{{Grammar Box}} Linking actions together in a sentence is very straightforward and to the point. Because of this, there is no new word or phrase needed! == Structure == In Chinese, it's very easy to describe two actions in a row. Simply place one [[verb phrase]] after another, in this structure:
Subj. + [Verb Phrase 1] + [Verb Phrase 2]
No connecting word is needed. A common mistake in the early stages of learning Chinese is to try and link verbs with 和 (hé). This is incorrect; [[Expressing "and" with "he"|和 (hé) is for linking nouns]]. Just use one verb phrase after another and the sequence of events is clear. == Examples ==
* 我 要 回家 吃饭。 Wǒ yào huíjiā chīfàn.I want to go home and eat. * 你 要 去 超市 买 东西 吗？Nǐ yào qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi ma? Are you going to the supermarket to buy things? * 他 不 想 去 图书馆 看 书。Tā bù xiǎng qù túshūguǎn kàn shū.He doesn't want to go to the library and read. * 你 打 电话 告诉 他 了 吗？Nǐ dǎ diànhuà gàosu tā le ma? Did you call and tell him? * 我们 要 坐 飞机 去 美国。Wǒmen yào zuò fēijī qù Měiguó.We are going to take an airplane to go to the USA. * 你们 可以 上 网 买 机票 吗？Nǐmen kěyǐ shàng wǎng mǎi jīpiào ma? Can you use the Internet to buy airplane tickets? * 老板 下周 去 北京 开 会。Lǎobǎn xià zhōu qù Běijīng kāi huì.Next week the boss will go to Beijing to have a meeting. * 中国人 都 要 回家 过 年。Zhōngguó rén dōu yào huíjiā guònián.Chinese people all go back home for Chinese New Year. * 周末 我 喜欢 自己 买 菜 做饭。Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan zìjǐ mǎi cài zuòfàn. I like to buy food to cook for myself on the weekend. * 早上 我 先 刷 牙 洗 脸，再 吃 早饭。Zǎoshang wǒ xiān shuā yá xǐ liǎn, zài chī zǎofàn.In the morning, I first brush my teeth and wash my face, and then I eat breakfast.
Note that the English translations of these sentences use the word "and," but there is no equivalent to it in Chinese. ==See also== * [[Expressing "and" with "he"]] * [[Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"]] * [[Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] （pp. 477-484) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 207-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）]] (pp. 384-5)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 125)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] [[Category:A2 grammar points]] {{Used for|Sequencing events in time}} {{Basic Grammar|none|A2|(Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2)|我们 去 咖啡店 喝 咖啡 吧。|grammar point|ASGPRGAX}} {{POS|Verbs}} {{Similar|Basic sentence order}} {{Similar|Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"}} {{Subprop|Verb phrases}}