<p>In my opinion, 你太快说 or 你太快说放弃了 is ungrammatical although the latter is fine to use  colloquially (because we have more tolerance in spoken).  A correct way to express this can be 你说放弃说得太快了 or 你放弃说得太快了.</p>
<p>Unlike English, an adverb modifies another adverb is not a common practice in Chinese.  It's an arguable point.  I can only think of an adverb that can modify another one is 不.  A common collocation is 不太.  E. g.  我最近心情<em><strong>不太</strong></em>好，where 不 modify the adverb 太 and 太 modifies the adjective 好.  However, one may argue that 不太好 can be taken as an omission of 不是太好，which looks like another structure.  Maybe that's why this is a still arguable point.</p>
<p>Another thing  I'd like to point out is 你快说 or 你快点说 implies that the speaker wants you to <strong>tell something immediately</strong>.  The speed of your speech may be one of the factors that you convey something fast.  But usually the whole point of 你快说 is used to express a request or solicitation to ask someone to tell something quickly/immediately. If we want someone to speak faster(increase his speed of speaking), we usually say 你说快点.  So, this can be a distinction between 你快(点)说 and 你说快点.</p>
<p>Hope this could help.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T00:34:30.020Z
你太快说 is a incomplete sentence because it lacks the needed object . I don't see anything ungrammatical in '你- 太快 - 说放弃 - 了' , It has the same structure as '你- 太早- 承认失败-了'
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T03:22:37.277Z
Yes, 你快说 is highly contextual as it does not necessarily means asking someone to speak faster. In one scenario it could mean "speak faster" when someone is deliberately speaking slowly, perhaps to buy time for some ulterior purpose. In another context it could mean insisting that someone tells the truth immediately when it is apparent that some truth is being deliberately hidden, as in police interrogation. Because of these two contextual assumptions, 你快说 is often considered offensive and not used in cordial conversation, unless you're playing "Truth or Dare"
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T03:35:49.690Z
@TangHo This could be a regional issue.  I did hear the structure 你太早承认失败了.  I prefer the structure 你失败承认得太早了, or even 你承认失败承认得太早了(which might look clumsy to non native speakers) Though 你太早承认失败了 is succinct enough, it's not as natural as the other two.  But this probably is just me.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T04:10:13.337Z
In school, if you write sentences like 你太快吃饭了，你太快说放弃了，etc, I do believe some teachers would correct you.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T04:32:21.987Z
@WayneCheah Even in your scenario one, the correct phrase is still 你说快点. If you say 你快说, people might reply with 我不正在说吗？ Then you would have to clarify with 你说快点 or 说快点.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T04:52:09.830Z
@TangHo Another reason I don't approve this structure is that it's not that 'universal'. Your deliberately-made-it - natural sentences 你太快说放弃了 and 你太早承认失败了 might sound ok colloquially. However, if you take it as a universal structure, it's supposed to make every sentence that follows it natural. But let's see these examples: 你太快吃饭了，你太好游泳了，你太快跑步了。 None of these sentences sound right. So, grammatically, I'd take this kind of structure ungrammatical.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T06:36:13.203Z
Nothing wrong with,  你太(早)吃饭了, 你太好(女色)了, 你太快(起跑)了
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T06:46:04.127Z
好 (like) in "你太好女色了"  or "你太好游泳了" is a verb.  More examples: 你太急下定論了， 你太早出聲了. And I guess you prefer 你下定論下得太急了 and 你出聲出得太早了, I don't see one is more natural than the other
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T07:26:43.273Z
@TangHo You mixed up lots of things together.  Anyway, I guess I have to stop here. :)
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T21:32:57.827Z
2020-06-29T04:35:58.130Z
2020-06-29T04:35:58.130Z
dan
<p>we don't say 你太快说</p>
<ol>
<li>你说得太快</li>
</ol>
<p>means you speak too fast</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>你快说</li>
</ol>
<p>expresses that I want you to speak faster, it's like a request.</p>
<p>你快说 can be used on informal occasions (with your friends or your family). We don't say it to people you are not familiar with, they would think you are being impolite and inpatient.</p>
<p>You can say &quot;你可不可以快点说？“ This sentence is better than 你快说. It's more polite and good attitude.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-29T00:12:33.463Z
Yeah, 你快说 could be rude sometimes. 你可不可以快点说 or 你能不能快点说 is a milder way to express it. +1
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:00:53.933Z
2020-06-28T20:10:03.487Z
2020-06-28T20:10:03.487Z
yangyang
<ol>
<li>太快 in 你说得太快 is a <a href="https://app.ninchanese.com/stage/grammar-lesson/101/107" rel="nofollow noreferrer">degree complement</a> for action verb</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>Structure: [V +得+ degree complement]</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Example: [她 做得 <strong>很好</strong>。](She worked <strong>very well</strong>.); [你 说得 <strong>太快</strong>] (You speak <strong>too fast</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>快 in 你快说 short for 快些 or 快點. It is an adverb for 'faster/ more quickly', and the sentence means &quot;you, more quickly, speak&quot; (a demand or request)</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><p>快些说 = &quot;more quickly, speak&quot; (hurry and start to talk)</p>
</li>
<li><p>说快些 = &quot;talk faster&quot; (increase the speed of you speech)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>~</p>
<ol start="3">
<li>&quot;你太快说 ~&quot; means &quot;you said ~ too quickly&quot; (the verb 说 here needs an object). 太 is an adverb, 快 is an adjective. together they act as an adverb that modify the verb 说</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>Example: 你<strong>太快说</strong>放弃了 (you <strong>said</strong> give up <strong>too quickly</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:14:21.593Z
So just to make it explicit, option 3 is also grammatically correct and it is true an adverb can modify another adverb such as in 你太快说?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:15:47.360Z
*太 is the degree complement* , it's simply an adverb in front of an **adjective** 快 (fast), and *together* they modify the verb. 你太快（地）说放弃了。
What is commonly referred to as degree complement is the one introduced by 得 in your example number 1 (as you correctly remarked)
blackgreen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:23:43.917Z
@TangHo honestly I would call 太快 in your example 3 just a verb modifier. I'm not sure it's correct to call it *degree complement* at all, as that normally indicates [V + 得 + degree complement]
blackgreen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:24:06.490Z
Ok, so then adverbs in Chinese can only modify verbs and adjectives?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:25:43.603Z
*太快 in your example 3 just a verb modifier* I agree.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:29:59.243Z
Yes, adverb can only modify verbs and adjectives.   [V +得+ degree complement] -->[太(adv)  +  快(adv)] is a degree complement that modify [说 (verb) ]
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T20:09:26.957Z
2020-06-28T20:55:20.157Z
2020-06-28T20:55:20.157Z
Tang Ho
<p>I was wondering if an adverb in Chinese can be used to modify another adverb. I looked some resources but I could not find it. For example, in <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adverb" rel="noreferrer">Adverb in resources.allsetlearning</a>, they just say &quot;Adverbs are words that modify verbs and adjectives.&quot;.</p>
<p>In particular, I was thinking in English you can say <em>You speak too fast</em>, where <em>too</em> is an adverb that modifies the adverb <em>fast</em>.</p>
<p>In Chinese, I know 快 can either be an adjective or an adverb.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>We could translate the previous English sentence to Chinese as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你说得太快。</p>
<p>Nǐ shuō de tài kuài.</p>
<p>You speak too fast.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But here, 快 works as an adjective as it follows the structure <code>Verb + 得 + 太 + Adj</code>.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Moreover, I think you can also say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你快说。</p>
<p>Nǐ kuài shuō.</p>
<p>You speak fast.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here 快 is an adverb.</p>
</li>
<li><p>I was wondering if it is also possible to say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你太快说。</p>
<p>Nǐ tài kuài shuō.</p>
<p>You speak too fast.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Where both 太 and 快 would be adverbs.</p>
</li>
</ol>

