Grammar Reference

兼语句1

Serial-verb-plus-object sentence

• 经理叫他介绍一下儿中国市场情况。 Jīnglǐ jiào tā jièshào yíxiàr zhōngguó shìchǎng qíngkuàng. The manager asked him to give a brief introduction to the Chinese market situation.
• 公司派我来中国学习中文。 Gōngsī pài wǒ lái zhōngguó xuéxí zhōngwén. The company sent me to China to study Chinese.

比较句4

Sentence type / special pattern

• 我比他跑得快。 Wǒ bǐ tā pǎo de kuài. I run faster than he does.
• 我说中文比妹妹说得流利。 Wǒ shuō zhōngwén bǐ mèimei shuō de liúlì. I speak Chinese more fluently than my younger sister.

重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语

Verb · 重动词：主语 (zhǔyǔ)+动词 (dòngcí)+宾语 (bīnyǔ)+动词+补语

重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语

• 他打篮球打得很好。 Tā dǎ lánqiú dǎ dehěn hǎo. He plays basketball very well.
• 她游泳游得很快。 Tā yóuyǒng yóu dehěn kuài. She swims very fast.

（也）⋯⋯，也⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · （也 (yě)）⋯⋯，也 (yě)⋯⋯

• 篮球他喜欢，排球他也喜欢。 Lánqiú tā xǐhuan, páiqiú tā yě xǐhuan. Basketball he likes; volleyball he likes too.
• 面条儿我也爱吃，米饭我也爱吃。 Miàntiáor wǒ yě ài chī, mǐfàn wǒ yě ài chī. Noodles I love to eat; rice I love to eat too.

一会儿⋯⋯，一会儿⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 一会儿 (yíhuìr)⋯⋯，一会儿 (yíhuìr)⋯⋯

• 最近天气有点儿奇怪，一会儿冷，一会儿热。 Zuìjìn tiānqì yǒudiǎnr qíguài, yíhuìr lěng, yíhuìr rè. The weather's been a bit odd lately — cold for a while, then hot.
• 他们在晚会上一会儿唱歌，一会儿跳舞，玩儿得很开心。 Tāmen zài wǎnhuì shàng yíhuìr chànggē, yíhuìr tiàowǔ, wánr dehěn kāixīn. At the party they sang for a while, danced for a while, and had a wonderful time.

一方面⋯⋯，另一方面⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 一方面 (yìfāngmiàn)⋯⋯，另一方面 (lìngyìfāngmiàn)⋯⋯

• 我们一方面要看到他们的优点，另一方面也要指出他们的缺点。 Wǒmen yìfāngmiàn yào kàndào tāmen de yōudiǎn, lìngyìfāngmiàn yě yào zhǐchū tāmen de quēdiǎn. On the one hand we must see their merits; on the other hand we must also point out their shortcomings.
• 他们在实习中一方面可以增加工作经验，另一方面可以学习新的知识。 Tāmen zài shíxí zhōng yìfāngmiàn kěyǐ zēngjiā gōngzuò jīngyàn, lìngyìfāngmiàn kěyǐ xuéxí xīn de zhīshi. During their internships, on the one hand they can gain work experience; on the other hand they can learn new knowledge.

又⋯⋯，又⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 又 (yòu)⋯⋯，又 (yòu)⋯⋯

• 晚会上大家又唱歌，又跳舞，高兴极了。 Wǎnhuì shàng dàjiā yòu chànggē, yòu tiàowǔ, gāoxìng jíle. At the party everyone sang and danced — delighted beyond words.
• 这件衣服样子又好看，价格又便宜。 Zhè jiàn yìfu yàngzi yòu hǎokàn, jiàgé yòu biànyí. This piece of clothing is both good-looking and inexpensive.

首先⋯⋯，然后⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 首先 (shǒuxiān)⋯⋯，然后 (ránhòu)⋯⋯

• 同学们首先读了一遍课文，然后认真地回答了黑板上的问题。 Tóngxué men shǒuxiān dú le yíbiàn kèwén, ránhòu rènzhēn de huídá le hēibǎn shàng de wèntí. The students first read the text through, then earnestly answered the questions on the blackboard.
• 我们首先要找到科学的练习方法，然后坚持每天练习。 Wǒmen shǒuxiān yào zhǎodào kēxué de liànxí fāngfǎ, ránhòu jiānchí měitiān liànxí. We must first find a sound method of practice, then keep practicing every day.

