▎來, lái, (V), as in 來＋VP, to come to do something (1)

 

Function ‘來＋VP’ indicates the subject’s intention of coming over to engage in something.

1 我來學中文。

Wǒ lái xué Zhōngwén.

I’ve come to study Chinese.

2 他來打籃球。

Tā lái dǎ lánqiú.

He came to play baseketball.

3 我和朋友來逛夜市。

Wǒ hàn péngyǒu lái guàng yèshì.

My friend and I came to wander around the night market.

 

Structures Negation markers, auxiliary verbs, or adverbs are placed before the first verbal element 來.

Negation：

1 我明天有事不來上課。

Wǒ míngtiān yǒu shì bù lái shàngkè.

I have something to do tomorrow. I won’t be coming to class.

2 那些學生都不來看電影。

Nàxiē xuéshēng dōu bù lái kàn diànyǐng.

None of those students will be coming to watch the movie.

3 他很忙，不來幫你裝有線電視了。

Tā hěn máng, bù lái bāng nǐ zhuāng yǒuxiàn diànshì le.

He is very busy. He can’t come put cable television in for you.

Questions：

1 他不來吃晚飯嗎？

Tā bù lái chī wǎnfàn ma?

He’s not coming to eat dinner?

2 你們常來游泳嗎？

Nǐmen cháng lái yóuyǒng ma?

Do you often come to swim?

3 你是不是來參觀故宮博物院？

Nǐ shìbúshì lái cānguān Gùgōng Bówùyuàn?

Are you coming to visit the Palace Museum?

 

Usage The function of ‘來＋VP’ is the same as that of ‘去＋VP’ . The only difference is the direction of the subject’s action, 來 towards and 去 away from the speaker’s location.

1 我星期四來/去上書法課。

Wǒ xīngqísì lái/qù shàng shūfǎ kè.

I come/go take calligraphy classes on Thursdays.

2 我妹妹不想來/去吃牛肉麵。

Wǒ mèimei bù xiǎng lái/qù chī niúròu miàn.

My sister doesn’t want to come/go eat beef noodles.