elementaryA2 · TOCFL a2aspectsentence pattern
Pattern
AB verb -> ABAB
Core idea
Some two-syllable verbs can repeat as ABAB to make an action sound brief, tentative, or low-pressure. It often feels like “do a bit” or “try doing.”
This is the two-syllable cousin of simple verb reduplication.
Usage boundary
Use this with action verbs that can naturally be done for a short time. It is not a general intensifier.
Examples
我们讨论讨论这个问题。
Wǒmen tǎolùn tǎolùn zhè ge wèntí.
Let's discuss this question a bit.
你休息休息吧。
Nǐ xiūxi xiūxi ba.
Take a little rest.
我想研究研究这个方法。
Wǒ xiǎng yánjiū yánjiū zhè ge fāngfǎ.
I want to look into this method a bit.
Common mistakes
Avoid
我们讨论这个问题讨论。
Use
我们讨论讨论这个问题。
For ABAB reduplication, repeat the two-syllable verb together before the object.