“和 he”           harmonious

“愛 ai”             love, affection

“吉 ji”              lucky, auspicious, propitious, hope all in well

“財 cai”          wealth, money

“渌 lu”             prosperity

“美 mei”         beautiful, pretty

“德 de”             virtual, moral

一 言    为   定                     

Deal ! /  jadi !

[diucapkan sbg tanda presetujuan , sesudah membicarakan suatu hal ]

1. 2.   ^{yi      xin      yi      yi}

一    心    一    意                

dengan setulus hati                                                                           

1. 3.   ^{yi        yan       nan       jin}                             

一  言     难     尽                

sulit menjelaskan keseluruhannya

1. 4.   ^{san      xin       liang   yi}

三     心    两   意                

ragu2 dlm mengambil keputusan

1. ^{5.      ba      san    ba      si}

不   三  不   四                      

yang tidak benar/ baik

[ menunjuk pada orang yang tidak baik kelakuan atau kehidupannya]

1. ^{6.      kou      shi    xin      fei}  

口   是  心   非                  

perkataan  tidak sesuai dengan Kenyataan

1. ^{7.      luan    qi       ba   zao} 

乱  七   八 糟                         

kacau balau !

1. ^{8.      ren    san     ren     hai}  

人 三    人  海            

berduyun – duyun [ org yg begitu banyak ]

1. 9.   ^{ren     bi     ren     qi     si     ren}                     .

人  比  人  气  死  人

jangan membandingkan orang satu dan orang lainya

ini saat kelas 1SMA di ketep pass

ini juga di ketep pass

ini kelas 2 di pantai barat pangandaran. bareng teman saya namanya beti. di sini orang2 pada berenang. saya cuma nonton, mau hujan, takut keseret ombak,hahaha

ini di pantai timur pangandaran, depan penginapan kami, tempat dimana kami maen kembang api bareng2…hahaha, nek pagi orang2 pada nggulung jala, tempat dimana saat malam2 pertama saya datang dan mabok..haha

Mandarin grammar can be challenging for anyone learning the language. In some ways it is simpler than the grammar of European languages because there are no subject / verb agreements to worry about. However, the word order of sentences is quite different from what most Westerners are used to. Regular practice will ingrain these sentence patterns and help you master Mandarin grammar.

Particles (4)

Comparatives (5)

Time (3)

Asking Mandarin Questions

Mandarin Chinese question adverbs are used to ask the “wh” questions – why, where, when, which, who, and how.

Showing Emphasis

Parts of a Mandarin Chinese sentence can be emphasized using the shi .. de construction. Emphasis is placed on the phrase or word following shi, and de is placed at the end of the sentence.

Approximate Numbers

Approximate numbers are used in both conversation and writing when we don’t know or don’t need to specify the exact number or quantity of something. In Mandarin Chinese, approximate numbers are indicated with the particle “duo.”

Mandarin Chinese Measure Words

Mandarin Chinese uses measure words for every noun. These measure words must be used when ever the noun is used with a numeral. There are more than 100 measure words, and the only sure way to learn them is through memorization.

Mandarin Chinese Adjectives

Mandarin Chinese adjectives follow the noun they describe. Learn how to use Mandarin Chinese adjectives in positive sentences, negative sentences, and questions.

Forming Mandarin Negatives

Mandarin Chinese does not have a single word which means “no.” Instead, a negative sentence is created by placing the particle “bu” before the verb.

Mandarin Sentence Structure

Mandarin has a different sentence structure than English or other European languages. To master Mandarin sentence structure you must learn to think in Mandarin.

Mandarin Pronouns

There are just a few pronouns in Mandarin Chinese, and unlike many European languages there are no subject / verb agreements to worry about. Just a few simple rules tell you everything you need to know about Mandarin pronouns.

Forming Questions in Mandarin

There are two different ways to make questions in Mandarin, and a mastery of each method is essential for gaining fluency in this language.

Filed In: Grammar> Particles

Mandarin Particles

Mandarin particles are used for a variety of grammatical functions including showing aspect, time indications, and completion of actions.

The “Le” Particle

Mandarin verbs do not conjugate depending on tense, but there are other ways to express time in Mandarin. The le particle is used to indicate actions which have been completed.

The Mandarin DE Particle

The DE particle is most often used as a possessive modifier, but it can also be used with adjectives and for emphasis.

The Adverbial DE Particle

The Mandarin Chinese DE particle is used as an adverbial marker which converts stative verbs into adverbs.

