Chinese grammar / 100 topics
Elementary Chinese grammar lessons
Browse 100 elementary Chinese grammar topics. Read sentence patterns, clear explanations and examples with pinyin and English translations.
要 yào
State a plan with 要
Say what you plan or intend to do.
在 zài
Say what is happening with 在
Describe an action that is in progress at the time you are talking about.
已经 yǐjīng
Say “already” with 已经
Show that a situation has been reached or an action has happened by the time you are talking about.
一样 yíyàng
Say two things are alike with 一样
Compare equal qualities, matching sizes, and other shared features.
以后 yǐhòu
Follow an event with 以后
Say what happens after an event or after a particular time.
以前 yǐqián
Put something before an event with 以前
Place an action before another event or before a stated time.
了 le
View an action as a completed event with 了
Use verb-following 了 to present an action as a bounded event. It does not turn every sentence into the past tense.
过 guo
Talk about experience with 过
Talk about things you have tried, places you have visited, and experiences you have not had yet.
比 bǐ
Compare two things with 比
Say which route is shorter, which bag is lighter, or what feels different today.
没有…那么… méiyǒu… nàme…
Say “not as…as” with 没有…那么…
Explain that one thing has less of a quality than another.
听不懂 / 看不懂 tīng bu dǒng / kàn bu dǒng
Say you cannot understand with 听不懂 and 看不懂
Distinguish hearing or reading something from being able to understand it.
完 wán
Show that something is finished with 完
Distinguish doing an activity from reaching the end of it.
因为 · 所以 yīnwèi · suǒyǐ
Explain why with 因为…所以…
Give a reason and explain its result.
不 · 没 bù · méi
Choose between 不 and 没
Ask what you are denying: a preference or general statement, an event that did not happen, or possession.
再 zài
Ask to do something again with 再
Use 再 for another action that is requested, planned, or still to come.
又 yòu
Report that something happened again with 又
Point out a repeated event or situation that has occurred again.
先 · 再 xiān · zài
Put actions in order with 先…再…
Describe a sequence of actions: first this, then that.
会 · 能 huì · néng
Choose 会 or 能 for “can”
Separate knowing how to do something from being able to do it in the circumstances.
死了 sǐ le
Strong Adjective Intensifiers with 死了 (Sǐ Le)
Understand adjective + 死了 as a conversational exaggeration for extreme feelings or qualities, including common negative and positive uses.
差不多 chàbuduō
Approximation and Similarity with 差不多 (Chàbuduō)
Use 差不多 for things that are nearly alike, actions that are almost complete, and approximate numbers, times, or quantities.
都 dōu
Emphasizing Groups and Quantities with 都 (Dōu)
Use 都 after plural subjects such as 大家 or 很多人 to show that a description applies across the people or things being discussed.
一直 yīzhí
Continuous Actions and States with 一直 (Yīzhí)
Learn how 一直 expresses an action or state continuing through a period, including “all along,” “continuously,” and some uses of “always.”
总是 zǒngshì
Always and Repeated Habits with 总是 (Zǒngshì)
Use 总是 before verbs and descriptive predicates for habits, recurring events, or situations that consistently happen in Mandarin.
还 hái
Adding Another Action with 还 (Hái): And Also
Use 还 to add another action or fact about the same subject, and distinguish this additive meaning from the common uses of 也.
刚、刚刚 gāng gānggāng
Just Happened in Chinese with 刚 and 刚刚
Use 刚 or 刚刚 before an action to show recent occurrence, including cases where an added duration presents the event as relatively recent.
只 zhǐ
Only in Chinese with 只 (Zhǐ)
Use 只 before verbs and modal verbs to limit actions, abilities, possessions, or quantities in a Chinese sentence.
就 jiù
Then and So with 就 (Jiù) in Chinese
Learn how 就 connects a situation to the action or result that follows, including decisions, immediate responses, and practical suggestions.
别 bié
Saying Don't in Chinese with 别 (Bié)
Form negative requests and instructions with 别 before the verb, and understand how context shapes the strength of the command.
一边……一边 yībiān…yībiān
Doing Two Things at Once with 一边……一边
Use 一边……一边 for two activities carried out together, and distinguish deliberate multitasking from a general “when” time clause.
多 duō
Asking How Tall, Big or Far with 多 (Duō)
Ask about degree with 多 before an adjective in Chinese, including height, size, distance, and the contextual age question 多大.
