就要 (jiùyào) is similar to 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning "about to." They
are interchangeable in some cases. But there is a major difference
that you need to take a good look at.
Basic Usage
Structure
In this case, 就要 can be replaced by 快要 or 快. But 就要 can't
be.
(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 他 快要 去 美国 了。Tā kuài yào
qù Měiguó le.He's about to go to the
USA.
- 快 下雨 了！Kuài xiàyǔ
le!It's about to rain!
- 我 就要 饿 死 了。Wǒ jiù yào è
sǐ le.I'm about to starve to
death.
- 他们 就要 结婚 了。Tāmen jiù yào
jiéhūn le.They are about to get
married.
- 就要 下课 了 ，还有 别的 问题 吗？Jiù
yào xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?The class is almost over. Are there any other
questions?
Used with 还有
快要 (kuài yào) is generally "about to" [happen], but 就要 (jiù yào)
could be used to mark a more specific time. 要 (yào) here can be
omitted. For this one, you wouldn't normally use "about to" for
this English translation, but the feeling is nevertheless that the
impending event is coming up fast.
Structure
还有 + Time Period + 就(要) + Verb Phrase + 了
Examples
- 还有 十 天 宝宝 就 一 岁 了。Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobao jiù yī suì
le.In ten more days, the baby will be
one year old.
- 还有 十 分钟 就 下班 了。Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng jiù xiàbān
le.In 10 more minutes I get off
work.
- 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了。Háiyǒu wǔ tiān jiù yào fàngjià
le.In 10 more days, I go on
vacation.
- 还有 一 个 月 就要 过年 了。Háiyǒu yī gè yuè jiù yào guònián
le.In another month it will be Chinese
New Year.
- 还有 两 个 星期 就要 考试 了。Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí jiù yào kǎoshì
le.We're just two weeks away from the
test date.
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Websites
Category:B1 grammar points