The Potential Complement DE

The potential complement DE is used in Mandarin Chinese to show the outcome of actions. Learn how to use the potential complement DE with this lesson and examples.

The “Le” Particle

Expressing Completed Actions in Mandarin

Although Mandarin does not have verb conjugations as in many other languages, there are ways to express completed actions as well as events which occur in the past or future.

The easiest way to do this is to indicate a time frame for the action being discussed, as in the sentence “Tā zuótiān qù Táiběi.” 他昨天去台北｡ This would simply mean that he went to Taipei yesterday.

However, if he had an obligation to go to Taipei, and he fulfilled that obligation yesterday, you could use “le” – “Tā zuótiān qù Táiběi le.” 他昨天去台北了｡

The “le” Particle

If you wish to express the idea that an action occurred in the past and is finished, you can use the “le” 了particle in combination with a functive verb (an action verb).

“Le” is used after the functive verb, either directly after the verb or at the end of the sentence. It is not needed if the context of the conversation makes the meaning clear.

“Le” cannot be used with certain functive verbs such as “rènshi” 認識 (be aquainted with); “ài” 愛 (to love); or “xiǎng” 想 (to think) because these actions can never be considered finished.

Examples

Tā chī bǎo le.

他吃飽了｡

He has already eaten.

Chén xiǎojie jīntiān mǎi dōngxī le.

陳小姐今天買東西了｡

Miss Chen already bought some things today.

Wǒ zǎoshang mǎi shū le.

我早上買書了｡

I bought the book this morning.

The Mandarin DE Particle

Possessives, Adjectives, & Emphasis

”

The Mandarin Chinese particle de (的) is most commonly used as a possessive modifier. It can be used between two nouns to indicate a relationship of possessor / possession.

For example:

Wǒ de péngyou.

My friend.

我的朋友｡

Notice that de is used after the first (pro)noun. This gives us the following possessive pronouns:

Mine – wǒ de

Yours – nǐ de

His – tā de

Hers – tā de

Theirs – tāmen de

Ours – wǒmen de

The de particle can be used for any possessive noun or pronoun, such as “Miss Chen’s pen” (Chén xiǎojie de bǐ), or “American schools” (Měiguó de xuéxiào).

Descriptors

The de particle can also used in describing objects or people. “Big chair” is dà de yǐzi. In this usage de follows the adjective.

Examples:

lánsè de yīfu

blue clothing

藍色的衣服

yìdàlì de chē zǐ

Italian car

意大利的車子

Emphasis

The de particle is sometimes used for emphasis or affirmation.

Wǒ huì qù de!

I am going!

我會去的!

Shàngkè, yào zhuānxīn de.

When you are in class, you have to concentrate.

上課, 要專心的｡

The Adverbial DE Particle

Forming Adverbs with the DE Particle

”

Mandarin Chinese has three different particles which are pronounced de. The most common is the possessive de (的) particle, which is used in possessive pronouns (e.g. wǒ de = mine), as well as for emphasis.

Another fairly common de particle is 地, which is used to indicate adverbs. The adverbial de is used after an adjective or phrase to indicate the intention, manner or method that an action is done.

The character 地 has two meanings. Beside being an adverbial marker, it also means earth or ground, and is found in compounds such as 地板 (dì bǎn – floor) and 地球 (dì qiú – the planet Earth).

Note that when the character 地 is used to mean earth, the pronunciation is dì, but when used as an adverbial marker, the pronunciation should be de. You will sometimes hear the adverbial 地 pronounced as dì, perhaps because the character is most commonly seen in compounds with the “earth” meaning.

Examples

Here are some examples of the adverbial de. Note that the adverb usually appears before the verb it modifies.

The Potential Complement DE

Showing the Outcome of Actions

There are three DE particles used in Mandarin Chinese: the possessive de (的), the adverbial de (地), and the potential complement de (得).

The potential complement de is used to show the outcome of an action or event. This action can be habitual (i.e. he walks slowly) or a particular event (i.e. he sang well last night).

The potential complement de is placed after a verb. This structure is followed by a phrase which shows the result of the preceding action:

VERB + de 得 + RESULT

Here is an example:

Tā shuō de hěn hǎo.

他說得很好。

He speaks well.

In the example above, the de 得 particle comes after the verb shuō (speak), and the following phrase (hěn hǎo) describes how the speaking is done.

More Examples

Indicating Past and Future in Mandarin Chinese

There are several ways to indicate past and future in Mandarin Chinese.

Talking About the Recent Past

The particles guo and le can be used to talk about recent events in Mandarin Chinese. This combination functions as a perfective in Mandarin Chinese grammar.

