Lessons 1, 8: Fast, continuous actions: 一下子, 立刻, 一连

Three adverbs used as adverbials: something happening in an instant, immediately, or repeatedly in succession.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 1 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 8

几年不见，他一下子长这么高了。

Jǐ nián bú jiàn, tā yíxiàzi zhǎng zhème gāo le.

After not seeing him for a few years, he has suddenly grown this tall.

Explanation

一下子

used as an adverbial to express an action that happens quickly, in a short time. It stresses that an action is completed, or a situation arises or changes rapidly within a very short time.

立刻

an adverb placed before the verb as an adverbial, meaning right after a certain point in time, very quickly. Comparing 立刻 and 马上: 立刻 describes a shorter time before the action happens than 马上. So you can say 马上就要……了 (我弟弟马上就要毕业了), but you cannot say “立刻就要……了”.

一连

used as an adverbial to describe an action or situation that happens continuously without interruption; usually used with quantities (一连下了两天雨, 一连好几个晚上).

Structure

1
一下子V / tình huống
Completed, appearing or changing very quickly in a short time.
- 几年不见，他一下子长这么高了。
  Jǐ nián bú jiàn, tā yíxiàzi zhǎng zhème gāo le.
  After not seeing him for a few years, he has suddenly grown this tall.
- 一过“五一”，天一下子就热起来了。
  Yí guò “Wǔ-Yī”, tiān yíxiàzi jiù rè qǐlái le.
  As soon as May 1st passed, the weather suddenly turned hot.
- 她没走好，一下子从楼梯上摔下来了。
  Tā méi zǒuhǎo, yíxiàzi cóng lóutī shàng shuāi xiàlai le.
  She didn't walk steadily and suddenly fell down the stairs.
2
立刻Vverb
Immediately; a shorter time than 马上. You can't say 立刻就要……了.
- 她信中说，她真正喜欢的是我。我立刻高兴得跳了起来。
  Tā xìn zhōng shuō, tā zhēnzhèng xǐhuan de shì wǒ. Wǒ lìkè gāoxìng de tiào le qǐlái.
  In her letter she said the person she really likes is me. I immediately jumped for joy.
- 请你立刻到办公室去，老师在那儿等你呢。
  Qǐng nǐ lìkè dào bàngōngshì qù, lǎoshī zài nàr děng nǐ ne.
  Please go to the office right away; the teacher is waiting for you there.
- 吃了早饭我就立刻去机场接她。
  Chī le zǎofàn wǒ jiù lìkè qù jīchǎng jiē tā.
  After breakfast I immediately went to the airport to pick her up.
- 我下了课就立刻去医院看你。
  Wǒ xià le kè jiù lìkè qù yīyuàn kàn nǐ.
  After class I went straight to the hospital to see my friend. (You can also say 马上去医院看你)
- 我弟弟马上就要毕业了。
  Wǒ dìdi mǎshàng jiù yào bìyè le.
  My younger brother is about to graduate. (You can't say 立刻就要毕业了)
3
一连số lượngVverb
In succession, without interruption; used as an adverbial.
- 一连好几个晚上，我都翻来覆去睡不着。
  Yìlián hǎo jǐ ge wǎnshang, wǒ dōu fānlái-fùqù shuì bu zháo.
  For several nights in a row, I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
- 一连下了两天雨，路上到处都是水。
  Yìlián xià le liǎng tiān yǔ, lùshang dàochù dōu shì shuǐ.
  It rained for two days straight, and the streets were full of water.
- 我一连喊他了好几声，他才听见。
  Wǒ yìlián hǎn tā le hǎo jǐ shēng, tā cái tīngjiàn.
  I called him several times in a row before he heard me.
- 我一连给她写了好几封信，她都没有回。
  Wǒ yìlián gěi tā xiě le hǎo jǐ fēng xìn, tā dōu méiyǒu huí.
  I wrote her several letters in a row, and she didn't reply to any of them.

Usage notes

立刻 refers to a shorter span of time than 马上; you can say 马上就要……了 but not 立刻就要……了.
一连 is used as an adverbial and usually goes with a quantity; when an action has already happened repeatedly, negate it with 没 (一连三天没上课了).

Common mistakes

~~他一连三天不上课了。~~
他一连三天没上课了。
negate something that has already happened in succession with 没
~~我弟弟立刻就要毕业了。~~
我弟弟马上就要毕业了。
马上就要……了 cannot be replaced by 立刻

Practice

19 questions in 2 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.

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