HSK 2 grammar · new HSK syllabus
快要…了 / 要…了: about to
(快)要…了 means something is about to happen: 火车快要开了.
Structure
- (快)要 + verb + 了
- 快 + adjective / noun + 了
How it works
要…了, 快要…了 and 快…了 all say that something is going to happen soon: 下雨了 it’s raining; 要下雨了 it’s about to rain.
快要 and 快 suggest it is very close: 电影快开始了.
就要…了 can be used with a time word: 他明天就要走了. 快要 can’t be used with an exact time.
Examples
-
要下雨了，快回家吧。
Yào xiàyǔ le, kuài huí jiā ba.
It’s going to rain. Let’s go home.
-
火车快要开了。
Huǒchē kuàiyào kāi le.
The train is about to leave.
-
快十二点了，我们去吃饭吧。
Kuài shí èr diǎn le, wǒmen qù chī fàn ba.
It’s nearly twelve. Let’s go and eat.
-
我下个月就要回国了。
Wǒ xià gè yuè jiù yào huí guó le.
I’m going back home next month.
-
电影快开始了，别说话了。
Diànyǐng kuài kāishǐ le, bié shuōhuà le.
The film is about to start. Stop talking.
Words in these examples (27)
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 下雨 | xiàyǔ | to rain | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 快 | kuài | fast; quick; soon | HSK 2 |
| 回 | huí | to return; to go back | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 火车 | huǒchē | train | HSK 1 |
| 快要 | kuàiyào | about to; soon | HSK 2 |
| 开 | kāi | to open; to drive; to switch on | HSK 1 |
| 十 | shí | ten | HSK 1 |
| 二 | èr | two | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 吃 | chī | to eat | HSK 1 |
| 饭 | fàn | meal; cooked rice | HSK 1 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 下 | xià | down; below; to go down; to get off; next | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 月 | yuè | month; moon | HSK 1 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 国 | guó | country | HSK 1 |
| 电影 | diànyǐng | film; movie | HSK 1 |
| 开始 | kāishǐ | to begin; to start | HSK 2 |
| 别 | bié | don't | HSK 2 |
| 说话 | shuōhuà | to talk; to speak | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗火车快要开。
✓火车快要开了。
This pattern needs 了 at the end.
-
✗他明天快要走了。
✓他明天就要走了。
With a time word, use 就要.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 天快要下雨 ，我们走吧。
2. 飞机 起飞了。
3. 他下个星期 结婚了。