Mandarin Future Using Yao and Hui

Mandarin Chinese can use the auxiliary verbs “hui” and “yao” to refer to the future. Hui is used when the speaker is making a confident prediction, and yao is used to indicate an intention.

Mandarin Chinese Aspect

Mandarin Chinese does not have tenses like the English tenses for past, present, and future. Time frames can be determined in a number of ways, including aspect and time markers.

Explore Mandarin Language

Talking About the Recent Past

Perfective Guo in Mandarin Chinese Grammar

Guo Le – Used for the Recent Past

The particle guò can be used to talk about the past. When used by itself, it usually refers to the remote past and previous experiences. It can also be used with the particle le to indicate actions in the more recent past.

Perfective Guò

The perfective construction guò + le is used to refer to events in the recent past. When gāng gāng or gāng cái (just now) are part of the sentence, the le may be omitted.

Guò always follows the Functive Verb (action verb) in a sentence. Le appears after guò, but if the sentence contains an object, the object comes between guò and le.

Here are some examples of the Perfective Guò:

Wŏ chī guò le.

I have eaten.

Māma gēn tā shuō guò le.

Mother has spoken to him.

Tā kān guò le.

He has read it.

Mèi mei dă guò diànhuà le.

Little sister has dialed the phone.

Tā gāng cái qù guò.

She has just left.

Tā gāng gāng chāng guò gè.

He has just sung a song.

Perfective Questions

To ask a question using the perfective guò, simply add ma or méiyŏu after le.

Ni chī guò le méiyŏu?

Have you eaten?

Māma gēn tā shuō guò le ma?

Has Mother spoken to him?

Tā kān guò le méiyŏu?

Has he read it?

Mèi mei dă guò diànhuà le ma?

Has little sister dialed the phone?

Perfective Negatives

Negative sentences are formed by using hái méi before the functive verb. Guò and le are not used.

Tā hái méi chī.

He hasn’t eaten.

Māma hái méi gēn tā shuō.

Mother hasn’t spoken to him.

Tā hái méi kān.

He hasn’t read it.

Mèi mei hái méi dă diànhuà.

Little sister hasn’t dialed the phone.

Mandarin Future Using Yao and Hui

Mandarin Grammar Lesson

The two auxiliary verbs, yào and huì, can be used for talking about the future in the sense of “going to do something” or “intending to do something.”

Consider these two sentences:

Wǒ yào qù Běijīng.

我要去北京｡

Wǒ huì qù Běijīng.

我會去北京｡

The first sentence, using yào, indicates an intention to go to Beijing. The second sentence, using huì, indicates a confident prediction of going to Beijing.

Intention or Prediction

The two sentences above can be translated as:

Wǒ yào qù Běijīng.

I am going to Beijing.

or

I want to go to Beijing.

Wǒ huì qù Běijīng.

I will go to Beijing (I expect I will go to Beijing).

Yào is sometimes (but not always) used with a time expression to differentiate between want and intend. When used without a time reference, the only way to determine the exact meaning of yào is by context or clarification.

Here are some more examples:

Nǐ yào mǎi shénme dōngxī?

你要買甚麼東西?

What are you going to buy?

or

What do you want to buy?

Nǐ huì mǎi shénme dōngxī?

你會買甚麼東西?

What do you expect to buy?

Chén xiǎojie míngtiān yào gēn wǒ shuō.

陳小姐明天要跟我說｡

Miss Chen is going to speak with me tomorrow.

Chén xiǎojie míngtiān huì gēn wǒ shuō.

陳小姐明天會跟我說｡

Miss Chen expects to speak with me tomorrow.

Mandarin Chinese Aspect

Determining Time Frames

English speakers use tenses to indicate actions in time. There are tenses for the past, present and future, with corresponding rules for verb conjugation and sentence structure.

Mandarin Chinese does not have these types of tenses. One of the main difference between English grammar and Chinese grammar is that Chinese verbs do not conjugate. The English verb “go,” for example, conjugates as “going, gone, went,” whereas the Chinese qù (go) is always the same no matter what the time frame is.

Aspect

Instead of tense, Mandarin speakers can specify time frames with aspect, which determines the state or progress of an action. Aspect is used to indicate an action which:

.        is occurring at the present moment (zhèngzài or zhe)

.        has already been experienced (guo)

.        has already been completed (le)

Time Markers

Aspect can be used without any other time indicators, but if the speaker or writer wishes to be more precise, aspect can be combined with time markers.

