Chinese verb · action · first needed at elementary level (A2)
开
kāi
to open; to drive; to hold (a meeting)
Goes with many objects: (kāi mén, open the door), (kāichē, drive), (kāihuì, have a meeting), (kāi dēng, switch on the light). and split: (kāile liǎng ge xiǎoshí de huì).
Speed:
Basic
基本
What someone does, usually or in general.
| affirmative | 我每天开车上班。Wǒ měi tiān kāichē shàngbān. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 我不开车。Wǒ bù kāichē. | |
| question | 你开车吗？Nǐ kāichē ma? |
Completed
了
了 marks it as done. With , 了 and the length of time go in the middle.
| affirmative | 我们开了两个小时的会。Wǒmen kāile liǎng ge xiǎoshí de huì. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 我们今天没开会。Wǒmen jīntiān méi kāihuì. | |
| question | 你们开会了吗？Nǐmen kāihuì le ma? |
Experience
过
(kāiguo chē): have driven before.
| affirmative | 我在中国开过车。Wǒ zài Zhōngguó kāiguo chē. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 我没开过车。Wǒ méi kāiguo chē. | |
| question | 你开过车吗？Nǐ kāiguo chē ma? |
In progress
在
(zài kāihuì): in a meeting right now.
| affirmative | 他在开会。Tā zài kāihuì. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 他没在开会。Tā méi zài kāihuì. | |
| question | 他在开会吗？Tā zài kāihuì ma? |
Future and intention
要 / 会
: there's a meeting coming up.
| affirmative | 我明天要开会。Wǒ míngtiān yào kāihuì. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 我明天不开会。Wǒ míngtiān bù kāihuì. | |
| question | 你明天要开会吗？Nǐ míngtiān yào kāihuì ma? |
Ability and permission
能 / 可以 / 会
(huì kāichē): can drive. : can't drive (right now).
| affirmative | 我会开车。Wǒ huì kāichē. | |
|---|---|---|
| negative | 我不会开车。Wǒ bú huì kāichē. | |
| question | 你会开车吗？Nǐ huì kāichē ma? | |
| can't | 我喝了酒，开不了车。Wǒ hēle jiǔ, kāi bu liǎo chē. |
Examples
- 天黑了，开灯吧。Tiān hēi le, kāi dēng ba.It's got dark, let's turn on the light.
- 我开车送你去机场。Wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù jīchǎng.I'll drive you to the airport.
- 下午三点我们开会。Xiàwǔ sān diǎn wǒmen kāihuì.We have a meeting at three this afternoon.