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Is this chinese sentence correct?
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anonymoose -

可惜时间这么短，不过只去两天还比不去好。

Firstly, is this sentence correct?

Secondly, the English version would be something like, "It's a pity the time is so short, but
going for only two days is still better than not going at all." In the English version, the words
"at all" at the end could be omitted, but it sounds more natural with them, as an emphasis for
"not going". Is the Chinese sentence natural as it is, or should there be/is there some way of
emphasising "not going"?

Thanks.



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muyongshi -

There is nothing grammatically incorrect with your sentence but it doesn't sound exactly like the
usage that a native speaker would use.

If you want to add the emphasis then add 更 but I think the meaning is conveyed either way.










coolnicholas -

you should say:"只可惜时间太短了，不过去两天总比不去要好＂．










anonymoose -



Quote:

you should say:"只可惜时间太短了，不过去两天总比不去要好＂．

Thanks, that sounds a lot better. However, I still have a question - why did you move 只 from the
second clause to the first? I think it changes the meaning. Could I say
可惜时间太短了，不过只去两天总比不去要好 instead?










muyongshi -



Quote:

Could I say 可惜时间太短了，不过只去两天总比不去要好 instead?

Putting the 只 at the front does change the meaning a tad and where you had it originally works.
The rest of it sounds better but in the region I live people would be more likely to say 更好 or
just 好 rather than 要好. But on the other hand 要好 is it's own word so do take that into
account.










gato -

In English, the two versions would:
It's a pity that time is so short, but going for ONLY two days is better than not going at all.
vs
The ONLY pity is that time is so short, but going for two days is better than not going at all.

There is a difference in structure between the two, but I'm not sure if there is really
substantive difference in meaning -- maybe just a difference in emphasis.










semantic nuance -



Quote:

Could I say 可惜时间太短了，不过只去两天总比不去要好 instead?

I would say: 可惜時間太短了, 不過就算只去兩天總比不去要好.

Hope it helps!












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