Time markers can be used to indicate when an action takes place. They are not necessary: If the context is clear, time markers are often omitted.

The following sentence, therefore, could be used in almost any temporal sense:

Wǒ mǎi shū.

Traditional: 我買書｡

Simplified: 我买书｡

Literal: I buy book(s).

Depending on the context, the sentence above could mean:

.        I am buying a book (or books).

.        I bought a book (or books).

.        I am going to buy a book (or books).

If the speaker wishes to be more precise, they can say:

.        Wǒ (zhèng) zài mǎi shū. I am buying a book (or books).

.        Wǒ (zuótiān) mǎi shū le. I bought a book (or books) (yesterday).

Wǒ (míngtiān) yào mǎi shū. I am going to buy a book (or books) (tomorrow).Figure 1

Notes:
Zhèngzài (正在) can be shortened to zài.
The time words in brackets are optional. Past action is indicated with le and future action is indicated with yào. Please be careful, though! Le and yào can have other meanings depending on the context.

Filed In: Grammar> Comparatives

Comparatives in Mandarin Chinese

Comparisons are an important grammatical function. Mandarin Chinese comparisons follow a simple pattern and are much easier to learn than many other languages.

Mandarin Comparisons

The Mandarin particle bi is used for saying that a person or thing has more of a quality than another person or thing. Once the pattern has been learned, this Mandarin comparative is quite easy to use.

The Biggest and the Best – Superlatives in Mandarin Chinese

The Mandarin Chinese particle zui is used for forming superlatives. It is placed before the verb to make superlatives like best, highest, and tallest.

Less Than

The comparative “less than” is expressed in Mandarin Chinese with “mei you.”

The Same

Use the Mandarin Chinese “yi yang” to say that two things are the same, or have the same properties.

Not The Same

The Mandarin Chinese phrase bu yi yang is used to show that things or their qualities are not the same.

Mandarin Comparisons

Bi – More Than

It seems to be human nature to compare people and things. Even if we think of ourselves as non-judgmental, comparative words such as “easier,” “faster,” and “the best” are essential in everyday conversation.

As with much of Mandarin grammar, Mandarin comparisons are quite easy to construct. The rules are straight-forward and there are few if any exceptions.

More Than

To show that one thing has more or is more than another, we use the particle bǐ. The comparative is a Stative Verb (SV) which refers to a state or condition which is quite static. Examples of Stative Verbs are tall; expensive; and important.

The sentence construction of this comparison is:

Noun1 bǐ noun2 SV.

…which translates as:

Noun1 is more SV than noun2.

The nouns can also be noun phrases, such as “those people,” or “the tables in this room.”

Examples of Bǐ

This house is prettier than that one.

Zhè dòng fángzi bǐ nà dòng fángzi piàoliang.

(trad) 這棟房子比那棟房子漂亮｡

(simp) 这栋房子比那栋房子漂亮｡

My older brother is taller than me.

Wǒ de gēgē bǐ wǒ gāo.

我的哥哥比我高｡

Our house is bigger than the one next door.

Wǒmen de fángzi bǐ gébì de dà.

(trad) 我們的房子比隔壁的大｡

(simp) 我们的房子比隔壁的大｡

Modifiers of Bǐ

Sometimes you may need to modify bi with a little (yīdiǎn) or a lot (de duō). These modifiers are placed after the Stative Verb.

Examples of Modifiers

This house is a little bit smaller than the other one.

Zhè dòng fángzi bǐ nà dòng fángzi xiǎo yīdiǎn.

(trad) 這棟房子比那棟房子小一點｡

(simp) 这栋房子比那栋房子小一点｡

My younger sister is a lot shorter than me.

Wǒ de mèimèi bǐ wǒ ǎi de duō.

我的妹妹比我矮得多｡

Even More

The particle gèng can be used when extending a comparison to a third person or object. It is used in a supplementary sentence or phrase, and appears directly before the Stative Verb.

Examples of Gèng

My older brother is taller than me, but my father is even taller.

Wǒ de gēgē bǐ wǒ gāo. Wǒ de bàba gèng gāo.

我的哥哥比我高｡ 我的爸爸更高｡

It is more expensive to travel to Japan than the Philippines. Going to America is even more expensive.

Dào Rìběn lǚyóu bǐ dào fēilǜbīn guì. Dào Měiguó gèng guì.

(trad) 到日本旅遊比到菲律賓貴｡ 到美國更貴｡

(simp) 到日本旅游比到菲律宾贵｡ 到美国更贵｡

The Biggest and the Best – Superlatives in Mandarin Chinese

Using the Zui Particle

The Mandarin particle zuì is used for forming superlatives. In English, this function is often done by adding “est” to an adjective or adverb, to form words such as “biggest” or “fastest.”

