你学习中文学了多长了?

[xiaojiang216]

How long have you been studying Chinese?

[adrianlondon]

I voted (2 years) but it was only 1.5 hours a week, term time only. So in total only around 90 hours! I think some people will do that in a under a month, so maybe a poll asking how many hours would also be helpful.

[geraldc]

I wouldn't say I've spoken it all my life, but I have had it spoken at me all my life

At around the time I stopped asking relatives to 抹屁股 I started speaking mainly in English

[xiaojiang216]

I'd like to make a change...

For the column that says, "8 great years! Wahoo!", would it be alright if I changed that to "8 (or more) great years! Wahoo!" ? That way I think I would accomodate those who have been so very dedicated to the language for over 8 years!

[lokki]

大家好 - Weighing in at just under five months. Cheers

Btw, I am curious, is 你学习中文学了多长了? the preferred way to say that in Mandarin ? I can't see anything explicitly time-related in there, so perhaps it is understood from "long" just like in English (?)

I would have expected to see something with 久, but what do I know.

[adrianlondon]

Yeah, my (Taiwanese) partner looked over my shoulder when reading this thread and said it was wrong.

"Wow, someone with worse Mandarin than you" was his rather abrupt comment I pointed out that, as a native English speaker, it made sense because we don't say things like "how long a time".

Either "多长时间" or "多久" is needed.

[adrianlondon]

Me, with my grand total of 90 hours' of Mandarin under my belt would probably have said

你学了多久的中文？

But then I'm lazy, and it saves repeating the verb There probably should be a "le" on the end to emphasise that we are, mainly, still learning.

[Yuchi]

First language I learned to speak, but I've only put emphasis on it the past 2 years..

[Lu]

Five and a half years. Although not always actively studying, but always practicing

I'd use jiu3 as well, and definately two le. Something like Ni Zhongwen xue le duo jiu le, or Ni xue le Zhongwen xue le duo jiu le.

[adrianlondon]

Ni Zhongwen xue le duo jiu le

But that means someone like me, who stopped actively learning a year ago (but will continue later this year when I come to Beijing to study) can't answer the poll Of course, I would still answer it, being the rebel that I am.

The final "le" means that the action is still continuing.