（快／就）要……了
about to …; nearly
Structure
（ 快／就 ） 要 + 动词 + 了 · 时间 + 就要 + 动词 + 了 · 快 + 时间／名词 + 了
What it means
Says something is about to happen very soon: 车要开了 (the train’s about to leave). 快 + a time + 了 means “nearly”: 快八点了.
How it is built
(快／就) + 要 + verb + 了: 火车快要开了！ (The train’s about to leave!) With a time word: time + 就要 + verb + 了: 八点半就要开了.
When to use it
要……了 is the basic form; 快要 and 就要 say the same, a little more urgently. With a time word in front, only 就要 works.
Watch out
✗ 八点半快要开了。 ✓ 八点半就要开了。 Don’t leave out the 了 at the end: ✗ 火车快要开。 ✓ 火车快要开了。
Examples
火车快要开了！
The train’s about to leave!
我们八点半就要出发了。
We’re setting off at half past eight.
天要黑了，我们回家吧。
It’s getting dark. Let’s go home.
快十二点了，去吃饭吧。
It’s nearly twelve. Let’s go and eat.
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 16: 火车快要开了 (Catching a train)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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