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plCommon errors
1. Incorrect position
Especially in more complex sentences, learners may struggle to place ‘从/從’ correctly. These are some of the most common errors.
1.1 Learners might place the verb before ‘从/從’ and its prepositional phrase.
*我从中国不来。
我不從中國來。
*我從中國不來。
我不从中国来。
1.2 Learners might place the negation in the wrong position.
*我在家从八点到十二点。
我从八点到十二点在家。
*我在家從八點到十二點。
我從八點到十二點在家。
In negating sentences, the negation is usually placed before 从/從, denying both the action or event and its starting point.
我没从书店买书。
我沒從書店買書。
When the negation is placed after 从/從, the specific action or event is denied.
我从书店没买书。
我從書店沒買書
Here, the act of buying is denied rather than that it was from the bookshop.
2. Learners might confuse ‘从/從’ and ‘离/離’ when talking about distance.
*图书馆从教室远不远?
图书馆离教室远不远?
*我离中国来。
我从中国来。
*圖書館從教室遠不遠?
圖書館離教室遠不遠?
*我離中國來。
我從中國來。
2. Pragmatic error or inappropriate usage
Overuse of ‘从/從’ in sentences where it is not needed.
我从一开始就喜欢学习中文。
我一开始就喜欢学习中文。
我從一開始就喜歡學習中文。
我一開始就喜歡學習中文。
When indicating the place of origin as ‘from somebody,’ learners often forget that non-location words cannot stand alone after 从/從. Instead, a location word, such as 这儿/这里 – 這兒/這裡 or 那儿/那里 – 那兒/那裡, must be added.
*我从一个朋友借了钱。
我从一个朋友那里借了钱。
*我從一個朋友借了錢。
我從一個朋友那裡借了錢。
L1 inference error
Both ’离/離’ and ’从/從’ translates into ‘from’ in English, which can lead to confusion among learners about when to use each word correctly.
Learners often use an ‘imitative’ approach, applying sentence structures from their native language directly to Chinese. This can result in errors, such as placing a prepositional phrase with ’从/從’ after the verb or overusing ‘从/從’ in contexts where it is not appropriate.
In English ‘from‘ can be used with verbs that describe a state or existence e.g. ‘a teacher from the school’. However, in Chinese, using ’从/從’ in this way is incorrect:
*我从学校是老师。
我在学校是老师。
*我從學校是老師。
我在學校是老師。
When referring to the starting point, such as a location, an action or a movement, ‘从/從’ is appropriate. For states or positions, ‘在’ or other suitable prepositions should be used instead.