又……又 yòu…yòu
Both A and B with 又……又 in Chinese
Link two qualities of the same subject with 又……又 and understand how the paired descriptions combine into one overall impression.
离 lí
Expressing Distance with 离 (Lí) in Chinese
Use 离 to relate two locations in Chinese, describe them as near or far, and ask about the distance with 多远.
更 gèng
More and Even More with 更 (Gèng)
Use 更 before adjectives for a greater degree, with an implied comparison or an explicit 比 phrase in Chinese.
不太 bù tài
Not Very and Not Really with 不太 (Bù Tài)
Use 不太 before adjectives and selected verbs for moderate negatives such as “not very,” “not really,” or limited ability in Mandarin.
真 zhēn
Expressing Really and So with 真 (Zhēn)
Use 真 to emphasize a quality, feeling, or ability in Chinese, and understand why its force often sounds personal or exclamatory.
多 duō
How and So in Chinese Exclamations with 多 (Duō)
Use 多 before adjectives to express admiration, surprise, or a strong reaction, and distinguish these exclamations from degree questions.
还 hái
Saying Pretty Good or All Right with 还 (Hái)
Understand 还好、还行、还可以 and 还不错 as moderate positive evaluations whose strength depends on expectations and tone.
的 de
Describing Nouns with Adjective + 的 in Chinese
Connect adjectives to nouns with 的, recognize when short combinations omit it, and use adjective + 的 when the noun is understood.
的 de
Chinese Relative Clauses with Phrase + 的 + Noun
Use 的 to place a descriptive clause before a noun in Chinese, including phrases that English introduces with “who” or “that.”
最 zuì
Superlatives in Chinese with 最 (Zuì)
Use 最 for the highest degree within a group, including “best,” “biggest,” and favorite things expressed with 最喜欢.
或者 huòzhě
Or in Chinese Statements with 或者 (Huòzhě)
Use 或者 to present alternatives in Chinese statements, and distinguish it from 还是 when a question asks someone to choose.
跟 gēn
Doing Something With Someone Using 跟 (Gēn)
Put 跟 + person before the action to express “with” in Chinese, and use 一起 when you want to emphasize doing something together.
那个 nèige
那个 (Nèige) as a Chinese Conversation Filler
Recognize 那个 as a hesitation filler in spoken Mandarin, including its common nèige pronunciation and its difference from pointing to “that.”
可是但是 kěshì dànshì
But in Chinese: 可是 (Kěshì) and 但是 (Dànshì)
Connect contrasting ideas with 可是 or 但是, and understand their common differences in tone and formality without treating them as rigid rules.
以前 yǐqián
Talking About the Past with 以前 (Yǐqián)
Use 以前 for an earlier period in Chinese, placing it before or after the subject to describe former situations, habits, and experiences.
刚才 gāngcái
Just Now in Chinese with 刚才 (Gāngcái)
Use 刚才 as a recent past time expression, place it before or after the subject, and distinguish it from the adverb 刚.
的时候 de shíhou
Saying When with 的时候 (De Shíhou) in Chinese
Attach 的时候 to an action, state, or time phrase to explain when another event occurs, without moving the Chinese time phrase after its noun.
以后 yǐhòu
Later and In the Future with 以后 (Yǐhòu)
Use 以后 for a later period or future situation in Chinese, and recognize that the reference point can come from a past narrative too.
时间词 shíjiān cí
Where Time Words Go in Chinese Sentences
Place Chinese time expressions before or after the subject and before the action, covering words such as yesterday, next month, and now.
三四 sān sì
Approximate Quantities with Adjacent Numbers in Chinese
Use adjacent numbers for rough Chinese quantities, including pairs before classifiers and shared units for approximate tens or hundreds.
万、亿 wàn yì
Large Chinese Numbers with 万 (Wàn) and 亿 (Yì)
Read large Chinese numbers using groups of four digits, understand 万 and 亿, and translate million and billion amounts into Chinese units.
分、刻、差 fēn kè chà
Chinese Clock Times with 分、刻 and 差
Tell precise times in Chinese using minutes and quarter hours, add 零 for early minutes, and understand expressions for minutes before an hour.
几 jǐ
Several and A Few with 几 (Jǐ) in Chinese
Use 几 for an unspecified small quantity, 好几 for “quite a few,” and combinations such as 几十 for larger approximate amounts.