Zuì is used with a Stative Verb (SV) – verbs or verb phrases which indicate a condition or static state. Examples of Stative Verbs are tall; expensive; and important.

Zuì is placed directly before the Stative Verb.

Examples of Zuì

He is the tallest in our class.

Tā shì bān shàng zuì gāo de.

他是班上最高的｡

She has the best grades.

Tā de chéngjī zuì hǎo.

她的成績最好｡

That was the longest movie I’ve ever seen.

Nà shì wǒ kàn guò zuì cháng de diànyǐng.

(trad) 那是我看過最長的電影｡

(simp) 那是我看过最长的电影｡

Favorite

There are two common ways to say “favorite” :

zuì xǐ huan

最喜歡

and

zuì xǐ ài

最喜愛

Examples of Favorite

Ice cream is my favorite desert.

Bīngqílín shì wǒ zuì xǐhuan de tiándiǎn.

(trad) 冰淇淋是我最喜歡的甜點｡

(simp) 冰淇淋是我最喜欢的甜点｡

She is my favorite singer.

Tā shì wǒ zuì xǐ ài de gēxīng.

她是我最喜爱的歌星｡

Nothing Better

If someone makes a very good suggestion, you can show your approval by saying “There’s nothing better” – zuì hǎo bù guò le.

Let’s go to the park this afternoon.

Wǒmen jīntiān xiàwǔ qù gōngyuán.

(trad) 我們今天下午去公園｡

(simp) 我们今天下午去公园｡

There’s nothing better than this. (Great idea!)

Zuì hǎo bù guò le.

(trad) 最好不過了｡

(simp) 最好不过了｡

Less Than

Mandarin Comparative Using Mei You

The Mandarin Chinese comparison which means “less than” is constructed with méi yǒu:

Noun1 méi yǒu noun2 Stative Verb.

This translates as:

Noun1 is not as SV as noun2.

The Stative Verb (SV) is a verb describing a state or condition which is quite static. Examples of Stative Verbs are tall; expensive; and important.

The Nouns can also be noun-phrases such as such as “those people,” or “the tables in this room.”

Examples of Méi Yǒu

Chicken is less expensive than beef.

Jī ròu méiyǒu niú ròu guì.

(trad) 雞肉沒有牛肉貴｡

(simp) 鸡肉没有牛肉贵｡

I am not as short as my cousin.

Wǒ méiyǒu biǎoqīn ǎi.

(trad) 我沒有表親矮｡

(simp) 我没有表亲矮｡

The Same

Mandarin Comparative Using Yi Yang

To say that two things are the same, use the Mandarin Chinese yí yàng in this pattern:

Noun1 gēn / hé noun2 yí yàng.

Things can also have the same properties, indicated by a Stative Verb (SV). Use this pattern:

Noun1 gēn / hé noun2 yí yàng SV.

The Stative Verb (SV) is a verb describing a state or condition which is quite static. Examples of Stative Verbs are tall; expensive; and important.

The Nouns can also be noun-phrases such as such as “those people,” or “the tables in this room.”

Gēn / Hé

Either gēn or hé can be used as the joiner between the two nouns being compared, which in this context are translated as “and”.

Examples of Yí Yàng

This tea cup and that tea cup are the same.

Zhègè chábēi gēn nèigè chábēi yíyàng.

(trad) 這個茶杯跟那個茶杯一樣｡

(simp) 这个茶杯跟那个茶杯一样｡

My father and I are equally tall. (I am as tall as my father.)

Bàba gēn wǒ yíyàng gāo.

(trad) 爸爸跟我一樣高｡

(simp) 爸爸跟我一样高｡

Not The Same

To say that two things are not the same, use the Mandarin Chinese bù yí yàng in this pattern:

Noun1 gēn / hé noun2 bù yí yàng.

Things which do not have the same properties are indicated with bù yí yàng and a Stative Verb (SV). Use this pattern:

Noun1 gēn / hé noun2 bù yí yàng SV.

The Stative Verb (SV) is a verb describing a state or condition which is quite static. Examples of Stative Verbs are tall; expensive; and important.

The Nouns can also be noun-phrases such as such as “those people,” or “the tables in this room.”

Gēn / Hé

Either gēn or hé can be used as the joiner between the two nouns being compared, which in this context are translated as “and”.

Examples of Bù Yí Yàng

These two pieces of clothing are not the same.

