Breakdown of Wǒmen cóng jiā dào gōngyuán zǒu shí fēnzhōng.
家jiā
home
我们wǒmen
we
走zǒu
to walk
十shí
ten
分钟fēnzhōng
minute classifier
从cóng
from
到dào
to
公园gōngyuán
park
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Questions & Answers about Wǒmen cóng jiā dào gōngyuán zǒu shí fēnzhōng.
Is this sentence natural as is, or would a native say it differently?
It’s understandable and acceptable. Very common alternatives that sound a bit more idiomatic:
- 我们从家走到公园要十分钟。
- 从家到公园走路十分钟。
- 从家到公园要走十分钟。 They all mean “It takes ten minutes to walk from home to the park.”
What is the underlying word order/pattern here?
Pattern: (Subject) + 从A到B + Verb + Duration. Here: 我们 + 从家到公园 + 走 + 十分钟. The 从…到… phrase comes before the main verb as an adverbial.
Do I need to say 走路 instead of 走?
Both work. 走 already means “to walk.” 走路 explicitly says “walk (on foot),” slightly more colloquial. Examples:
- 从家到公园走十分钟。
- 从家到公园走路十分钟。 Meaning is the same.
How do I say “it takes…” more explicitly?
Use 要/需要 before the duration:
- 从家到公园要走十分钟。
- 我们从家走到公园需要十分钟。 This frames it as required time, not just what you do for that long.
Should there be 了 after 走?
Add 了 when referring to a completed action or a specific past trip:
- General fact/habit/future plan: 我们从家到公园走十分钟。
- Completed event: 我们从家到公园走了十分钟就到了。
- Emphasizing “not until after that time”: 走了十分钟才到。
Can I drop 我们?
Yes. For a general statement about how long it takes, omit the subject:
- 从家到公园走十分钟。
- 从家到公园要十分钟。 Keeping 我们 is fine if you’re talking about your group specifically.
Why isn’t there an “it” subject like in English (“It takes…”)?
Chinese doesn’t use a dummy subject. The 从…到… phrase acts as an adverbial topic, and the predicate states the action/time: 从家到公园要十分钟 literally “From home to the park needs ten minutes.”
Why is it 家 and not 家里?
Both are possible:
- 家 is a place word on its own and is very common after 从.
- 家里 (“inside the home”) is a bit more specific. 从家里到公园… is also fine, just slightly more “inside”-focused.
What’s the difference between 到 in 从…到… and 到 in 走到公园?
Two uses:
- In 从A到B, 到 is a coverb/preposition meaning “to (a place).”
- In 走到公园, 到 is a directional complement meaning “walk until reaching.” You can combine them: 我们从家走到公园要十分钟。
Where does the duration go?
Durations follow the verb as a complement:
- 走十分钟 (walk for ten minutes) For completed actions, insert 了 after the verb: 走了十分钟. Don’t put the duration before the verb in this pattern.
Should I use 分钟 or 分?
Use 分钟 for duration: 十分钟. 分 is common when telling clock time (e.g., 三点十分 “3:10”). Be careful: 十分 by itself usually means “very,” not “ten minutes” in modern speech.
How do I say “about ten minutes”?
Common options:
- 大约/大概/大致 十分钟
- 十分钟左右
- 差不多十分钟
- 十多分钟 (a bit more than 10) Example: 从家到公园走大约十分钟。
How do I say it with different modes of transport?
Replace the verb:
- Driving: 从家到公园开车十分钟。
- By bike: 骑车十分钟。
- By bus/subway: 坐公交/坐地铁十分钟。 You can also add 要: 开车要十分钟。
How do I talk about distance instead of time?
Use 离:
- 我们家离公园很近。
- 我们家离公园八百米，走路大约十分钟。
How do I say “It doesn’t take ten minutes” or “less than ten minutes”?
- 不用/不需要十分钟。
- 不到十分钟。
- 用不了十分钟就到。
Where do adverbs like “usually,” “often,” or “probably” go?
Place them before the main verb, after the 从…到… phrase:
- 我们从家到公园通常走十分钟。
- 从家到公园大概要十分钟。 With a subject and frequency: 我们常常从家走到公园，要十分钟。
Any common particles to show “only” or “not until” with time?
- 只要/就 for “only/quick”: 从家到公园只要十分钟，十分钟就到。
- 才 for “not until/slow”: 从家到公园要走十分钟才到。 These add your attitude about whether that time feels short or long.
Pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?
Pinyin with tones: Wǒmen cóng jiā dào gōngyuán zǒu shí fēnzhōng. Watch out for:
- 从 is second tone (cóng), not first.
- 公园 is gōng (1st) + yuán (2nd).
- 分钟 is fēn (1st) + zhōng (1st).
- 走 is third tone (zǒu).