<p>To answer your question:</p>

<p>Yes, you can actually copy the format and use it in similar situations where your action was to do something for someone else or because of someone else.</p>

<p>Yes, you can also copy the format and use it in situations where your action was about yourself or to serve yourself, but we do not use this type of expression as listed above as often. </p>

<p>For both situations, it is better to add "comma" before the second verb, because just like in English, comma indicates rhythm or breath break when speaking, and grammatically it signals something is about to change.</p>

<p>Examples:
Your actions are about someone else or to serve someone else
1: 我去送饭，送慢了(I went to deliver food, but I was late)
2: 我去帮忙送孩子上学，送早了(I went to help drop off the kid, but I was too early)
3: 我去交作业，交晚了(I went to turn in my homework, but I was late)
4: 我去听他的演讲，去晚了(I went to listen to his speech, but I was late)</p>

<p>Your actions are about yourself or to serve yourself 
5: 我吃古老肉，吃快了 
Usually, the expression goes like this: I ate gulao meat, but I ate it too fast so now my stomach hurts. Translation:我吃咕咾肉，吃太快了, 我肚子现在疼（notice "了"； it means the action has been completed, and there is a result or consequence following in situations where the actions are about you)</p>

<p>To sum it up:
1: 我去听他的演讲，去晚了(add common to be grammatically correct; follow the speaking pattern of that in English, if you feel like to pause in a sentence, then that is a good indication that there should be a comma)
2: 我吃古老肉，吃快了,所以我肚子疼 （we would not have a hard time at all to understand the fact that you were eating pork and you ate it too fast; but what useful information does it give to me? Not much I am afraid. To have a meaningful conversation, usually a result or consequence shall follow the fact, and of course, after you have paused and decided to share what that consequence maybe.）</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-14T01:45:58.213Z
2016-08-14T01:45:58.213Z
Em B
<p>I'm going through an anki deck and have come across the following sentence: 我去听他的演讲去晚了</p>

<p>The verb is mentioned twice, the first time to describe the goal (听他的演讲) and secondly to describe the verb, like an adverb (she went late). </p>

<p>NOTE: I've only ever seen adverbs using 地 or 得 </p>

<p>Can I do this with any verb?  e.g. 我吃古老肉吃快了？</p>

<p>What about two character verbs?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-13T23:28:04.417Z
complement of degree: 我去听他的演讲去得太（比较）晚 (no 了）
given example might be considered as 2 separate clauses 我去听他的演讲,去晚了 cf.
晚，adverb，late e.g. 火车开晚了，来晚了，我今天起晚了
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-14T00:36:37.287Z
i.e. the meaning is "I went to listen to his speech, but was late" and not "I went too late to listen to his speech".
user6065
<grammar><mandarin>
What are the rules for this grammatical construction: 我去听他的演讲去晚了
# What are the rules for this grammatical construction: 我去听他的演讲去晚了

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-13)

I'm going through an anki deck and have come across the following sentence: 我去听他的演讲去晚了

The verb is mentioned twice, the first time to describe the goal (听他的演讲) and secondly to describe the verb, like an adverb (she went late).

NOTE: I've only ever seen adverbs using 地 or 得

Can I do this with any verb? e.g. 我吃古老肉吃快了？

What about two character verbs?

**Tags:** grammar, mandarin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: complement of degree: 我去听他的演讲去得太（比较）晚 (no 了） given example might be considered as 2 separate clauses 我去听他的演讲,去晚了 cf. 晚，adverb，late e.g. 火车开晚了，来晚了，我今天起晚了  
> **username_1**: i.e. the meaning is "I went to listen to his speech, but was late" and not "I went too late to listen to his speech".  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-08-14. Score: 1

To answer your question:

Yes, you can actually copy the format and use it in similar situations where your action was to do something for someone else or because of someone else.

Yes, you can also copy the format and use it in situations where your action was about yourself or to serve yourself, but we do not use this type of expression as listed above as often.

For both situations, it is better to add "comma" before the second verb, because just like in English, comma indicates rhythm or breath break when speaking, and grammatically it signals something is about to change.

Examples:
Your actions are about someone else or to serve someone else
1: 我去送饭，送慢了(I went to deliver food, but I was late)
2: 我去帮忙送孩子上学，送早了(I went to help drop off the kid, but I was too early)
3: 我去交作业，交晚了(I went to turn in my homework, but I was late)
4: 我去听他的演讲，去晚了(I went to listen to his speech, but I was late)

Your actions are about yourself or to serve yourself
5: 我吃古老肉，吃快了
Usually, the expression goes like this: I ate gulao meat, but I ate it too fast so now my stomach hurts. Translation:我吃咕咾肉，吃太快了, 我肚子现在疼（notice "了"； it means the action has been completed, and there is a result or consequence following in situations where the actions are about you)

To sum it up:
1: 我去听他的演讲，去晚了(add common to be grammatically correct; follow the speaking pattern of that in English, if you feel like to pause in a sentence, then that is a good indication that there should be a comma)
2: 我吃古老肉，吃快了,所以我肚子疼 （we would not have a hard time at all to understand the fact that you were eating pork and you ate it too fast; but what useful information does it give to me? Not much I am afraid. To have a meaningful conversation, usually a result or consequence shall follow the fact, and of course, after you have paused and decided to share what that consequence maybe.）


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