▎了2 , (Ptc), in 快…了, kuài...le, about to (4)

 

Function The sentential particle 了 often appears in sentences that contain adverbs, 快kuài, 要yào, or 快要kuàiyào indicating ‘something will soon happen’. This 了 suggests an imminent change of situations.

1 快下雨了。

Kuài xiàyǔ le.

It’s going to rain soon.

2 電影要結束了。

Diànyǐng yào jiéshù le.

The movie is about to finish.

3 爸爸快要到家了。

Bàba kuàiyào dào jiā le.

Dad is almost home.

 

Structures This pattern cannot be negated.

Questions：

1 你媽媽的生日快到了嗎？

Nǐ māma de shēngrì kuài dào le ma?

Is your mom’s birthday coming soon?

2 比賽要開始了嗎？

Bǐsài yào kāishǐ le ma?

Is the game about to start?

3 哥哥的女朋友快要回法國了嗎？

Gēge de nǚpéngyǒu kuàiyào huí Fǎguó le ma?

Is brother’s girlfriend going back to France soon?

 

Usage This pattern indicates that an instance will soon take place. In Taiwan, the bi-syllabic 快要kuàiyào is preferred. For example, 我的生日快要到了。Wǒ de shēngrì kuàiyào dào le. ‘My birthday is coming soon.’ If there is a time word, 快要kuàiyào can not be used, e.g., ＊他明天快要回來了 ＊Tā míngtiān kuàiyào huílái le ‘He will be coming home tomorrow’.