ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B2.old/Grammar-wiki-B2-120.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

Both 突然 (tūrán) and 忽然 (hūrán) express the something happens in a very short time or is unexpected. Both can be translated as "unexpectedly" or "surprisingly," however, 突然 is a bit harsher in tone while 忽然 is a bit softer. Also, their grammatical features are subtly different, as outlined in this article. 

== Both 突然 and 忽然 can be used as Adverbs ==
 
突然 and 忽然 both can put in the sentence as [[adverb]]s or [[adjective]]s, just make sure to put them before the verb or the adjective!

=== Before a Verb===

<div class="jiegou">
突然／忽然 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 睡觉 的 时候，我 的 电话<em>突然</em> 响了。<span class="trans">While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.</span>
* 睡觉 的 时候，我 的 电话<em>忽然</em> 响了。<span class="trans">While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.</span>
* 他 说着说着<em>突然</em> 不 说 了。 <span class="trans">He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.</span>
* 他 说着说着<em>忽然</em> 不 说 了。 <span class="trans">He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.</span>
</div>

=== Before an Adjective ===

<div class="jiegou">
突然／忽然 + Adj.
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 天 <em>突然</em> 暗 了。
* 天 <em>忽然</em> 暗 了。
* <span class="trans">The sky suddenly got dark.</span>
* 灯 <em>突然</em> 不 亮 了。
* 灯 <em>忽然</em> 不 亮 了。
* <span class="trans">The lights suddenly went out</span>
</div>

=== At the Beginning of a Sentence ===

You can place 突然 and 忽然 at the beginning of a sentence, just make sure to add a comma after it!

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
突然／忽然，⋯⋯
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* <em>突然</em>，他 进来 了。
* <em>忽然</em>，他 进来 了。
* <span class="trans">Suddenly, he entered.</span>
</div>

== 突然 can be used as an Adjective  ==

突然 can be used as an [[adjective]] (directly modifying [[noun]]s), while 忽然 ''cannot''.


=== Structure as an Adjective===

<div class="jiegou">
突然 + (的) + Noun
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 这 是 一 场 <em>突然</em> 事故，我们 都 没 想到。<span class="trans">This was a sudden accident. None of us thought it could happen.</span>
* 你 知道 怎么 处理 这 种 <em>突然</em> 的 情况 吗？<span class="trans">Do you know how to handle this kind of sudden situation?</span>
</div>

== 突然 can be used as a complement ==

突然 as an adjective can also be used as a [[complement]] (called 补语 in Chinese). 忽然 cannot be used as a complement. 

=== Structure for verb and complement===

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. +  Verb + 得 + 突然
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>，我们 不 知道 怎么 办。<span class="trans">Things happened so suddenly, we didn't know what to do.</span>
* 这 场 雨 下 得 太 <em>突然</em>，都 淋湿 了。<span class="trans">This rain fell so suddenly, everything got soaked.</span>
</div>

== 突然 can be used as the predicate ==

Just like other adjectives, 突然 can be used as the predicate of a sentence. It is usually added with a modifier like 很, 非常, 不 etc. It can also end with 得很, 得多, 极了, etc. complements.



=== Structure with modifier + 突然 ===

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. +  Modifier + 突然
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 这 个 决定 太 <em>突然</em> 了。<span class="trans">This decision was too sudden.</span>
* 对 她 来说，这 次 升职 其实 不 <em>突然</em>。<span class="trans">To her, this promotion wasn't actually surprising.</span>
</div>

=== Structure with 突然 + modifier===

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. +  突然 + Modifier
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 离开 上海 <em>突然</em> 得 很。<span class="trans">Leaving Shanghai is really surprising.</span>
* 这 次 生病 比 上 次 <em>突然</em> 得 多。<span class="trans">Getting sick this time is much more surprising than the last time.</span>
</div>

== Example of right and wrong sentences ==

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="x">这 个 决定 很 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
<li class="o">这 个 决定 很 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a predicate, while 忽然 cannot.</span></li> 
<li class="x">一切 发生 得 太 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
<li class="o">一切 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a complement, but 忽然 cannot.</span></li> 
</ul>
</div>

== Example Dialog ==

<div class="liju">
* A: 我 正在 睡觉，<em>忽然</em> 电话响了，是 Amy 打 来 的。<span class="trans">I was sleeping, when suddenly the phone rang. It was Amy.</span>
* B: 她 说 什么？<span class="trans">What did she say?</span>
* A: 她 结婚 了。<span class="trans">She got married.</span>
* B: 啊，这 个 消息 太<em>突然</em> 了。<span class="trans">Oh, this news is really sudden.</span>
</div>

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

*[[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (突然 p.540) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]

*[[现代汉语虚词例释]] (忽然p.247)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]

* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 231-2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]

*[[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]](突然 忽然p.113)[http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]

=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典（第5版）]] (忽然p.574 突然p.1378) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]


[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|突然|B2|突然 vs 忽然|我的 电话 <em>忽然</em> 响了。 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。|grammar point|ASGHKZP4}}
{{Rel char|忽然}}
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
{{Comparison|Adverbs}}