Using the verb "qu"

Revision as of 22:50, 24 November 2013 by Parry (talk | contribs) (Text replace - "{{Grammar Box}}" to "{{Grammar Box}}{{#seo:keywords={{SEO Keywords}}}} ")
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.

Structure with just a Place

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

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.
  • 上 中文 课。I'm going to have Chinese class. / I'm going to have a Chinese lesson.
  • 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.

Structure 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)."

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

Expressing movement