Separable Verbs 睡觉, 上课, 说话, 生病

Structure

verb + object word as one verb (睡觉, 上课); verb + 了/time/describer + object word (睡了一个好觉, 上汉语课)

A separable verb already has its own object, so extra words go in the middle, not after it.

我每天十一点睡觉。

When to use Separable Verbs 睡觉, 上课, 说话, 生病

Words like 睡觉, 说话, 上课 and 生病 are a verb plus its own object (睡 “sleep” + 觉 “a sleep”). Used whole, they work like any verb: 我十一点睡觉. Because the object is already inside, they can’t take another object after them, and words like 了, a length of time or a describer go in the middle: 睡了一个好觉, 上汉语课.

上课的时候不要说话。

Don’t talk in class.

我爸爸八点上班。

My dad starts work at eight.

昨天晚上我睡了一个好觉。

I had a good night’s sleep last night. (describer in the middle)

下了课我们去吃饭吧。

Let’s go eat after class.

Pièges courants

Don’t put an object after a separable verb: 跟老师说话, not 说话老师.
Put the course inside: 上汉语课, not 上课汉语.
A length of time goes in the middle or after a repeated verb: 睡了八个小时觉 or 睡觉睡了八个小时, not 睡觉了八个小时.

Exercice ciblé

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我去学校。

Je vais à l’école pour assister au cours

shàng kè

Sens

to have class; class starts

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When to use Separable Verbs 睡觉, 上课, 说话, 生病

Pièges courants

Exercice ciblé

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