Zhè liǎng jiàn yīfu bù yī yang.

(trad) 這兩件衣服不一樣｡

(simp) 这两件衣服不一样｡

My father and mother are not the same height.

Wǒ bàba hé wǒ māma bù yī yàng gāo.

(trad) 我爸爸和我媽媽不一樣高｡

(simp) 我爸爸和我妈妈不一样高｡

Doesn’t Mean

A similar expression to bù yí yang is bù děng yú, which translates as “doesn’t mean,” or “not equivalent.”

The pattern for bù děng yú is:

Noun SV bù děng yú SV.

Examples of Bù Děng Yú

Not being able to play the piano doesn’t mean you aren’t talented.

Bù huì dàn gāngqín bù děng yú nǐ méi yǒu cáihuá.

(trad) 不會彈鋼琴不等於你沒有才華｡

(simp) 不会弹钢琴不等於你没有才华｡

Just because he drives a fancy car doesn’t mean he is rich.

Tā kāi míngpái chē bù děng yú tā hěn yǒu qián.

(trad) 他開名牌車不等於他很有錢｡

(simp) 他开名牌车不等於他很有钱｡

Asking Mandarin Questions

Question Adverbs

There are several ways to form questions in Mandarin Chinese. For simple yes/no questions, either the ma question particle or the positive/negative sentence form can be used.

If you wish to ask the “wh” questions (why, where, when, which, who, how), you can use question adverbs.

Why – Wèishénme

Wèishénme nǐ jīntiān chídào?

Why are you late today?

(trad) 為什麼你今天遲到?

(simp) 为什么你今天迟到?

Where –Nálǐ or Nǎr

Nálǐ and nǎr have the same meaning. Nálǐ is commonly used in Southern China and Taiwan, while nǎr is heard in northern China, including Beijing.

Nǐ zuówǎn qù nǎli?

Where did you go last night?

你昨晚去哪裡?

When – Shénme Shíhòu

Lǐ xiǎojie shénme shíhou huì dào?

When will Miss Li arrive?

(trad) 李小姐什麼時候會到?

(simp) 李小姐什么时候会到?

Which – Nǎ

Nǎ yīge pí bāo bǐjiào hǎokàn?

Which purse looks better?

(trad) 哪一個皮包比較好看?

(simp) 哪一个皮包比较好看?

Who – Shéi

Tā shì shuí?

Who is he?

(trad) 他是誰?

(simp) 他是谁?

How – Zěnme

Zhègè zì zěnme niàn?

How do you pronounce this character?

(trad) 這個字怎麼唸?

(simp) 这个字怎么念?

How Many – Duōshǎo or Jǐ

Zhè jiàn yáng zhuāng duōshǎo qián?

How much is this dress?

(trad) 這件洋裝多少錢?

(simp) 这件洋装多少钱?

Yǒu jǐge rén huì lái?

How many people will come?

(trad) 有幾個人會來? (simp) 有几个人会来?

Showing Emphasis

Stressing Part of a Sentence

Mandarin Chinese has a grammatical function for emphasizing parts of a sentence. Emphasis can be placed on:

.        place

.        purpose

.        method

.        time

The part of the sentence that is to be stressed is preceded with shì (是), with de (的) being placed at the end of the sentence.

Notes on Shi … De

.        This construction is only used for events in the past.

.        Shì can be omitted in positive sentences, but never in negative sentences.

.        This construction is used to clarify a situation or to provide an explanation.

Examples of Shi … De

Emphasized words are in italics.

Wǒ (shì) lái Táiběi zhǎo péngyou de.

I came to Taipei to visit a friend.

我(是)來台北找朋友的｡

Wǒ zài dàxué shì xué yīnyuè de.

I studied music at university.

(trad) 我在大學是學音樂的。

(simp) 我在大学是学音乐的。

Tā (shì) sān yuè qī hào dào Shànghǎi qù de.

He went to Shanghai on March 7th.

(trad) 他(是)三月七號到上海去的｡

(simp) 他(是)三月七号到上海去的｡

Tā dào Shànghǎi shì qù zuò shēngyi de.

He went to Shanghai for business.

他到上海(是)去做生意的｡

Lín xiǎojie bú shì cóng Běijīng huílai de.

Miss Lin did not come back from Beijing.

(trad) 林小姐不是從北京回來的｡

(simp) 林小姐不是从北京回来的｡

Using Duo for Approximate Numbers

There are many instances (both in conversation and writing) when we use approximate numbers. Talking about a person’s age, for example, we may say that he or she is “about 30.” We may also use approximate numbers when talking about prices: “It’s about $40.”

