Say “do not have” with 没有
Person + 没有 + thing / Person + 没 + thing
Use 没有 for things you do not have, from a charger to free time.
我的包里没有纸巾。
Wǒ de bāo lǐ méiyǒu zhǐjīn.
There are no tissues in my bag.
HSK 2.0 Level 1 grammar
Build your first sentences.
Introduce yourself, ask a question, say where things are and describe what you want. Start with word order, then add the small words that change a sentence.
75 grammar topics, 69 with practice.
我们三个都带了水。
Wǒmen sān ge dōu dài le shuǐ.
All three of us brought water.
Study this construction →Find a construction
75 topics
Negation
Make a negative statement with 不
Person + 不 + verb / Thing + 不 + adjective
Say what you do not like, what you do not do, or which description does not fit. Put 不 before the word it negates.
我不喝加糖的咖啡。
Wǒ bù hē jiā táng de kāfēi.
I do not drink coffee with added sugar.
Negating Actions with 没有 and 没 in Chinese
没有 + Verb
Use 没有 or 没 to say an action did not happen, and understand why Chinese action negation is about occurrence rather than tense alone.
我没有去上班。
Wǒ méiyǒu qù shàngbān.
I didn't go to work.
Negative Commands with 不要 (Bùyào) in Chinese
不要 + Verb
Use 不要 before a verb to tell someone not to act, soften the request when appropriate, and distinguish a command from an ordinary negative.
不要走。
Bùyào zǒu.
Don't leave.
Double Negatives in Chinese: 不是不 and 不可能不
Subject + 不是 + 不 / 没 + Predicate; Subject + 不 + Modal + 不 / 没 + Predicate
Interpret Chinese double negatives by scope, including rejecting a negative claim, unavoidable actions, and statements about everyone.
他不会不来的。
Tā bù huì bù lái de.
There is no way he's not coming.
Adverbs and degree
Talk about a whole group with 都
Group + 都 + verb phrase / Group + 都 + adjective phrase
Say that an action or description applies to everyone or everything in a group. Name the group before you use 都.
我们三个都带了水。
Wǒmen sān ge dōu dài le shuǐ.
All three of us brought water.
Add “also” with 也
Subject + 也 + verb phrase / Subject + 也 + 很 + adjective
Connect one statement to another with a shared action or description. Put 也 before the verb or adjective phrase.
小林喜欢骑车，我也喜欢。
Xiǎo Lín xǐhuan qí chē, wǒ yě xǐhuan.
Xiaolin likes cycling, and I do too.
Say what is happening with 在
subject / 在 / verb + object
Describe an action that is in progress at the time you are talking about.
她在写明信片。
Tā zài xiě míngxìnpiàn.
She is writing a postcard.
Not Very and Not Really with 不太 (Bù Tài)
不太 + Adj.
Use 不太 before adjectives and selected verbs for moderate negatives such as “not very,” “not really,” or limited ability in Mandarin.
我家不太大。
Wǒ jiā bù tài dà.
My house is not too big.
All at Once and Suddenly with 一下子 (Yīxiàzi)
Subj. + 一下子 + Verb + 了
Use 一下子 before a predicate for a sudden change or quickly achieved result, and distinguish it from postverbal 一下 for a brief action.
天气一下子变冷了。
Tiānqì yīxiàzi biàn lěng le.
The weather suddenly got cold.
In This Way and In That Case with 这样 (Zhèyàng)
Condition ，这样 + Result / Purpose
Use 这样 before actions for a manner of doing something, or introduce a consequence with 这样 or 这样的话 after describing a situation.
这样做不对。
Zhèyàng zuò bù duì.
Doing it this way is not right.
Conjunctions and complex sentences
Join people and things with 和
Noun phrase + 和 + noun phrase
Link two people, objects, or other noun phrases. Together, they can become one subject or one object in a sentence.
我带了铅笔和橡皮。
Wǒ dài le qiānbǐ hé xiàngpí.
I brought a pencil and an eraser.
Offer a choice with 还是
Option A + 还是 + option B / Subject + verb + A + 还是 + B
Ask the listener to choose between two people, things, or actions.
午饭你想吃面条还是饺子？
Wǔfàn nǐ xiǎng chī miàntiáo háishi jiǎozi?
Would you like noodles or dumplings for lunch?
要么…要么…: Either…Or Choices in Chinese
要么⋯⋯，要么⋯⋯
Present alternative actions or outcomes with 要么…要么…, including decisions, instructions, and contrasting possibilities.
要么你去， 要么他去。
Yàome nǐ qù, yàome tā qù.
Either you go, or he goes.
