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要不要一起
yào bu yào yì qǐ
want to go together?
我们要不要一起去看电影？
Do you want to go watch a movie together?
informal
A polite invitation to do something together with the speaker or another person.
明天要不要一起吃午饭？
Do you want to have lunch together tomorrow?
周末要不要一起逛街？
Do you want to go shopping together this weekend?
Commonly used in casual conversations among friends, colleagues, or acquaintances. The tone is friendly and inviting.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Polite Invitations
Use '要不要一起...' to make polite invitations in Chinese. It is similar to 'Do you want to ... together?' in English. The phrase is versatile and can be used in many social contexts.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The phrase '要不要一起' is informal and should be used in casual settings. Avoid using it in formal or professional contexts where a more formal invitation might be expected.
Word Origin
The phrase is a combination of three Chinese words: '要' (yào, meaning 'want'), '不要' (bù yào, meaning 'not want'), and '一起' (yì qǐ, meaning 'together'). The structure forms a polite invitation by softening the question with the '要不要' (want or not want) construction.
Usage Notes
1. The phrase is often used in spoken Chinese and informal writing. It is less common in formal contexts. 2. The tone is friendly and inviting, making it suitable for conversations with peers or acquaintances. 3. The phrase can be shortened to '要一起吗' (yào yì qǐ ma) in very casual speech, but this is less common.
Word Breakdown
要
want
verb不要
not want
verb phrase一起
together
adverb汉英词典