没过多久 / 没过几年
before long; within a few (days, years)
Structure
没过 多久／几天／几年 ， 主语 就 …
What it means
'Before long; within a few (days, years)': in a story, says the next thing came sooner than expected.
How it is built
没过 + short span (多久, 几天, 两年)，subject + 就／又 + verb: 新手机买回来没过几天，屏幕就摔碎了 (within a few days the new phone's screen was cracked).
When to use it
A storytelling phrase for past events; 就 or 又 usually follows, 又 when something reverses or repeats. The opposite is 过了很久才… (only after a long time).
Watch out
It tells the past. For the future say 过不了多久: ✗没过多久你会习惯的。 ✓过不了多久你就会习惯的。 Only short spans fit after 没过.
Examples
他换了新工作，没过多久就又不想干了。
He changed jobs, and before long he was fed up again.
新手机买回来没过几天，屏幕就摔碎了。
I’d had the new phone only a few days when I dropped it and cracked the screen.
Learn this in Lesson 83 · HSK 6–7: 新中国的头三十年 (New China’s first thirty years, 1949–1978)
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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