Learn Chinese for Free—Lesson 198

Sentence Structure 1
The TTT Rule
Lesson 8

The TimeTimeTime rule can be applied to the way dates are shown in Chinese:

The word showing a longer period of time comes first.

年character: 年
pinyin: nián
details月character: 月
pinyin: yuè
details日character: 日
pinyin: rì
details

Sentence Structure 2
The Complement of Result—Part 1
Lesson 12

The complement of result has the following structure:

Action (verb) + Result (verb or adjective)

This structure is used to show the result of the action expressed by a verb.

Example

听character: 听
pinyin: tīng
details明白word: 明白
pinyin: míngbai
details

As we will see, both verbs and adjectives can be used to show the result of an action.

Negative Form

The negative form of the complement of result is formed by putting the negative adverb 没character: 没
pinyin: méi
details before the verb indicating the action, indicating that the expected result was not achieved.

Example

没character: 没
pinyin: méi
details听character: 听
pinyin: tīng
details明白word: 明白
pinyin: míngbai
details

The verb indicating the action and the verb/adjective showing the result are closely linked together and no element can be put between them, 没character: 没
pinyin: méi
details included.

The following is wrong

* 听character: 听
pinyin: tīng
details没character: 没
pinyin: méi
details明白word: 明白
pinyin: míngbai
details

Sentence Structure 3
Verbal Predicate Sentence
Lesson 16

A sentence with a verb as the main element of its predicate is called a verbal predicate sentence. If the verb takes an object, the object usually follows the verb.

Sentence Structure 4
The Declarative “是” Sentence—Part 1
Lesson 17

The "是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details" sentence is a sentence with its predicate composed by the verb 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details together with its object. Its declarative basic form is "A是character: 是
pinyin: shì
detailsB".

Example

她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details。

Sentence Structure 5
The Negative “是” Sentence
Lesson 17

The negative form of the "是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details" sentence is formed by putting the negative adverb 不character: 不
pinyin: bù
details before 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details.

Example

你们word: 你们
pinyin: nǐmen
details两character: 两
pinyin: liǎng
details个character: 个
pinyin: gè
details人character: 人
pinyin: rén
details不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details！

Sentence Structure 6
The Declarative “是” Sentence—Part 2
Lesson 17

The verb 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details ties two things, indicating that they are identical or that the second explains or states the case of the first.

Both forms "A是character: 是
pinyin: shì
detailsB" and "B是character: 是
pinyin: shì
detailsA" are correct, but their meanings are slightly different. Examples:

Example

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details李character: 李
pinyin: lǐ
details先生word: 先生
pinyin: xiānsheng
details。
The point here is which name I have.

李character: 李
pinyin: lǐ
details先生word: 先生
pinyin: xiānsheng
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details。
Here the point is who has that name.

Sentence Structure 7
“是” For Emphasis
Lesson 17

是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details, stressed, may be used as an adverb to indicate certainty. For example, in a verbal predicate sentence it may be put before the verb.

Example

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details爱character: 爱
pinyin: ài
details她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details。
meaning: I really love her.

Sentence Structure 8
Surnames
Lesson 17

是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details is also a Chinese surname, even if not at all common. Surnames must be put before titles. So let's say we find a teacher whose surname is 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details. We would call her 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details (that is SURNAME + TITLE) and would cacophonically say "他character: 他
pinyin: tā
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details".

Sentence Structure 9
Modifier+的+Noun
Lesson 18

A modifier (i.e. any word, phrase, or clause, except conjunctions, grammatical particles, interjections, and exclamations) is used in this structure to qualify or modify a noun (headword). 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details is placed between modifier and headword.

MODIFIER + 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details + HEADWORD

To make learning easier, the examples will be divided as follows:

• Pronoun+的+Noun
• Noun+的+Noun
• Substantive+的+Noun
• Time word+的+Noun
• Place+的+Noun
• Verb+的+Noun
• Adjective+的+Noun
• Adverb+的+Noun
• Prepositional phrase+的+Noun
• Onomatopoeia+的+Noun
• Phrase+的+Noun

IMPORTANT: remember that the noun (headword) is always placed AFTER 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details.

