expressing preferences
53.3
To express a desire for something, say:
要 yào ‘to want’
他要一辆新车。
他要一輛新車。
Tā yào yī liàng xīn chē.
He wants a new car.
小狗饿了，要吃东西。
小狗餓了，要吃東西。
Xiǎo gǒu è le, yào chī dōngxi.
The puppy is hungry and wants to eat something.
53.2 Expressing needs
To indicate that you need something, say:
需要 xūyào ‘to need’
他需要安慰和了解。
Tā xūyào ānwèi hé liáojiě.
He needs comfort and understanding.
我需要你的帮助。
我需要你的幫助。
Wǒ xūyào nǐ de bāngzhù.
I need your help.
得 děi [+ verb] ‘to need [to do]’
这个汤得多加点盐。
這個湯得多加點盬。
Zhège tāng děi duō jiā diǎn yán.
This soup needs a little more salt.
(This soup needs (for us) to add a little more salt.)
我们得晚上十点到家。
我們得晚上十點到家。
Wǒmen děi wǎnshang shí diǎn dào jiā.
We need to be home by 10 p m.
C12.4, 50.1
53.3 Expressing preferences
To indicate a preference, say:
宁可/寧可 nìngkě ‘to prefer’
我们宁可在家吃饭，不愿意去饭馆吃。
我們寧可在家吃飯，不願意去飯館吃。
Wǒmen nìngkě zài jiā chī fàn, bù yuànyi qù fànguǎn chī.
We’d prefer to eat at home. We do not want to go to a restaurant to eat.
他宁可死，也不愿意屈服。
他寧可死，也不願意屈服。
Tā nìngkě sǐ, yě bù yuànyi qūfú.
He’d prefer to die, and he is not ready to surrender.
