I can say where I'm going and what for, invite a friend over, and say what I do and don't want to do.
Where to and what for: 去, 来, and 想
Where to and what for: 去, 来, and 想
What for: say where you're going and why, and invite a friend over.
Pattern: who + 去 / 来 + place + what to do. The second verb is the purpose; English “to” isn't translated. The place goes right after 去, the purpose at the end: 我去商店买衣服。(Wǒ qù shāngdiàn mǎi yīfu.) (I'm going to the store to buy clothes.)
来 is toward the speaker, 去 away: “come to my place” is 来 (lái), “I'll go to yours” is 去 (qù). 回 is back where you live: 回家 (huí jiā), 回国 (huí guó). 到 is “to arrive”: 你几点到？(Nǐ jǐ diǎn dào?) (What time will you get here?)
想 + action: “want to, would like to”; 很想 (hěn xiǎng): “really want to”: 我很想去。(Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù.) (I really want to go.) 要 (yào) is firmer (“going to”) and can take a thing: 我要一杯茶。(Wǒ yào yì bēi chá.) (I'll have a cup of tea.) “I don't want to” is 不想 (bù xiǎng); 不要 (búyào) is “don't” (lesson 4).
“I think that…” is 我觉得… (wǒ juéde…), not 我想… (wǒ xiǎng…): 想 is a wish, not an opinion.
No future form: 我明天去西安。(Wǒ míngtiān qù Xī'ān.) (I'm going to Xi'an tomorrow: “明天” shows when.)
Common mistakes:
• ×我去买东西超市 (Wǒ qù mǎi dōngxi chāoshì.) → 我去超市买东西。(Wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi.) (the place right after 去)
• ×我超市去 (Wǒ chāoshì qù.) → 我去超市。(Wǒ qù chāoshì.) (not before 去)
• ×我很要去 (Wǒ hěn yào qù.) → 我很想去。(Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù.) (“really” goes with 想)
• ×我去家 (Wǒ qù jiā.) → 我回家。(Wǒ huí jiā.) (“go home” is 回)
Two verbs in a row: where to and what for
The first verb is where you're going, the second is what you'll do there.
| Who | 去 / 来 / 回 | Where to | What for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我 (Wǒ) | 去 (qù) | 商店 (shāngdiàn) | 买衣服 (mǎi yīfu) |
| 他们 (Tāmen) | 来 (lái) | 中国 (Zhōngguó) | 玩 (wán) |
| 安娜 (Ānnà) | 回 (huí) | 家 (jiā) | 休息 (xiūxi) |
来, 去, 回, 到 — which way you move
The four motion words differ in direction, not in the meaning “go”.
| Word | Which way | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 来 (lái) | toward the speaker | 请来这儿。(Qǐng lái zhèr.) |
| 去 (qù) | away from the speaker | 我们去那儿。(Wǒmen qù nàr.) |
| 回 (huí) | back to where you live | 我回国。(Wǒ huí guó.) |
| 到 (dào) | arrive at a place | 你几点到？(Nǐ jǐ diǎn dào?) |
Lesson notes
Where to and what for: 去, 来, and 想
What for: say where you're going and why, and invite a friend over.
Pattern: who + 去 / 来 + place + what to do. The second verb is the purpose; English “to” isn't translated. The place goes right after 去, the purpose at the end: 我去商店买衣服。(Wǒ qù shāngdiàn mǎi yīfu.) (I'm going to the store to buy clothes.)
来 is toward the speaker, 去 away: “come to my place” is 来 (lái), “I'll go to yours” is 去 (qù). 回 is back where you live: 回家 (huí jiā), 回国 (huí guó). 到 is “to arrive”: 你几点到？(Nǐ jǐ diǎn dào?) (What time will you get here?)
想 + action: “want to, would like to”; 很想 (hěn xiǎng): “really want to”: 我很想去。(Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù.) (I really want to go.) 要 (yào) is firmer (“going to”) and can take a thing: 我要一杯茶。(Wǒ yào yì bēi chá.) (I'll have a cup of tea.) “I don't want to” is 不想 (bù xiǎng); 不要 (búyào) is “don't” (lesson 4).
“I think that…” is 我觉得… (wǒ juéde…), not 我想… (wǒ xiǎng…): 想 is a wish, not an opinion.
No future form: 我明天去西安。(Wǒ míngtiān qù Xī'ān.) (I'm going to Xi'an tomorrow: “明天” shows when.)
Common mistakes:
• ×我去买东西超市 (Wǒ qù mǎi dōngxi chāoshì.) → 我去超市买东西。(Wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi.) (the place right after 去)
• ×我超市去 (Wǒ chāoshì qù.) → 我去超市。(Wǒ qù chāoshì.) (not before 去)
• ×我很要去 (Wǒ hěn yào qù.) → 我很想去。(Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù.) (“really” goes with 想)
• ×我去家 (Wǒ qù jiā.) → 我回家。(Wǒ huí jiā.) (“go home” is 回)