“can hardly wait”是英语中表达“迫不及待、急不可耐”的常用短语,核心含义是“几乎无法再等待”,强调对某件事的极度急切和期待。
字面直译为“几乎不能等”,实际表达“非常渴望做某事/等待某事发生,已经等不及了”。
该短语后通常接不定式(to do sth)或介词for + 名词/代词,构成两种核心结构:
= 迫不及待做某事(强调“要做的动作”)
例句:I can hardly wait to try the new restaurant downtown.(我迫不及待想去试试市中心的新餐厅。)
The kids can hardly wait to open their Christmas presents.(孩子们迫不及待要拆圣诞礼物。)
= 迫不及待等待某事/某人(强调“等待的对象”)
例句:We can hardly wait for summer vacation to start.(我们迫不及待暑假开始。)
She can hardly wait for her best friend to visit from abroad.(她迫不及待等闺蜜从国外来玩。)
现在时:can hardly wait(描述当前的急切)
过去时:could hardly wait(描述过去的急切)
例:He could hardly wait to tell his parents the good news yesterday.(他昨天迫不及待要告诉父母这个好消息。)
can’t wait(更口语化,最常用):I can’t wait to see you!(我等不及见你了!)
be dying to do sth(更夸张,“快死了都想做”):I’m dying to travel to Japan.(我超想去日本旅行。)
be eager/anxious to do sth(更正式,“渴望/急切做某事”):She’s eager to start her new job.(她渴望开始新工作。)
“hardly”本身带有否定意味(“几乎不”),但整个短语表达的是肯定的“急切”,不要误解为“不想等”。
避免与“hard”混淆:“hard”是“努力地/艰难地”,而“hardly”是“几乎不”(如:work hard 努力工作;hardly work 几乎不工作)。
总结:“can hardly wait”是口语和书面语中都常用的表达,通过“几乎不能等”的夸张,传递强烈的期待感,适用于描述对任何令人兴奋的事的急切心情~