Planning a trip to China? Studying Mandarin? Or simply trying to coordinate with Chinese-speaking friends or colleagues? One of the most fundamental questions you'll need to ask is about time duration. Whether you're wondering about a flight's length, how long you need to wait, or the duration of an event, knowing how long in chinese is essential for practical communication.
While there are a couple of ways to express this, the most common and versatile phrase you'll encounter is 多久 (duō jiǔ). Mastering this simple two-character phrase will unlock countless conversations and help you navigate time-related queries with confidence.
This ultimate guide will break down everything you need to know about using 多久 (duō jiǔ). We'll cover its meaning, sentence structures, variations for past and future contexts, common responses, potential pitfalls, and plenty of examples. By the end, you'll have a solid grasp of asking about duration in chinese like a pro.
Understanding 多久 (duō jiǔ)
Let's break down the phrase:
- 多 (duō): This character often means "many" or "much," but in questions like this, it functions as "how." Think of it like "how much" or "how many."
- 久 (jiǔ): This character means "long" specifically in the context of time. It refers to a duration.
Put them together, and 多久 (duō jiǔ) literally translates to "how long (time)?" It's the go-to phrase for inquiring about the length of time for an action or state.
Basic Sentence Structure with 多久 (duō jiǔ)
The great news is that incorporating 多久 (duō jiǔ) into sentences is quite straightforward. The most common structure places it after the verb or verb phrase:
Subject + Verb (Phrase) + 多久 (duō jiǔ)?
Let's look at some basic examples:
- 你要等多久? (Nǐ yào děng duō jiǔ?) - How long do you need to wait?
- 你 (nǐ) - you
- 要 (yào) - need to / will
- 等 (děng) - wait
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
- 会议开多久? (Huìyì kāi duō jiǔ?) - How long will the meeting run?
- 会议 (huìyì) - meeting
- 开 (kāi) - to hold (a meeting), to run
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
- 你学中文学多久? (Nǐ xué Zhōngwén xué duō jiǔ?) - How long do you study/learn Chinese? (Or: How long will you study Chinese?)
- 你 (nǐ) - you
- 学 (xué) - to study/learn
- 中文 (Zhōngwén) - Chinese language
- 学 (xué) - verb repeated for emphasis/clarity, common but optional
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
This structure is fundamental when asking about how long in mandarin.
Asking About Past Duration: Using 了 (le)
When you want to ask about the duration of an action that has already happened or been happening up until now, you need to add the particle 了 (le). Typically, 了 (le) is placed after the verb.
Subject + Verb + 了 (le) + 多久 (duō jiǔ)?
Examples:
- 你等了多久? (Nǐ děng le duō jiǔ?) - How long did you wait? / How long have you been waiting?
- 他在这里住了多久? (Tā zài zhèlǐ zhù le duō jiǔ?) - How long has he lived here?
- 他 (tā) - he
- 在 (zài) - at
- 这里 (zhèlǐ) - here
- 住 (zhù) - to live
- 了 (le) - particle indicating completion or change
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
- 你们谈了多久? (Nǐmen tán le duō jiǔ?) - How long did you guys talk?
- 你们 (nǐmen) - you (plural)
- 谈 (tán) - to talk/discuss
- 了 (le) - particle
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
Understanding this structure is key if you need how to say how long in chinese regarding past events.
Asking About Future Duration: Using 要 (yào) or 会 (huì)
To inquire about the expected duration of a future action or event, you often use modal verbs like 要 (yào) (will, going to, need to) or 会 (huì) (will, likely to).
Subject + 要 (yào) / 会 (huì) + Verb (Phrase) + 多久 (duō jiǔ)?
Examples:
- 火车要开多久? (Huǒchē yào kāi duō jiǔ?) - How long will the train journey take?
- 火车 (huǒchē) - train
- 要 (yào) - will / need to
- 开 (kāi) - to drive / run (for transport)
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
- 这个项目会持续多久? (Zhège xiàngmù huì chíxù duō jiǔ?) - How long will this project last?
- 这个 (zhège) - this
- 项目 (xiàngmù) - project
- 会 (huì) - will / likely to
- 持续 (chíxù) - to continue / last
- 多久 (duō jiǔ) - how long
Sometimes, context makes it clear you're asking about the future even without 要 (yào) or 会 (huì), like the earlier "会议开多久?" example.
An Alternative: 多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān)?
While 多久 (duō jiǔ) is very common, you might also hear or want to use 多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān).
