About to – 快 kuài…了 le

Grammar Point:
The sentential 了 often appears in sentences with adverbs, indicating that something will happen soon. It suggests an imminent change of state.

Before you read this post, please make sure you have known what is 了₁, 了₂, and 了_3.
If you are not sure about it, you can check this article: 了 Part1

了₂ (Sentence particle 了) different usage

快 kuài / 快要 kuàiyào / 就要 jiùyào / 要 yào + V + 了₂ 

It indicates that the situation is about to change soon.

By adding any of these four adverbs – 快 Kuài, 快要 kuàiyào, 就要 jiùyào, or 要 yào – into the sentence, along with the use of 了₂ to indicate a change of state, it implies that the situation will change soon.

他的tāde生日shēngrì快kuài到dào了le他的tāde生日shēngrì快kuài到dào了le
His birthday is coming soon.

他tā要yào睡覺shuìjiào了le他tā要yào睡觉shuìjiào了
He is going to sleep soon.

就要jiùyào吃飯chīfàn了le就要jiùyào吃饭chīfàn了le
It’s almost time to eat.

中文zhōngwén課kè快要kuàiyào開始kāishǐ了le中文zhōngwén课kè快要kuàiyào开始kāishǐ了le
The Chinese class is about to start.

我wǒ明年míngnián就要jiùyào回huí國guó了le我wǒ明年míngnián就要jiùyào回huí国guó了le
I will be returning to my home country next year.

However, 快 kuài and 快要 kuàiyào, cannot be used if there is a time word present.

我wǒ明年míngnián就要jiùyào回huí國guó了le我wǒ明年míngnián就要jiùyào回huí国guó了le
I will be returning to my home country next year. ✅

我wǒ明年míngnián快要kuàiyào回huí國guó了le我wǒ明年míngnián快要kuàiyào回huí国guó了le
I will be returning to my home country next year. ❌