<p>应该 (yīnggāi) translates to the English word "should," and is an essential word to know for your conversaitonal Chinese. You <em>should</em> definitely get comfortable using 应该 (yīnggāi) right away!</p> <h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>The <a href="auxiliary_verb" title="wikilink">auxiliary verb</a> 应该 (yīnggāi) is the most common way to express "should" in Chinese. The structure is:</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 应该 + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>在 中国， 你 <em>应该</em> 喝 白酒。 <span class="pinyin">Zài Zhōngguó, nǐ <em>yīnggāi</em> hē báijiǔ.</span><span class="trans">In China, you should drink baijiu.</span></li> <li>我 <em>应该</em> 给 你 多少 钱？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīnggāi</em> gěi nǐ duōshao qián? </span><span class="trans">How much money should I give you? </span></li> <li>感冒 的 时候 <em>应该</em> 喝 热水。 <span class="pinyin">Gǎnmào de shíhou <em>yīnggāi</em> hē rè shuǐ.</span><span class="trans">You should drink hot water when you have a cold.</span></li> <li>明天 你 <em>应该</em> 八 点 半 来 公司。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān nǐ <em>yīnggāi</em> bādiǎn bàn lái gōngsī.</span><span class="trans">You should come to the office tomorrow at 8:30.</span></li> <li>他 太 累 了，<em>应该</em> 回家 休息。<span class="pinyin">Tā tài lèi le, <em>yīnggāi</em> huíjiā xiūxi.</span><span class="trans">He's too tired. He should go home and rest.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="negate-应该-yīnggāi-with-不-bù">Negate 应该 (yīnggāi) with 不 (bù)</h2> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <p>Add the <a href="Standard_negation_with_"bu"" title="wikilink">negative adverb 不</a> (bù) before 应该 (yīnggāi) to negate it.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 不 + 应该 + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 <em>不 应该</em> 告诉 他。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù yīnggāi</em> gàosu tā.</span><span class="trans">You should not tell him.</span></li> <li>他 <em>不 应该</em> 打 人。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù yīnggāi</em> dǎ rén.</span><span class="trans">He should not hit people.</span></li> <li>我们 <em>不 应该</em> 迟到。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>bù yīnggāi</em> chídào.</span><span class="trans">We shouldn't be late.</span></li> <li>你们 <em>不 应该</em> 笑 她。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bù yīnggāi</em> xiào tā.</span><span class="trans">You shouldn't laugh at her.</span></li> <li>你们 <em>不 应该</em> 拿 别人 的 东西。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bù yīnggāi</em> ná biérén de dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">You should not take other people's stuff.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href=""Must"_modal_"dei"" title="wikilink">"Must" modal "dei"</a></li> <li><a href=""Would_like_to"_with_xiang" title="wikilink">"Would like to" with xiang</a></li> <li><a href="Wanting_to_do_something_with_yao" title="wikilink">Wanting to do something with yao</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)</a> (pp. 160-1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401">→buy</a></li> <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)</a> (pp. 185-7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235">→buy</a></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>