Good enough with 够
In Chinese the word for "enough" often comes before a verb,
rather than after an adjective.
Structure
Sometimes you'll see a 了 added after the verb for emphasis (as
in "no, really, it's enough!").
Examples
- 我们 买 了 很 多 菜,肯定 够 吃。Wǒmen mǎi le
hěnduō cài, kěndìng gòu chī.We
bought a lot of food. It must be good enough to eat.
- 他 带 了 好 多 衣服 ,应该 够 换。Tā dài le
hǎo duō yīfu, yīnggāi gòu huàn.He brought a lot of clothes. It should be enough to
change.
- 我们 只 有 三 个 人,你 的 车 肯定 够 坐。Wǒmen
zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng gòu
zuò.We only have three people. I'm sure
your car is big enough to sit in.
- 这些 菜 够 吃 了,不要 再 买 了。Zhèxiē cài gòu chī le, bù yào zài mǎi
le.This food is enough to eat. Don't buy
more.
- 我 带 的 钱 够 用 了 ,你 不用 带 了。Wǒ dài de qián gòu yòng le, nǐ bù yòng
dài le.I've brought enough money to
spend. You don't need to bring any.
Not enough with 不够
Structure
Examples
- 你 家 太 小 了,恐怕 不够 住。Nǐ jiā tài xiǎo
le, kǒngpà bùgòu zhù.Your house
is too small. I'm afraid it's not big enough to live
in.
- 你 的 包 太 小 了,这些 东西 肯定不够 放。Nǐ de
bāo tài xiǎo le, zhème duō dōngxi kěndìng bùgòu
fàng.You bag is too small. This stuff
definitely can't fit in it.
- 办公室 的 纸 不够 用 了,你 明天 去 买 一些 吧。Bàngōngshì de zhǐ bùgòu yòng le, nǐ míngtiān qù
mǎi yīxiē ba.The paper in the office is
not enough to use. You should go buy some tomorrow.
- 我 这个 月 的 钱 不够 花 了,你 能 不 能 借 我 五 百?Wǒ de qián bùgòu huā le, nǐ néng bu néng jiè wǒ
wǔ bǎi?I don't have enough money to
spend this month. Could you lend me five hundred kuai?
Expressing "had enough
of it" with 够了
When a verb is followed by "够了," it means the speaker is
"getting sick of [doing] something" or "done with [doing]
something."
Structure
Examples
- 别 说 了! 这些 话 我 已经 听 够 了!Bié shuō
le, zhèxiē huà wǒ yǐjīng tīng gòu le.Stop talking! I've heard enough of it!
- 你 今天 玩 游戏 已经 玩 了 三 个 小时 了,玩 够 了 没有?!Nǐ jīntiān wán yóuxì yǐjīng wǎn le sān gè xiǎoshí le, wán
gòu le méiyǒu?!You've been
playing games for three hours today. Are you not done
yet?
- 我 受 够 了!我 一定 要 跟 他 离婚!Wǒ shòu
gòu le! Wǒ yīdìng yào gēn tā líhūn!I had enough of him. I'm definitely going to divorce
him.
- 你 天天 都 叫 外卖,还没 吃 够 吗?Nǐ tiāntiān
dū jiào wàimài, hái méi chī gòu ma?You order takeout every day. Haven't you gotten sick of
eating it?
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Category:B1 grammar points