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一下 and doubled verbs — “just a moment”
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Can I borrow it for a moment?
- A classmate has a new dictionary. You want to look at it quickly, so you ask politely.
- I / me我can / may可以to see看a moment一下(yes/no ?)吗？ — "Can I have a quick look?"
Verb + a moment一下: briefly, just a moment
- a moment一下 (yíxià) after a verb makes the action short and light: to see看a moment一下, have a look; wait等a moment一下, wait a moment.
- It makes requests softer and more polite: please请wait等a moment一下。 — "Please wait a moment."
please请wait等a moment一下。
Complete: “Please wait a moment.” 请等____。
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一下 after the verb makes the action short and polite.
Doubling the verb works the same way
- Saying the verb twice also means "a little, briefly": to take a look at看看, try试试, 问问. you你try试试this这(measure word)件clothes衣服。 — "Try this jacket on."
- Two-syllable verbs double as a whole: to introduce (sb to sb)介绍to introduce (sb to sb)介绍, rest休息rest休息. to take a look at看看 and to see看a moment一下 are both natural in requests.
you你try试试this这(measure word)件clothes衣服。
试试 and 试一下 can both mean “try (briefly)”.
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True. A doubled verb and verb + 一下 give the same light, brief meaning.
Build: “Try this jacket on.”
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A doubled verb comes before its object.
With an object
- The object comes after a moment一下: I / me我to introduce (sb to sb)介绍a moment一下I / me我(modifier / structural particle)的friend朋友。 — "Let me introduce my friend."
- a moment一下 and a doubled verb are for short, casual actions. Do not use them for long, serious ones like to learn学习a moment一下Chinese language汉语 for a whole year.
Which sentence is natural for “Let me introduce my friend”?
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一下 follows the verb directly, and the object comes after it.
Watch out
- a moment一下 follows the verb directly: to see看a moment一下this这本书, not to see看this这本书a moment一下 in most speech.
- Do not combine both: say to take a look at看看 or to see看a moment一下, not to take a look at看看a moment一下.
Recap
- Verb + a moment一下 or a doubled verb (to take a look at看看, try试试) = do something briefly; it makes a request softer.
- The object follows a moment一下: to introduce (sb to sb)介绍a moment一下I / me我(modifier / structural particle)的friend朋友. Use one softener, not both.
In a shop you want to look at a bag, try on a jacket and ask the assistant to wait. Close the examples. Say three short requests, then write them in Chinese.
Compare meaning and word order with the model; your sentences need not copy it. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken version to comment on pronunciation.