54 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
54 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
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.
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Positive: Auxiliary + Verb
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Negative: 不 + Auxiliary + Verb
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Question: (a) Auxiliary + Verb + 吗 ?
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(b) (Auxiliary 不 Auxiliary) + Verb
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```
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1. 我想去中国参观访问
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I want to go and visit China.
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2. 你不应该在教室里吸烟。
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You shouldn't smoke in the classroom.
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3. 他会不会游泳？
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Does he know how to swim?
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# 想xiǎng
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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.
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1. 这个星期六你想去看电影吗？
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Do you feel like going to watch a movie this Saturday?
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2. 她想去看妈妈。
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She's (thinking about/wants to) go to see her mother.
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想xiǎng can also be used with a sentence as it's object, to say "I think that...".
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1. 我想他明天回来上课。
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I think that he'll come back to class tomorrow.
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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":
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1. 我想他明天不回来上课。
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I think that he won't come back to class tomorrow
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I don't think he'll come back to class tomorrow.
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# 要yào
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要yào as an optative verb means "to desire", expressing a strong desire to carry out an action.
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1. 你要去厕所吗？
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Do you need to go to the bathroom?
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2. 你明天要不要去城里看朋友？
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Do you want to go into town to see friends tomorrow?
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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.
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1. 对不起，我现在要去上课。我们晚上再谈吧。
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Sorry, I have to go to a class now. We'll talk again in the evening.
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2. 写字一定要写得慢。
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You definitely have to write characters slowly.
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> [!help] 想 vs 要
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> 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".
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> 想 stresses the wishing, thinking about, and planning of an action.
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> 要 stresses the urge or demand for carrying it out.
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> 想 can be modified by a degree adverb (e.g. 很想), but 要 can't.
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# 能néng
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The optative 能néng expresses the ability to carry out a certain action.
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1. 他现在能看中文杂志。
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He's now able to read Chinese mahazines.
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