忽然(hūrán) vs 突然(tūrán)

忽然(hūrán) vs 突然(tūrán)

The similarities

1. Both 忽然 and 突然 means “all of a sudden” or “suddenly”. Both of these words can be used before verbs as an adverbial modifier.

e.g.

今天突然/忽然冷起来了。(Jīntiān tūrán/hūrán lěng qǐláile.) It`s suddenly cold today.

下午突然/忽然下起了大雨。(Xiàwǔ tūrán/hūrán xià qǐle dàyǔ.) Suddenly, it rained heavily in the afternoon.

2. As an adverb, 忽然 and 突然 can be an adverbial modifier in a sentence. Plus, there should not be any adverb of degree before it.

e.g.

I suddenly miss home very much.

我突然/忽然非常想家。(Wǒ tūrán/hūrán fēicháng xiǎng jiā.) √

我非常突然/忽然想家。(Wǒ fēicháng tūrán/hūrán xiǎng jiā.) ×

 

I got up too early today, I suddenly got sleepy.

今天起床太早，我突然/忽然有点儿困了。(Jīntiān qǐchuáng tài zǎo, wǒ tūrán/hūrán yǒudiǎnr kùnle.) √

今天起床太早，我有点儿突然/忽然困了。(Jīntiān qǐchuáng tài zǎo, wǒ yǒudiǎnr tūrán/hūrán kùnle.) ×

The differences

忽然 can only be an adverb and function as an adverbial modifier in a sentence. But 突然 can also be an adjective and function as a predicate, attribute or complement. Plus, 突然 is often stronger than 忽然, and it emphasizes happening quickly.

When 突然 functions as a predicate, there is often adverbs of degree like “很” “不” before it, or “极了” “得很” after it.

Adverb of degree + 突然

突然 + 极了/得很

e.g.

这个消息非常突然。(Zhège xiāoxī fēicháng tūrán.) This news is very sudden.

这件事情突然极了。(Zhè jiàn shìqíng túrán jíle) This thing is so sudden.

When 突然 functions as an attribute, it often modifies a noun.

突然 + 的 + noun

e.g.

这个突然的消息让人很意外。(Zhège tūrán de xiāoxī ràng rén hěn yìwài.) This sudden news is very surprising.

你突然的到来让我们很开心。(Nǐ tūrán de dàolái ràng wǒmen hěn kāixīn.) Your sudden arrival makes us very happy.

When 突然 functions as complement, there are often other elements before it.

Verb + 得 (+……) + 突然

e.g.

这场雨下得很突然。（Zhè chǎng yǔ xià de hěn tūrán.）This rain is very sudden.

他死得太突然了。(Tā sǐ de tài tūránle.) He died too suddenly.