了 le
Change of State with Sentence-Final 了 (Le)
Understand sentence-final 了 for a changed situation, including new feelings, changed habits, and circumstances that are about to become different.
吧 ba
Reluctant Agreement with 吧 (Ba): All Right or Fine
Recognize sentence-final 吧 in concessions and acceptance, where context makes the reply sound like “all right,” “fine,” or agreement with a reservation.
了 le
Already Understood from Context with 了 (Le)
See how 了 can convey an “already” meaning in a reply without 已经, when an action or situation is relevant to the current conversation.
不……了没有……了 bù…le méiyǒu…le
Not Anymore with 不……了 and 没有……了
Use final 了 with negative predicates for changed habits, intentions, possessions, or availability, expressing “no longer” and “not anymore.”
了 le
Announcing Now and New Situations with 了 (Le)
Understand how final 了 makes announcements such as leaving, starting an activity, reaching an age, or taking a turn relevant to the present moment.
呢 ne
Sentence-Final 呢 (Ne) in Chinese Statements
Recognize 呢 in statements that emphasize a current situation, reinforce a point, or highlight continuation, rather than treating every 呢 as a question.
啊 a
Sentence-Final 啊 (A): Tone and Emphasis in Chinese
Understand how final 啊 adds emotion, urgency, or conversational emphasis to Mandarin statements, requests, and questions.
吧 ba
Softening Requests and Opinions with 吧 (Ba)
Use final 吧 to make suggestions, requests, or opinions sound less categorical, while reading the speaker's actual attitude from context.
的、得、地 de de de
的、得、地: Three Ways to Write De in Chinese
Distinguish 的 before nouns, 得 before complements, and 地 before actions by the grammatical relationship each de marks in a Chinese sentence.
过了 guo le
Using 过 and 了 Together in Chinese
Understand verb + 过 + 了 for actions already taken in a relevant situation, including where an object fits between the two particles.
从……到 cóng…dào
From…To… in Chinese with 从……到
Use 从……到 for starting and ending points in time or space, including date ranges, travel routes, and periods defined by events.
来、去 lái qù
Come vs Go in Chinese: 来 (Lái) and 去 (Qù)
Choose 来 or 去 by the relevant viewpoint in Chinese, and recognize their role in more complex words describing inward, outward, or return movement.
请 qǐng
Polite Requests with 请 (Qǐng) in Chinese
Use 请 before an action to make a polite request, understand longer 请你 phrases, and distinguish this use from inviting or treating someone.
要 yào
The Main Meanings of 要 (Yào): Want, Need and Going To
Interpret 要 with nouns and verbs in Chinese, distinguishing wants, intentions, necessities, and upcoming events from the surrounding context.
应该 yīnggāi
Saying Should with 应该 (Yīnggāi) in Chinese
Use 应该 before an action for advice or expected behavior, and form “should not” with 不应该 rather than moving the negative after it.
会 huì
Predicting Will with 会 (Huì) in Chinese
Use 会 for expected future events and 不会 for negative predictions, while distinguishing prediction from the learned-skill meaning of 会.
连动 liándòng
Linking Actions in Chinese Without an Extra And
Understand how Chinese combines successive or purpose-related verb phrases, and why 和 usually cannot replace English “and” between actions.
难 nán
Hard to Do and Unpleasant Qualities with 难 (Nán)
Use 难 before verbs for difficulty, and learn why familiar sensory compounds such as 难吃 and 难看 describe unfavorable qualities.
了 le
Expressing How Long with Verb + 了 + Duration
Place duration after a verb and 了 to report an elapsed amount of activity, and understand why context is needed to show that the activity ended.
从来 cónglái
Never in Chinese with 从来不 and 从来没
Distinguish 从来不 for habits or principles from 从来没 for absent experience, including the common pairing of 没 with experiential 过.
了……了 le…le
Ongoing Duration with Two 了 Particles in Chinese
Use verb + 了 + duration + 了 for elapsed activity continuing to now, including the repeated-verb arrangement when an object is involved.
一起 yīqǐ
Doing Things Together with 一起 (Yīqǐ)
Use 一起 before an action for shared activity, with plural subjects or a companion phrase introduced by 跟 or 和.
没办法 méi bànfǎ
There Is No Way with 没办法 (Méi Bànfǎ)
Use 没办法 alone or before an action to express practical inability, and understand how the situation determines what is impossible.
