How to Say ‘I drove here today’ in Simplified Chinese
我今天开车来的
wǒ jīn tiān kāi chē lái de
[wo jeen-tyen kāichē lie de]
💬 Usage Tip: In 我今天开车来的, the 的 at the end puts the focus on how you got there. This pattern is really 是…的 with the 是 dropped, as in 我坐地铁来的 "I came by subway".
Phrase Breakdown
我今天
wǒ jīn tiān
I today
今天 means 'today'. Both syllables are first tone, so say them high and level.
我今天很忙。
I'm very busy today.
Words in this phrase
我
wǒ
[wo]
I
The speaker referring to themselves.
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.
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
The ……来的 pattern stresses how someone came. 开车 means 'to drive'. 的 is light.
他是坐地铁来的。
He came by subway.
Words in this phrase
开车
kāi chē
[kāichē]
to drive
To drive a car.
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.
你常来这样的行业活动吗？
Do you often come to these kinds of industry events?
的
de
[de]
emphasis particle (shì...de)
Used at the end to emphasize how, when or where a past action happened.
我是坐地铁来的。
I came by subway.
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