Chinese grammar / 486 topics
Chinese grammar · page 3
Find a sentence pattern, read how it works, and practise it with Chinese examples, pinyin and English translations.
Browse by topic
Showing 73–108 of 486 topics
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.
Practise Chinese grammar
Read any topic without an account. The grammar course offers exercises for 423 topics and saves your review progress in this browser.
Open the grammar course ↗