<blockquote>
<p>I know 大学毕业 is a verb phrase that means &quot;graduate from university&quot;. I
have 2 questions.</p>
<p>(1) In expressing the duration of completed action, which is correct:
他已经毕业了两年大学 or 他已经大学毕业了两年?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Both order are not clear for me, as &quot;了&quot; is not in right position</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct:
他大学毕业已经两年了?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This order is the most natural one.</p>
<p>“他已经大学毕业两年了” also works. However in daily life it is a tiny little different from “他大学毕业已经两年了”。The reason is “已经” is a kind of emphasize. “他已经大学毕业两年了” sounds like someone is want to know if he is still in college or not, and the respond is &quot;yes he is&quot;, two years is additional information. “他大学毕业已经两年了” sounds like, we all know that he has graduated from college, but the period length since that is something strange or important. It can be in the context like “他大学毕业已经两年了，还没找到工作” It has been two years since his graduation from college, but he has not found a job yet.</p>
<p>Sorry I am not a teacher, but a native speaker. I can just tell you what feels natural to me. Wish it helps.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-29T14:56:04.840Z
2020-04-29T14:56:04.840Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
River
<p>(1) The latter. 毕业 is not in general a transitive verb. You can use a construct like "to graduate from" as well in Chinese, e.g. 他从大学毕业已经两年了, but 从 here is not necessary。</p>

<p>(2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct: 他大学毕业已经两年了?</p>

<p>Yes, it means the same thing. In general, 已经 can be placed immediately before the verb or between the verb and a time complement.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-29T10:28:34.383Z
I partly agree with your comment, but IMO, in this sentence, 已经 is placed before Time Noun (两年). I never see 已经 placed after the verb.
Jenny
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-29T10:36:27.203Z
@Jenny You are correct.
xngtng
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-29T09:26:43.933Z
2020-04-29T10:36:15.517Z
2020-04-29T10:36:15.517Z
xngtng
<p>The verb phrase is "大学毕业" </p>

<p>Following the rule of verb particle 了 must be placed after a verb or verb phrase, the following are both correct</p>

<p>[已经][<strong>大学毕业</strong>][<strong>了</strong>][两年] (了 is a verb particle )</p>

<p>[<strong>大学毕业</strong>][已经][两年][<strong>了</strong>] (了 can be a verb particle or a final particle)</p>

<p>Since 大学毕业 is [n + v] not [v + n], you cannot insert the verb particle 了 between verb and noun. e.g. 读完大学 --> 读完了大学. </p>

<p>We can say 吃饭  but not 毕业大学 because 吃 is a transitive verb (take object), but 毕业 is an intransitive verb (doesn't take object)</p>

<p>毕业大学 is not grammatical, therefore 毕业了大学 is also not grammatical. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-29T09:32:25.287Z
2020-04-29T09:32:25.287Z
Tang Ho
<p>I know 大学毕业 is a verb phrase that means "graduate from university". I have 2 questions.</p>

<p>(1) In expressing the duration of completed action, which is correct: 他已经毕业了两年大学  or 他已经大学毕业了两年?</p>

<p>(2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct: 他大学毕业已经两年了?</p>

<grammar><phrase><word-order>
Which is correct: 已经毕业了两年大学 or 已经大学毕业了两年?
# Which is correct: 已经毕业了两年大学 or 已经大学毕业了两年?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-29)

I know 大学毕业 is a verb phrase that means "graduate from university". I have 2 questions.

(1) In expressing the duration of completed action, which is correct: 他已经毕业了两年大学 or 他已经大学毕业了两年?

(2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct: 他大学毕业已经两年了?

**Tags:** grammar, phrase, word-order


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-04-29. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

The verb phrase is "大学毕业"

Following the rule of verb particle 了 must be placed after a verb or verb phrase, the following are both correct

[已经][**大学毕业**][**了**][两年] (了 is a verb particle )

[**大学毕业**][已经][两年][**了**] (了 can be a verb particle or a final particle)

Since 大学毕业 is [n + v] not [v + n], you cannot insert the verb particle 了 between verb and noun. e.g. 读完大学 --> 读完了大学.

We can say 吃饭 but not 毕业大学 because 吃 is a transitive verb (take object), but 毕业 is an intransitive verb (doesn't take object)

毕业大学 is not grammatical, therefore 毕业了大学 is also not grammatical.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-29. Score: 2

> I know 大学毕业 is a verb phrase that means "graduate from university". I
> have 2 questions.
>
> (1) In expressing the duration of completed action, which is correct:
> 他已经毕业了两年大学 or 他已经大学毕业了两年?

Both order are not clear for me, as "了" is not in right position

> (2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct:
> 他大学毕业已经两年了?

This order is the most natural one.

“他已经大学毕业两年了” also works. However in daily life it is a tiny little different from “他大学毕业已经两年了”。The reason is “已经” is a kind of emphasize. “他已经大学毕业两年了” sounds like someone is want to know if he is still in college or not, and the respond is "yes he is", two years is additional information. “他大学毕业已经两年了” sounds like, we all know that he has graduated from college, but the period length since that is something strange or important. It can be in the context like “他大学毕业已经两年了，还没找到工作” It has been two years since his graduation from college, but he has not found a job yet.

Sorry I am not a teacher, but a native speaker. I can just tell you what feels natural to me. Wish it helps.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-04-29. Score: 1

(1) The latter. 毕业 is not in general a transitive verb. You can use a construct like "to graduate from" as well in Chinese, e.g. 他从大学毕业已经两年了, but 从 here is not necessary。

(2) If I change the word order, is it still grammatically correct: 他大学毕业已经两年了?

Yes, it means the same thing. In general, 已经 can be placed immediately before the verb or between the verb and a time complement.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I partly agree with your comment, but IMO, in this sentence, 已经 is placed before Time Noun (两年). I never see 已经 placed after the verb.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 You are correct.  

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