Difference between revisions of "Using "lai" as a dummy verb"

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*我 <em>来</em> 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>lái</em> ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me do it.</span>
 
*我 <em>来</em> 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>lái</em> ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me do it.</span>
 
*让 我 <em>来</em> 吧。<span class="pinyin">Ràng wǒ <em>lái</em> ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me do it.</span>
 
*让 我 <em>来</em> 吧。<span class="pinyin">Ràng wǒ <em>lái</em> ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me do it.</span>
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*我 <em>来</em> 看看 它 怎么 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>lái</em> kànkan tā zěnme le.</span><span class="trans">Let me see what happened with it.</span>
 
*你 <em>来</em>! <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>lái</em>!</span><span class="trans">You do it!</span>
 
*你 <em>来</em>! <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>lái</em>!</span><span class="trans">You do it!</span>
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*你 <em>来</em> 说 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>lái</em> shuō ba.</span><span class="trans">You say it.</span>
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*你 <em>来</em> 切 吧 ,我怕 她 会 切到 手 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>lái</em> qiē bā, wǒ pà tā huì qiēdào shǒu.</span><span class="trans">You cut it. I'm afraid she will cut her finger.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:35, 25 August 2017

Chinese-grammar-wiki-lai.jpg

The verb 来 (lái) can be used as a "dummy verb," similar to the way "do" is used in English.

Structure

The structure for using 来 as a dummy verb is very basic. Usually it is a very short phrase, kind of like "your turn!," "let me give it a shot!," or "you do it!" in English. Usually it is used with 你 or 我 as the subject, and it ends with the 来. Sometimes it can end with a 吧.

A scenario: Imagine you are with your some friends making dinner. There is a bottle of Chinese pickles that you want to open, but can't because the lid is so tight. You start passing it around to see who can open it, and no one is able to, until your body-builder friend comes in and says, "我来!" He is saying, "Let me do it!"

Subj. + 来 + (吧)

Examples

  • 吧。lái ba.Let me do it.
  • 让 我 吧。Ràng wǒ lái ba.Let me do it.
  • 看看 它 怎么 了 。lái kànkan tā zěnme le.Let me see what happened with it.
  • lái!You do it!
  • 说 吧 。lái shuō ba.You say it.
  • 切 吧 ,我怕 她 会 切到 手 。lái qiē bā, wǒ pà tā huì qiēdào shǒu.You cut it. I'm afraid she will cut her finger.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Academic Articles

HSK4