应该 · 该 · 该……了
should · it’s time to…
Structure
主语 + 应该／该 + 动词 · 不应该 + 动词 · 该 + 动词 + 了
What it means
应该 means “should”. In speech 该 alone also means “should”, and 该 + verb + 了 means “it’s time to …”: 该吃药了 “time for your medicine”.
How it is built
Subject + 应该 + verb: 你应该早一点儿睡觉 (You should go to bed earlier). 该 + verb + 了: 我们该走了 (Time we went).
When to use it
Use 应该 for advice. 该 is shorter and more spoken. 该你了 means “your turn”, as in games or queues.
Watch out
For “shouldn’t”, put 不 first: 你不应该每天喝凉的. Keep the 了 for “it’s time”: 我们该走了 (Time we went); without 了, 我们该走 just means “we should go”.
Examples
你病了，应该早一点儿睡觉。
You’re ill. You should go to bed earlier.
你不应该每天喝凉的。
You shouldn’t have cold drinks every day.
十点了，我们该走了。
It’s ten o’clock. Time we went.
该你了！
Your turn!
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 9: 看中医 (Traditional medicine)
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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