián wǒmen dào Zhōngguó qù lǚyóu. This year we are going to China to travel.
  • 我们 公园 去 看书 吧 。 Wǒmen dào gōngyuán qù kànshū bā. Let's go to the park to read.
  • 我们 经常 KTV 去 唱歌 。 Wǒmen jīngcháng dào KTV qù chànggē. We often go to Karaoke to sing songs.
  • 明天 我 女朋友 家里 去 见 她 的 父母 。 Míngtiān wǒ dào nǚpéngyou jiālǐ qù jiàn tā de fùmǔ. Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.
  • 我 想 商店 去 买 点 水果 。 Wǒ xiǎng dào shāngdiàn qù mǎi diǎn shuǐguǒ. I want to go to the store to buy fruit.
  • 你们 哪里 去 吃饭 啊 ? Nǐmen dào nǎlǐ qù chīfàn a? Where do you all go to eat food?
  • 小 狗 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了 。 Xiǎo gǒu dào shāfā shàng qù shuìjiào le. The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.

到, 去, and 走

Sometimes it can be hard to figure out exactly which word to use in Chinese to mean "go." 到 (dào) is used when you talk about arriving at a place, emphasizing the destination. 去 (qù) is used when you are going to a place. The exact meaning is "to go," and it emphasizes getting somewhere. 走 (zǒu) is used when talking about "leaving." The emphasis is on getting away from a particular place.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books