B1 · Grammar reference · ASGSVF28
Expressing duration of inaction
Saying how long you have not done something is not difficult, but the word order is different from the regular pattern for expressing duration. If there's a consistent keyword in this pattern, it's going to be 没 (méi), since it almost always plays a role.
- Keywords
- 没 · 了
- Used for
- Expressing duration · Referring to the past
- Classification
- Adverbs · HSK3
Examples (11)
他们已经两天没吃东西了。
我们已经十年没见了。
他已经一个星期没洗澡了。
你多长时间没刮胡子了?
她半个月没出门了。
你们多久没回家了?
你多久没休假了?
买吧,你已经一年多没买新衣服了。
你好像很久没这么开心了。
我已经十年没来中国了。
我上次来中国是2010年。
Further resources
Learn from another explanation
No editorial pick yet for this exact pattern.
Editorial picks are checked for a close topic match. Search results and external content belong to their publishers and may change.
Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.
Related points