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How to Say ‘How long do I have to wait?’ in Traditional Chinese

要等多久?

yào děng duō jiǔ

[yào děng duōjiǔ]

💬 Usage Tip: 多久 (duō jiǔ) asks "how long" and goes after the verb, at the end. The same pattern works elsewhere: 要坐多久? "How long is the ride?"

Phrase Breakdown

要

yào

[yào]

to take (time); to need

Indicates how much time or cost something requires.

Example

坐公車要十分鐘。

Taking the bus takes ten minutes.

等

děng

[děng]

to wait

To stay in one place until a certain time or event.

Example

我在等車。

I am waiting for the bus.

多久

duō jiǔ

[duōjiǔ]

how long

Asks about a length of time.

Example

你等多久了?

How long have you been waiting?

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