2bwo Posted November 23, 2017 at 06:06 PM Report Share Posted November 23, 2017 at 06:06 PM I'm learning about the degree complement 得. I understood how to use it but what is not clear to me is when do I have to repeat the first syllable of the verb. For example, there's a sentence which is 我游泳游得不太好 and another one which is 我准备得好 referring to an exam. My question is: why in the first case you need to repeat the first syllable while in the second you don't need to? How do I know when I have to repeat it or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted November 23, 2017 at 06:57 PM Report Share Posted November 23, 2017 at 06:57 PM It depends on what two characters the two-syllable verb is composed of. When a two-syllable verb is composed of a Verb-Object pairing, then you get a repetition in a phrase with 得. When the two-syllable verb is composed of a Verb-Verb pairing, you don’t repeat it. Some people refer to the Verb-Object pairing as “Separable Verbs”, but I think that glosses over what’s actually happening. E.g. 游泳 swim (a swim) 吃飯 eat (a meal) 跑步 run (steps) 起床 get up (from bed) vs. 準備 prepare 發現 realise 工作 work As a learner, I don’t know if you can necessarily know from just looking at a verb which type it is, unless you recognise the second character as being an object you already know. But notice that 泳 飯 步 床 are all nouns? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bwo Posted November 23, 2017 at 07:16 PM Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2017 at 07:16 PM Thank you a lot for your reply, that actually makes things clear What tricked me though, is that on Pleco Dictionary for Android 备 is also considered a noun with the meaning of "equipment", not only a verb. Why is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted November 23, 2017 at 09:56 PM Report Share Posted November 23, 2017 at 09:56 PM Chinese nouns can also be verbs. It also means "to equip" . The PLC entry in Pleco list verbs, nouns, and adverbs under the headword 备。 if you look under the words tab there are lots of examples of it being used in many ways. In English the same thing can happen - I am going for a swim. or I like to swim once a week. These things are not set in stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfunny Posted November 24, 2017 at 07:36 AM Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 at 07:36 AM Yes, you have to be careful with these and work out which ones can be separated. I remember once talking to a student: Me: 你做什么？ Student: 我读书。 Me: 你读什么书？ Where's that facepalm emoticon. The stupid thing is, I did actually want to know what subject they were studying and this was my brain's first idea for how to ask that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Publius Posted November 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 at 10:00 AM I remember someone mentioned that the ABC Dictionary marks these verb+object verbs as v.o., quite useful if you can afford the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bwo Posted November 24, 2017 at 12:38 PM Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 at 12:38 PM 4 hours ago, somethingfunny said: Yes, you have to be careful with these and work out which ones can be separated. I remember once talking to a student: Me: 你做什么？ Student: 我读书。 Me: 你读什么书？ Where's that facepalm emoticon. The stupid thing is, I did actually want to know what subject they were studying and this was my brain's first idea for how to ask that. Is it wrong asking it that way? I'd do the same... How should I say it then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfunny Posted November 24, 2017 at 01:24 PM Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 at 01:24 PM 读书 means to study (a course), but if you separate them out it means to read a book. So the conversation in English would have been: Me: What do you do? Student: I'm studying. Me: What book are you reading? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted November 24, 2017 at 06:21 PM Report Share Posted November 24, 2017 at 06:21 PM It's actually kind of amusing to think about, but that conversation (if you have an imprecise personality) could look like this: A: 你做什麼？ B: 我讀書 A: 你讀什麼？ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bwo Posted November 25, 2017 at 12:12 PM Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2017 at 12:12 PM Got it now, thank you guys. I wish to reach your level one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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