Duration and frequency complements
A2 时量补语与动量补语（次、遍） 29 / 56
In short
To say how long an action lasts, put the time span after the verb: 我看了两个小时的电视 (Wǒ kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí de diànshì) = I watched TV for two hours. To say how many times it happens, put a number + a verbal measure word (次 cì, 遍 biàn, 趟 tàng) after the verb: 我去过三次 (Wǒ qù guo sān cì) = I’ve been three times. Both are complements - they follow the verb, unlike a “when” phrase (昨天, 三点), which comes before it.
The rule
A duration complement (时量补语, shíliàng bǔyǔ) answers “for how long,” and a frequency complement (动量补语, dòngliàng bǔyǔ) answers “how many times.” Both sit behind the verb, and the only real puzzle is where the object goes.
Step 1 - Duration, no object. Just say Verb + 了 + time span: 我等了十分钟 (Wǒ děng le shí fēnzhōng) = I waited for ten minutes. Common spans: 五分钟 (wǔ fēnzhōng, five minutes), 两个小时 (liǎng ge xiǎoshí, two hours), 三天 (sān tiān, three days), 一年 (yì nián, one year). To ask for a span, put 多久 (duō jiǔ) or 多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān) in the very slot the answer will occupy: 你等了多久？ (Nǐ děng le duō jiǔ?) = How long did you wait? The count question is already yours - 几 plus a verbal measure word: 你看了几遍？ (Nǐ kàn le jǐ biàn?).
Step 2 - Duration + a noun object: use 的. Slot the time span between verb and object, joined by optional 的:
Subject + Verb + 了 + Duration + (的) + Object
我学了三年（的）中文。 (Wǒ xué le sān nián (de) Zhōngwén.) = I studied Chinese for three years. The 的 is optional and only appears with a plain noun object.
Step 3 - Or copy the verb. An alternative, very common in speech, is to state the verb + object once, then repeat the verb to carry the complement:
Subject + Verb + Object + Verb + 了 + Duration
我学中文学了三年。 (Wǒ xué Zhōngwén xué le sān nián.) = same meaning. Verb-copying is the go-to when the object is long or when you also want a manner complement (see Manner and state complement (V 得…)).
Step 4 - Pronoun object: it jumps in front. A pronoun object cannot sit behind the complement; it clings right after the verb, and the time span or count follows it: 我等了你半个小时 (Wǒ děng le nǐ bàn ge xiǎoshí) = I waited for you half an hour; 我找了他两次 (Wǒ zhǎo le tā liǎng cì) = I looked for him twice.
Step 5 - Frequency with 次 / 遍 / 趟. Put number + measure word after the verb, before a noun object: 我看了两遍这本书 (Wǒ kàn le liǎng biàn zhè běn shū) = I read this book through twice. Choose by meaning - 次 is a plain tally of occurrences, 遍 stresses one complete run from start to finish, 趟 counts there-and-back trips.
Step 6 - “Still going” gets a second 了. With a duration, adding a sentence-final 了 means the action is still open: 我学了三年中文了 (Wǒ xué le sān nián Zhōngwén le) = I’ve been studying Chinese for three years (and still am). Without it, 我学了三年中文 reads as finished.
Forms & patterns
Where the complement and the object go, by object type:
| Object type | Pattern | Example | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| No object | V + 了 + span/count | 等了十分钟 | děng le shí fēnzhōng |
| Noun object | V + 了 + span + (的) + Obj | 学了三年（的）中文 | xué le sān nián (de) Zhōngwén |
| Verb-copying | V + Obj + V + 了 + span | 学中文学了三年 | xué Zhōngwén xué le sān nián |
| Pronoun object | V + 了 + pronoun + span/count | 等了你半个小时 | děng le nǐ bàn ge xiǎoshí |
| Frequency + noun | V + 了 + Num + 次/遍/趟 + Obj | 看了两遍这本书 | kàn le liǎng biàn zhè běn shū |
Duration words - watch which take 个:
| Span | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 五分钟 | wǔ fēnzhōng | five minutes | no 个 |
| 一个小时 | yí ge xiǎoshí | one hour | takes 个 |
| 半个小时 | bàn ge xiǎoshí | half an hour | takes 个 |
| 三天 | sān tiān | three days | no 个 |
| 两个星期 | liǎng ge xīngqī | two weeks | takes 个 |
| 两个月 | liǎng ge yuè | two months | takes 个 |
| 三年 | sān nián | three years | no 个 |
The three verbal measure words:
| MW | Pinyin | Counts | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 次 | cì | occurrences (plain count) | 去过三次 (qù guo sān cì) |
| 遍 | biàn | one whole run, start to finish | 看了两遍 (kàn le liǎng biàn) |
| 趟 | tàng | round trips (there and back) | 去了一趟 (qù le yí tàng) |
Examples
- 我看了两个小时的电视。 (Wǒ kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí de diànshì.) - I watched TV for two hours.
- 他学了三年中文。 (Tā xué le sān nián Zhōngwén.) - He studied Chinese for three years.
- 我等了你半个小时。 (Wǒ děng le nǐ bàn ge xiǎoshí.) - I waited for you half an hour.
- 这本书我看了两遍。 (Zhè běn shū wǒ kàn le liǎng biàn.) - I read this book through twice.
- 我去过三次北京。 (Wǒ qù guo sān cì Běijīng.) - I’ve been to Beijing three times.
- 请再说一遍。 (Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) - Please say it once more.
- 我去了一趟超市。 (Wǒ qù le yí tàng chāoshì.) - I made a trip to the supermarket.
- 我昨天睡了八个小时。 (Wǒ zuótiān shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí.) - Yesterday I slept for eight hours.
- 我找了他两次，都没找到。 (Wǒ zhǎo le tā liǎng cì, dōu méi zhǎodào.) - I looked for him twice and didn’t find him either time.
Common mistakes
- 我两个小时看了电视。 -> 我看了两个小时电视。 (Wǒ kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí diànshì.) - A time span is a complement, so it follows the verb; only a time point (昨天, 三点) goes in front.
- 我等了半个小时你。 -> 我等了你半个小时。 (Wǒ děng le nǐ bàn ge xiǎoshí.) - A pronoun object hugs the verb; the duration comes after the pronoun, never before it.
- 他学了三个天中文。 -> 他学了三天中文。 (Tā xué le sān tiān Zhōngwén.) - 天 and 年 are already measure-like and take no 个; 小时 / 月 / 星期 do take 个.
- 我看了两次这本书。 (meaning cover to cover) -> 我看了两遍这本书。 (Wǒ kàn le liǎng biàn zhè běn shū.) - 遍 stresses the whole thing from start to finish; 次 only tallies occurrences.
- 我没吃饭三天了。 -> 我三天没吃饭了。 (Wǒ sān tiān méi chī fàn le.) - In the negative “haven’t done X for a while,” the time span moves in front of the verb.
Tips
- The master contrast: when vs how long. A time point (昨天, 三点, 星期一) sits before the verb; a time span (两个小时, 三天) sits after it as a complement. Same clock words, opposite slots.
- 次 = tally, 遍 = whole run, 趟 = trip. Reach for 遍 with reading, listening or saying something all the way through (听一遍, 说一遍); reach for 趟 only with going and coming (去一趟, 跑一趟).
- The 的 in 学了三年的中文 is optional and only turns up with a plain noun object - drop it with pronouns and place names (never 学了三年的他).
- Two 了 keep the action open: 我学了三年中文了 = “three years so far, still going.” One 了 (我学了三年中文) closes it off as finished. The extra sentence-final 了 is the “up to now” switch.