Mandarin Chinese uses the particle duō (多) to talk about approximate numbers. When used with approximate numbers, it means “more than” or “over.”

By itself, duō means “many,” and is used in expressions like

“Zài zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō rén” (在這裡有很多人), which means, “There are many people here.”

Placement

When used for approximate numbers, duō can be placed either before or after the measure word. When using approximate numbers which end in 1-9, (2, 5, 47, etc.) duō usually comes after the measure word. Duō usually comes before the measure word for numbers which end in zero (30, 50, 150, etc.)

Please note that chàbuduō can also be used for approximate numbers.

Using Duo – Approximate Number Examples

In these examples, the Pinyin measure word is marked in bold.

Mandarin Chinese Measure Words

Measure words are familiar to English-speakers as the type of object being discussed, as in a “loaf” of bread, or a “stick” of gum.

Mandarin Chinese also uses measure words for types of objects, but there are many other measure words that refer to the shape of the object or the type of container it comes in. Some measure words are arbitrary.

The main difference between English (and other Western languages) and Mandarin Chinese is that Mandarin Chinese requires a measure word for every noun. In English we can say, “three cars,” but in Mandarin Chinese, we need to say “three (measure word) cars.”

There are more than a hundred Mandarin Chinese measure words, and the only way to learn them is by memorizing them. Whenever you learn a new noun, you should also learn its measure word.

Generic Measure Word

There is one “generic” measure word which can be used when the actual measure word is not known. The measure word 個 (gè) is a measure word for people, but it is frequently used for many types of things (such as apples, bread, and light bulbs) even when there are other, more appropriate measure words for these objects.

Common Measure Words

Here are some of the most common measure words encountered by students of Mandarin Chinese.

Mandarin Chinese Grammar

Adjectives

Mandarin adjectives are placed after the noun they describe. All Mandarin adjectives implicitly include “to be,” so instead of saying, “He is tall,” simply say “He tall.”

Positive Mandarin adjectives usually need an adverb. If no other adverb is used, the positive adjective is preceded with 很 (hěn), which means “very”. In this situation, though, hěn does not necessarily carry any meaning, so “Tā hěn gāo” could mean either “He is tall,” or “He is very tall.”

Negative Mandarin adjectives are formed by placing the negative particle 不 (bù) before the adjective, as in “Tā bù gāo” – “He is not tall.”

Mandarin Adjective Questions

To form a question, use either the question particle 嗎 (ma), or use the positive / negative question form.

Mandarin Adjective Examples

Click on the links in the Pinyin column to hear the audio.

Forming Mandarin Negatives

Mandarin is a relatively simple language in that it does not have verb conjugations. The same form of verbs can be used for all tenses.

Negatives are also quite easily formed by simply placing the particle 不 (bù) in front of the verb. Bù can be used for all verbs except 有 (yǒu – to have), which uses 沒 (méi) for its negative form.

Méi is also used for negating Functive Verbs (action verbs) when talking about completed actions. In this situation, méi is a short form for méi yǒu and either form can be used.

Examples of Mandarin Negatives

Wǒ bú yào.

I don’t want (it).

我不要｡

Tā hái méi lái.

He hasn’t come yet.

他還沒來｡

Wǒ míngtiān bù qù xuéxiào.

I won’t be going to school tomorrow.

我明天不去學校｡

Mandarin Chinese Sentence Structure

Learn to Think in Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese sentence structure is quite different than English or other European languages. Since the word order doesn’t match, sentences which are translated word-for-word to Mandarin will be difficult to understand. You must learn to think in Mandarin Chinese when speaking the language.

Subject (who)

Just like English, Mandarin Chinese subjects come at the beginning of the sentence.

Time (when)

Time expressions come immediately before or after the subject.

John yesterday went to the doctor.

Yesterday John went to the doctor.

Place (where)

To explain where an event happened, the place expression comes before the verb.

Mary in school met her friend.

Prepositional Phrase (with whom, to whom etc.)

These are phrases which qualify an activity. They are placed before the verb and after the place expression.

Susan yesterday at work with her friend ate lunch.

Object

The Mandarin Chinese object has a great deal of flexibility. It is usually placed after the verb, but other possibilities include before the verb, before the subject, or even omitted. Conversational Mandarin often omits both the subject and the object when the context makes the meaning clear.

I like on the train read the newspaper.

