# To put up a Nativity scene



## Thime

大家好! 
I'm writing a text about Christmas, and I would like to say: "Every years on December 8, according to tradition, people put up the Christmas tree and the Nativity scene".
I don't know how to correctly say in Chinese "to put up a Nativity scene" 

Here's my attempt:
每年十二月八日， 根据惯例人们把圣诞树装饰、提出鬼星团。

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!
先谢谢你们！


----------



## brofeelgood

Let me try...

Set up = 树起
Furnish = 摆设,布置
Scene = 情景

...依照传统,人们都会树起圣诞树和布置耶稣诞生的情景.


----------



## retrogradedwithwind

把字句
1，句式，把+某物+动词+怎么样。后面的怎么样必须存在。
把圣诞树装饰  得漂亮
否则只能说
装饰圣诞树


2，省去怎么样的句子不是没有，但一般出现在韵文中，目的是押韵
女:树上的鸟儿成双对 
男：绿水青山绽笑颜 
女:从今再不受那奴役苦 
男：夫妻双双把家还 
女:你耕田来我织布 
男：我挑水来你浇园 
女:寒窑虽破能抵风雨 
男：夫妻恩爱苦也甜 
男女:你我好比鸳鸯鸟 
比翼双飞在人间

其中把家还的还字押韵


----------



## Karl Yu

“把”的句式的用法是将动词进行了一个位置的调整：
主语 “把” 宾语 “动词” 宾补/状语，
如果宾补是形容词，则通常需要加入一个“得”用于连接，
如果为状语，则通常加入一个“到（to）”连接时间或者地点状语。

补充一下 retrogradedwithwind 所说的句式应该为：
把+某物+动词+“得”+怎么样（adj）

例句：_每年十__二__月八日， 根据惯例人们把圣诞树装饰得很漂亮。_
或者 _父母亲们都在新年的第一天把家中的孩子们打扮得很有朝气。_

Thime，在你的句子中有两个谓语词，所以不建议使用“把”字的句式，而且原句式中并无任何形容词，建议使用普通语序即可。
I would suggest it translated as：
在每年的十二月八日，人们总会装饰起圣诞树，还会布置有耶稣降生时场景。


如有错误，多谢指正。


----------



## Thime

非常感谢你们的解释! 
I've just realized that 鬼星团 is the name of a constellation  (Praesepe). Nativity scene might be 基督诞生的场景.  What's the difference  between 耶稣降生时场景 and 基督诞生的场景?
Besides, my teacher said that 和 can't never connect two sentences, for this reason I thought to connect them using a comma.



Karl Yu said:


> I would suggest you to translate it as：


----------



## brofeelgood

Thime said:


> 非常感谢你们的解释!
> 
> I've just realized that 鬼星团 is the name of a constellation  (Praesepe). Nativity scene might be 基督诞生的场景.  What's the difference  between 耶稣降生时场景 and 基督诞生的场景?



降生 and 诞生 mean the same thing - (n) the birth of, or (v, passive) is born.

诞生 is also commonly applied to non-living objects, i.e. 又一个另类的理论诞生了 or 新中国诞生了.



Thime said:


> Besides, my teacher said that 和 can't never connect two sentences, for this reason I thought to connect them using a comma.



Why not? E.g. 我们打算今晚去吃饭和看电影.


----------



## Karl Yu

Thanks for the correction, 
I searched “降生” & “诞生” in “http://www.chinesehelper.cn/", here are the definitions:
降生：出生；出世（多指宗教的创始人或其他方面的有名人物）。 
诞生：指人出生,也用于比喻新事物的出现。

So, "降生" is more appropriate here, but "诞生" could be used in much wider range.

Karl


----------



## Thime

Thanks again to everyone! I've really appreciated all your suggestions! 


brofeelgood said:


> Why not? E.g. 我们打算今晚去吃饭和看电影.


I'm pretty sure it's uncorrect.　I've found this: "And" in Mandarin Chinese, and there is also a discussion in this forum, here (see answer #3).

I'd write:
...人们都会树起圣诞树, 而且布置耶稣诞生的情景。
我们打算今晚去吃饭，看电影。


----------



## brofeelgood

Thime said:


> Thanks again to everyone! I've really appreciated all your suggestions!
> 
> I'm pretty sure it's uncorrect.　I've found this: "And" in Mandarin Chinese, and there is also a discussion in this forum, here (see answer #3).
> 
> I'd write:
> ...人们都会树起圣诞树, 而且布置耶稣诞生的情景。
> 我们打算今晚去吃饭，看电影。



Definitely acceptable *<-- I　meant Thime's sentences*

But at the same time, don't rule out the relevance of 和 as a conjunction just because it's written as such on a website.

If you're connecting two independent events within a specific time frame, with no preference for their sequence, it actually sounds confusing without a conjunction. I've always used words like 和 and 及 loosely to avoid ambiguity, especially in spoken conversations.

Maybe 吃饭和看电影 isn't the best example, but even so, try Googling the phrase and see what you get.


----------



## retrogradedwithwind

Well, to me, 和 is fairly awkward to be used as a conjunction between two verbs. However, that usage may be accepted by some native speakers IN SOME circumstances. 
I don't recommand the use.


----------



## brofeelgood

retrogradedwithwind said:


> Well, to me, 和 is fairly awkward to be used as a conjunction between two verbs. However, that usage may be accepted by some native speakers IN SOME circumstances.
> I don't recommand the use.



Retrogradedwithwind, what would your recommendation be? I'm intrigued because I've been saying that in standard Chinese Mandarin for...  well forever, but it's never too late to change and learn it the proper way. 

The following phrase for example: 我要到商场去买点东西和吃个饭. Thanks.


----------



## retrogradedwithwind

The way I will use 和 to connect two verbs is:
我要去商场看个朋友——a rather long pause here(大喘气)——和吃个饭。
Maybe this is the sole way I can accept.

But I still prefer to say
我要去看个朋友，顺道吃个饭。
Or
我去看个朋友，再吃个饭
我去看个朋友，还会吃个饭
我去看个朋友，然后吃个饭

These several sentences don't mean exactly the same.


----------



## brofeelgood

Interesting. Like you said, they don't exactly carry the same meaning, and should be used in varying circumstances.

I'll keep the comments in mind though, thanks!


----------

