连动句：动作1 + 动作2
two actions in a row, with no word for “and”
Structure
主语 + 动作1（+ 宾语） + 动作2（+ 宾语）
What it means
Two actions in a row with no word for “and”. They happen in the order you say them, and often the second is the purpose of the first.
How it is built
Subject + action 1 (+ object) + action 2 (+ object): 我们买了菜回家做饭 (We bought some food and went home to cook). Purpose: 回家做饭 “go home to cook”.
When to use it
You have done this since h1-13 (坐火车去上海看朋友). 了 usually goes after the second verb or at the end (他出去了), but after the first verb if that action ends before the next starts (买了菜回家).
Watch out
Don’t put 和 between the actions: 和 joins nouns (鸡蛋和面条儿). ✗ 我回家和做饭。 ✓ 我回家做饭。
Examples
他放下书包出去了。
He put down his bag and went out.
我们买了菜回家做饭。
We bought some food and went home to cook.
李月洗了手开始做饭。
Li Yue washed her hands and started cooking.
他拿出手机打电话。
He took out his phone and made a call.
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 22: 我们一起做饭 (Cooking together)
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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