Sentence Structure 10
Pronoun+的+Noun
Lesson 18

This structure is used to indicate a relationship of belonging, possession, etc.

Let's take the phrase "my teacher" as example. Since "my" is the possessive genitive of "I", we would literally say "I 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details teacher".

"My teacher" is literally: I 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details teacher

that is:

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details

Pronouns used as modifiers:

Sentence Structure 11
In​flec​tion in Chinese?
Lesson 18

The concept of in​flec​tion, that is the change of form that nouns, verbs and adjectives undergo in English to mark such distinctions as those number, tense, or person is foreign to Chinese language, so that the phrase 我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details might be translated both as "my teacher" and "my teachers".

So the good news is that all English rules about inflection can just be ignored!

Sentence Structure 12
Noun+的+Noun
Lesson 18

This structure is used to indicate a relationship of belonging, possession, etc.

Examples of proper names or titles used as modifiers:

Examples

Mary的character: 的
pinyin: de
details爱人word: 爱人
pinyin: àiren
details。
Antony的character: 的
pinyin: de
details爱人word: 爱人
pinyin: àiren
details。
Antony的character: 的
pinyin: de
details女人word: 女人
pinyin: nǚren
details。
老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details爱人word: 爱人
pinyin: àiren
details。
老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details女人word: 女人
pinyin: nǚren
details。
老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details。
医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details。

Sentence Structure 13
Modifier Without 的
Lesson 20

When a personal pronoun is used as a modifier and the headword is a word for relatives, parts of the body or units or collectives to which the pronoun belongs, the structural particle 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details may be omitted.

Examples

Both are correct:

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details妈妈word: 妈妈
pinyin: māma
details
我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details妈妈word: 妈妈
pinyin: māma
details

Sentence Structure 14
Adjectival Predicate Sentence
Lesson 23

The adjectival predicate sentence is a sentence with an adjective as the main element of its predicate. This type of sentence describes the state which a person or thing is in. No 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details is used to join the predicate with the subject. In an affirmative sentence the adjectival predicate is usually preceded by 很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details, which is a weakened adverb here without much significance of an adverb of degree.

Examples

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details很character: 很
pinyin: hén
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details。
老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details忙character: 忙
pinyin: máng
details。

Without 很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details, comparison or contrast is often implied.

Example

老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details忙character: 忙
pinyin: máng
details，我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details不character: 不
pinyin: bù
details忙character: 忙
pinyin: máng
details。

However, in answering an alternative question, 很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details may be left out.

Example

不character: 不
pinyin: bù
details is used before the predicate for negation.

Example

Sentence Structure 15
Adverb “也”
Lesson 24

The adverb 也character: 也
pinyin: yě
details must be placed after the subject and before the predicate.

Example

我character: 我
pinyin: wó
details也character: 也
pinyin: yě
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details老师word: 老师
pinyin: lǎoshī
details。

Sentence Structure 16
The Elliptical Question With “呢”
Lesson 24

Elliptical questions may be formed by adding the modal particle 呢character: 呢
pinyin: ne
details to a noun, pronoun or nominal construction. The meaning of this kind of question is determined by the context.

Example

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details。你character: 你
pinyin: nǐ
details呢character: 呢
pinyin: ne
details？

meaning: "What about you? What's your profession?"

If asked without any context, it concerns the whereabouts of somebody or something. For example, if you meet Mary and just ask her "Lucy呢character: 呢
pinyin: ne
details？", it would mean "Where is Lucy?"

Sentence Structure 17
Adverb “都”
Lesson 24

The adverb 都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details must be placed after the subject and before the predicate verb or adjective. As a rule, it indicates all of the persons or things referred to by the preceding noun (phrase).

Examples

correct: 他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details认识word: 认识
pinyin: rènshi
details我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details
wrong: *我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details认识word: 认识
pinyin: rènshi
details他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details

Sentence Structure 18
Adverbs “也” And “都” Used Together
Lesson 24

When both the adverbs 也character: 也
pinyin: yě
details and 都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details are used to modify the same predicate, 也character: 也
pinyin: yě
details comes before 都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details.

