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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

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Used for

[Addressing people](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Addressing_people)

Keywords

[来](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%9D%A5)

Translations

[do](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Do)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-lai.jpg](Using%20%22lai%22%20as%20a%20dummy%20verb%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-lai.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-lai.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-lai.jpg)

The verb 来 (lái) can be used as a "dummy verb," similar to the way "do" is used in English. A scenario: Imagine you are with your some friends making dinner. There is a bottle of Chinese pickles that you want to open but can't because the lid is so tight. You start passing it around to see who can open it, and no one is able to, until your body-builder friend comes in and says, "我来!" He is saying, "Let me do it!"

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink") - [4.2 Academic Articles](#Academic_Articles "wikilink")

Structure --------------------------------------------------------- The structure for using 来 as a dummy verb is very basic. Usually it is a very short phrase, kind of like "your turn!," "let me give it a shot!," or "you do it!" in English. Usually it is used with 你 or 我 as the subject, and it ends with the 来. Sometimes it can end with a 吧.

(让 +) Subj. + 来

Examples -------------------------------------------------------

- 你 *来* ！Nǐ *lái*!You do it! - 我 *来* 吧。Wǒ *lái* ba.Let me do it. - 让他自己 *来* 。Ràng tā zìjǐ *lái*.Let him do it himself. - 还是你们自己 *来* 吧。Háishì nǐmen zìjǐ *lái* ba.It's better that you do it by yourselves. - 你写得好看，你 *来* 吧。Nǐ xiě de hǎokàn, nǐ *lái* ba.You write well. You write it.

A few example dialogues:

- A: 谁能读一下这段话？A: Shéi néng dú yīxià zhè duàn huà?Who can read this passage? - B: 老师，我 *来* 。B: Lāoshī, wǒ *lái*.Teacher, let me read it.

- A: 你怎么做得这么慢？A: Nǐ zěnme zuò de zhème màn?How come you do it so slowly? - B: 你觉得我慢？你 *来* ！B: Nǐ juéde wǒ màn? Nǐ *lái*!You think I'm slow? You do it!

- A: 这个箱子真重！A: Zhège xiāngzi zhēn zhòng!This box is so heavy! - B: 我 *来* 吧。 B: Wǒ *lái* ba.Let me help.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp. 54) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy) ### Academic Articles - 现代汉语形式动词研究 [Research on Dummy Verb in Modern Chinese](http://www.doc88.com/p-060195242529.html) - 現代漢語中的形式動詞 [Dummy Verbs in Contemporary Chinese](http://aclweb.org/anthology-new/O/O05/O05-5008.pdf)

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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