Numbers, quantities and classifiers
Talking About Age in Chinese with 岁 (Suì)
Subject + Number + 岁 (+ 半)
Learn how 岁 expresses age in Chinese, why 是 and 个 are usually omitted, and where 半 goes when giving an age in half years.
我 20 岁。
Wǒ èrshí suì.
I am 20 years old.
Count people and things with 个
Number + 个 + noun / 这 / 那 + 个 + noun
Put 个 between a number and the noun you are counting. Some nouns need a different classifier.
我还有两个问题。
Wǒ hái yǒu liǎng ge wèntí.
I still have two questions.
门口有三个人。
Ménkǒu yǒu sān ge rén.
There are three people at the entrance.
Chinese Dates: Year, Month and Day with 年、月、日
Year + 年 + Month + 月 + Day + 日 / 号
Read Chinese dates in year–month–day order and understand when spoken 号 and written 日 identify the day of the month.
1868 年 1 月 18 号
Yī-bā-liù-bā nián Yī yuè shíbā hào
January 18, 1868
Days of the Week in Chinese with 星期 (Xīngqī)
星期 + Number
Learn Chinese weekday names with 星期, the special forms for Sunday, and how to combine weekdays with mornings and evenings.
今天是星期一吗？
Jīntiān shì Xīngqīyī ma?
Is today Monday?
Chinese Numbers: Tens, Hundreds, Thousands and 零
Number + Unit
Understand Chinese number order, the roles of 十、百、千 and 零, and the difference between whole numbers and digit sequences.
三十六
sānshíliù
thirty-six
Telling Time in Chinese with 点 and 半
(Date / Part of day +) Hour + 点 (+ 半)
Learn to tell the hour and half hour in Chinese with 点 and 半, including 两点 and the placement of morning or evening.
九点
jiǔ diǎn
9 o'clock
Chinese Money Amounts with 元、块、角 and 毛
Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱)
Ask prices with 多少钱 and read Chinese currency amounts using formal 元 and 角 or everyday 块 and 毛, with units in descending order.
你的手机多少钱？
Nǐ de shǒujī duōshao qián?
How much does your cell phone cost?
Particles
Possession Without 的: Family and Close Relationships
Pronoun + Noun
Learn when Chinese can omit 的 after pronouns for family, close relationships, and institutions such as a person's school or company.
我家很大。
Wǒ jiā hěn dà.
My house is very big.
Show ownership with 的
Owner + 的 + thing
Put the owner first, add 的, then name the thing. The whole phrase can fit anywhere a noun belongs.
这是姐姐的相机。
Zhè shì jiějie de xiàngjī.
This is my older sister’s camera.
Making Suggestions in Chinese with 吧 (Ba)
Command + 吧
Use sentence-final 吧 to suggest an action, invite someone to do something, or soften a request in everyday Mandarin.
我们走吧。
Wǒmen zǒu ba.
Let's go.
View an action as a completed event with 了
Subject + verb + 了 + object
Use verb-following 了 to present an action as a bounded event. It does not turn every sentence into the past tense.
我订了两张电影票。
Wǒ dìng le liǎng zhāng diànyǐng piào.
I booked two cinema tickets.
Not Anymore with 不……了 and 没有……了
不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了
Use final 了 with negative predicates for changed habits, intentions, possessions, or availability, expressing “no longer” and “not anymore.”
我不想吃了。
Wǒ bù xiǎng chī le.
I don't want to eat anymore.
Announcing Now and New Situations with 了 (Le)
New Situation + 了
Understand how final 了 makes announcements such as leaving, starting an activity, reaching an age, or taking a turn relevant to the present moment.
知道了。
Zhīdào le.
Got it. / I see.
Sentence-Final 啊 (A): Tone and Emphasis in Chinese
⋯⋯啊
Understand how final 啊 adds emotion, urgency, or conversational emphasis to Mandarin statements, requests, and questions.
对啊！
Duì a!
You're right!
Softening Requests and Opinions with 吧 (Ba)
⋯⋯吧
Use final 吧 to make suggestions, requests, or opinions sound less categorical, while reading the speaker's actual attitude from context.
这不太好吧。
Zhè bù tài hǎo ba.
This isn't so good.
Things Like That with 之类的 (Zhī Lèi De)
像 ⋯⋯ 之类的 + Category
Use 之类的 after examples to refer to similar things, optionally introduce them with 像, and add a category noun when it clarifies the meaning.
我家附近有很多像 KFC 之类的快餐店。
Wǒ jiā fùjìn yǒu hěn duō xiàng KFC zhī lèi de kuàicān diàn.