动词重叠 dòngcí chóngdié
Verb Reduplication in Chinese: AA, A一A and ABAB
Repeat suitable Chinese verbs to suggest a brief or casual action, and distinguish the patterns for one-syllable and two-syllable verbs.
在 zài
When 在 Follows a Verb: 住在、坐在 and Similar Patterns
Recognize location complements with verbs such as 住、坐、站 and 放, and distinguish them from ordinary 在 + place phrases before an action.
很 hěn
Intensifying Feelings and Mental Verbs with 很 (Hěn)
Use 很 with suitable verbs of liking, missing, fear, understanding, or hope, rather than placing it before every Chinese action verb.
到 dào
Arriving and Going to Places with 到 (Dào)
Use 到 for reaching a destination or going there to do something, and distinguish its focus from movement with 去 and departure with 走.
好 hǎo
Easy to Do and Pleasant Qualities with 好 (Hǎo)
Use 好 before verbs for ease, and distinguish conventional compounds such as 好吃、好听 and 好看 that describe pleasant qualities.
一下 yīxià
Brief Actions and Softer Requests with 一下 (Yīxià)
Put 一下 after a verb for a brief action or a lighter request, with the object following when the verb phrase needs one.
双宾语 shuāng bīnyǔ
Chinese Verbs with Two Objects: Person Before Thing
Learn the double-object order used by suitable Chinese verbs, placing the person affected before the thing transferred or discussed.
到见 dào jiàn
Result Complements 到 and 见 with Seeing and Hearing
Distinguish looking or listening from achieving perception, using 到 and 见 after suitable Chinese sensory verbs and 没 for absent results.
一些 yīxiē
Some and A Few with 一些 (Yīxiē) in Chinese
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.
有的 yǒude
Some of a Group with 有的 (Yǒude) in Chinese
Use 有的 for certain members of a group, omit an understood noun, and repeat the pattern to describe different subsets in Mandarin.
元、块、角、毛 yuán kuài jiǎo máo
Chinese Money Amounts with 元、块、角 and 毛
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.
半 bàn
Half and One and a Half with 半 (Bàn)
Place 半 correctly with Chinese classifiers, distinguish half a unit from a unit and a half, and recognize direct time units such as 天 and 年.
量词 liàngcí
Chinese Measure Words for Counting Nouns
Build number + classifier + noun phrases in Chinese, choose classifiers suited to the item, and understand how different units change the quantity described.
几、多少 jǐ duōshao
Asking How Many with 几 and 多少 in Chinese
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.
这、那 zhè nà
This and That with Chinese Classifiers: 这 and 那
Use 这 or 那 before a suitable classifier and noun, and understand how an already clear noun may be omitted from the phrase.
第 dì
First, Second and Other Ordinals with 第 (Dì)
Make ordinal numbers with 第 before the number, add classifiers when needed, and recognize conventional numbered forms such as building floors.
怎么样 zěnmeyàng
Asking How Something Is with 怎么样 (Zěnmeyàng)
Ask about conditions, experiences, or opinions with 怎么样, including the fuller 你觉得……怎么样 pattern for requesting an evaluation.
怎么 zěnme
Asking How Come with 怎么 (Zěnme)
Use 怎么 to ask why something unexpected is true, including negative actions and adjective phrases that convey surprise or disagreement.
了吗 le ma
Asking Have You Done It with 了吗 (Le Ma)
Form Chinese yes or no questions about an accomplished action or changed situation with 了 before 吗, and use topic-first order where appropriate.
快要……了 kuàiyào…le
About to Happen with 快……了 and 要……了
Use 快、快要 or 要 with final 了 to describe an approaching event or state, and understand why 了 does not place these sentences in the past.
什么都 shénme dōu
Everything and Anything with 什么都 in Chinese
Use 什么……都 for inclusive statements and 什么也不 or 什么都没 for negatives that exclude everything within the relevant context.
在……上／下／里 zài…shàng / xià / lǐ
Chinese Location Phrases with 在、上、下 and 里
Describe positions with 在 plus a reference noun and a location word, while recognizing places that can follow 在 without an added position marker.
别……了 bié…le
Stop Doing It with 别……了 in Chinese
Use 别 + action + 了 to request stopping or abandoning an action, including a planned activity that has not yet begun.
要、想 yào xiǎng
要 vs 想: Wanting, Intending and Missing in Chinese
Compare 要 and 想 before nouns and verbs, distinguish firmer intentions from gentler wishes, and recognize 想要 as another expression of desire.