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HSK 2Time & Place

Duration Expressions

Duration goes after the verb to indicate how long an action lasts.

Pattern

Verb + Duration (+ Object) / Verb + Object + Verb + Duration

Explanation

Duration phrases go after the verb: "我学了两年中文" (I studied Chinese for two years). If there is an object, the duration can go after it, or you repeat the verb.

For "how long" questions, use 多长时间 or 多久: "你学了多长时间？"

Examples

我学了两年中文。

Wǒ xué le liǎng nián Zhōngwén.

I studied Chinese for two years.

他等了半个小时。

Tā děng le bàn ge xiǎoshí.

He waited for half an hour.

我睡了八个小时。

Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí.

I slept for eight hours.

Related Grammar

le completed actionfrequency complement

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