本来

Originally

subject + 本来 + modal verb + verb
subject + 本来 + modal verb + verb + 的
subject + 本来 + 是 + modal verb + verb
subject + 本来 + 是 + modal verb + verb + 的

= somebody originally planned to do something, but something happend unexpectedly later. Since the action has already happened, “是… 的” structure is often used here.

是 is optional. Modal verb sometimes can be omitted.

Common modal verbs are 能, 会，要，敢，可以，必须 and 肯.

这件事本来是他负责的。(modal verb is omitted)
= 这件事本来他负责的。(是 is dropped. spoken.)
= 这件事本来是他负责。
= 这件事本来他负责。(是 and 的 are dropped. formal, spoken.)
He was originally responsible for this matter.

It is commonly used with ‘but’ to express ‘I was going to do something, but…’

Collocation:

• 本来……，不过……
• 本来……，但是……
• 本来……，但……
• 本来……，可是……
• 本来……，可……

我本来是要去的，不过后来不太舒服，就没去。
= 我本来要去的，但是后来不太舒服，就没去。
= 我本来要去，可是后来不太舒服，就没去。
= 我本来是要去，但后来不太舒服，就没去。
I was going to go, but then I didn’t feel well, so I didn’t go.

这些工作本来是要今天做完的，不过明天做也可以。
This work was originally supposed to be done by today, but it’s OK to do it tomorrow.

他本来是应该考得更好的，可是那天他生病了。
= 他本来应该考得更好，但那天他生病了。
He should have done better in the exam, but he was ill that day.

我们本来想去找他帮忙的，可是他那么忙，就没去。
We wanted to ask him for help, but he was so busy. We didn’t go eventually.

(See also: 本来就)

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