游泳 yóuyǒng — to swim

Meanings

1. 1

   to swim

   To swim. Like 唱歌 and 跑步 it is a verb plus its own object, so a duration or a manner phrase makes the verb repeat: 游泳游了一个小时.

   verb

Example sentences

• 他每天早上去游泳。Tā (first tone, high and level) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) yóuyǒng. (second tone, rising)···

  He goes swimming every morning.

• 我不会游泳。/我不會游泳。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) yóuyǒng. (second tone, rising)···

  I can’t swim.

Common mistakes

• Not quite我游泳了一个小时。

  Correct我游泳游了一个小时。

  A duration cannot follow the object 泳. Repeat the verb before the time phrase, exactly as with 跑步跑得很快.

Similar words