Chinese grammar / 486 topics
Chinese grammar · page 4
Find a sentence pattern, read how it works, and practise it with Chinese examples, pinyin and English translations.
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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.
着 zhe
Describe an ongoing state with 着
Describe a position, arrangement, or condition that continues to hold.
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