vault update: 2024-07-11 17:37:05
Affected files: Optative Verbs.md The Optative Verbs.md
This commit is contained in:
parent
c80f71b694
commit
d78f089d65
GPG Key ID:
010071F1482BA852
118
Optative Verbs.md
Normal file
118
Optative Verbs.md
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
|
||||
Optative verbs are those which express a wish or desire. In Chinese, this is done using an auxiliary verb, often referred to as a modal auxiliary or an optative verb.
|
||||
```
|
||||
Positive: Auxiliary + Verb
|
||||
Negative: 不 + Auxiliary + Verb
|
||||
Question: (a) Auxiliary + Verb + 吗 ?
|
||||
(b) (Auxiliary 不 Auxiliary) + Verb
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. 我想去中国参观访问
|
||||
I want to go and visit China.
|
||||
2. 你不应该在教室里吸烟。
|
||||
You shouldn't smoke in the classroom.
|
||||
3. 他会不会游泳？
|
||||
Does he know how to swim?
|
||||
|
||||
# 想xiǎng
|
||||
想xiǎng as an optative verb is a derivative of an actual substantive verb. It's basic meaning is "to think of/about". As an optative verb, it expresses intention or desire of doing something.
|
||||
1. 这个星期六你想去看电影吗？
|
||||
Do you feel like going to watch a movie this Saturday?
|
||||
2. 她想去看妈妈。
|
||||
She's (thinking about/wants to) go to see her mother.
|
||||
|
||||
想xiǎng can also be used with a sentence as it's object, to say "I think that...".
|
||||
1. 我想他明天回来上课。
|
||||
I think that he'll come back to class tomorrow.
|
||||
However, you can't negate this ("I don't think...") with 不想. Instead, you need to move 不 into the object sentence, to instead say "I think that not X":
|
||||
1. 我想他明天不回来上课。
|
||||
I think that he won't come back to class tomorrow
|
||||
I don't think he'll come back to class tomorrow.
|
||||
# 要yào
|
||||
要yào as an optative verb means "to desire", expressing a strong desire to carry out an action.
|
||||
1. 你要去厕所吗？
|
||||
Do you need to go to the bathroom?
|
||||
2. 你明天要不要去城里看朋友？
|
||||
Do you want to go into town to see friends tomorrow?
|
||||
|
||||
It can also be used to express a demand, a necessity imposed by the outside world -- "to have to" do something. Sometimes the adverb 一定yídìng is added to further underscore the urgency/importance of the demand.
|
||||
1. 对不起，我现在要去上课。我们晚上再谈吧。
|
||||
Sorry, I have to go to a class now. We'll talk again in the evening.
|
||||
2. 写字一定要写得慢。
|
||||
You definitely have to write characters slowly.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> [!help] 想 vs 要
|
||||
> The meaning of 想 and 要 is quite similar, and they can sometimes be used interchangeably. However, 要 represents a stronger intention; 想 is more of a "wish", whereas 要 is more of a "will".
|
||||
> 想 stresses the wishing, thinking about, and planning of an action.
|
||||
> 要 stresses the urge or demand for carrying it out.
|
||||
> 想 can be modified by a degree adverb (e.g. 很想), but 要 can't.
|
||||
|
||||
# 能néng
|
||||
The optative 能néng expresses the ability to carry out a certain action.
|
||||
1. 他现在能看中文杂志。
|
||||
He's now able to read Chinese magazines.
|
||||
|
||||
Like English' "can", 能 represents two kinds of abilities: (1) "ability" on the part of the person, and (2) "ability" conditioned by external factors:
|
||||
1. 我不会游泳，所以不能教你游泳。
|
||||
I can't swim, therefore I can't teach you to swim.
|
||||
2. 我现在有事儿，所以我不能教你游泳。
|
||||
I have something right now (I'm busy), therefore I can't teach you to swim.
|
||||
|
||||
# 会huì
|
||||
会huì can be used as a regular verb or an optative auxiliary - carrying the same meaning of "to know how to".
|
||||
1. 你会英语吗？
|
||||
Do you know English?
|
||||
2. 你会说英语吗？
|
||||
Do you know how to speak English?
|
||||
3. 你们会不会做中国反？
|
||||
他不会做饭，我会。
|
||||
Do you know how to cook Chinese food?
|
||||
He doesn't, but I do.
|
||||
|
||||
会huì can also be used to express a "possibility" -- if it's likely or possible that something will happen:
|
||||
1. 明天他会来上课。
|
||||
He will come to class tomorrow.
|
||||
2. 王大年不会请我们吃晚饭吧。
|
||||
It's not likely that Wang Danian will invite us to dinner.
|
||||
Note that 会huì here is *not* a tense marker, it's just an optative marker. It stresses the possibility of likelihood or possibility of something. Compare (1) to "明天他来上课", which is purely a statement of a future occurrence.
|
||||
|
||||
> [!help] 能 vs 会
|
||||
> Both 能 and 会 can be translated into English as "can". However, 会 connotes more specifically an acquired skill; an "ability" obtained through learning. 能 is more circumstantial, e.g. if things are external to you and out of your control, allowing/preventing you to do something.
