3

I'm learning complements of duration (CoD) at the moment, and I've been taught the following structures:

  • S V + 了/过 + CoD*

  • S V Obj. V + 了/过 + CoD* (used for personal pronoun objects)

  • S V + 了/过 + CoD (的) Obj.*

However, I keep encountering sentences such as 我等了他半个小时, which contain personal pronoun objects but appear to fit into the structure below (which they have not taught in class):

  • S V + 了/过 + Pron. CoD*

Should I add the above structure to my repertoire for personal pronoun objects, or is it not always valid? Any explanation as to why we don't have to repeat the verb for such cases?

|improve this question
  • Other users esp. readers also are familiar with S V + 了/过 + Pron. CoD*: 我等了他半个小时 and are not familiar with S V Obj. V + 了/过 + CoD* (used for personal pronoun objects) Obj=personal pronoun object? e,g. "我等他了半个小时." check examples in dictionaries or grammars, "外国人实用汉语语法＂：（complement of frequency) 我找了他两回。她叫了我们一声。bkrs:我等了他一整天.我等了他半天，他才来。我干等了他半天。他根本没有来，我们傻等了他半天。等了他很久, 最后他来了. Complement of duration does not seem to affect the usual position of pronoun objects. The main problem seems to be other objects when verb can be repeated and 了 comes after repeated verb: 我看电视看了个钟头。 – user6065 Nov 9 '17 at 17:48
1

There is a structure [S V O + V 了 + CoD*] (repeat the same verb)

For example: "我吃晚飯" (I eat dinner); "我等我父親"(I wait for my father)

Put it in [S V O + V 了 + CoD*] structure

"我吃晚飯吃了一小時"

"我等我父親等了一小時"

Of course personal pronouns can be objects (e,g. 我等他等了一小時 ), but the structure is not limited to just personal pronouns-- It can use any noun or noun phrase

The structure [S V 了/过 + CoD*] Can always followed by an object

Example:

我學了/过三年(的)英語 - 英語 is the object

我畫了/过一整天(的)街景 - 街景 is the object

'的' is optional

|improve this answer
  • confirming comment? – user6065 Nov 9 '17 at 21:09
  • I didn't read your comment, if it is saying the same thing, then I can confirm it is true. – Tang Ho Nov 9 '17 at 21:32
  • why not read it at least after attention has been called to it, so that it can in fact be confirmed or rejected? It seems some users read comments selectively, read some which they then criticize, say they did not read others which seem to be in agreement with what they are saying. – user6065 Nov 9 '17 at 23:03

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.