Two questions

italy

May 03, 2010, 10:01 AM posted in General Discussion

Please , could you give me some advice about these two points:

- What about the use of 在 before expressions expressing time, like, for exemple,小的时候 .Is it correct to say: 他在小的时候在法国生活了?

- Is it correct to say :你猜他是谁吗?

Tal

May 03, 2010, 10:49 AM

It is not necessary to put 在 in the first part of your first sentence. I would just write:

他小时候在法国生活了。

Your second sentence I think would be better like this:

你猜过他是谁吗？ = Have you guessed who he is?

kuerxiaoya

一个的意思，English say"one".

go_manly

May 03, 2010, 11:19 AM

I'm not sure about this at all, but would 猜出来 be better than just 猜? It seems to have more of a feel of 'guessing correctly', rather than just 'guessing'.

changye

May 03, 2010, 11:53 AM

他小（的）时候在法国生活。

你猜他是谁？

你猜得出他是谁吗？

kuerxiaoya

这是吉娃娃还是别的什么狗狗。

suansuanru

May 03, 2010, 12:04 PM

For the first part,i agree with tal,no need to use "在".

you can say“他小的时候在(prep.)法国生活。”if you want know when to use 在,i think you can say"在他小的时候，……（something happened）"

and in "你猜他是谁吗?",you already put"谁"here to form an interrogative sentence ,so no need to add "吗".

and considering go_manly's reply,you can also say"你猜得出来他是谁吗",and here need a “吗”to form a "猜得出来……吗？"structure.

go_manly

So are the translations for your last 2 sentences:

"Guess who that is!"

and

"Are you able to guess who that is?"

"Guess who that is!"

and

"Are you able to guess who that is?"