▎從 A 到 B, (cóng (Prep) A dào (Prep) B), from A to B

 

Function This pattern is used to indicate the ‘from...to...’ spatial or temporal distance between points A and B. A and B can refer to time or place, but never people.

1 我從早上十點二十分到下午一點十分有中文課。

Wǒ cóng zǎoshàng shídiǎn èrshífēn dào xiàwǔ yìdiǎn shífēn yǒu Zhōngwén kè.

I have Chinese class from 10:20am to1:10pm.

2 我今天從早上到晚上都有空，歡迎你們來我家。

Wǒ jīntiān cóng zǎoshàng dào wǎnshàng dōu yǒu kòng, huānyíng nǐmen lái wǒ jiā.

I am free from morning to night today. (You’re) welcome to come to my house.

3 從我家到那個游泳池有一點遠。

Cóng wǒ jiā dào nà ge yóuyǒngchí yǒu yìdiǎn yuǎn.

From my house to that swimming pool is a little far.

4 我從我朋友家到這個地方來。

Wǒ cóng wǒ péngyǒu jiā dào zhè ge dìfāng lái.

I came to this place from my friend’s house.

5 他從圖書館到那家餐廳去吃飯。

Tā cóng túshūguǎn dào nà jiā cāntīng qù chīfàn.

He went from the library to that restaurant to eat.

 

Structures

Negation：

1 我們的書法課不是從九點到十一點。

Wǒmen de shūfǎ kè búshì cóng jiǔdiǎn dào shíyīdiǎn.

Our calligraphy class is not from 9 to 11.

2 陳先生的媽媽昨天不是從早上到晚上都很忙。

Chén xiānshēng de māma zuótiān búshì cóng zǎoshàng dào wǎnshàng dōu hěn máng.

Mr. Chen’s mom wasn’t busy yesterday from morning to night.

3 A：我什麼時候可以去你家？

Wǒ shénme shíhòu kěyǐ qù nǐ jiā?

When can I go to your house?

B：我今天從早上到晚上都沒有空。可是明天可以。

Wǒ jīntiān cóng zǎoshàng dào wǎnshàng dōu méi yǒu kòng, kěshì míngtiān kěyǐ.

I don’t have time from morning to night today, but tomorrow is OK.

4 從這棟大樓到那家 KTV 不遠。

Cóng zhè dòng dàlóu dào nà jiā KTV bù yuǎn.

It is not far from this building to that KTV.

5 我不想從學校到那裡去，想從我家去。

Wǒ bù xiǎng cóng xuéxiào dào nàlǐ qù, xiǎng cóng wǒ jiā qù.

I don’t want to go there from school. I want to go from my house.

Questions：Three different patterns can be employed in this construction.

1 你們老師後天從早上到下午都有空嗎？（嗎）

Nǐmen lǎoshī hòutiān cóng zǎoshàng dào xiàwǔ dōu yǒu kòng ma?

Is your teacher free from morning to afternoon the day after tomorrow?

2 請問從圖書館到你們宿舍遠不遠？（A-not-A）

Qǐngwèn cóng túshūguǎn dào nǐmen sùshè yuǎn bù yuǎn?

Excuse me. Is it far from the library to your dorm?

3 他們想從宿舍還是圖書館到教室去上課？（A or B）

Tāmen xiǎng cóng sùshè háishì túshūguǎn dào jiàoshì qù shàngkè?

Do they want to go from the dorm or from the library to the classroom for class?