How to Say ‘How long will it take?’ in Simplified Chinese
要多长时间？
yào duō zhǎng shí jiān
[yào duō cháng shir-jyen]
💬 Usage Tip: 多 before an adjective asks "how ___": 多长时间 means "how long a time". It works with other adjectives too, as in 多大 "how big/old" and 多远 "how far".
Phrase Breakdown
要
yào
[yào]
will; need to
Expresses necessity or likelihood.
进去要买票。
You need to buy a ticket to enter.
多
duō
[duō]
how (to what extent)
Before an adjective in questions, asks about degree or amount.
这条河多宽?
How wide is this river?
长
zhǎng
[cháng]
long
Adjective for length; with 多 it asks 'how long'.
这条路很长。
This road is very long.
时间
shí jiān
[shir-jyen]
time
Refers to time in general or a specific time slot or schedule.
你什么时候有时间？
When do you have time?
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