Lessons 18, 20: Originally, not enough time, specially, a pity: 本来, 来不及, 特意, 可惜

Four common words: originally, not in time, specially/on purpose, what a pity; plus a comparison of 本来 and 原来.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 18 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 20

这是我特意为你买的生日礼物。

Zhè shì wǒ tèyì wèi nǐ mǎi de shēngrì lǐwù.

This is a birthday present I bought especially for you.

Explanation

本来 ("originally, at first")

A. 原先、先前 (formerly, at first): used as an adverbial; can be placed before the subject. B. Indicates that logically it should be so (按道理应该是这样). When you need a modifier meaning "the original thing, the old one", use 原来, not 本来 (from the textbook's error-correction exercise: 他比原来的老师厉害).

来不及 ("not have enough time")

because time is short, it is impossible to do something or to catch up (因时间短，无法做到或赶上). The affirmative form is "来得及" (there is still time).

特意 ("specially, on purpose")

the textbook gives only example sentences, with no separate explanation; going by the title, it means specially, for a particular purpose (doing something for someone).

可惜 ("what a pity")

A. (Adjective) pitiful, regrettable; used as a predicate. The subject is usually a verb or a subject-predicate phrase. B. (Adverb) "it's a pity that"; used before the subject.

Structure

1
本来V / 本来就应该…… (so với 原来)
A. 原先、先前: at first, formerly; used as an adverbial, can be placed before the subject. B. Logically it should be so (本来就应该……). As a modifier, use 原来, not 本来.
- 我本来就打算学汉语，所以中学毕业后考了大学的中文系。
  Wǒ běnlái jiù dǎsuàn xué Hànyǔ, suǒyǐ zhōngxué bìyè hòu kǎole dàxué de Zhōngwénxì.
  I originally planned to study Chinese, so after finishing high school I applied to the Chinese department at university.
- 今天是星期一，本来就应该上课。
  Jīntiān shì xīngqīyī, běnlái jiù yīnggāi shàngkè.
  Today is Monday, so you should be at school.
- 本来我们俩谁也不认识谁，来这儿以后才认识的。
  Běnlái wǒmen liǎ shéi yě bú rènshi shéi, lái zhèr yǐhòu cái rènshi de.
  We two didn't know each other at first; we only met after coming here.
- 原来是你啊，我还以为是小张呢。
  Yuánlái shì nǐ a, wǒ hái yǐwéi shì Xiǎo Zhāng ne.
  So it's you! I thought it was Xiao Zhang.
- 姐姐说，本来想给我搞个生日晚会，但刚接到通知，晚上要出差，没时间搞了。
  Jiějie shuō, běnlái xiǎng gěi wǒ gǎo ge shēngrì wǎnhuì, dàn gāng jiēdào tōngzhī, wǎnshang yào chūchāi, méi shíjiān gǎo le.
  My older sister said she had originally planned to throw me a birthday party, but she had just received a notice that she had to go on a business trip that evening, so she had no time.
- 在公共场所本来就不应该抽烟，难道还用我说吗？
  Zài gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ běnlái jiù bù yīnggāi chōuyān, nándào hái yòng wǒ shuō ma?
  You're not supposed to smoke in public places in the first place. Do I really have to tell you that?
- 本来嘛，学习外语，谁能不出错呢？
  Běnlái ma, xuéxí wàiyǔ, shéi néng bù chūcuò ne?
  That's just how it is. Who doesn't make mistakes when learning a foreign language?
2
来不及V (khẳng định: 来得及)
Because time is short, it is impossible to do something or to catch up; the affirmative form is "来得及".
- 银行已经下班了，现在去来不及了。
  Yínháng yǐjīng xiàbān le, xiànzài qù láibují le.
  The bank has already closed; it's too late to go now.
- 每天早上我起得都比较晚，来不及吃早饭。
  Měitiān zǎoshang wǒ qǐ de dōu bǐjiào wǎn, láibují chī zǎofàn.
  I get up rather late every morning, so I don't have time to eat breakfast.
- 别跑了，车已经开了，来不及了，再等一辆吧。
  Bié pǎo le, chē yǐjīng kāi le, láibují le, zài děng yí liàng ba.
  Don't run anymore. The bus has already left, you can't catch it. Wait for the next one.
- 我忽然想起姐姐送来的蛋糕，可我还来不及看清这是怎么回事，刘西西就拉着我的手兴奋地对我说：“我真高兴！”……
  Wǒ hūrán xiǎngqǐ jiějie sònglái de dàngāo, kě wǒ hái láibují kànqīng zhè shì zěnme huí shì, Liú Xīxī jiù lāzhe wǒ de shǒu xīngfèn de duì wǒ shuō: “Wǒ zhēn gāoxìng!”……
  I suddenly remembered the cake my older sister had sent, but before I could see clearly what was going on, Liu Xixi grabbed my hand and said excitedly: "I'm so happy!"……
3
特意Vverb
Specially, on purpose (doing something for someone); the textbook gives only examples, with no separate explanation.
- 今天是我的生日，妈妈特意给我做了几个我爱吃的菜。
  Jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì, māma tèyì gěi wǒ zuòle jǐ gè wǒ ài chī de cài.
  Today is my birthday, so Mom made several of my favorite dishes especially for me.
- 我来北京旅行，今天特意来看看你。
  Wǒ lái Běijīng lǚxíng, jīntiān tèyì lái kànkan nǐ.
  I came to Beijing for a trip, and today I came especially to visit you.
- 竟然有人知道我今天生日，特意给我送来一盒蛋糕。
  Jìngrán yǒu rén zhīdào wǒ jīntiān shēngrì, tèyì gěi wǒ sònglái yì hé dàngāo.
  I never expected anyone to know it was my birthday today, and someone even sent a box of cake specially.
- 这是我特意为你买的生日礼物。
  Zhè shì wǒ tèyì wèi nǐ mǎi de shēngrì lǐwù.
  This is a birthday present I bought especially for you.
4
…太可惜了 | 可惜Ssubject…
A. The adjective "可惜" as a predicate; the subject is usually a verb or a subject-predicate phrase (太可惜了). B. The adverb "可惜" (what a pity), used before the subject.
- 你已经学了一年，停下来不学太可惜了。
  Nǐ yǐjīng xuéle yì nián, tíng xiàlái bù xué tài kěxī le.
  You've already studied for a year; it would be a real shame to stop now.
- 可惜我去晚了，没见到他。
  Kěxī wǒ qù wǎn le, méi jiàndào tā.
  It's a pity I arrived late and didn't get to see him.
- 蛋糕上面还有漂亮的花和字，可惜你回来晚了没看见。
  Dàngāo shàngmiàn hái yǒu piàoliang de huā hé zì, kěxī nǐ huílái wǎn le méi kànjiàn.
  The cake also had beautiful flowers and writing on it. It's a pity you came back late and didn't see it.
- 这个电影你没看，简直太可惜了。
  Zhège diànyǐng nǐ méi kàn, jiǎnzhí tài kěxī le.
  You didn't watch this movie. That's such a pity.
- 我也有这样一个包，可惜叫我妹妹弄丢了。
  Wǒ yě yǒu zhèyàng yí gè bāo, kěxī jiào wǒ mèimei nòngdiū le.
  I have a bag just like that, too, but unfortunately my younger sister lost it.

Common mistakes

~~他比本来的老师厉害~~
他比原来的老师厉害
as a modifier meaning "the original thing, the old one", use 原来, not 本来

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