How to Say “Keep Doing” with 下去 (xiàqù)
Attach 下去 to a verb to mean carry on, keep doing it from where you are: Verb + 下去. 说下去 (“keep talking”), 做下去 (“keep doing it”), 坚持下去 (“keep going”). The negative is usually the potential form Verb + 不 + 下去 + 了 (看不下去了, “can’t bear to keep watching”). It’s the continue-partner of 起来 (start).
Why this trips learners up
You know 下去 literally as “go down and away” (走下去 = “walk on down the stairs”). It also has a very common figurative job: clipped onto a verb, it means the action carries on, keeps going from where it is. The frame is simply Verb + 下去: 说下去 (“keep talking”), 看下去 (“keep reading”), 做下去 (“keep doing it”), 活下去 (“keep on living”). Think of it as “keeping the ball rolling.”
In the affirmative it often encourages or resolves to continue: 别停，说下去 (“don’t stop, keep talking”), 这件事很有意义，你应该做下去 (“this is worthwhile, you should keep at it”), 再难我也要坚持下去 (“however hard it gets, I’ll keep going”).
The negative is where learners slip. You could technically put 不 in front of the verb, but what Chinese actually reaches for is the potential form: Verb + 不 + 下去 (+ 了), which means not just “not go on” but “can’t bear to go on.” 这个电影太无聊，我看不下去了 (“this film is too boring, I can’t keep watching”), 他说得太难听，我听不下去了 (“what he’s saying is so awful I can’t keep listening”), 这样的生活我实在过不下去了 (“I honestly can’t go on living like this”). The 了 almost always tags along in the negative.
One more pattern: put 再 before the verb and 下去 turns into a warning, “if this keeps up, something bad happens”: 你再哭下去，眼睛都要肿了 (“if you keep crying, your eyes will swell”), 你再赌下去会输光的 (“keep gambling and you’ll lose everything”). Two things to hold onto: 下去 goes after the verb (说下去 = keep talking; 下去说 would be the literal “go down to talk”), and it’s the continue partner of 起来. 起来 marks an action starting (哭起来了, “burst into tears”); 下去 marks it carrying on (说下去, “keep talking”).
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
bié tíng 别停 Other shuō ，说 Verb xiàqù 下去 Complement
Don’t stop, keep talking (说下去, the affirmative “carry on”).
zhè jiàn shì hěn yǒu yìyì 这件事很有意义 Other nǐ ，你 Subject yīnggāi 应该 Function word zuò 做 Verb xiàqù 下去 Complement
This is really worthwhile, you should keep doing it (应该做下去).
zhège diànyǐng tài wúliáo 这个电影太无聊 Other wǒ ，我 Subject kàn 看 Verb bu 不 Negation xiàqù 下去 Complement le 了 Function word
This movie is too boring, I can’t keep watching (看不下去了, the potential negative).
zài nán 再难 Other wǒ 我 Subject yě 也 Adverb yào 要 Function word jiānchí 坚持 Verb xiàqù 下去 Complement
However hard it gets, I’ll keep going (坚持下去).
tā shuō de tài nántīng 他说得太难听 Other wǒ ，我 Subject tīng 听 Verb bu 不 Negation xiàqù 下去 Complement le 了 Function word
What he said was so awful I couldn’t keep listening (听不下去了).
zhèyàng de shēnghuó 这样的生活 Other wǒ ，我 Subject shízài 实在 Adverb guò 过 Verb bu 不 Negation xiàqù 下去 Complement le 了 Function word
I honestly can’t go on living like this (过不下去了).
nǐ 你 Subject zài 再 Adverb kū 哭 Verb xiàqù 下去 Complement yǎnjing dōu yào zhǒng le ，眼睛都要肿了 Other
If you keep crying, your eyes are going to swell (再哭下去, a warning).
nǐ 你 Subject zài 再 Adverb dǔ 赌 Verb xiàqù 下去 Complement huì shūguāng de ，会输光的 Other
Keep gambling and you’ll lose everything (再赌下去, a stronger warning).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: The natural negative of 下去 is the potential form, not 不能. “I can’t keep watching” is 我看不下去了, not 我不能看下去. Slot 不 between the verb and 下去 (看不下去) and add 了; that’s the idiomatic “can’t bear to go on.”
Why it happens: 下去 goes after the verb: 说下去 = “keep talking.” Put it in front (下去说) and it reverts to the literal “go down (and) talk.” The continuation meaning only works as Verb + 下去.
Why it happens: A “keep V-ing and something happens” warning needs 再 before the verb. 你喝下去就醉了 reads as “swallow it down and you’re drunk” (literal); to mean “if you keep drinking,” it’s 你再喝下去就醉了. The 再 is what carries “keep on.”
Compare & contrast
| 起来: an action / state STARTS | 下去: an action CONTINUES | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 两个人吵起来了liǎng gè rén chǎo qǐlái le = “the two of them started arguing” (the onset → 起来) | 别吵了，不能一直吵下去bié chǎo le, bù néng yìzhí chǎo xiàqù = “stop, you can’t keep arguing forever” (carrying on → 下去) | 两个人吵起来了 = “the two of them started arguing,” the onset → 起来. 别吵了，不能一直吵下去 = “stop it, you can’t keep arguing forever,” carrying on → 下去. Same verb 吵, beginning versus continuing. |
| 大家唱起来了dàjiā chàng qǐlái le = “everyone broke into song” (starting → 起来) | 唱得很好，唱下去chàng de hěn hǎo, chàng xiàqù = “you sing well, keep going” (continuing → 下去) | 大家唱起来了 = “everyone broke into song,” starting → 起来. 唱得很好，唱下去 = “you sing well, keep going,” continuing → 下去. 起来 is the start, 下去 is the carry-on. |
Try it yourself
Say “You should keep doing this.” Verb + 下去: 这件事你应该做下去.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “Keep Doing” with 下去 (xiàqù) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.