越来越…… · 越……越……
Lesson 11: Expressing change: “越来越……” and “越……越……”
Two structures expressing a gradual increase in degree over time or depending on a condition.
Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 11
课文越来越难。
The texts are getting harder and harder.
Explanation
“越来越……” shows that the degree of something changes as time passes (more and more..., increasingly...).
“越……越……” shows that the degree changes with a condition (the more... the more...): the first clause is the condition and the second is the result.
“越……越……” already implies a high degree, so you do not add a degree adverb (such as 很) to modify the predicate; you cannot say: *这本书我越看越很喜欢。
Structure
- 越来越形容词 / 动词短语
The degree changes over time.
课文越来越难。
The texts are getting harder and harder.
年轻人越来越会打扮了。
Young people are getting more and more fashion-conscious.
来中国学习汉语的人越来越多。
More and more people are coming to China to study Chinese.
- 越V/A越V/A
The degree changes with a condition; do not add a degree adverb before the predicate.
他的汉语越说越好。
His Chinese gets better the more he speaks it.
你看，雨越下越大了。
Look, the rain is falling harder and harder.
这本书我越看越喜欢。
The more I read this book, the more I like it.
城市里大楼越盖越多了。
In the city, the more they build, the more tall buildings there are.
Usage notes
- You can understand it this way: 越来越 = more and more (over time); 越……越…… = the more... the more... (depending on a condition).
Common mistakes
这本书我越看越很喜欢。这本书我越看越喜欢
我的汉语越来越很流利了。我的汉语越来越流利了。/ 我的汉语越说越流利了
这个歌我越听越很喜欢。这个歌我越听越喜欢
Practice
28 questions in 3 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.