ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/Programmes/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-141.txt.html

<p>刚 (gāng) and 刚才 (gāngcái) are similar, but they have somewhat different uses.</p>
<h2 id="both-come-before-the-verb-but-have-different-emphasis">Both Come Before the Verb, But Have Different Emphasis</h2>
<h3 id="刚-emphasizes-something-just-happened">刚 emphasizes something &quot;just&quot; happened</h3>
<p>&quot;刚&quot; is actually an adverb, and it is placed in front of the verb. It emphasizes that the action <em>just</em> happened a short time ago. It is similar to the English &quot;just.&quot;</p>
<p>The key here is that a short time ago is relative, and determined by the speaker. For this reason, 刚 can indicate that something &quot;just&quot; happened 1 second ago, 5 minutes ago, 2 hours ago, 3 weeks ago, or even a year ago. The absolute time is flexible, but from the speaker's perspective, it <em>feels</em> recent.</p>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>刚 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>刚</em> 来。<span class="expl">This gives the impression that not only did he just get here, but he should still be here.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái.</span><span class="trans">He just came.</span></li>
<li>我 昨天 <em>刚</em> 看到 他 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān <em>gāng</em> kàndào tā.</span><span class="trans">I just saw him yesterday.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> 说过 ， 不 想 再 说 一 遍 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān <em>gāng</em> kàn dào tā.</span><span class="trans">I just said it, and I don't want to say it again.</span></li>
<li>我们 去年 <em>刚</em> 去 过 美国 。<span class="expl">This &quot;just&quot; is relative, clearly. The speaker feels that a year ago isn't too long ago.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qùnián <em>gāng</em> qù guo Měiguó.</span><span class="trans">We've just been to the United States last year.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="刚才-emphasizes-just-now">刚才 emphasizes &quot;just now&quot;</h3>
<p>刚才 is a <a href="time_noun" title="wikilink">time noun</a> (like 今天 and 现在), and it expresses that the time that has passed is really short, in near-absolute terms. We're talking no more than 1-30 minutes, in most situations. If it is placed before the verb, it emphasizes what happened in the time that has just passed. It is similar to the English &quot;<strong>just now</strong>.&quot;</p>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>刚才 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>刚才</em> 来 过。 <span class="expl">In this case, he's come and gone already. He's not here anymore.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em> gāngcái</em> lái guo.</span><span class="trans">He came just now.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> 看到 他 了。<span class="expl">Sounds like he's not here anymore; I just saw him, but don't see him now.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em> gāngcái</em> kàndào tā le.</span><span class="trans">I just now saw him.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> 看 过 了 ， 不 想 再 看 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāngcái</em> kàn guo le, bù xiǎng zài kàn le.</span><span class="trans">I saw it just now, and I don't want to see it again.</span></li>
<li>我 现在 感觉 比 <em>刚才</em> 好 一点 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài gǎnjué bǐ <em>gāngcái</em> hǎo yīdiǎn.</span><span class="trans">I feel a little better now than just before.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="刚才-can-be-used-as-an-attribute-while-刚-cannot">刚才 can be used as an attribute while 刚 cannot</h2>
<p>刚才 can also directly modify a noun to indicate it is that one from &quot;just now&quot; or &quot;just before.&quot;</p>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>刚才 + 的 + Noun</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li><em>刚才</em> <strong>的 事情</strong> 太 让 人 生气 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāngcái</em> <strong>de shìqing</strong> tài ràng rén shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">What just happened really made people angry.</span></li>
<li><em>刚</em> <strong>的 事情</strong> 太 让 人 生气 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāng</em> <strong>de shìqing</strong> tài ràng rén shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">Just thing really makes people angry.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="刚-can-be-used-with-adjectives">刚 Can Be Used with Adjectives</h2>
<p>刚 is an adverb, and it can also spruce up an adjective. It has the same meaning as 刚刚. (刚才 cannot do this.)</p>
