越来越…: more and more
越来越 (more and more) goes before an adjective or verb to say that something is changing steadily in one direction over time. 天气越来越热了 means the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and it usually takes 了 at the end.
越来越 describes a gradual change in one direction over time.
- 天气越来越热了。(The weather is getting hotter and hotter.)
- 她的汉语越来越好。(Her Chinese is getting better and better.)
- 我越来越喜欢这座城市。(I like this city more and more.)
Contrast with 越…越… (the more X, the more Y — two linked clauses):
- 越来越冷 = it's progressively getting colder (one subject, time change)
- 越学越难 = the more you study, the harder it gets (two verbs linked)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 最近工作越来越忙，我几乎没有时间休息。 | Zuì jìn gōng zuò yuè lái yuè máng, wǒ jī hū méi yǒu shí jiān xiū xi. | Work has been getting busier and busier lately; I hardly have time to rest. | 越来越 + Adj (忙): progressive increase in busyness over time |
| 随着经济发展，这个城市越来越国际化了。 | Suí zhe jīng jì fā zhǎn, zhè gè chéng shì yuè lái yuè guó jì huà le. | As the economy develops, this city is becoming more and more international. | 越来越 + V-phrase (国际化了); 了 at the end marks the change of state |
| 孩子越来越不听话，父母都很担心。 | Hái zi yuè lái yuè bù tīng huà, fù mǔ dōu hěn dān xīn. | The child is becoming less and less obedient, and the parents are very worried. | 越来越 + negative predicate (不听话): gradual negative change |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
越来越 (yuè lái yuè)
'More and more'; one thing keeps changing in the same direction over time.
Structure: subject + 越来越 + adj/verb (+ 了)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他的字写得越来越好。 | Tā de zì xiě de yuè lái yuè hǎo. | His handwriting gets better and better. |
| 天越来越黑了。 | Tiān yuè lái yuè hēi le. | It is getting darker and darker. |
| 我越来越想家了。 | Wǒ yuè lái yuè xiǎng jiā le. | I miss home more and more. |
Not: 现在天气越来越很冷。 Do not add 很 after 越来越; the adjective stands alone.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, set phrases (其 他).
越来越 is also explained in: Fixed Patterns: 越来越, 又…又, 该…了, 还是…吧 (HSK 2).
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about 越来越…
What does 越来越… mean in Chinese?
越来越 (more and more) goes before an adjective or verb to say that something is changing steadily in one direction over time. 天气越来越热了 means the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and it usually takes 了 at the end. It is an HSK 4 grammar point.
How do you use 越来越… in a sentence?
最近工作越来越忙，我几乎没有时间休息。 — Zuì jìn gōng zuò yuè lái yuè máng, wǒ jī hū méi yǒu shí jiān xiū xi. — Work has been getting busier and busier lately; I hardly have time to rest. 越来越 + Adj (忙): progressive increase in busyness over time.
What do you need to know before 越来越…?
越…越… (HSK 4), Fixed Patterns (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Can I use 越来越 with a verb?
Only with verbs of feeling or degree, such as 喜欢, 想, 习惯, 了解: 我越来越喜欢这个城市。 An action verb like 吃 does not work.
Does 越来越 need 了?
Often 了 is added to confirm a change that has been happening: 天越来越冷了。 It is not required.
越来越… is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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