Chinese grammar · Elementary (A2)
How long and how often
How to say how long something lasts (住两个晚上, 学了三年) and how often it happens (常常, 每天, 一个星期两次).
How long: after the verb
A point in time (when) goes before the verb, but a length of time (how long) goes after it: (wǒ zhù liǎng ge wǎnshang), I'm staying two nights; (wǒ měi tiān shuì qī ge xiǎoshí), I sleep seven hours a day. Ask with (duō cháng shíjiān) or (duō jiǔ), how long.
Note the measure word with hours, weeks and months, but not with minutes, days or years.
| Length of time | English |
|---|---|
| (wǔ fēnzhōng) | five minutes |
| (bàn ge xiǎoshí) | half an hour |
| (liǎng ge xiǎoshí) | two hours |
| (yì tiān) | a day |
| (sān ge xīngqī) | three weeks |
| (yí ge duō yuè) | over a month |
| (bàn nián) | half a year |
| (liǎng nián) | two years |
- 您住几个晚上？Nín zhù jǐ ge wǎnshang?How many nights are you staying?
- 我们等了二十分钟。Wǒmen děngle èrshí fēnzhōng.We waited twenty minutes.
- 从北京到西安坐高铁要四个半小时。Cóng Běijīng dào Xī'ān zuò gāotiě yào sì ge bàn xiǎoshí.The high-speed train from Beijing to Xi'an takes four and a half hours.
With an object, and with 了…了
When the verb has an object, either repeat the verb: (wǒ xué Zhōngwén xuéle liǎng nián), or put the length of time between the verb and the object: (wǒ xuéle liǎng nián Zhōngwén). Both mean I studied Chinese for two years. A person comes before the time: (wǒ děngle nǐ bàn ge xiǎoshí), I waited half an hour for you.
Verb + object words split around the time: (yóule yí ge xiǎoshí yǒng), swam for an hour. One 了 means the time is over; 了…了 means it's still going on: (tā zài zhèr gōngzuòle sān nián le), he's been working here for three years.
For how long something hasn't happened, the time goes before : (wǒ liǎng nián méi huí jiā le), I haven't been home for two years.
- 我咳嗽了一个星期了。Wǒ késoule yí ge xīngqī le.I've had a cough for a week.
- 她学钢琴学了十年。Tā xué gāngqín xuéle shí nián.She studied the piano for ten years.
- 我们好久没见面了。Wǒmen hǎojiǔ méi jiànmiàn le.We haven't seen each other for ages.
How often: frequency words
Words for how often go before the verb: (měi tiān), every day; (chángcháng) or (jīngcháng), often; (yǒushíhou), sometimes; (hěn shǎo), rarely; (cónglái bù), never. (měi) is usually followed by (dōu): (wǒ měi tiān dōu pǎobù), I go running every day.
- 我常常在家做饭。Wǒ chángcháng zài jiā zuòfàn.I often cook at home.
- 他很少喝酒。Tā hěn shǎo hē jiǔ.He rarely drinks alcohol.
- 我从来不吃早饭。Wǒ cónglái bù chī zǎofàn.I never eat breakfast.
How many times: 次
(cì), time, counts how often something happens. Number + goes after the verb: (wǒ qùguo liǎng cì), I've been twice. The period comes first: (yí ge xīngqī yóu liǎng cì), swim twice a week. On medicine: (yì tiān sān cì, yí cì liǎng piàn), three times a day, two tablets each time.
- 我一个星期打两次篮球。Wǒ yí ge xīngqī dǎ liǎng cì lánqiú.I play basketball twice a week.
- 这个药一天吃三次。Zhège yào yì tiān chī sān cì.Take this medicine three times a day.
- 你来过几次中国？Nǐ láiguo jǐ cì Zhōngguó?How many times have you been to China?