I can say I'm sick and what hurts, understand the doctor's advice “drink more” and “don't go”, and wish a sick person a quick recovery.
I'm sick: 不要 and the doctor's advice
I'm sick: 不要 and the doctor's advice
What for: say you're sick, understand the doctor's advice, and comfort someone who's sick.
我生病了。(Wǒ shēngbìng le.) / 我病了。(Wǒ bìng le.) is the 了 of change from the weather lesson: “I've gotten sick” (I was well before). What hurts: 头疼 (tóu téng) “my head hurts” (no 有, unlike “I have a headache”), or 头很疼 (tóu hěn téng); “I don't feel well” is 我不舒服。(Wǒ bù shūfu.)
Advice: 多 + verb, “… more”: 多 goes BEFORE the verb (see the table), unlike English “drink more”.
A prohibition or advice, “don't”: 不要 + verb (see the table). “I don't want to” is 不想 (bù xiǎng, lesson 1), but 不要 (búyào) is “don't (do it)”.
To see a doctor, two verbs in a row: 去医院看病。(Qù yīyuàn kànbìng.) (Go to the hospital to see a doctor.) Address a doctor by the family name: 陈医生 (Chén yīshēng), Dr. Chén.
To someone who's sick, say the set phrase 你好好休息！(Nǐ hǎohāo xiūxi!) — “Get plenty of rest!”
Common mistakes:
• ×你喝多水 (Nǐ hē duō shuǐ.) → 你多喝水。(Nǐ duō hē shuǐ.) (多 before the verb, not after)
• ×我是病 (Wǒ shì bìng.) → 我病了。(Wǒ bìng le.) (“I am sick” with no 是)
• ×你没要去 (Nǐ méi yào qù.) → 你不要去。(Nǐ búyào qù.) (“don't” in a command is only 不要)
Advice with 多, prohibition with 不要
多 and 不要 always go before the verb.
| Advice: 多 + verb | Prohibition: 不要 + verb |
|---|---|
| 多喝热水 (duō hē rèshuǐ) | 不要喝咖啡 (búyào hē kāfēi) |
| 多吃水果 (duō chī shuǐguǒ) | 不要吃面包 (búyào chī miànbāo) |
| 多睡觉 (duō shuìjiào) | 不要看手机 (búyào kàn shǒujī) |
Lesson notes
I'm sick: 不要 and the doctor's advice
What for: say you're sick, understand the doctor's advice, and comfort someone who's sick.
我生病了。(Wǒ shēngbìng le.) / 我病了。(Wǒ bìng le.) is the 了 of change from the weather lesson: “I've gotten sick” (I was well before). What hurts: 头疼 (tóu téng) “my head hurts” (no 有, unlike “I have a headache”), or 头很疼 (tóu hěn téng); “I don't feel well” is 我不舒服。(Wǒ bù shūfu.)
Advice: 多 + verb, “… more”: 多 goes BEFORE the verb (see the table), unlike English “drink more”.
A prohibition or advice, “don't”: 不要 + verb (see the table). “I don't want to” is 不想 (bù xiǎng, lesson 1), but 不要 (búyào) is “don't (do it)”.
To see a doctor, two verbs in a row: 去医院看病。(Qù yīyuàn kànbìng.) (Go to the hospital to see a doctor.) Address a doctor by the family name: 陈医生 (Chén yīshēng), Dr. Chén.
To someone who's sick, say the set phrase 你好好休息！(Nǐ hǎohāo xiūxi!) — “Get plenty of rest!”
Common mistakes:
• ×你喝多水 (Nǐ hē duō shuǐ.) → 你多喝水。(Nǐ duō hē shuǐ.) (多 before the verb, not after)
• ×我是病 (Wǒ shì bìng.) → 我病了。(Wǒ bìng le.) (“I am sick” with no 是)
• ×你没要去 (Nǐ méi yào qù.) → 你不要去。(Nǐ búyào qù.) (“don't” in a command is only 不要)