Difference between revisions of "Using the verb "qu""

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It's pretty easy to get a handle on the verb 去 (qù). The only trick is getting used to is not having to say "to" before the destination.
 
It's pretty easy to get a handle on the verb 去 (qù). The only trick is getting used to is not having to say "to" before the destination.
  
== with a Place ==
+
== with a Place ==
  
 
The verb 去 means "to go," and is an easy way to talk about going to places.
 
The verb 去 means "to go," and is an easy way to talk about going to places.
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When answering a yes-no question that uses 去 you don't need anything following it. However, it's important to note that you cannot just use 去 when there is no context.
 
When answering a yes-no question that uses 去 you don't need anything following it. However, it's important to note that you cannot just use 去 when there is no context.
  
== with a Verb ==
+
== with a Verb ==
  
 
The "place" can also be some sort of action. The structure then means "go to do (something)," and "go and do (something)."  
 
The "place" can also be some sort of action. The structure then means "go to do (something)," and "go and do (something)."  

Revision as of 08:14, 14 February 2014

Chinese-grammar-wiki-qu.jpg

It's pretty easy to get a handle on the verb 去 (qù). The only trick is getting used to is not having to say "to" before the destination.

去 with a Place

The verb 去 means "to go," and is an easy way to talk about going to places.

Structure

Subject + 去 + Place

Notice that you don't need a word to express "to."

Examples

  • 学校。(Present tense 去 often translates most naturally into an "-ing" form in English, expressing intent)I go to school. / I'm going to school.
  • 图书馆 。 (Present tense 去 often translates most naturally into an "-ing" form in English, expressing intent)He goes to the library. / He's going to the library.
  • 邮局 。 (Present tense 去 often translates most naturally into an "-ing" form in English, expressing intent)She goes to the post office. / She's going to the post office.
  • 公司 。(公司 literally means "company" but is often used to mean "office.")I'm going to the office.
  • 洗手间。I'm going to have Chinese class. / I'm going to the washroom.
  • 下午 我 会 超市。(会 is used here to indicate the future.)In the afternoon I'll go to the supermarket.
  • 我们 现在 公园。We're going to the park now.
  • 晚上 十 点 我们 酒吧 。你 去 吗 ?(Again, expressing intent, using 去 by itself)At 10pm we're going to the bar. Are you going?
  • 我们 那个中国餐厅吧。Let's go to that Chinese restaurant.
  • 我 想 中国。I'd like to go to China.
  • 我 太太 想 泰国。My wife would like to go to Thailand.
  • 昨天 我 了 那里。(了 is used here to express a completed action.)Yesterday I went there.
  • 去年 我 了 北京。(了 is used here to express a completed action.)Last year I went to Beijing.

You can also use 去 for asking questions. (Note the use of question words and question particles.)

  • 哪儿Where are you going?
  • A: 你 晚会 Are you going to the party?
  • B: 我 去。(literally, "I'm going.")Yes.

When answering a yes-no question that uses 去 you don't need anything following it. However, it's important to note that you cannot just use 去 when there is no context.

去 with a Verb

The "place" can also be some sort of action. The structure then means "go to do (something)," and "go and do (something)."

Structure

Subject + 去 + Verb

Examples

  • 工作 。I'm going to go work.
  • 上课 。He is going to class.
  • 他们 买 衣服 。They are going to buy clothes.
  • 看书 。I'm going to go read a book.
  • 告诉 他 。I'll go tell him.
  • 做饭 。I'll go cook.
  • 很 多 人 看 电影。A lot of people are going to watch a movie.
  • 我 想 游泳 。I'd like to go swimming.
  • 我们 旅游 吧 。Let's go traveling.
  • 九 点 开会 。At 9 o'clock we'll go have the meeting.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books