<h3 id="structure-3">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>刚 + Adj.</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-3">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>天 <em>刚</em> 晴 。 <span class="pinyin">Tiān <em>gāng</em> qíng.</span><span class="trans">The sky just cleared up.</span></li>
<li>这些 <em>刚</em> 好 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē <em>gāng</em> hǎo.</span><span class="trans">These are just right.</span></li>
<li>面包 <em>刚</em> 熟 ， 过 一会儿 再 吃 。 <span class="pinyin">Miànbāo <em>gāng</em> shóu, guò yīhuìr zài chī.</span><span class="trans">The bread just got done cooking. Eat in a little bit.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="刚-and-刚才-with-了">刚 and 刚才 with 了</h2>
<p>You may have noticed that something interesting is going on with regards to <a href="了" class="uri" title="wikilink">了</a> in the sentences with 刚 and 刚才. Namely, 了 is not usually required in sentences with 刚, but it is usually required in sentences with 刚才. This is because 刚才 refers to a time in the recent past, and you're usually indicated that something happened just now (started and finished).</p>
<p>Take these sentences for example:</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 昨天 买 了 。<span class="trans">I bought it yesterday.</span></li>
<li>我 刚才 买 了 。<span class="trans">I bought it just now.</span></li>
<li>我 明天 买 。<span class="trans">I'll buy it tomorrow.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>So these are all simple time &quot;noun + verb&quot; sentences. Notice that when they refer to the <em>past</em> (including the one with 刚才), the action is completed and you need 了. You don't need 了 for things that haven't happened yet (they're just plans, and nothing is completed). And remember that 刚才 <em>always refers to the past</em>.</p>
<p>OK, now what about 刚? Why does it not need 了?</p>
<p>The key is that you don't need a 了 in a sentence with 刚 if the verb indicates a clear result. So, to use the 买 example from above:</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>买</strong> 。<span class="expl">The verb 买 is kind of like &quot;try to buy&quot;; there is no clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">I just buy it.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>买到</strong> 。<span class="expl">Adding 到 to the verb gives a clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">I just bought it.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>买 了</strong> 。<span class="expl">Adding 了 after the verb also gives a clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">I just bought it.</span></li>
<li>你 也 <em>刚</em> <strong>知道</strong> 吗 ？ <span class="expl">The verb 知道 always includes the result of &quot;knowing.&quot;</span><span class="trans">You also just found out?</span></li>
<li>妈妈 <em>刚</em> <strong>看</strong> 。<span class="expl">No clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">Mom just look.</span></li>
<li>妈妈 <em>刚</em> <strong>看到</strong> 。<span class="expl">Adding 到 to the verb gives a clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">Mom just saw it.</span></li>
<li>妈妈 <em>刚</em> <strong>看 了</strong> 。<span class="expl">Adding 了 to the verb gives a clear indication of result.</span><span class="trans">Mom just looked at it.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="刚-and-刚才-with-没">刚 and 刚才 with 没</h2>
<p>OK, so there's also something going on with <a href="没" class="uri" title="wikilink">没</a> in sentences with 刚 and 刚才. The deal here is that you can say something <em>didn't happen <strong>just now</strong></em> (刚才), but you can't say that something <em><strong>just</strong> didn't happen</em> (刚). [Saying that something &quot;just didn't happen&quot; only works in English if you interpret &quot;just&quot; to mean &quot;simply.&quot;]</p>
<p>The takeaway? Just don't use 刚 in sentences where you use 没 to negate the past.</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>没 去</strong> 。<span class="expl">Don't use 刚 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">I just didn't go.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> <strong>没 去</strong> 。<span class="expl">It's fine to use 刚才 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go just now.</span></li>
<li>她 <em>刚</em> <strong>没 问</strong> 我 这个 问题 。<span class="expl">Don't use 刚 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">She just didn't ask me this question.</span></li>
