Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 越来越
越来越 is a pattern that is often used in daily chat to tell how something is occurring “more and more”.
We apply the term when expressing that some quality or state increases with time.
Note that this term can only be used on informal occasions.
HOW TO USE 越来越 WITH ADJECTIVES
“越来越” is equivalent to “more and more” in English and to the comparative “-er”.
And it is usually followed by adjectives to express that something is becoming more and more adjective over time.
So the 越来越 pattern is perfect when you notice that something has changed or is in the process of changing, and when you see a variation going on.
PATTERN
Subject + 越来越 + Adjective + 了
Note that in this sentence pattern, 了 should be placed at the end of the sentence as a modal particle. This is because the sentence indicates a change of state; adding 了 can make the sentence complete.
HOW TO USE 越来越 WITH VERBS
When 越来越 is used with verbs, it means that the degree of doing something changes along over time.
For instance, it could be the intensification of a feeling, an improvement of particular abilities, etc.
PATTERN
Subject + 越来越 + Verb + 了
HOW TO USE 越来越 IN A NEGATIVE SENTENCE
What if we want to express that a thing or action decreases in degree over time?
Well, all you need to do is add “不” after “越来越”.
You may notice that when the verb is negative in Chinese, a translation like “less and less” with a positive verb might be more appropriate in English than sticking with a “more and more” translation. The Chinese pattern doesn’t change, though.
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FAQs
What is 越来越?
越来越 (yuè lái yuè) is a sentence pattern often used in daily chat to tell how something is occurring “more and more”.
We apply the term when expressing that some quality or state increases with time.
Note that this term can only be used on informal occasions.
How to use 越来越 with adjectives?
“越来越” is equivalent to “more and more” in English and to the comparative “-er”.
And it is usually followed by adjectives to express that something is becoming more and more adjective over time.
So the 越来越 pattern is perfect when you notice that something has changed or is in the process of changing, and when you see a variation going on.
The most common structure is:
Subject + 越来越 + Adjective + 了
你的中文越来越流利了。| Your Chinese is becoming more and more fluent.
天气越来越冷了。| The weather is getting colder.
How to use 越来越 with verbs?
When 越来越 is used with verbs, it means that the degree of doing something changes along over time.
For instance, it could be the intensification of a feeling, an improvement of particular abilities, etc.
The sentence structure is:
Subject + 越来越 + Verb + 了
我越来越享受阅读了。| I enjoy reading more and more.
他越来越了解我了。| He understands me more and more.
How to use 越来越 in a negative sentence?
All you need to do is add “不” after “越来越”.
我越来越不懂她的想法了。| I’m getting more and more confused about her thoughts.
她的脾气越来越不好了。| Her temper is getting worse and worse.
我越来越不相信他了。| I don’t trust him anymore.
What HSK level is the 越来越 grammar?
越来越 is studied more intensively after HSK 3, but its more basic form 越来越多 can be seen in earlier lessons.
Where to learn more Chinese grammar?
You can learn more in our Chinese Grammar Bank.
We share many free lessons of various levels, and keep updating it with time.
Feel free to contact us for any suggestions.