|
||||
> A way to think about this is that you could learn to ride a bike. Now, if you break your leg you still know how to ride a bike (会) - you haven't forgotten how to or lost the ability - however, currently you're not able to do so (能) due to an injury. So, when you learn a skill and don't forget it, you can always 会 but sometimes you may not 能 (e.g. if you're busy):
|
||||
> 我会游泳，可是今天我不舒服，所以我不能去游泳。
|
||||
> I know how to swim, but I don't feel well today, so I can't go to swim today.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# 可以kěyǐ
|
||||
可以kěyǐ in it's positive form is identical to 能néng in meaning and use - marking "internal ability" and "circumstantial permissibility". In the positive form, you can always interchange between the two.
|
||||
However, when asking for permission, 可以kěyǐ is more commonly used:
|
||||
1. 我可以用您的电话吗？
|
||||
May I use your phone?
|
||||
|
||||
The negative of 可以 is 不能 - 可以 and 能 share the same negation. So what is the meaning of 不可以? 不可以 indicates prohibition:
|
||||
1. 我不能去。
|
||||
I can't go (e.g. because I'm sick, or I'm busy).
|
||||
2. 你不可以去。
|
||||
You may not go (not allowed to go).
|
||||
|
||||
# 应该yīnggāi
|
||||
应该yīnggāi as an optative marks a moral obligation, or a practical necessity ("ought to"; "should").
|
||||
1. 他想以后去中国访问，他现在就应该学习汉语。
|
||||
He wants to go to visit China in the future, so he ought to be studying Chinese now.
|
||||
2. 睡觉以前应该不应该洗澡？
|
||||
Should one shower before going to bed?
|
||||
|
||||
应该 and 要 are very similar in that they mark an obligation. The negatives of both is the same: 不用:
|
||||
1. 明天要不要上课？
|
||||
明天是星期六，不用上课；可是今天应该上课。
|
||||
Do we have to go to school tomorrow?
|
||||
Tomorrow is Saturday, you don't need to go to school; but you should go to school today.
|
||||
|
||||
Similar to 不要, 不应该 indicates there is an obligation *not* to do something (not that there is not obligation to do something - that's 不用).
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# Table of Operative Verbs
|
||||
|
||||
| | Positive | Negative |
|
||||
| --- | -------- | -------- |
|
||||
| | | |
|
||||
@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
|
||||
Optative verbs are those which express a wish or desire. In Chinese, this is done using an auxiliary verb, often referred to as a modal auxiliary or an optative verb.
|
||||
```
|
||||
Positive: Auxiliary + Verb
|
||||
Negative: 不 + Auxiliary + Verb
|
||||
Question: (a) Auxiliary + Verb + 吗 ?
|
||||
(b) (Auxiliary 不 Auxiliary) + Verb
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. 我想去中国参观访问
|
||||
I want to go and visit China.
|
||||
2. 你不应该在教室里吸烟。
|
||||
You shouldn't smoke in the classroom.
|
||||
3. 他会不会游泳？
|
||||
Does he know how to swim?
|
||||
|
||||
# 想xiǎng
|
||||
想xiǎng as an optative verb is a derivative of an actual substantive verb. It's basic meaning is "to think of/about". As an optative verb, it expresses intention or desire of doing something.
|
||||
1. 这个星期六你想去看电影吗？
|
||||
Do you feel like going to watch a movie this Saturday?
|
||||
2. 她想去看妈妈。
|
||||
She's (thinking about/wants to) go to see her mother.
|
||||
|
||||
想xiǎng can also be used with a sentence as it's object, to say "I think that...".
|
||||
1. 我想他明天回来上课。
|
||||
I think that he'll come back to class tomorrow.
|
||||
However, you can't negate this ("I don't think...") with 不想. Instead, you need to move 不 into the object sentence, to instead say "I think that not X":
|
||||
1. 我想他明天不回来上课。
|
||||
I think that he won't come back to class tomorrow
|
||||
I don't think he'll come back to class tomorrow.
|
||||
# 要yào
|
||||
要yào as an optative verb means "to desire", expressing a strong desire to carry out an action.
|
||||
1. 你要去厕所吗？
|
||||
Do you need to go to the bathroom?
|
||||
2. 你明天要不要去城里看朋友？
|
||||
Do you want to go into town to see friends tomorrow?
|
||||
|
||||
It can also be used to express a demand, a necessity imposed by the outside world -- "to have to" do something. Sometimes the adverb 一定yídìng is added to further underscore the urgency/importance of the demand.
|
||||
1. 对不起，我现在要去上课。我们晚上再谈吧。
|
||||
Sorry, I have to go to a class now. We'll talk again in the evening.
|
||||
2. 写字一定要写得慢。
|
||||
You definitely have to write characters slowly.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> [!help] 想 vs 要
|
||||
> The meaning of 想 and 要 is quite similar, and they can sometimes be used interchangeably. However, 要 represents a stronger intention; 想 is more of a "wish", whereas 要 is more of a "will".
|
||||
> 想 stresses the wishing, thinking about, and planning of an action.
|
||||
> 要 stresses the urge or demand for carrying it out.
|
||||
> 想 can be modified by a degree adverb (e.g. 很想), but 要 can't.
|
||||
|
||||
# 能néng
|
||||
The optative 能néng expresses the ability to carry out a certain action.
|
||||
1. 他现在能看中文杂志。
|
||||
He's now able to read Chinese mahazines.
|
||||
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user