Level 2 Lesson 17.1 – They Waited For 20 Minutes.

GRAMMAR

Grammar 1: Times of Action in Chinese · HSK 2

We’ve learned a few Measure Words to say how many times an action is done already. For actions in general, we use 次(cì), for watching the full length of games, performances, it’s 场(chǎng) and for having meals, it’s 顿(dùn).

So if we want to say to do something for how many times, we can follow this sentence structure:

Subject + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Object

For example,

• wǒ zài tóngshì jiā chī le yí dùn fàn
  我在同事家吃了一顿饭。
  I ate meal (for) one "dun" at (my) coworker's home.
• tā jiē le liǎngcì diànhuà
  他接了两次电话。
  He answer the phone call (for) two "ci".
• wǒmen tī le sān chǎng bǐsài
  我们踢了三场比赛。
  We played game (for) three "chang".

However, if the Object is a Pronoun, it it should be put right after the verb.

Subject + Verb + Object: Pronoun + Number + Measure Word

For example,

• tā xiào le wǒ liǎng cì
  他笑了我两次。
  He laughed at me (for) two "ci".
• wǒ jīntiān lái le zhèlǐ sān cì
  我今天来了这里三次。
  I came here (for) three "ci" today.

And the number plus the Measure Word here is the Complement of the Verb. And this type of Complement is called Complement of Frequency, 动量补语, literally, action, amount, complement. It tells us for how many times an action has been done.

Grammar 2: Duration of Actions in Chinese · HSK 2

To express Duration of Actions in Chinese - to do something for how long, there can be two types of structures depending on whether the Verb Predicate has an Object.

The Time Duration in the following sentences is also the Complement 补语 of the Verb. It’s called Complement of Time-Measurement, or, Complement of Time-Duration, 时量补语, literally, Time, Amount, Complement. A 时量补语 tells us for how long an action has been done.

(1) Without Object

Subject + Verb + time duration 

For example,

• wǒ hái kěyǐ děng liǎngtiān
  我还可以等两天。
  I additional can wait (for) two days.
• háizi kū le shī fēnzhōng
  孩子哭了 十分钟。
  The child cried (for) 10 minutes.

(2) With Object

Subject + Verb + Object + Verb+ time duration 

For example,

• wǒ děng xiàozhǎng děng le liǎng ge xiǎoshí
  我等校长等了两个小时。
  I waited (for) the school principal waited (for) two hours.
  
• tā xué Hànyǔ xué le sān nián le
  他学汉语学了三年了。
  He learns Chinese learns (for) three years (already).

For negative sentences that needs to have time duration-how long involved, we can use both没/没有 and 不, but the meanings are a little bit different. (See also Comparison between 没 and 不)

Generally, if we use没, the negation is an objective fact. While if we use不, the negation is subjective and suggests people’s will or judgement.

The structure goes like this:

Subject + time duration + 不/没(有) + Verb + Object

For example,

• tóngshì liǎng nián méi chī ròu le
  同事两年没吃肉了。
  The coworker did not eat meat (for) two years (already). - A FACT
• tóngshì liǎng nián bú chī ròu le
  同事两年不吃肉了。
  The coworker does not eat meat (for) two years (already). - A DECISION