2.6 KiB
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
- 我想去中国参观访问 I want to go and visit China.
- 你不应该在教室里吸烟。 You shouldn't smoke in the classroom.
- 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.
- 这个星期六你想去看电影吗? Do you feel like going to watch a movie this Saturday?
- 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...".
- 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":
- 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.
- 你要去厕所吗? Do you need to go to the bathroom?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 他现在能看中文杂志。 He's now able to read Chinese mahazines.