Skip main navigation

How to use V1.了...就V2... this structure

How to use V1.了...就V2... this structure to indicate two actions which occur successively, with the second immediately following the first.

Language points

The successive occurrence of two actions

In Chinese, V1.了…就V2… this structure can be used to indicate two actions which occur successively, with the second immediately following the first. For example:

经理走进办公室,他在打电话。

We can say:经理进了办公室就打电话。

我今天很累。我回家,我睡觉。

We can say:我回了家就睡觉。

In a sentence with two subjects, the second subject should be put right before 就: Subject1 + V1 了……Subject2 + 就 + V2 ……

For example:

妈妈出了门,我就玩儿游戏。

爸爸回来了,我们就吃饭。

老师下了课,我们就去面包店。

Dialogue 2

周太太:喂,你好,请问周明在吗?

秘书: 周经理出去了,不在办公室。

周太太:他去哪儿了?什么时候回来?

秘书: 他出去办事了,下午回来。

周太太:回来了就让他给我打个电话。

秘书: 好的,他到了办公室我就告诉他。

*Please retell the dialogue into a paragraph, here is an example:

周太太打电话给周明,周明不在办公室。周明的秘书告诉周太太,周经理出去办事了,下午回来。秘书答应周太太让周经理到了办公室就给她回电话。

今天我们学了如何打电话,还学了一个非常有用的句子,“V1 了……就V2 …… ” 想一想你做完这些事情后会做什么? Please try to write down your sentence using this structure.

This article is from the free online

HSK Standard Course Level 3: 3.1

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now