01 / READExamples
Highlighted words show the grammar pattern. Reveal the English translation when needed.
我把钥匙放进包里了。
I put the key into the bag.
放进包里 gives the key a destination.
请把你的名字写在这里。
Please write your name here.
The instruction identifies what to write and where to write it.
不要把杯子放在地上。
Do not put the cup on the floor.
The negative instruction 不要 comes before 把.
02 / UNDERSTANDHow it works
Sentence pattern
A 把 sentence brings the affected object before the verb and focuses on what happens to it. Compare the ideas “put the key” and “put the key into the bag”: the destination completes the second thought. 我把钥匙放进包里了 tells you where the key ended up. 把 is especially useful for clear instructions about specific things that both people can identify.
The verb usually needs something beyond a bare action word: a result, destination, amount, or another element that makes the action specific. The object is normally identifiable in the context, such as “this book,” “your name,” or “the key we are discussing.” A 把 sentence is not a universal way to reorder any Chinese sentence. Verbs that simply describe liking, knowing, or possession do not fit the ordinary pattern.
Put negation and modal words before 把. 不要把… is a negative instruction, while 可以把… says that handling the object in that way is possible or permitted. For your first sentences, choose a concrete object and a visible outcome: put a cup on a table, write a name on paper, or finish a piece of work. Check that the listener can answer both “which thing?” and “what happened to it?”
COMMON MISTAKESWhat to watch for
Avoid我把这本书喜欢。
Use我喜欢这本书。
喜欢 describes a feeling about the book; it does not give the book a result or destination. Use the ordinary subject–verb–object pattern here.
03 / PRACTISECheck your understanding
04 / VOCABULARYLesson vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 钥匙 | yàoshi | key |
| 放 | fàng | to put or place |
| 杯子 | bēizi | cup |
Choose a Chinese word for dictionary definitions, examples and stroke order. The meanings above are specific to this lesson.
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Written for this website. Levels indicate difficulty, not official HSK placement. The app covers this topic with different wording and exercises.
