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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.

Structure

Subj. + (已经 +) Duration + 没 + Verb + 了

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。

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Full explanation at AllSet Learning

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.

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