There are many fast-food restaurants in my neighborhood, like KFC and others like it.
Questions
Ask “what about…?” with 呢
Person or thing + 呢？
Keep a conversation moving without repeating the whole question. Use a short follow-up when the missing meaning is already clear.
我坐公交车去，你呢？
Wǒ zuò gōngjiāochē qù, nǐ ne?
I am going by bus. What about you?
Ask a yes–no question with A-not-A
Subject + verb + 不 + verb / Subject + 有没有 + object
Offer the positive and negative forms of an action instead of adding 吗.
周末你去不去书店？
Zhōumò nǐ qù bu qù shūdiàn?
Are you going to the bookshop this weekend?
Keep question words in the answer’s place
Subject + verb + 什么？ / 谁 + verb + object？ / Subject + 去 + 哪儿？
Ask for a missing person, thing, or place without rebuilding the whole sentence. Replace the information you want with a question word.
你在画什么？
Nǐ zài huà shénme?
What are you drawing?
Chinese Tag Questions with 对不对、是不是 and 好不好
⋯⋯是不是 / 对不对 / 好不好 ?
Ask for confirmation or agreement with Chinese A-not-A tags, choosing 对不对、是不是 or 好不好 to match the purpose of the question.
你会说中文， 对不对？
Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén, duì bu duì?
You speak Chinese, right?
Chinese Tag Questions with 是吗、对吗 and 好吗
⋯⋯是吗 / 对吗 / 好吗 ?
Use sentence-final 是吗、对吗 or 好吗 to confirm information, check correctness, or ask someone to accept a proposal in Mandarin.
这样做， 对吗？
Zhèyàng zuò, duì ma?
Do it like this, right?
Ask a yes–no question with 吗
Statement + 吗？
Keep the statement in its usual order and add 吗. It is a simple way to ask whether something is true.
这辆车到博物馆吗？
Zhè liàng chē dào bówùguǎn ma?
Does this bus go to the museum?
Asking How Many with 几 and 多少 in Chinese
几 + Measure Word (+ Noun) ?
Ask Chinese quantity questions with 几 plus a classifier, compare the broader use of 多少, and keep the question phrase in the quantity's position.
他有几个孩子？
Tā yǒu jǐ gè háizi?
How many kids does he have?
Asking How Something Is with 怎么样 (Zěnmeyàng)
⋯⋯怎么样？
Ask about conditions, experiences, or opinions with 怎么样, including the fuller 你觉得……怎么样 pattern for requesting an evaluation.
你最近怎么样？
Nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
How have you been recently?
Asking Have You Done It with 了吗 (Le Ma)
Verb + 了 + 吗？
Form Chinese yes or no questions about an accomplished action or changed situation with 了 before 吗, and use topic-first order where appropriate.
你吃饭了吗？
Nǐ chīfàn le ma?
Did you eat?
Verb phrases
Saying Where Someone Is with 在 (Zài)
在 + Place
Use 在 as the verb for being at a place in Chinese, form negatives with 不在, and avoid adding an unnecessary 是.
我在上海。
Wǒ zài Shànghǎi.
I'm in Shanghai.
相机在桌子上。
Xiàngjī zài zhuōzi shàng.
The camera is on the table.
There Is and There Are in Chinese with 有 (Yǒu)
Place + 有 + Obj.
Learn how place + 有 introduces people or things in a location, and how it differs from identifying a subject's location with 在.
我家有很多小狗。
Wǒ jiā yǒu hěn duō xiǎo gǒu.
There are a lot of puppies in my home.
Say what you have with 有
Person + 有 + thing / Person + 没有 + thing
Talk about possessions, resources, and things you have available. 有 connects the person who has something to the thing they have.
我有两张展览票。
Wǒ yǒu liǎng zhāng zhǎnlǎn piào.
I have two exhibition tickets.
Introducing Names in Chinese with 叫 (Jiào)
叫 + Name
Learn how 叫 introduces a person's name or what something is called, including the word order for asking a name with 什么.
我叫 Tom。
Wǒ jiào Tom.
My name is Tom.
Going Somewhere with 去 (Qù) in Chinese
去 + Place
Use 去 before a destination or an action, and understand how Chinese expresses going to a place without an extra word for “to.”
我去公司。
Wǒ qù gōngsī.
I'm going to the office.
Giving and Asking Surnames with 姓 (Xìng)
姓 + Surname
Use 姓 to state a Chinese family name, distinguish it from 叫 for names, and understand questions asking another person's surname.
我姓王。
Wǒ xìng Wáng.
My family name is Wang.
Asking How to Do Something with 怎么 (Zěnme)
怎么 + Verb ?
