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).
  
== Structure for place==
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== 到 (dào) for Arriving in a Place ==
  
The verb 到 (dào) is used to talk about going to places.
+
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
The verb 到 (dào) is used to talk about arriving in places.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 到 + Place
 +
</div>
 +
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 +
For these examples, it's straightforward to think of 到 (dào) as simply meaning "to arrive."
 +
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 +
* 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 have already arrived at 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>
 +
* 你 <em>到</em> 机场 了 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>dào</em> jīchǎng le ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you arrived at the airport?</span>
 +
* 我 已经 <em>到</em> 火车站 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng <em>dào</em> huǒchēzhàn le.</span><span class="trans">I've already arrived at the train station.</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>
 +
 +
</div>
 +
 +
In some examples translating 到 (dào) as "to arrive" doesn't work as well and you might need to expand your understanding of exactly what 到 (dào) means. That's what we'll examine below.
  
Subject + + Place  
+
== (dào) for Coming or Going to a Place ==
  
 +
One commonly used structure takes the above one and adds a 来 (lái) or 去 (qù) to the end of the sentence.
 +
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
到 + Place + 来 / 去
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>到</em> 上海。<span class="trans">I arrived at Shanghai.</span>
+
*我 下午 在 家 ,你 可以 <strong>到</strong> 我家 <em></em> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiàwǔ zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ <strong>dào</strong> wǒ jiā <em>lái</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'll be home this afternoon. You can come to my house.</span>
* 你 要 <em></em> 哪儿?<span class="trans">Where are you going to?</span>
+
*老板 马上 <strong>到</strong> 办公室 <em></em> <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn mǎshàng <strong>dào</strong> bàngōngshì <em></em>.</span><span class="trans">The boss is going to the office right now.</span>
* 他们 <em></em> 酒吧。<span class="trans">They got to the bar.</span>
 
* 我 刚<em>到</em>家。<span class="trans">I just got home.</span>
 
* 你<em>到</em>公司 了 吗?<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="trans">First we'll arrive in Beijing, then in Hong Kong.</span>
 
* 你<em></em>南京路 的 时候 给 我 打 电话 吧。<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="trans">Two years ago I arrived in China.</span>
 
* 从 这里 <em></em> 那 里 需要 一 个 小时。<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="trans">Can you ask the metro what train station we arrived at?</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Structure for place and action==
+
== Going to a Place and Performing an Action==
  
If you are going to a place to do something else, you can add 去 and the verb. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something."
+
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
If you are going to a place to do something else, you can first use 到 (dào) to indicate where you're going, then add another verb after that. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something," and it's one case where the "arrive" translation doesn't really work anymore.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + 到 + Place + 去 + Action
+
Subj. + 到 + Place + Verb Phrase
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>到</em> 中国 去 学习 中文。<span class="trans">I go to China to study Chinese.</span>
+
* 明天 <em>到</em> 南京 路 买 衣服。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān wǒ yào <em>dào</em> Nánjīng Lù mǎi yīfu.</span><span class="trans">Tomorrow I'll go to Nanjing Road to buy clothes.</span>
* 你 <em></em> 那儿 去 做 什么?<span class="trans">What did you go there to do?</span>
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* 你们 晚上 <em>到</em> 哪儿 吃饭 啊?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen wǎnshang <em>dào</em> nǎr chīfàn a?</span><span class="trans">Where will you all go to eat food this evening?</span>
* 他们 要 <em>到</em> 酒吧 去 喝 酒。<span class="trans">They are going to the bar to drink.</span>
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* 我 跟 朋友 经常 <em>到</em> KTV 唱歌 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēn péngyou jīngcháng <em>dào</em> KTV chànggē.</span><span class="trans">I often go to Karaoke to sing songs with friends.</span>
* 今年 我们 <em></em> 中国 去 旅游。<span class="trans">This year we are going to China to travel.</span>
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* 今年 春节 <em>到</em> 女朋友 家 见 她 的 父母 。 <span class="pinyin">Jīnnián Chūnjié wǒ yào <em>dào</em> nǚpéngyou jiā jiàn tā de fùmǔ.</span><span class="trans">This Spring Festival I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.</span>
* 我们 <em>到</em> 公园 去 看 书 吧。<span class="trans">Let's go to the park to read.</span>
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* 下 个 月 我 要 <em>到</em> 美国 出差。 <span class="pinyin">Xià gè yuè wǒ yào <em>dào</em> Měiguó chūchāi.</span><span class="trans">Next month I need to go to the USA on a business trip.</span>
* 我们 经常 <em></em> KTV 去 唱 歌。<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="trans">Tomorrow I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.</span>
 
* 我 想 <em></em> 商店 去 买 点 水果。<span class="trans">I want to go to the store to buy fruit.</span>
 
