就要。。。了 vs 快（要）。。。了

[lakers4sho]

Can someone please explain the difference between the two?

 

My book gives a brief explanation, but it's still vague to me:

 

• When a specific moment is mentioned; only 就要。。。了 can be used.

          你六月就要毕业了，为什么还没有开始找工作呢？

 

• When a specific point in time is about to be reached, 快。。。了 or 快要。。。了 is the best choice.

          王太太的儿子快(要)两岁了。

 

 

To me, it seems like both sentences refer to a point in time being approached. In the first one, June/graduation is approaching; in the 2nd example, being 2 years old is approaching. What's the difference?

 

 

lakers4sho

[li3wei1]

I'm no expert, but to me, 就 is used when you've already specified the time (六月). In the second sentence, you haven't specified when his birthday is, so 快 does that, to an extent.

[陳德聰]

If we use R as the time referenced by the sentence, it should become clear.

 

他四月底就要走了

R = 四月底

 

他快要走了

R = 现在

[zhouwei]

both of the phrase are used to express in future tense but in constructure of the former one ,the exact time or date can be put in the sentence

你六月就要毕业了。 六月is a time so can be in this sentence but it will be wrong to say 你六月快要毕业了。

他下月就要结婚了。

but it is wrong if you put exact time in 快要 了

他快要毕业了====right 他六月快要毕业了-----wrong

[Nathan Mao]

The basic or most broad explanation is, in my opinion, from 陈德聪 in #3.

 

The description of each "R" makes it clear that 就要 specifies a conditional time not yet occurring...when that condition arrives, then the result will be immediately after (or even instantaneously...depending on context); but 快要 just means "soon" from right now. There is no future point where it will become "soon".

 

So, in my opinion, the 就要。。。了 can be seen as an implied "一。。。就" pattern:

你(一)六月就要毕业了 ("When June gets here, you will graduate", or "You will graduate almost immediately in June").

 

But with 快要。。。了, there is no pattern, so it is just "soon".

王太太的儿子快(要)两岁了  Mrs. Wang's son will be 2 years old soon.