How to use 双宾语
Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj.
Some Mandarin verbs can be followed by two objects. In a common transfer pattern, the first identifies a recipient and the second identifies what is given, sent, or lent. This creates a compact arrangement under one subject. Each object has a different role even though both follow the verb.
The pattern depends on the verb and cannot be copied freely from every English double-object sentence. Some verbs require another construction or a marker such as 给. Other two-object patterns describe a person affected by losing something rather than receiving it. Identify the verb's meaning and the relationship between its objects, instead of assuming the first object is always a beneficiary in every example.
Examples with pinyin and English
老师，我可以问你一个问题吗？
Teacher, may I ask you a question?
大家都叫他 “怪叔叔”。
Everyone calls him "Uncle Weirdo."
我想告诉你一个好消息。
I want to tell you the good news.
他们给了你多少钱？
How much money did they give you?
What to remember
- Learn which verbs allow two objects.
- Person commonly precedes the transferred thing.
- Not every first object is a recipient.
Practise the pattern
Use one example as a model. Change the people, objects or situation, keeping the grammar pattern in the same order. Read the explanation again to check how your sentence uses the construction.
Look up the grammar words
Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.