* 我们 <em>到</em> 哪 里 去 吃 饭 啊?<span class="trans">Did you all go there to eat food?</span>
 
* 小 狗 <em></em> 沙发 上 去 睡觉 了。<span class="trans">The small dog went on top of the sofa to sleep.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See also==
+
You might be wondering: ''can I just use 去 (qù) instead of 到 (dào)?'' For sentences like this, ''yes, you can.'' But native speakers will frequently use 到 (dào) in this way, so it's still good to be familiar with this pattern. If you want to sound more native, you should use it too!
 +
 
 +
== 到 (dào), 去 (qù), and 走 (zǒu) ==
 +
 
 +
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 to'' somewhere. 走 (zǒu) is used when talking about "leaving." The emphasis is on getting ''away'' from a particular place.
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
 
 
*[[Using "zai" with verbs]]
 
*[[Using "zai" with verbs]]
*[[Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"]]
 
 
*[["From… To…" with "cong… dao…"]]
 
*[["From… To…" with "cong… dao…"]]
 +
*[[Complement with "dao"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
Line 67: Line 88:
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)]] (pp. 200)
+
* [[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)]] (p. 200)
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 72) [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]
+
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (p. 72) [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]
 
 
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing movement}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing movement}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|到|A2|到 + Place|我 <em>到</em> 上海。|grammar point|ASGLFX54}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|到|A2|到 + Place|我 <em>到</em> 上海。|grammar point|ASGLFX54}}
 
{{Rel char|去}}
 
{{Rel char|去}}
 
{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}  
 
{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}  
{{Similar|Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"}}
+
{{Similar|Complement with "dao"}}
 
{{Similar|"From… To…" with "cong… dao…"}}
 
{{Similar|"From… To…" with "cong… dao…"}}
 
{{Similar|Using the verb "qu"}}
 
{{Similar|Using the verb "qu"}}

Latest revision as of 08:53, 21 April 2021

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).

到 (dào) for Arriving in a Place

Structure

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

Subj. + 到 + Place

Examples

For these examples, it's straightforward to think of 到 (dào) as simply meaning "to arrive."

  • 他们 已经 酒吧 了。 Tāmen yǐjīng dào jiǔbā le.They have already arrived at the bar.
  • 我 刚 家。 Wǒ gāng dào jiā.I just got home.
  • 机场 了 吗? dào jīchǎng le ma?Have you arrived at the airport?
  • 我 已经 火车站 了。 Wǒ yǐjīng dào huǒchēzhàn le.I've already arrived at the train station.
  • 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.

In some examples translating 到 (dào) as "to arrive" doesn't work as well and you might need to expand your understanding of exactly what 到 (dào) means. That's what we'll examine below.

到 (dào) for Coming or Going to a Place

One commonly used structure takes the above one and adds a 来 (lái) or 去 (qù) to the end of the sentence.

Structure

到 + Place + 来 / 去

Examples

  • 我 下午 在 家 ,你 可以 我家 Wǒ xiàwǔ zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ dào wǒ jiā lái.I'll be home this afternoon. You can come to my house.
  • 老板 马上 办公室 Lǎobǎn mǎshàng dào bàngōngshì .The boss is going to the office right now.

Going to a Place and Performing an Action

Structure

If you are going to a place to do something else, you can first use 到 (dào) to indicate where you're going, then add another verb after that. This has the meaning of "going to the place to do something," and it's one case where the "arrive" translation doesn't really work anymore.

Subj. + 到 + Place + Verb Phrase

Examples

  • 明天 我 要 南京 路 买 衣服。 Míngtiān wǒ yào dào Nánjīng Lù mǎi yīfu.Tomorrow I'll go to Nanjing Road to buy clothes.
  • 你们 晚上 哪儿 吃饭 啊?Nǐmen wǎnshang dào nǎr chīfàn a?Where will you all go to eat food this evening?
  • 我 跟 朋友 经常 KTV 唱歌 。 Wǒ gēn péngyou jīngcháng dào KTV chànggē.I often go to Karaoke to sing songs with friends.
  • 今年 春节 我 要 女朋友 家 见 她 的 父母 。 Jīnnián Chūnjié wǒ yào dào nǚpéngyou jiā jiàn tā de fùmǔ.This Spring Festival I am going to my girlfriend's house to meet her parents.
  • 下 个 月 我 要 美国 出差。 Xià gè yuè wǒ yào dào Měiguó chūchāi.Next month I need to go to the USA on a business trip.

You might be wondering: can I just use 去 (qù) instead of 到 (dào)? For sentences like this, yes, you can. But native speakers will frequently use 到 (dào) in this way, so it's still good to be familiar with this pattern. If you want to sound more native, you should use it too!

到 (dào), 去 (qù), and 走 (zǒu)

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 to 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