Ask about methods with 怎么 before a Chinese verb, including questions about learning, travel, and carrying out an action.
你们怎么学中文？
Nǐmen zěnme xué Zhōngwén?
How do you study Chinese?
Come vs Go in Chinese: 来 (Lái) and 去 (Qù)
来 / 去 + Place
Choose 来 or 去 by the relevant viewpoint in Chinese, and recognize their role in more complex words describing inward, outward, or return movement.
妈妈要去超市。
Māma yào qù chāoshì.
Mom will go to the supermarket.
Polite Requests with 请 (Qǐng) in Chinese
请 + Verb
Use 请 before an action to make a polite request, understand longer 请你 phrases, and distinguish this use from inviting or treating someone.
请进。
Qǐng jìn.
Please come in.
Say where an action happens with 在
subject / 在 + place / verb phrase
Tell someone where you study, eat, work, or wait.
我在厨房做饭。
Wǒ zài chúfáng zuò fàn.
I cook in the kitchen.
Actions in Progress: 在, 正在, 着, and 呢 in Chinese
Subject + (正在 / 正 / 在 +) Verb Phrase + (呢)
Understand common ongoing-action patterns with 在, 正在, 着, and sentence-final 呢 without assuming every marker is required.
我吃饭呢。
Wǒ chīfàn ne.
I'm eating now.
我们上着汉语课呢。
Wǒmen shàng zhe Hànyǔ kè ne.
We're having a Chinese lesson now.
不怎么 and 没怎么: Not Often or Not Much
Subj. + 不怎么 + Verb
Use 不怎么 for infrequent habits and 没怎么 for limited past activity, with the negative phrase before the verb.
他不怎么爱说话。
Tā bù zěnme ài shuōhuà.
He doesn't like to talk much.
Modality and auxiliary verbs
Ability and Possibility in Chinese with 能 (Néng)
能 + Verb
Understand 能 for ability and practical possibility, including how circumstances affect whether someone can perform an action.
我能吃四十个饺子。
Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.
I can eat 40 dumplings.
Learned Skills with 会 (Huì): Saying Can in Chinese
会 + Verb
Use 会 for abilities learned through practice, negate it with 不会, and distinguish knowing how from being able to act now.
他会说中文。
Tā huì shuō Zhōngwén.
He can speak Chinese.
State a plan with 要
subject + time / 要 / verb phrase
Say what you plan or intend to do.
我明天要去图书馆。
Wǒ míngtiān yào qù túshūguǎn.
I am going to the library tomorrow.
Ask permission with 可以
subject / 可以 / verb phrase + 吗
Ask whether an action is allowed or acceptable, and understand a simple answer.
请问，我可以坐这里吗？
Qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma?
Excuse me, may I sit here?
Wanting to Do Something with 要 (Yào)
要 + Verb
Learn 要 before action verbs to express wants or intentions, and see why it can sound firmer than 想 in everyday Chinese.
他要学中文。
Tā yào xué Zhōngwén.
He wants to study Chinese.
Predicting Will with 会 (Huì) in Chinese
会 + Verb
Use 会 for expected future events and 不会 for negative predictions, while distinguishing prediction from the learned-skill meaning of 会.
明天你会来吗？
Míngtiān nǐ huì lái ma?
Will you come tomorrow?
Say what you would like to do with 想
subject / 想 / verb phrase
Express a wish or a tentative plan without making it sound settled.
我想喝点热水。
Wǒ xiǎng hē diǎn rè shuǐ.
I would like to drink some hot water.
Sentence structure and word order
Basic Chinese Word Order: Subject, Verb and Object
Subj. + Verb (+ Obj.)
Understand basic Chinese subject–verb–object order, when an object is optional, and why added time words and adverbs need separate attention.
你们吃。
Nǐmen chī.
You eat.
Too and So in Chinese with 太……了 (Tài…Le)
太 + Adj. + 了
Use 太 + adjective + 了 for excess, strong praise, or surprise, and understand how context changes the meaning from “too” to “so.”
米饭太多了。
Mǐfàn tài duō le.
There is too much rice.
是…的 for Past Details: Emphasizing When, How, or With Whom
是⋯⋯ 的
Use 是…的 to focus on details of an established event, including its time, place, method, or participants.
昨天我去杭州了。
Zuótiān wǒ qù Hángzhōu le.
I went to Hangzhou yesterday.
Chinese Topic-Comment Sentences: Put the Topic First
Topic，Comment
Understand how Chinese introduces a topic before commenting on it, including objects moved ahead of a separate subject.
