User Comments - John

Posted on: A Qing Wen to Our Listeners

Good questions!

In general, 下去 refers to "keep on doing" something into the FUTURE, whereas 下来 means "keep on doing" something UNTIL NOW.

That's why there's a 了 in the first sentence; 坚持下来了 means "I've kept at it" (all the way until now). 坚持下去 refers to "keep at it" (into the future).

This also answers the question about 工作下去.

As for 留下来, although the pattern looks the same, it's not actually the same thing. 留下来 is more of a set phrase. You can use it to refer to the future, but you don't really say 留下去.

I hope that helps!

Posted on: Changing Subway Lines

Yes, that's the one I use.

Posted on: Open the Trunk!

No, because in China 空调 is used for both cooling and heating the air. IT's used in the winter and in the summer (in southern China).

Posted on: Open the Trunk!

打车 means "to hail (and take) a taxi."

Posted on: 上海法租界

Yes, we are! :)

Posted on: Powerpoint Presentation Problems

Keynote is definitely nice, but it's going to take a very long time to overtake Powerpoint's momentum...

Posted on: Turn It Down, Please

香烤豆吐司 (Xiāng kǎo dòu tǔsī)

Literally, "fragrant baked bean toast."

Posted on: Turn It Down, Please

中国的 is literally "China's," but more naturally translated as "from China." 中国, when it comes directly before a noun, means "Chinese" (the adjective, not the language, obviously).

Some examples:

中国女孩 - Chinese girl / Chinese girls

中国的女孩 - the girls in China

中国婚礼 - Chinese wedding(s)

中国的婚礼 - wedding(s) in China

Whether or not to use 的 is actually kind of idiomatic, though, so it's better to just pay attention to what Chinese people say and try not to get too hung up on the rules.

Posted on: Turn It Down, Please

We have a lesson coming up which you're going to love! :)

Posted on: The Glorious 了(le): Part 2

You can divide all uses of 了 into 了1 and 了2, but I find that's usually not very helpful. It's much more useful to learn to recognize certain types of patterns where 了 appears.

你昨天晚上去哪里了?

Here 了 indicates a completed action (了1). The 了 can go directly after the verb, but frequently feels more natural after the object, as in this case.

你吃了吗? - 吃过了.

泰坦尼克号你看过了没有? - 看过了.

For both of these, 了 indicates a completed action (了1). 过 and 了 are frequently used together when asking if someone has already done something.

我先走了.

Here 了 indicates that something is about to happen (a use of 了2). This is the same use as "我们快到了".

现在可以点了吗? - 可以.

Here 了 indicates a change of state (a use of 了2). You're asking "can we order now?" probably because some more people have arrived, or the appropriate time has come. Here, the 现在 and the 了 are basically working together to emphasize the same idea.