大概
dàgài
Probably, approximately
大概 (dà gài) — approximate number
大概 (dàgài) + (有 (yǒu)) + Number + Measure word (+ Noun)
HSK 33.0
Pattern diagram
大概有NumberMeasure wordNoun
pale — also possible
Rule structure
Before a quantity, 大概 (dàgài) means “approximately” or “about”: 大概二十个人 (dàgài èrshí ge rén), “about twenty people.” With 有 (yǒu), it comes before the verb: 大概有二十个人 (dàgài yǒu èrshí ge rén). Its other use, a guess about an event, is covered in “大概 (dà gài) — probability adverb.”
Rule structure
Before a quantity, 大概 (dàgài) means “approximately” or “about”: 大概二十个人 (dàgài èrshí ge rén), “about twenty people.” With 有 (yǒu), it comes before the verb: 大概有二十个人 (dàgài yǒu èrshí ge rén). Its other use, a guess about an event, is covered in “大概 (dà gài) — probability adverb.”
Examples
我们班大概有二十个学生。
Wǒmen bān dàgài yǒu èrshí ge xuésheng.
There are about twenty students in our class.
我等了大概十分钟。
Wǒ děng le dàgài shí fēnzhōng.
I waited for about ten minutes.
Examples
我们班大概有二十个学生。
Wǒmen bān dàgài yǒu èrshí ge xuésheng.
There are about twenty students in our class.
我等了大概十分钟。
Wǒ děng le dàgài shí fēnzhōng.
I waited for about ten minutes.
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Words from this rule
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “approximate number” in Chinese with 大概?
Use the structure: 大概 (dàgài) + (有 (yǒu)) + Number + Measure word (+ Noun). For example: 我们班大概有二十个学生。 — “There are about twenty students in our class”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
我们班大概有二十个学生。 — “There are about twenty students in our class”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.0 Level 3.
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More HSK 3.0 Level 3 grammar rules
不是……吗？ — rhetorical questions
不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？
极了 — extremely, very
Adj. + 极了 (jí le)
得很 — very, extremely
Adj. + 得很 (de hěn)
先 — first… then…
先 (xiān)……, 再 (zài)……
一边 — doing two things at once
一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 1, 一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 2
又 — again in the past
又 (yòu) + Verb + 了 (le)
一直 — all along, continuously
Subj. + 一直 (yìzhí) + Verb/Adj.
总是 — always
总是 (zǒngshì) + Predicate