<li>她 <em>刚才</em> <strong>没 问</strong> 我 这个 问题 。<span class="expl">It's fine to use 刚才 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">She didn't ask me this question just now.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>没 喝</strong> 你的 啤酒 。<span class="expl">Don't use 刚 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">I just didn't drink your beer.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> <strong>没 喝</strong> 你的 啤酒 。<span class="expl">It's fine to use 刚才 with 没 in the past.</span><span class="trans">I didn't drink your beer just now.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> <strong>不 知道</strong> 。<span class="expl">OK, so it's not 没, but you still shouldn't use 刚 for something that didn't happen.</span><span class="trans">I just didn't know.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> <strong>不 知道</strong> 。<span class="expl">It's fine to use 刚才 with exceptions where you use 不 in the past.</span><span class="trans">Just now I didn't know.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>For that last pair of sentences, if you're not clear why it's OK to use <a href="不" class="uri" title="wikilink">不</a> with 知道 in the past, go ahead and check out our article on <a href="comparing_&quot;bu&quot;_and_&quot;mei&quot;" title="wikilink">the differences between 不 and 没</a>. It goes beyond the basics into some of the trickier scenarios.</p>
<h2 id="right-or-wrong">Right or Wrong</h2>
<h3 id="examples-4">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> 回家。<span class="expl">You should use 了 with 刚才 here.</span><span class="trans">I just now go home.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> 回家。<span class="expl">The verb 回 includes a clear enough indication of result.</span><span class="trans">I just got home.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。<span class="expl">刚 doesn't work with 没.</span><span class="trans">I just didn't make up my mind what to eat, now I've made up my mind.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。<span class="expl">No need to use 了 with 没.</span><span class="trans">Just now, I hadn't made up my mind what to eat, now I've made up my mind.</span></li>
<li>他 <em>刚才</em> 没 听懂 我的 话 。<span class="expl">No need to use 了 with 没.</span><span class="trans">He didn't understand what I said just now.</span></li>
<li>他 <em>刚</em> 没 听懂我的话。<span class="expl">刚 doesn't work with 没.</span><span class="trans">He just didn't understand what I said.</span></li>
<li>我 也 是 <em>刚</em> 听说 这 个 消息。<span class="expl">The verb 听说 includes a clear enough indication of result.</span><span class="trans">I also just heard this news.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>刚才</em> 听说 了 这 个 消息。<span class="expl">You should use 了 with 刚才 here.</span><span class="trans">I heard this news just now.</span></li>
<li>昨天 他 <em>刚才</em> 来 过。<span class="expl">刚才 should be used for events a lot closer in time than 昨天.</span><span class="trans">He just now came yesterday.</span></li>
<li>昨天 他 <em>刚</em> 来 过。<span class="expl">刚 works with 昨天.</span><span class="trans">He just came yesterday.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="example-dialog">Example dialog</h2>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>A: 你 <em>刚才</em> 去 哪儿 了？<span class="trans">Where did you go just now?</span></li>
<li>B: 我 <em>刚</em> 上 完 厕所。<span class="trans">I just got done in the bathroom.</span></li>
<li>A: 那 你 不 知道 <em>刚才</em> 的 事情 吧？<span class="trans">Then you don't know what happened just now?</span></li>
<li>B: 是 不 是 有人 吵架 了？<span class="trans">Did some people have an argument?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="&quot;Just_now&quot;_with_&quot;gangcai&quot;" title="wikilink">&quot;Just now&quot; with &quot;gangcai&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="&quot;Just&quot;_with_&quot;gang&quot;" title="wikilink">&quot;Just&quot; with &quot;gang&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="现代汉语八百词（增订本）" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</a> (刚 p.216) <a href="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&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="现代汉语虚词例释" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语虚词例释</a>(刚 p.190) <a href="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&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="现代汉语八百词（增订本）" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</a> (刚才 p.217) <a href="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&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="对外汉语教学语法释疑201例" class="uri" title="wikilink">对外汉语教学语法释疑201例</a> (p.28) <a href="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&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 40- 2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276709">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="卓越汉语－公司实战篇" class="uri" title="wikilink">卓越汉语－公司实战篇</a> (p. 239) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347863170&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="现代汉语词典（第5版）" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语词典（第5版）</a> (p.446) <a href="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&amp;qid=1345693609&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>       </p>
<p><a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title="wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p>