- 多 (duō): how
- 长 (cháng): long
- 时间 (shíjiān): time
Literally "how long time?", it means the same thing as 多久 (duō jiǔ). It's often considered slightly more formal or explicit. You can generally substitute it into the same sentence structures:
- 你要等多长时间? (Nǐ yào děng duō cháng shíjiān?) - How long do you need to wait?
- 你学了多长时间(的)中文? (Nǐ xué le duō cháng shíjiān (de) Zhōngwén?) - How long have you studied Chinese? (The 的 (de) is often added here).
Using this phrase is another way to ask about how much time in chinese. Both 多久 and 多长时间 are essential for understanding questions about the duration in mandarin. Knowing both helps clarify the total time duration in chinese involved in an activity.
How to Respond to "多久 (duō jiǔ)?"
Now that you know how to ask, what kind of answers can you expect or give? Responses typically involve a time phrase:
- Specific Time:
- 五分钟 (wǔ fēnzhōng) - 5 minutes
- 半个小时 (bàn ge xiǎoshí) - half an hour
- 两个小时 (liǎng ge xiǎoshí) - 2 hours (Note: use 两 (liǎng) for 'two' before measure words like 个 (ge))
- 三天 (sān tiān) - 3 days
- 一年 (yì nián) - 1 year
- Vague Time:
- 一会儿 (yíhuìr) - a little while
- 很久 (hěn jiǔ) - a long time
- 不太久 (bú tài jiǔ) - not too long
- 快好了 (kuài hǎo le) - almost ready / soon
- Using 大概 (dàgài) or 左右 (zuǒyòu) for "About":
- 大概十分钟 (dàgài shí fēnzhōng) - about 10 minutes
- 一个小时左右 (yí ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu) - around an hour
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learners sometimes make these errors:
- Incorrect Word Order: Placing 多久 (duō jiǔ) at the beginning of the sentence like in English ("How long will you wait?"). Remember, it usually comes after the verb.
- Incorrect: 多久你要等? (Duō jiǔ nǐ yào děng?)
- Correct: 你要等多久? (Nǐ yào děng duō jiǔ?)
- Forgetting 了 (le) for Past Actions: When asking about completed duration, 了 (le) is crucial.
- Incorrect (usually): 你等多久? (Nǐ děng duō jiǔ?) - Could mean future/general
- Correct (for past): 你等了多久? (Nǐ děng le duō jiǔ?)
- Using 几 (jǐ) Instead of 多 (duō): 几 (jǐ) is used to ask "how many" for expected small numbers (usually under 10), often with countable nouns (几天 jǐ tiān - how many days, 几个小时 jǐ ge xiǎoshí - how many hours). 多久 (duō jiǔ) is more general for asking about duration without assuming it's short. While you can ask "你要等几个小时?" (Nǐ yào děng jǐ ge xiǎoshí? - How many hours will you wait?), 多久 (duō jiǔ) is broader.
Examples in Context
Let's see 多久 (duō jiǔ) in short dialogues:
Scenario 1: At the bus stop
- A: 请问，这趟车还要等多久? (Qǐngwèn, zhè tàng chē hái yào děng duō jiǔ?) - Excuse me, how much longer do we have to wait for this bus?
- B: 大概还要十分钟左右。 (Dàgài hái yào shí fēnzhōng zuǒyòu.) - Probably about another 10 minutes or so.
Scenario 2: Planning a trip
- A: 从北京到上海坐高铁要多久? (Cóng Běijīng dào Shànghǎi zuò gāotiě yào duō jiǔ?) - How long does it take to take the high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai?
- B: 最快的差不多四个半小时。 (Zuì kuài de chàbuduō sì ge bàn xiǎoshí.) - The fastest one is about four and a half hours.
Scenario 3: Talking about experience
- A: 你在这里工作了多久? (Nǐ zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò le duō jiǔ?) - How long have you worked here?
- B: 我来了快三年了。 (Wǒ lái le kuài sān nián le.) - I've been here almost three years.
Mastering these kinds of interactions is crucial, especially if you're preparing for any level of a Mandarin language exam.
Conclusion: Your Key to Asking About Time
Asking how long in chinese is a fundamental skill, and 多久 (duō jiǔ) is your primary tool. By understanding its meaning, placement in sentences, and variations with 了 (le), 要 (yào), and 会 (huì), you can confidently inquire about time durations in various contexts. Remember the slightly more formal alternative 多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān) as well.
Practice using these structures in different scenarios – asking about travel times, waiting periods, study durations, or work experience. The more you use it, the more natural it will become. Don't be afraid to make mistakes; they are part of the learning process. Good luck!