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一定 in Context

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一定

Usage 1 - "certainly, definitely, for sure, necessarily": 

Sentence:

这件事一定要做好。

English:

This task absolutely must be done well.

Top-Down Words:

件 jiàn - measure word for general matters or articles of clothing
事 shì - matter or affair
做 zuò - to do
 


Sentence:

他一定不认识我。

English:

He definitely doesn’t know me.

Top-Down Words:


*Sentence:

他一定不知道哪个是我的行李箱。

English:

He clearly doesn’t know which suitcase is mine.

Top-Down Words:

知道 zhīdào - to know
行李箱 xínglǐxiāng - trunk; suitcase



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Comments   6

Chris Lewis

Living link: 一定, sounds like eating; eating is certainly/definitely something I need to do every day

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MB Team

This is where Luke and Phil talked about your question in the Mandarin Blueprint Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45KKuYfqHz0&t=4496s

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Keith Travis

他一定不知道哪个是我的行李箱

He definitely doesn't recognize which one is my suitcase.

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Matt Shubert

Sorry, I'm asking a lot of questions in recent lessons ... :)

Sentence:

这件事一定要做好。

English:

This task absolutely must be done well.

For this sentence, could this also be translated as "This task absolutely will be done well" with the specific translation being context-dependent? I guess I'm not sure where the "must" is conveyed in the isolated sentence.

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Mandarin Blueprint

For this meaning it's better to use 会, 要 is more of a demand/order in this context.

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Matt Shubert

I see, so it's almost like the task itself is "wanting" to be done well. Sorta like saying "the situation demands this!" in English.

Thanks guys for all the fast replies!

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