The Overlap of Verbs in Chinese

The overlapping of verbs is a very important HSK grammar point. You probably have known that verbs can be used to describe an action or to show possibility, necessity or will in Chinese. Besides, if you overlap a certain verbs, the meaning will be changed. There are many overlap styles of verbs. Give you some examples:

1.      （A-AA）看-看看，写-写写，说-说说，想-想想

2.      （AB-ABAB）商量-商量商量，讨论-讨论讨论

3.      （A-A不A）走-走不走，去-去不去

4.      （A-A了A）听-听了听，想-想了想

The verb’s overlapping expression is a short time action.

E.g.:

你明晚有空，上我这儿来坐坐，聊聊天吧。(If you have spare time tomorrow night, you can come my house to have a talk.)

This sentence pattern is also express that you can have a try.

E.g.:

你走走，就知道这路有多不平了。（Just walk and you know how rough the road is.）

When the verb is overlapped, the tone is more euphemistic. It’s more polite than you say directly.

E.g.:

这件事我们需要商量。/这件事我们需要商量商量。

The pronunciation of words is very rhythmic. It just sounds like a little song when you read it again and again. Chinese is not as difficult as people say, you need to learn it with a cheerful mood.