语法 · HSK 2–3
快要……了 vs 就要……了: "about to" in Chinese
快要……了, 快……了, 要……了 and 就要……了 all mean "about to happen soon": 快要下雨了 "It's about to rain". The critical exam rule: if the sentence includes a specific time word (明天, 下个月, 八点), you MUST use 就要……了 (or 要……了), NEVER 快要……了 or 快……了.
句型Patterns
Subject + 快(要) / 就要 / 要 + Verb + 了No time word: all four forms work.Time + Subject + 就要 + Verb + 了With a specific time: 就要……了 only.
例句Examples
- 快要下雨了，我们快回家吧。kuài yào xià yǔ le, wǒ men kuài huí jiā ba.It's about to rain; let's hurry home.
- 下个月我就要去北京上大学了。xià gè yuè wǒ jiù yào qù běi jīng shàng dà xué le.Next month I am going to Beijing for university.
- 电影八点就要开始了。diàn yǐng bā diǎn jiù yào kāi shǐ le.The film is about to start at eight.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗明天他快要回国了。
✓明天他就要回国了。
With a specific time word like 明天, use 就要……了, never 快要……了.
-
✗火车快要开了吗？
✓火车要开了吗？
Yes/no questions with 吗 usually use 要……了吗 rather than 快要.
重点词语Words in this guide
Common questions
Why is 了 at the end of a future sentence here?
It is sentence-了 marking an imminent change of situation ("is about to become the case").