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[[#|[[File:Expressing%20duration%20of%20inaction%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/cog.png]]]] = Expressing duration of inaction =
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    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points B1]
  • Similar to
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_duration_with_%22le%22 Expressing duration with "le"] (A2)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_ongoing_duration_with_double_%22le%22 Expressing ongoing duration with double "le"] (A2)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22already%22_with_%22dou%22 Expressing "already" with "dou"] (B1)
  • Used for
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_duration Expressing duration], [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Referring_to_the_past Referring to the past]
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    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%B2%A1 没], [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86 了]
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Saying how long you have done something is pretty simple in Chinese. Saying how long you have ''not'' done something is just as easy.
== Contents ==  [[[#|hide]]] 
* [[#Structure|1 Structure]] * [[#Examples|2 Examples]] * [[#See_also|3 See also]] * [[#Sources_and_further_reading|4 Sources and further reading]] ** [[#Books|4.1 Books]]
== Structure == Expressing how long something has ''not'' been done is slightly different to expressing the [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_duration Expressing ongoing duration with double "le"].
Subj. + 已经 + Duration + 没 + Verb + 了
So now the duration comes right after the subject and 了 is at the end of the sentence. The verb has to be [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Negation_of_past_actions negated with 没], as the action ''hasn't'' happened. Note that 已经 can be omitted. == Examples ==
* 他们 '''已经''' 两 天 ''没'' 吃 东西 '''了''' 。Tāmen '''yǐjīng''' liǎng tiān ''méi'' chī dōngxi '''le'''.They have gone two days without eating anything. * 我们 '''已经''' 十 年 ''没'' 见 '''了'''。Wǒmen '''yǐjīng''' shí nián ''méi'' jiàn '''le'''.It's been ten years since we last met. * 他 '''已经''' 一 个 星期 ''没'' 洗澡 '''了''' 。Tā '''yǐjīng''' yī gè xīngqī ''méi'' xǐzǎo '''le'''.He has already gone a whole week without showering. * 你 多 长 时间 ''没'' 刮胡子 '''了''' ？Nǐ duō cháng shíjiān ''méi'' guā húzi '''le'''?How long has it been since you last shaved? * 她 半 个 月 ''没'' 出门 '''了''' 。Tā bàn gè yuè ''méi'' chūmén '''le'''.It's been half a month since she last left the house. * 你们 多久 ''没'' 回家 '''了''' ？Nǐmen duōjiǔ ''méi'' huíjiā '''le'''?How long has it been since you returned home? * 你 多久 ''没'' 休假 '''了''' ？Nǐ duōjiǔ ''méi'' xiūjià '''le'''?How long has it been since your last vacation? * 买 吧 ，你 '''已经''' 一 年 多 ''没'' 买 新 衣服 '''了''' 。Mǎi ba, nǐ '''yǐjīng''' yī nián duō ''méi'' mǎi xīn yīfu '''le'''.Just buy it. It's been more than one year since you last bought new clothes. * 你 好像 很久 ''没'' 这么 开心 '''了''' 。Nǐ hǎoxiàng hěnjiǔ ''méi'' zhème kāixīn '''le'''.It seems like it's been a long time since you were this happy.
In English, we may say something like, "I haven't eaten since 9:00 this morning" or "I haven't been to China since the year 2000." Note that the Chinese do not tend to say somebody hasn't done something since a ''certain point in time''. Instead, you should either express it as a duration of time that one hasn't done something (as in the above examples), or you can say "the last time somebody did something was [a certain point in time]."
* 我 已经 二十 年 ''没'' 来 中国 '''了''' 。Wǒ yǐjīng èrshí nián ''méi'' lái Zhōngguó '''le'''.It's been 20 years since I came to China last time. * 我 ''上次'' 来 中国 ''是'' 二十 年 前 。Wǒ ''shàngcì'' lái Zhōngguó ''shì'' èrshí nián qián.The last time I came to China was twenty years ago.
== See also == * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_duration Expressing duration] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_ongoing_duration_with_double_%22le%22 Expressing ongoing duration with double "le"] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Uses_of_le Uses of le] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)] (pp. 231-2) [http://amzn.to/2femBuy →buy]
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