<grammar><usage><sentence-structure><phrase><adverbs>
Can an adverb modify another adverb in Chinese?
# Can an adverb modify another adverb in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-28)

I was wondering if an adverb in Chinese can be used to modify another adverb. I looked some resources but I could not find it. For example, in [Adverb in resources.allsetlearning](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adverb), they just say "Adverbs are words that modify verbs and adjectives.".

In particular, I was thinking in English you can say *You speak too fast*, where *too* is an adverb that modifies the adverb *fast*.

In Chinese, I know 快 can either be an adjective or an adverb.

1. We could translate the previous English sentence to Chinese as:

   > 你说得太快。
   >
   > Nǐ shuō de tài kuài.
   >
   > You speak too fast.

   But here, 快 works as an adjective as it follows the structure `Verb + 得 + 太 + Adj`.
2. Moreover, I think you can also say:

   > 你快说。
   >
   > Nǐ kuài shuō.
   >
   > You speak fast.

   Here 快 is an adverb.
3. I was wondering if it is also possible to say:

   > 你太快说。
   >
   > Nǐ tài kuài shuō.
   >
   > You speak too fast.

   Where both 太 and 快 would be adverbs.

**Tags:** grammar, usage, sentence-structure, phrase, adverbs


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-06-28. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

In my opinion, 你太快说 or 你太快说放弃了 is ungrammatical although the latter is fine to use colloquially (because we have more tolerance in spoken). A correct way to express this can be 你说放弃说得太快了 or 你放弃说得太快了.

Unlike English, an adverb modifies another adverb is not a common practice in Chinese. It's an arguable point. I can only think of an adverb that can modify another one is 不. A common collocation is 不太. E. g. 我最近心情***不太***好，where 不 modify the adverb 太 and 太 modifies the adjective 好. However, one may argue that 不太好 can be taken as an omission of 不是太好，which looks like another structure. Maybe that's why this is a still arguable point.

