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How to Say ‘But I drove here today, so I can't drink alcohol.’ in Simplified Chinese

不过我今天开车来的，不能喝酒。

bù guò wǒ jīn tiān kāi chē lái de bù néng hē jiǔ

[boo-gwaw wo jeen-tyen kāichē lie de boo-nung hē jiu]

🇨🇳 In China: China is extremely strict about drink-driving, and any alcohol at all can bring serious penalties. Saying you drove is a completely accepted way to turn down a drink, and no one will push you after that.

Phrase Breakdown

不过我今天

bù guò wǒ jīn tiān

but today I

不过 means 'but, however' and softens the refusal. Say it 'búguò': 不 becomes second tone before the fourth-tone 过.

Example

不过我今天没空。

But I'm not free today.

Words in this phrase

不过

bù guò

[boo-gwaw]

however; but

A conjunction used to change direction in what you are saying, often meaning 'however' or 'but'.

Example

我有点累，不过我还是会去看你爸妈。

I’m a little tired, but I’ll still go see your parents.

我

wǒ

[wo]

The speaker referring to themselves.

Example

我明天有空。

I am free tomorrow.

今天

jīn tiān

[jeen-tyen]

today

The current day; used when talking about what is happening now.

Example

今天有一个很重要的职业活动。

Today there is a very important career event.

开车来的，

kāi chē lái de

came by car

This part explains how the speaker came. Pause at the comma.

Example

你是开车来的吗？

Did you come by car?

Words in this phrase

开车

kāi chē

[kāichē]

to drive

To drive a car.

Example

他每天开车上班。

He drives to work every day.

来

lái

[lie]

to come

A verb meaning “to come,” often used when asking if someone has come to an event before.

Example

你常来这样的行业活动吗？

Do you often come to these kinds of industry events?

的

[de]

emphasis particle (shì...de)

Used at the end to emphasize how, when or where a past action happened.

Example

我是坐地铁来的。

I came by subway.

不能喝酒。

bù néng hē jiǔ

can't drink alcohol

This gives the reason for refusing. Use a falling, final tone.

Example

开车不能喝酒。

You can't drink when driving.

Words in this phrase

不能

bù néng

[boo-nung]

cannot; be unable to

Used to express that someone is not able to attend or arrive.

Example

如果您今天不能来，可以先打电话。

If you can’t come today, you can call first.

喝

hē

[hē]

to drink

The action of consuming a liquid.

Example

我想喝摩天大楼。

I want to drink a Skyscraper.

酒

jiǔ

[jiu]

alcohol

A distilled drink or fermented beverage that contains alcohol.

Example

这酒很贵。

This alcohol is very expensive.

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