这是地址。
zhè shì dìzhǐ
Here's the address
How to ask "how long will it take?" in Chinese
大概要多久？
dàgài yào duōjiǔ?
Approximately how long does it take to travel?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
大概 (dàgài) means "approximately," 要 (yào) means "will take," and 多久 (duōjiǔ) means "how long." So it's literally "approximately will take how long?"
Variations and politeness
大概要多久呢？
dàgài yào duōjiǔ ne?
About how long will it take? — More polite due to the particle '呢'.
要多久？
yào duōjiǔ?
How long will it take? — Shorter and less formal.
大约多久？
dàyuē duōjiǔ?
Approximately how long? — Synonym, more formal.
Mini dialogue
A
请问，大概要多久？
Qǐngwèn, dàgài yào duōjiǔ?
Excuse me, about how long will it take?
B
大约半小时。
Dàyuē bàn xiǎoshí.
About half an hour.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When asking a taxi driver or someone about the duration of a trip.
- When you want a rough estimate of time needed to reach a destination.
- When you need a polite, neutral way to ask about travel time.
Avoid when
- When asking about distance, not time; use 多远 (duō yuǎn) instead.
- When you need an exact time; this phrase asks for an approximation.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'How long does it take?' in Chinese?
You can say '大概要多久？' (dàgài yào duōjiǔ?), which means 'Approximately how long does it take?'
How do you pronounce '大概要多久？'?
It is pronounced 'dàgài yào duōjiǔ?' with the tones: dà (4th), gài (4th), yào (4th), duō (1st), jiǔ (3rd).
When do you use '大概要多久？'?
Use it when asking about the duration of a trip, especially in a taxi or when discussing travel time. It is polite and neutral.
More phrases for this situation
Tomyo
Learn Chinese with spaced repetition
Remember 大概要多久？ and hundreds of other phrases with smart reviews, audio and examples.