Mandarin Pronouns

There are just three basic pronouns in spoken Mandarin:

.        I, me                              - wǒ – 我

.        You                                - nǐ – 你

.        He, Him / She, Her / It      - tā

Plurals

Plurals are formed by adding ‘men’ at the end of the pronoun:

.        We, Us –         wǒ men – 我們

.        You -             nǐ men – 你們

.        They, Them –   tā men – 他們

When speaking to elders or someone in authority, it is more polite to address them formally with nín 您 instead of the less formal nǐ – 你.

Written Forms

He, she, and it all have the same sound – tā, but they use different characters for writing:

.        he – 他

.        she – 她

.        it – 它

In spoken Mandarin, the context of the sentence will usually (but not always!) tell you whether the speaker is referring to a man, a woman or a thing.

Reflexive Pronoun

Mandarin also has a reflexive pronoun zì jǐ -自己, used when both subject and object are the same. For example:

Tā xǐ huàn tā zì jǐ – He likes himself.

Zì jǐ can also be used directly after a noun or pronoun to intensify the subject. For example:

Wǒ zì jǐ xǐ huàn. – I, myself, like it.

Sound Clips of Mandarin Pronouns

Here are some example sentences using Mandarin pronouns.

Audio files are marked with ►

Wǒ – 我

I am a student.

►Wǒ shì xuéshēng.

我是學生｡

I like ice cream.

►Wǒ xǐhuān bīngqílín.

我喜歡冰淇淋｡

I don’t have a bicycle.

►Wǒ méi yǒu jiǎotàchē.

我沒有腳踏車｡

Nǐ – 你

Are you a student?

►Nǐ shì xuéshēng ma?

你是學生嗎?

Do you like ice cream?

►Nǐ xǐhuan bīngqílín ma?

你喜歡冰淇淋嗎?

Do you have a bicycle?

►Nǐ yǒu jiǎotàchē ma?

你有腳踏車嗎?

Tā – 她

She is a doctor.

►Tā shì yīshēng.

她是醫生｡

She likes coffee.

►Tā xǐhuan kāfēi.

她喜歡咖啡｡

She doesn’t have a car.

►Tā méi yǒu chē.

她沒有車｡

Wǒmen – 我們

We are students.

►Wǒmen shì xuéshēng.

我們是學生｡

We like ice cream.

►Wǒmen xǐhuan bīngqílín.

我們喜歡冰淇淋｡

We don’t have a bicycle.

►Wǒmen méi yǒu jiǎotàchē.

我們沒有腳踏車｡

Tāmen – 他們

They are students.

►Tāmen shì xuéshēng.

他們是學生｡

They like coffee.

►Tāmen xǐhuan kāfēi.

他們喜歡咖啡｡

They don’t have a car.

►Tāmen méi yǒu chē.

他們沒有車｡

Zìjǐ – 自己

He lives by himself.

►Tā zìjǐ zhù.

他自己住｡

I will go myself.

►Wǒ zìjǐ qù.

我自己去｡

Asking Yes / No Questions in Mandarin

There are two ways to ask yes / no questions in Mandarin: with the “ma” particle, or by using a positive / negative sentence structure.

Ma

The particle “ma” can be added to the end of any sentence to make it into a question. For example, if you want to ask, “Have you eaten?” (which is a standard greeting), you would say, “chī bǎo le ma?” 吃飽了嗎?

The answer to this question could be, “chī bǎo le” (I have eaten) 吃飽了, or “hái méi” (not yet) 還沒.

Postive / Negative

An alternate way to ask questions is to include both the positive and negative forms of the verb.

Negative verbs are usually formed with “bù” 不 as in “bù hǎo 不好” (not good), but occasionally the particle “méi 沒” is used, as in “méi yǒu” 沒有 (don’t have). Note that both “bù” and “méi” are used in front of the verb.

Examples

Nǐ yào bu yào qù Běijīng? (Do you or don’t you want to go to Beijing?)

你要不要去北京?

Or:

Nǐ yào qù Běijīng ma?

你要去北京嗎?

Tā yǒu méi yǒu bǐ jì běn? (Does he or doesn’t he have a notebook?)

他有沒有筆記本?

Or:

Tā yǒu bǐ jì běn ma?

他有筆記本嗎?

Nǐ zhī bù zhī dào tā de míng zi? (Do you or don’t you know his name?)

你知不知道他的名字?

Or:

Nǐ zhī dào tā de míng zi ma?

In the examples above, the verbs are yào (want); yǒu (have); and zhī dào (know).

When the positive / negative form is used with two-character verbs (like zhī dào), the verb is split after the first character, as in “zhī bù zhī dào.”

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