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How to Say ‘Have you been waiting long?’ in Traditional Chinese

等很久了嗎？

děng hěn jiǔ le ma

[děng hen jiǔ le ma]

💬 Usage Tip: 了 at the end here means the waiting started earlier and is still going on. Same idea: 來很久了嗎？ "Have you been here long?"

Phrase Breakdown

等很久

děng hěn jiǔ

waited a long time

等 (děng) means 'to wait' and 很久 (hěn jiǔ) means 'a long time'. 很 and 久 are both third tone, so 很 changes to a rising tone: hén jiǔ.

Example

我等很久。

I waited a long time.

Words in this phrase

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.

很

hěn

[hen]

very

An adverb meaning very; it strengthens an adjective or feeling.

Example

今天認識你，我很開心，也很喜歡這個「很」有活力的活動。

Meeting you today, I’m very happy, and I also like this very lively event.

久

jiǔ

[jiǔ]

long (time)

Describes a long duration of time.

Example

我等了很久。

I waited a long time.

了嗎？

le ma

(has it happened?)

了 (le) marks a completed change. 嗎 (ma) turns the sentence into a yes/no question. Say both lightly, in the neutral tone.

Example

你吃飯了嗎？

Have you eaten?

Words in this phrase

了

[le]

change-of-state particle

With 快…了, shows something is about to happen.

Example

火車快來了。

The train is about to arrive.

嗎

[ma]

question particle

A sentence-final particle used to turn a statement into a yes-no question.

Example

你喜歡這個活動嗎？

Do you like this event?

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