Example

她们word: 她们
pinyin: tāmen
details也character: 也
pinyin: yě
details都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details

Sentence Structure 19
The Conjunction “和”
Lesson 25

The conjunction 和character: 和
pinyin: hé
details is generally used to connect only nouns or pronouns. Don't use it to connect phrases.

Example

他character: 他
pinyin: tā
details、她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details、你character: 你
pinyin: nǐ
details和character: 和
pinyin: hé
details我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details

Sentence Structure 20
The Subject-Predicate Construction—Part 1
Used as the Predicate of a Sentence
Lesson 29

A subject-predicate construction can be used as the subject, the object or the predicate of a sentence. Here we pay special attention to its use as the predicate of a sentence.

When a sentence has a subject-predicate construction as its predicate, the person or thing denoted by the subject of this subject-predicate construction is often related to the subject of the whole sentence.

Example

她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details身体word: 身体
pinyin: shēntǐ
details很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details。

Sentence Structure 21
Adverbial Adjuncts
Lesson 30

An adverbial adjunct is used to modify a verb or an adjective. Adverbs, adjectives, time words and prepositional constructions can all be used as an adverbial adjunct. They usually precede the part which is being modified.

Examples of adverbs used as an adverbial adjunct

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details。

Example of time word used as an adverbial adjunct

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

Sentence Structure 22
Time Words used as adverbial adjuncts
Lesson 30

Time words are nouns or numeral-measure compounds indicating time.

They may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, modifiers, headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as adverbial adjuncts.

When used as an adverbial adjunct, time words generally come before the main element of the predicate.

Example

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

Anyway, when special emphasis is laid on the time words, they may be shifted before the subject to the beginning of the sentence.

Example

今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。
(emphasis on 今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details)

Sentence Structure 23
Nominal Predicate Sentence—Part 1
Lesson 30

The sentence with a nominal predicate is a sentence in which the main element of the predicate is a noun, a nominal construction or a compound consisting of a numeral and a measure word.

In the affirmative sentence, 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details is not used (是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details is used in the sentence with a verbal predicate).

This type of sentence is mainly used to show time, age, one's birthplace, and quantity.

Example

今年word: 今年
pinyin: jīnnián
details2001年character: 年
pinyin: nián
details。

Sentence Structure 24
Time Words used as subjects
Lesson 30

Time words may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, modifiers, headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as subjects.

Example

今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details三月word: 三月
pinyin: sānyuè
details一character: 一
pinyin: yí
details号character: 号
pinyin: hào
details。

Sentence Structure 25
Time Words used as predicates
Lesson 30

Here we pay special attention to the use of time words as predicates.

Example

今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details三月word: 三月
pinyin: sānyuè
details一character: 一
pinyin: yí
details号character: 号
pinyin: hào
details。

Sentence Structure 26
Time Words used as modifiers
Lesson 30

Time words may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, modifiers, headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as modifiers.

Example

明年word: 明年
pinyin: míngnián
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details。

Sentence Structure 27
Time Words used as headwords in a "的" structure
Lesson 30

Time words may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, modifiers, headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure.

Example

明年word: 明年
pinyin: míngnián
details的character: 的
pinyin: de
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details。

Sentence Structure 28
Nominal Predicate Sentence—Part 2
Lesson 30

The negative form of a nominal predicate sentence is made by using 不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details between the subject and the predicate, resulting in a sentence with a verbal predicate at the same time.

Examples

十二月word: 十二月
pinyin: shíèryuè
details六character: 六
pinyin: liù
details号character: 号
pinyin: hào
details不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details星期五word: 星期五
pinyin: xīngqīwǔ
details。
今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details三character: 三
pinyin: sān
details十character: 十
pinyin: shí
details一character: 一
pinyin: yī
details日character: 日
pinyin: rì
details。

Sentence Structure 29
Time Words used as objects
Lesson 30

Time words may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, modifiers, headwords in a "的character: 的
pinyin: de
details" structure, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as objects.

