From d78f089d65a82a513dc42d6f42bea0e9b7c71087 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jack Bond-Preston Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:37:05 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] vault update: 2024-07-11 17:37:05 Affected files: Optative Verbs.md The Optative Verbs.md --- Optative Verbs.md | 118 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Optative Verbs.md | 53 ------------------- 2 files changed, 118 insertions(+), 53 deletions(-) create mode 100644 Optative Verbs.md delete mode 100644 The Optative Verbs.md diff --git a/Optative Verbs.md b/Optative Verbs.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..33eeaab --- /dev/null +++ b/Optative Verbs.md @@ -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 | +| --- | -------- | -------- | +| | | | diff --git a/The Optative Verbs.md b/The Optative Verbs.md deleted file mode 100644 index 5280e1c..0000000 --- a/The Optative Verbs.md +++ /dev/null @@ -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.