Please help me explain how 要不了多久 is translated into "It won't be long"

Literal meaning would be "Could not demand how long?" I am not sure how 多久 works in this context.

  • it will not demand 多久／much time, cf. 过不了多久... it won't be long before.., 多久? How long? – user6065 Nov 19 '16 at 16:50

Your confusion came from only thinking 多 as "how" as in:

  • 多少? (how many?)

  • 多快？(how fast?)

  • 多久？ (how long?) * time

However, 多 can, and mostly means "many/much" as in:

  • 多日 (many days)

  • 多人 (many people)

  • 多時 (much time)

In 過不了多久, you don't see a question mark, which mean it is not a question, and 多 here means " much" and 久 means " long time"

The structure of this phrase is: 要不了(would not take) 多(much) 久(long time)

多 here function as "very"

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