Example

今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details星期天word: 星期天
pinyin: xīngqītiān
details。

Sentence Structure 30
Numeral-Measure Compounds acting as modifiers
Lesson 34

In modern Chinese, numerals are generally not used to modify nouns directly. One needs to put specific measure words between them.

Examples

一character: 一
pinyin: yí
details个character: 个
pinyin: gè
details人character: 人
pinyin: rén
details
两character: 两
pinyin: liǎng
details位character: 位
pinyin: wèi
details技师word: 技师
pinyin: jìshī
details
十character: 十
pinyin: shí
details一character: 一
pinyin: yī
details个character: 个
pinyin: gè
details律师word: 律师
pinyin: lǜshī
details

Sentence Structure 31
Measure Words Omission—Part 1
Lesson 34

Under certain circumstances, the measure word between a numeral and a noun is often omitted. Here we pay special attention to one specific situation.

When the numeral is a big number and the noun refers to people, then the measure word can be (and usually is) omitted.

Examples

三character: 三
pinyin: sān
details千character: 千
pinyin: qiān
details朋友word: 朋友
pinyin: péngyou
details
九character: 九
pinyin: jiǔ
details百character: 百
pinyin: bǎi
details万character: 万
pinyin: wàn
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details
七character: 七
pinyin: qī
details千character: 千
pinyin: qiān
details亿character: 亿
pinyin: yì
details人character: 人
pinyin: rén
details

Sentence Structure 32
Interrogative Word “什么”
Lesson 35

An interrogative word may be used to raise a question and it is placed where the answer is expected. Therefore, the word order of the answer is the same as that of the question, with the interrogative word being replaced by the corresponding answer. Here we pay special attention to the interrogative word 什么word: 什么
pinyin: shénme
details.

1. 什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details, when used alone as interrogative word, refers to things.

   Example

   Question: 他character: 他
   pinyin: tā
   details姓character: 姓
   pinyin: xìng
   details什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details？

   Answer: 他character: 他
   pinyin: tā
   details姓character: 姓
   pinyin: xìng
   details王character: 王
   pinyin: wáng
   details。

   Please note that the word order is the same in both answer and question. The interrogative word 什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details is in the same position of the part being questioned (that is the surname 王character: 王
   pinyin: wáng
   details).

2. 什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details, when used as an interrogative word before nouns, refers to things or persons.

   Examples

   他character: 他
   pinyin: tā
   details是character: 是
   pinyin: shì
   details什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details人character: 人
   pinyin: rén
   details？ (What sort of person is he?)
   什么word: 什么
   pinyin: shénme
   details工作word: 工作
   pinyin: gōngzuò
   details？ (Which job?)

Sentence Structure 33
The Sentence with Verbal Constructions in Series—Part 1
Lesson 43

If a sentence with a verbal predicate is composed of two (or more) verbs or verbal phrases which share the same subject, it is known as the sentence with verbal constructions in series.

Example

她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details家character: 家
pinyin: jiā
details做character: 做
pinyin: zuò
details面包word: 面包
pinyin: miànbāo
details。

Sentence Structure 34
The Sentence with Verbal Constructions in Series—Part 2
Indicating the purpose of an action
Lesson 43

In this kind of sentence with verbal constructions in series, the second verb (or verbal phrase) tells the purpose of the action indicated by the first verb (or verbal phrase).

Example

她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details家character: 家
pinyin: jiā
details做character: 做
pinyin: zuò
details面包word: 面包
pinyin: miànbāo
details。

Sentence Structure 35
Interrogative Word “谁”
Lesson 57

As said in reference to 什么word: 什么
pinyin: shénme
details, an interrogative word may be used to raise a question and it is placed where the answer is expected. Here we pay special attention to the word 谁character: 谁
pinyin: shéi
details used as an interrogative.

谁character: 谁
pinyin: shéi
details refers always to people.

Example

Question: 谁character: 谁
pinyin: shéi
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details小character: 小
pinyin: xiǎo
details英character: 英
pinyin: yīng
details？