{{Grammar Box}} {{stub}} 就要 (jiùyào) is similar to 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning "about to." They are interchangeable in some cases. But there is a major difference that you need to take a good look at. == Basic Usage == === Structure === In this case, 就要 can be replaced by 快要 or 快. But 就要 can't be.
(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb Phrase + 了
=== Examples ===
*他 快要 去 美国 了。Tā kuài yào qù Měiguó le.He's about to go to the USA. *快 下雨 了！Kuài xiàyǔ le!It's about to rain! *我 就要 饿 死 了。Wǒ jiù yào è sǐ le.I'm about to starve to death. *他们 就要 结婚 了。Tāmen jiù yào jiéhūn le.They are about to get married. *就要 下课 了 ，还有 别的 问题 吗？Jiù yào xiàkè le, háiyǒu bié de wèntí ma?The class is almost over. Are there any other questions?
== Used with 还有 == 快要 (kuài yào) is generally "about to" [happen], but 就要 (jiù yào) could be used to mark a more specific time. 要 (yào) here can be omitted. For this one, you wouldn't normally use "about to" for this English translation, but the feeling is nevertheless that the impending event is coming up fast. === Structure ===
还有 + Time Period + 就(要) + Verb Phrase + 了
=== Examples ===
*还有 十 天 宝宝 就 一 岁 了。Háiyǒu shí tiān bǎobao jiù yī suì le.In ten more days, the baby will be one year old. *还有 十 分钟 就 下班 了。Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng jiù xiàbān le.In 10 more minutes I get off work. *还有 五 天 就要 放假 了。Háiyǒu wǔ tiān jiù yào fàngjià le.In 10 more days, I go on vacation. *还有 一 个 月 就要 过年 了。Háiyǒu yī gè yuè jiù yào guònián le.In another month it will be Chinese New Year. *还有 两 个 星期 就要 考试 了。Háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqí jiù yào kǎoshì le.We're just two weeks away from the test date.
==See also== *[["Nearly" with "jihu"]] *[[Approximations with "chabuduo"]] *[[Expressing future with "jiang"]] == Sources and further reading == ===Books=== * [[Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)]] (p.183)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075294/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075294 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 267-8) [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] * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 196-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 271)[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] === Websites === * ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E4%BA%86-le-somethings-about-to-happen Qing Wen - 了 (le): Something's About to Happen] (free podcast content) [[Category:B1 grammar points]] {{Basic Grammar|就|B1|还有 + Time Period + 就要 + Verb Phrase + 了|还有 五 天 就要 放假 了 。|grammar point|ASG9B210}} {{Rel char|就}} {{Rel char|了}} {{Rel char|要}} {{Rel char|还}} {{Similar|Expressing "be going to" with "yao"}} {{Similar|Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings}} {{Used for|Expressing time and date}} {{Used for|Sequencing events in time}} {{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}} {{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} {{Translation|about}}