终于 (finally, at last)
IntroducedA long wait finally ends
- After waiting for a friend, you see the friend arrive.
- you你finally终于arrived到(completed / change)了！ — finally终于 presents arrival as the endpoint of a wait.
After waiting for a friend, you see the friend arrive. What does 你终于到了！ communicate?
终于 presents arrival as the endpoint of a wait. Finally need not be a happy result: 他终于还是失败了 can mark an eventual failure. 了 often occurs with completed events, but 终于明白了 and 终于能够独立工作 show different predicate shapes.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is finally终于 (finally, at last). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
you你finally终于arrived到了！
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Complete: 你 ____ 到了! (You're finally here!)
终于 … 了 — 你终于到了!
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, you你finally终于arrived到(completed / change)了！: finally终于 presents arrival as the endpoint of a wait.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
In 你终于到了, 终于 presents arrival as…
It reaches an endpoint after waiting or difficulty. The outcome need not always be welcome.
Build: “I've finally finished the homework!”
Subject + 终于 + Verb + 了: 作业 + 终于 + 做完 + 了.
Know the boundary
- Finally need not be a happy result: he / him他finally终于or / still还是to be defeated失败(completed / change)了 can mark an eventual failure.
- (completed / change)了 often occurs with completed events, but finally终于clear明白(completed / change)了 and finally终于to be capable of能够independent独立to work工作 show different predicate shapes.
Every 终于 sentence must contain sentence-final 了.
了 is common with a completed arrival, but 终于能够独立工作 is possible. Do not require final 了 in every predicate.
终于 can only introduce a welcome result and always requires final 了.
Finally need not be a happy result: 他终于还是失败了 can mark an eventual failure. 了 often occurs with completed events, but 终于明白了 and 终于能够独立工作 show different predicate shapes. 终于 presents arrival as the endpoint of a wait.
Use the distinction
- finally终于 presents arrival as the endpoint of a wait.
- Finally need not be a happy result: he / him他finally终于or / still还是to be defeated失败(completed / change)了 can mark an eventual failure. (completed / change)了 often occurs with completed events, but finally终于clear明白(completed / change)了 and finally终于to be capable of能够independent独立to work工作 show different predicate shapes.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.
After waiting for a friend, you see the friend arrive. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.