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This week in CGG #93, we explored how to express quantities in Mandarin, whether counting how many times something happens or how long an action lasts.
Today’s exercises will help you practice using measure words like 次 (cì), expressing durations, and understanding when to use 了 (le) to express duration. You’ll see how these patterns work together to make your time expressions clear and natural.
With practice, these quantity patterns will feel completely natural!
Recap of CGG #93 lesson
Using 次 / 遍 / 回 (cì / biàn / huí): These measure words count how many times an action occurs. Use 次 as your default for counting occurrences, 遍 when emphasizing completion from start to finish (like reading an entire book), and 回 for casual northern-style speech. Place them after the verb with a number, and feel free to position them before or after the object, both orders work naturally.
Duration complements with 了 (le): When expressing how long a completed action lasted (like “studied for two years”), place 了 after the verb to mark completion. With an object, you have three options: repeat the verb, put the duration before the object, or insert 的 between the duration and object. The 的 version works especially well with separable verbs and sounds like “X amount of [activity].”
Using sentence-final 了 (le) for ongoing duration: This structure expresses that a situation started in the past and continues up to now (“I’ve been here for one month”). Unlike the completion 了 above, this 了 appears at the very end of the sentence after the duration, marking a change of state rather than a completed action. The pattern shows how long something has been going on and implies it’s still happening.
Quantity complements with 比 (bǐ) comparisons: After comparing with 比, add a quantity to show exactly how much difference exists. Use precise measurements for exact gaps (like “two years older”), 一点儿 or 一些 for small differences, and 得多 or 多了 for large differences. These complements can also appear without 比 when context makes the comparison clear.
🌱 Today’s Easy Exercises
Translate these English sentences into Mandarin:
I called you twice, why didn’t you pick up?
We chatted for the whole evening yesterday!
I’ve asked him several times but he still doesn’t know.
He’s been living here for three months now.
Take your time, and remember: practicing will help you sound more natural and confident in your Mandarin conversations. You’ve got this! 💫
🌱 Translation #1
I called you twice, why didn’t you pick up?
Here, we’re expressing frustration about a completed action (calling) that happened multiple times without getting a response. When you need to count how many times something happened, 次 (cì) is your go-to measure word. It works like saying “X number of times” in English. Since the calling already happened and was completed, we also need 了 (le) after the verb to mark that completion. This creates the pattern of verb + 了 + number + 次, which clearly shows both that the action is finished and exactly how many times it occurred.
📚 Structure: [Subject] + [Verb] + 了 + [Number] + 次 + [Object]
Let’s break down the translation step by step:
我 (wǒ) means “I.”
给 [給] (gěi) here functions as a coverb meaning “to” or “for,” indicating the recipient of the action.
📖 Learn more about 给 [給] as a coverb in CGG #67.
你 (nǐ) means “you.”
打 (dǎ) means “to make” (in the context of phone calls).
了 (le) is the perfective aspect marker showing the action was completed.
两 [兩] (liǎng) means “two.”
次 (cì) is the measure word for counting occurrences or times.
次 (cì) is the most common and versatile measure word for frequency.
It can be used with any verb to count how many times an action happened.
电话 [電話] (diànhuà) means “phone call.”
打电话 [打電話] (dǎ diànhuà) together means “to make a phone call.”
你 (nǐ) means “you.”
怎么 [怎麼] (zěnme) means “why” or “how come.”
不 (bù) is the negative particle “not.”
接 (jiē) means “to pick up” or “to answer.”
啊 (a) is a sentence-final particle expressing mild questioning or complaint.
Notes
Don’t omit 了 (le) after the verb 打 (dǎ), as it’s essential for showing the action was completed.
The frequency complement (两次 [兩次]) can be placed either before or after the object (电话 [電話]), both 打了两次电话 [打了兩次電話] and 打了电话两次 [打了電話兩次] are acceptable, though the first is more common.
啊 (a) at the end adds a tone of mild complaint or confusion, making the question sound more natural and emotional rather than purely informational.
怎么 [怎麼] (zěnme) here means “why” rather than “how,” expressing puzzlement about the lack of response.
Recap
我给你打了两次电话，你怎么不接啊？
我給你打了兩次電話，你怎麼不接啊？
我 / 给 / 你 / 打 / 了 / 两 / 次 / 电话 / ，/ 你 / 怎么 / 不 / 接 / 啊 / ？
wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ le liǎng cì diànhuà, nǐ zěnme bù jiē a?
I called you twice, why didn’t you pick up?
I / to / you / make / (aspect marker 了) / two / times / phone call / you / why / not / pick up / (questioning particle 啊).
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🌱 Translation #2
We chatted for the whole evening yesterday!
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