<p>The difference is due to the change in &quot;object&quot; of the sentences.</p>
<p>Shall we chat in Chinese <strong>twice</strong> a week?</p>
<ul>
<li>我们每周用中文 聊 &quot;<strong>两次</strong>&quot; 好吗？- Here, the object &quot;两次&quot; quantifies the action &quot;聊&quot; in a clear manner.</li>
</ul>
<p>Now, let's translate the sentence &quot;Shall we chat in Chinese &quot;for ten minutes&quot; twice a week?&quot; with the same grammar pattern as the above:</p>
<ul>
<li>我们每周用中文 聊 &quot;<strong>两次十分钟</strong>&quot; 好吗？- The object of this sentence is obviously unclear that renders the sentence unacceptable without modification.</li>
</ul>
<p>One way to modify the sentence is:</p>
<ul>
<li>我们每周用中文 聊 &quot;<strong>两次</strong>&quot;, 每次十分钟, 好吗？- Now the sentence is clear and acceptable, but the added word &quot;每次(each time)&quot; was not part of the original sentence.</li>
</ul>
<p>The other feasible modification is:</p>
<ul>
<li>我们每周两次用中文 聊 &quot;<strong>十分钟</strong>&quot; 好吗？- Now the sentence is clear, acceptable, without alter the original words, and matches the reult from the translation program.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-23T17:04:20.763Z
2022-08-23T17:04:20.763Z
r13
<p>You could try:</p>
<p>我们可以每周用中文聊二次天，每次十分钟吗？</p>
<p>Think separation! You don't have to keep 聊天 together!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-25T17:02:18.147Z
Use 两次 instead of 二次。
Míng
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-23T11:07:50.717Z
2022-08-23T11:07:50.717Z
Pedroski
<p>I want to say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Shall we chat in Chinese for ten minutes twice a week?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Translator program gives the following output:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我们每周<strong>两次</strong>用中文聊十分钟好吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When I remove the duration from the sentence, the position of frequency measure word (两次） changes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Shall we chat in Chinese twice a week?<br />
Translation: 我们每周用中文聊天<strong>两次</strong>好吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Can someone please explain me why the position changes?</p>

<translation><word-order>
Why does 两次 change position in 我们每周两次用中文聊十分钟好吗 vs. 我们每周用中文聊天两次好吗？
# Why does 两次 change position in 我们每周两次用中文聊十分钟好吗 vs. 我们每周用中文聊天两次好吗？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-23)

I want to say:

> Shall we chat in Chinese for ten minutes twice a week?

Translator program gives the following output:

> 我们每周**两次**用中文聊十分钟好吗？

When I remove the duration from the sentence, the position of frequency measure word (两次） changes:

> Shall we chat in Chinese twice a week?  
> Translation: 我们每周用中文聊天**两次**好吗？

Can someone please explain me why the position changes?

**Tags:** translation, word-order


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-23. Score: 1

The difference is due to the change in "object" of the sentences.

Shall we chat in Chinese **twice** a week?

* 我们每周用中文 聊 "**两次**" 好吗？- Here, the object "两次" quantifies the action "聊" in a clear manner.

Now, let's translate the sentence "Shall we chat in Chinese "for ten minutes" twice a week?" with the same grammar pattern as the above:

* 我们每周用中文 聊 "**两次十分钟**" 好吗？- The object of this sentence is obviously unclear that renders the sentence unacceptable without modification.

One way to modify the sentence is:

* 我们每周用中文 聊 "**两次**", 每次十分钟, 好吗？- Now the sentence is clear and acceptable, but the added word "每次(each time)" was not part of the original sentence.

The other feasible modification is:

* 我们每周两次用中文 聊 "**十分钟**" 好吗？- Now the sentence is clear, acceptable, without alter the original words, and matches the reult from the translation program.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-08-23. Score: 0

You could try:

我们可以每周用中文聊二次天，每次十分钟吗？

Think separation! You don't have to keep 聊天 together!

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Use 两次 instead of 二次。  

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