要...了(yào...le)
About To / Going To
Structure Pattern
Explanation
要...了 (yào...le) indicates that something is about to happen soon. It expresses imminent future actions or events. The pattern creates a sense of anticipation — something is on the verge of happening.
Example Sentences
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Yào xià yǔ le.
It's about to rain.
Huǒchē yào kāi le!
The train is about to leave!
Wǒ yào bìyè le.
I'm about to graduate.
Tā kuài yào dào le.
He's almost here.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistake
我今晚要吃晚饭了。
Correct Usage
我今晚吃晚饭。
The pattern "要...了" indicates something is about to happen *very soon* or is on the verge of happening. Using it with a distant future time like "今晚" (tonight) when it's currently morning or afternoon makes the sentence sound contradictory, as "tonight" is not imminent from that perspective. For simple future plans, it's often more natural to just state the time and action, or use "会" for a general future.
Related Grammar Points
Master 要...了
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