<p>我们得(在)一个小时(內)到机场 = We have to get to the airport (in) an hour (within) = We have to get to the airport within an hour</p>
<p>&quot;An hour&quot;(一个小时) in this sentence is not a [duration complement] but a [time expectation/condition phrase].</p>
<ul>
<li>[Duration complement] is the length of time already passed</li>
<li>[Time Expectation/ Condition] is the length of time you are expected to spend, or the time you need to spend (a condition), therefore, the rule of [verb before duration complement] is not broken here</li>
</ul>
<p>我们一个小时到机场 (we one hour to arrive at the airport) is an incomplete sentence. We need a verb before the duration complement here, for example, 我们<strong>花了</strong>一个小时到机场 (we <strong>spent</strong> one hour to arrive at the airport)</p>

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2023-11-27T07:45:17.250Z
Thanks for the explanation ,is there a book where I can get more examples?
Jay
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-27T05:48:24.730Z
2023-11-27T05:48:24.730Z
Tang Ho
<p>I understand that duration complement comes after the verb in a sentence i.e &quot;我学了两个月汉语了&quot; ,but with sentences like &quot;我们得一个小时到机场&quot; does the duration complement still apply here or is it different?</p>

<sentence-structure>
what is the position of duration in a sentence?
# what is the position of duration in a sentence?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-27)

I understand that duration complement comes after the verb in a sentence i.e "我学了两个月汉语了" ,but with sentences like "我们得一个小时到机场" does the duration complement still apply here or is it different?

**Tags:** sentence-structure


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-11-27. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

我们得(在)一个小时(內)到机场 = We have to get to the airport (in) an hour (within) = We have to get to the airport within an hour

"An hour"(一个小时) in this sentence is not a [duration complement] but a [time expectation/condition phrase].

* [Duration complement] is the length of time already passed
* [Time Expectation/ Condition] is the length of time you are expected to spend, or the time you need to spend (a condition), therefore, the rule of [verb before duration complement] is not broken here

我们一个小时到机场 (we one hour to arrive at the airport) is an incomplete sentence. We need a verb before the duration complement here, for example, 我们**花了**一个小时到机场 (we **spent** one hour to arrive at the airport)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the explanation ,is there a book where I can get more examples?  

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