The “要 / 快 / 快要 / 就要……了” pattern

The patterns “要……了 / 快……了 / 快要……了 / 就要……了” show that something is about to happen.

If the sentence contains a time word, “就要……了” is normally the one used.

Core meaning

It is usually rendered as: “is about to …” “will … soon” “is nearly …”

要 + verb / state + 了快 + verb / state + 了快要 + verb / state + 了就要 + verb / state + 了

Meaning: something is going to happen very soon.

When the sentence has an explicit or relative time expression, this form is the usual one.

Time + 就要 + verb + 了

饭(Fàn)菜(cài)快(kuài)要(yào)做(zuò)好(hǎo)了(le)。

Dinner is almost ready.

饭菜 + 快要 + 做好 + 了 the food + about to + be ready + 了

饭(fàn)菜(cài)the food

快(kuài)要(yào)about to

做(zuò)好(hǎo)be ready

了(le)marks the new state approaching

This says the food will be ready very soon.

火(Huǒ)车(chē)快(kuài)开(kāi)了(le)。

The train is about to leave.

火车 + 快 + 开 + 了 the train + about to + depart + 了

火(huǒ)车(chē)train

快(kuài)about to

开(kāi)depart

了(le)marks that the event is close

The sentence says there is very little time left before the train goes.

我(Wǒ)们(men)下(xià)星(xīng)期(qī)就(jiù)要(yào)考(kǎo)试(shì)了(le)。

We have our exam next week.

我们 + 下星期 + 就要 + 考试 + 了 we + next week + about to + sit the exam + 了

我(wǒ)们(men)we

下(xià)星(xīng)期(qī)next week

就(jiù)要(yào)about to

考(kǎo)试(shì)sit an exam

了(le)marks the event approaching

This sentence has the time expression 下星期, which is why 就要……了 is used.

要 / 快 / 快要 / 就要 + verb + 了

Meaning: an event or action is about to happen.

With a time expression: time + 就要 + verb + 了

饭菜快要做好了。— Dinner is almost ready. 火车快开了。— The train is about to leave. 我们下星期就要考试了。— We have our exam next week.