水果，我最爱吃草莓。
Shuǐguǒ, wǒ zuì ài chī cǎoméi.
Fruit, I like strawberries best.
How Often in Chinese: 多长时间…一次 and Frequency Answers
Subj. + 多长时间 + Verb + 一次 (+ Obj.)
Ask about the interval between actions with 多长时间…一次 and give frequencies using a period plus an action count.
你多长时间踢一次球？
Nǐ duō cháng shíjiān tī yī cì qiú?
How often do you play soccer?
还好…不然…: Fortunately and Otherwise in Chinese
还好 + Lucky Incident ，不然 + Bad Outcome
Describe a fortunate circumstance with 还好 and explain the avoided problem using 不然 and its hypothetical outcome.
还好我们打车来的， 不然就迟到了。
Háihǎo wǒmen dǎchē lái de, bùrán jiù chídào le.
Luckily, we came by taxi. Otherwise we would have been late.
等到 (Děngdào): When the Time Comes and Not Until
等(到) + Time / Event ，Subj. + 再 / 就 ⋯⋯
Use 等 or 等到 to introduce a future milestone or a later point in a Chinese narrative, with 再, 就, or 才.
等到老板知道就麻烦了。
Děngdào lǎobǎn zhīdào jiù máfan le.
When the boss finds out, we'll be in trouble.
Noun phrases
Say what something is with 是
Person or thing + 是 + identity / Person or thing + 不 + 是 + identity
Introduce a person, identify an object, or say which group something belongs to.
这位是林老师。
Zhè wèi shì Lín lǎoshī.
This is Teacher Lin.
Describe things with 很
Person or thing + 很 + adjective / Person or thing + 不 + adjective
Make a neutral description with 很 and an adjective, without adding 是.
这间教室很亮。
Zhè jiān jiàoshì hěn liàng.
This classroom is bright.
Where Time Words Go in Chinese Sentences
Subj. + Time⋯⋯ / Time + Subj.⋯⋯
Place Chinese time expressions before or after the subject and before the action, covering words such as yesterday, next month, and now.
昨天我去了酒吧。
Zuótiān wǒ qù le jiǔbā.
Yesterday I went to the bar.
Some and A Few with 一些 (Yīxiē) in Chinese
一些 + Noun
Use 一些 before nouns for unspecified quantities, whether the noun phrase is a subject or object and whether the amount is countable or uncountable.
妈妈去超市买了一些水果。
Māma qù chāoshì mǎi le yīxiē shuǐguǒ.
Mom went to the supermarket and bought some fruit.
之前 vs 之后: Saying Before and After in Chinese
Event + 之前 / 之后 ，⋯⋯
Use 之前 and 之后 after events or as independent time expressions, and compare their meaning and usage with 以前 and 以后.
来中国之前，我的汉语很一般。
Lái Zhōngguó zhīqián, wǒ de Hànyǔ hěn yībān.
Before I came to China, my Chinese was really mediocre.
Aspect, time and completion
Follow an event with 以后
Event + 以后 + main action / Time + 以后
Say what happens after an event or after a particular time.
下课以后，我们去附近吃饭。
Xiàkè yǐhòu, wǒmen qù fùjìn chīfàn.
After class, we will go somewhere nearby to eat.
Comparisons
Choose between 不 and 没
不 + verb or adjective / 没(有) + verb / 没有 + thing
Ask what you are denying: a preference or general statement, an event that did not happen, or possession.
我平时不带现金。
Wǒ píngshí bú dài xiànjīn.
I do not normally carry cash.
之间 vs 中间: Between, the Middle, and Relationships
A + 和 + B + 之间 / 中间; Group + 之间
Distinguish 之间 and 中间 for spaces, intervals, ranges, and relationships, including when 中间 can stand alone.
上海在江苏省和浙江省之间 / 中间。
Shànghǎi zài Jiāngsū Shěng hé Zhèjiāng Shěng zhījiān / zhōngjiān.
Shanghai is between Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province.
Adjectives
Not Very and Not Often with 不怎么 (Bù Zěnme)
不怎么 + Adj.
Use 不怎么 for a limited degree with adjectives or mental predicates, and recognize its frequency meaning with suitable action verbs.
最近不怎么忙。
Zuìjìn bù zěnme máng.
It hasn't been very busy lately.
Prepositions and coverbs
不到 (Bùdào): Less Than an Amount or Before a Milestone
不到 + Number + Measure Word + Noun
Use 不到 for quantities below a stated limit and combine it with 就 to emphasize that something happened sooner than expected.
我女儿不到三岁。
Wǒ nǚ'ér bùdào sān suì.
My daughter is not yet three years old.
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