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= Using &quot;lai&quot; as a dummy verb =


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[https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%9D%A5 来]

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The verb 来 (lái) can be used as a &quot;dummy verb,&quot; similar to the way &quot;do&quot; is used in English.

A scenario: Imagine you are with your some friends making dinner. There is a bottle of Chinese pickles that you want to open but can't because the lid is so tight. You start passing it around to see who can open it, and no one is able to, until your body-builder friend comes in and says, &quot;我来!&quot; He is saying, &quot;Let me do it!&quot;

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== Contents ==

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* [[#Structure|<span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Structure</span>]]
* [[#Examples|<span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Examples</span>]]
* [[#See_also|<span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span>]]
* [[#Sources_and_further_reading|<span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Sources and further reading</span>]]
** [[#Books|<span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Books</span>]]
** [[#Academic_Articles|<span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Academic Articles</span>]]


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== <span id="Structure" class="mw-headline">Structure</span> ==

The structure for using 来 as a dummy verb is very basic. Usually it is a very short phrase, kind of like &quot;your turn!,&quot; &quot;let me give it a shot!,&quot; or &quot;you do it!&quot; in English. Usually it is used with 你 or 我 as the subject, and it ends with the 来. Sometimes it can end with a 吧.

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(让 +) Subj. + 来


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== <span id="Examples" class="mw-headline">Examples</span> ==

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* 你 ''来'' ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ ''lái''!</span><span class="trans">You do it!</span>
* 我 ''来'' 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ ''lái'' ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me do it.</span>
* 让 他 自己 ''来'' 。<span class="pinyin">Ràng tā zìjǐ ''lái''.</span><span class="trans">Let him do it himself.</span>
* 还是 你们 自己 ''来'' 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Háishì nǐmen zìjǐ ''lái'' ba.</span><span class="trans">It's better that you do it by yourselves.</span>
* 你 写 得 好看 ，你 ''来'' 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiě de hǎokàn, nǐ ''lái'' ba.</span><span class="trans">You write well. You write it.</span>


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A few example dialogues:

<div class="liju">

* A: 谁 能 读 一 下 这 段 话 ？<span class="pinyin">A: Shéi néng dú yīxià zhè duàn huà?</span><span class="trans">Who can read this passage?</span>
* B: 老师 ，我 ''来'' 。<span class="pinyin">B: Lāoshī, wǒ ''lái''.</span><span class="trans">Teacher, let me read it.</span>


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* A: 你 怎么 做 得 这么 慢 ？<span class="pinyin">A: Nǐ zěnme zuò de zhème màn?</span><span class="trans">How come you do it so slowly?</span>
* B: 你 觉得 我 慢 ？你 ''来'' ！<span class="pinyin">B: Nǐ juéde wǒ màn? Nǐ ''lái''!</span><span class="trans">You think I'm slow? You do it!</span>


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<div class="liju">

* A: 这个 箱子 真 重 ！<span class="pinyin">A: Zhège xiāngzi zhēn zhòng!</span><span class="trans">This box is so heavy!</span>
* B: 我 ''来'' 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">B: Wǒ ''lái'' ba.</span><span class="trans">Let me help.</span>


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== <span id="See_also" class="mw-headline">See also</span> ==

== <span id="Sources_and_further_reading" class="mw-headline">Sources and further reading</span> ==

=== <span id="Books" class="mw-headline">Books</span> ===

* [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)] (pp. 54) [http://amzn.to/2femBuy →buy]

=== <span id="Academic_Articles" class="mw-headline">Academic Articles</span> ===

* 现代汉语形式动词研究 [http://www.doc88.com/p-060195242529.html Research on Dummy Verb in Modern Chinese]

* 現代漢語中的形式動詞 [http://aclweb.org/anthology-new/O/O05/O05-5008.pdf Dummy Verbs in Contemporary Chinese]

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