打算 dǎsuàn — to plan to, to intend to

Meanings

1. 1

   to plan to, to intend to

   To have something in mind for the future. It is followed by a verb phrase — what you plan to *do* — never by a bare noun.

   verb
2. 2

   plan, intention

   noun

Example sentences

• 你明年打算做什么？/你明年打算做什麼？Nǐ (third tone, dipping) míngnián (second tone, rising) dǎsuàn (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shénme? (second tone, rising)···

  What are you planning to do next year?

• 我打算去中国学习汉语。/我打算去中國學習漢語。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) dǎsuàn (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) Zhōngguó (first tone, high and level) xuéxí (second tone, rising) Hànyǔ. (fourth tone, falling)···

  I plan to go to China to study Chinese.

Common mistakes

• Not quite我打算一个旅游。

  Correct我打算去旅游。

  打算 introduces an action, so a verb must follow it. A noun on its own gives no plan — say what you intend to do: 去旅游, 买房子, 学汉语.

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