Another thing I'd like to point out is 你快说 or 你快点说 implies that the speaker wants you to **tell something immediately**. The speed of your speech may be one of the factors that you convey something fast. But usually the whole point of 你快说 is used to express a request or solicitation to ask someone to tell something quickly/immediately. If we want someone to speak faster(increase his speed of speaking), we usually say 你说快点. So, this can be a distinction between 你快(点)说 and 你说快点.

Hope this could help.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 你太快说 is a incomplete sentence because it lacks the needed object . I don't see anything ungrammatical in '你- 太快 - 说放弃 - 了' , It has the same structure as '你- 太早- 承认失败-了'  
> **username_3**: Yes, 你快说 is highly contextual as it does not necessarily means asking someone to speak faster. In one scenario it could mean "speak faster" when someone is deliberately speaking slowly, perhaps to buy time for some ulterior purpose. In another context it could mean insisting that someone tells the truth immediately when it is apparent that some truth is being deliberately hidden, as in police interrogation. Because of these two contextual assumptions, 你快说 is often considered offensive and not used in cordial conversation, unless you're playing "Truth or Dare"  
> **username_1**: @username_2 This could be a regional issue.  I did hear the structure 你太早承认失败了.  I prefer the structure 你失败承认得太早了, or even 你承认失败承认得太早了(which might look clumsy to non native speakers) Though 你太早承认失败了 is succinct enough, it's not as natural as the other two.  But this probably is just me.  
> **username_1**: In school, if you write sentences like 你太快吃饭了，你太快说放弃了，etc, I do believe some teachers would correct you.  
> **username_1**: @username_3 Even in your scenario one, the correct phrase is still 你说快点. If you say 你快说, people might reply with 我不正在说吗？ Then you would have to clarify with 你说快点 or 说快点.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Another reason I don't approve this structure is that it's not that 'universal'. Your deliberately-made-it - natural sentences 你太快说放弃了 and 你太早承认失败了 might sound ok colloquially. However, if you take it as a universal structure, it's supposed to make every sentence that follows it natural. But let's see these examples: 你太快吃饭了，你太好游泳了，你太快跑步了。 None of these sentences sound right. So, grammatically, I'd take this kind of structure ungrammatical.  
> **username_2**: Nothing wrong with,  你太(早)吃饭了, 你太好(女色)了, 你太快(起跑)了  
> **username_2**: 好 (like) in "你太好女色了"  or "你太好游泳了" is a verb.  More examples: 你太急下定論了， 你太早出聲了. And I guess you prefer 你下定論下得太急了 and 你出聲出得太早了, I don't see one is more natural than the other  
> **username_1**: @username_2 You mixed up lots of things together.  Anyway, I guess I have to stop here. :)  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-06-28. Score: 6

we don't say 你太快说

1. 你说得太快

means you speak too fast

2. 你快说

expresses that I want you to speak faster, it's like a request.

你快说 can be used on informal occasions (with your friends or your family). We don't say it to people you are not familiar with, they would think you are being impolite and inpatient.

You can say "你可不可以快点说？“ This sentence is better than 你快说. It's more polite and good attitude.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Yeah, 你快说 could be rude sometimes. 你可不可以快点说 or 你能不能快点说 is a milder way to express it. +1  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-28. Score: 4

1. 太快 in 你说得太快 is a [degree complement](https://app.ninchanese.com/stage/grammar-lesson/101/107) for action verb

> Structure: [V +得+ degree complement]

> Example: [她 做得 **很好**。](She worked **very well**.); [你 说得 **太快**] (You speak **too fast**)

~

2. 快 in 你快说 short for 快些 or 快點. It is an adverb for 'faster/ more quickly', and the sentence means "you, more quickly, speak" (a demand or request)

* 快些说 = "more quickly, speak" (hurry and start to talk)
* 说快些 = "talk faster" (increase the speed of you speech)

~

3. "你太快说 ~" means "you said ~ too quickly" (the verb 说 here needs an object). 太 is an adverb, 快 is an adjective. together they act as an adverb that modify the verb 说

> Example: 你**太快说**放弃了 (you **said** give up **too quickly**)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So just to make it explicit, option 3 is also grammatically correct and it is true an adverb can modify another adverb such as in 你太快说?  
> **username_5**: *太 is the degree complement* , it's simply an adverb in front of an **adjective** 快 (fast), and *together* they modify the verb. 你太快（地）说放弃了。 What is commonly referred to as degree complement is the one introduced by 得 in your example number 1 (as you correctly remarked)  
> **username_5**: @username_2 honestly I would call 太快 in your example 3 just a verb modifier. I'm not sure it's correct to call it *degree complement* at all, as that normally indicates [V + 得 + degree complement]  
> **username_0**: Ok, so then adverbs in Chinese can only modify verbs and adjectives?  
> **username_2**: *太快 in your example 3 just a verb modifier* I agree.  
> **username_2**: Yes, adverb can only modify verbs and adjectives.   [V +得+ degree complement] -->[太(adv)  +  快(adv)] is a degree complement that modify [说 (verb) ]  

---