⋯⋯，并且⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · ⋯⋯，并且 (bìngqiě)⋯⋯

• 专家们对这个问题进行了讨论，并且提出了解决办法。 Zhuānjiā men duì zhège wèntí jìnxíng le tǎolùn, bìngqiě tíchū le jiějuébànfǎ. The experts discussed this problem and put forward solutions.
• 这种办法可以保存食物，并且能保存很久。 Zhèzhǒng bànfǎ kěyǐ bǎocún shíwù, bìngqiě néng bǎocún hěn jiǔ. This method can preserve food — and keep it a long time.

不仅/不光 ，还/而且

Sentence type / compound sentence · 不仅 (bùjǐn)/不光 (bùguāng) ，还 (hái)/而且

• 那个地方我不仅去过，还去过好几次呢。 Nàge dìfāng wǒ bùjǐn qù guò, hái qù guò hǎo jǐcì ne. I've not only been to that place — I've been several times.
• 不光我会说中文，而且我姐姐也会说中文。 Bùguāng wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén, érqiě wǒ jiějie yě huì shuō zhōngwén. It's not just me who speaks Chinese — my older sister speaks it as well.
• 不但我学习中文，而且我的弟弟也学习中文。 Bùdàn wǒ xuéxí zhōngwén, érqiě wǒ de dìdi yě xuéxí zhōngwén. Not only do I study Chinese, but my younger brother studies it too.
• 我哥哥不但会打篮球，而且打得很好。 Wǒ gēge bùdàn huì dǎ lánqiú, érqiě dǎ dehěn hǎo. My older brother not only can play basketball, but plays it very well.

递进复句

不是，就是⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 不是 (bùshì)，就是 (jiùshì)⋯⋯

• 他不是在办公室，就是在实验室。 Tā bú shì zài bàngōngshì, jiùshì zài shíyànshì. If he isn't in the office, he's in the lab.
• 这些衣服都不合适，不是太大，就是太小。 Zhèxiē yìfu dōu bù héshì, bú shì tài dà, jiùshì tài xiǎo. None of these clothes fits — either too big or too small.

要是⋯⋯，就⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 要是 (yàoshi)⋯⋯，就 (jiù)⋯⋯

• 要是不开心，我就会大声唱歌。 Yàoshi bù kāixīn, wǒ jiù huì dàshēng chànggē. If I'm unhappy, I sing at the top of my voice.
• 要是你明天有时间，就跟我一起去长城吧。 Yàoshi nǐ míngtiān yǒu shíjiān, jiù gēn wǒ yìqǐ qù chángchéng ba. If you have time tomorrow, come with me to the Great Wall.

只有⋯⋯，才⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · 只有 (zhǐyǒu)⋯⋯，才 (cái)⋯⋯

• 只有认真检查，我们才会发现问题、解决问题。 Zhǐyǒu rènzhēn jiǎnchá, wǒmen cái huì fāxiàn wèntí, jiějué wèntí. Only by checking carefully can we find problems and solve them.
• 只有多听多说，你才能提高中文水平。 Zhǐyǒu duō tīng duō shuō, nǐ cáinéng tígāo zhōngwén shuǐpíng. Only by listening more and speaking more can you improve your Chinese.

（由于）⋯⋯，所以/因此⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · （由于 (yóuyú)）⋯⋯，所以 (suǒyǐ)/因此 (yīncǐ)⋯⋯

• 由于身体不好，所以爸爸打算提前退休。 Yóuyú shēntǐ bùhǎo, suǒyǐ bàba dǎsuàn tíqián tuìxiū. Because his health is poor, Dad plans to retire early.
• 他工作很努力，因此取得了很大的成功。 Tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì, yīncǐ qǔdé le hěn dà de chénggōng. He works very hard, and therefore has achieved great success.

⋯⋯了⋯⋯（就）⋯⋯

Sentence type / compound sentence · ⋯⋯了 (le)⋯⋯（就 (jiù)）⋯⋯

• 他下了课就去图书馆。 Tā xià le kè jiù qù túshūguǎn. He goes to the library after class.
• 他喝了酒就会脸红。 Tā hē le jiǔ jiù huì liǎnhóng. Whenever he drinks, his face turns red.
• 如果明天不下雨，我们就去爬山。 Rúguǒ míngtiān bú xiàyǔ, wǒmen jiù qù páshān. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go hiking.
• 如果你需要帮忙，就给我打电话。 Rúguǒ nǐ xūyào bāngmáng, jiù gěi wǒ dǎdiànhuà. If you need help, just call me.

假设复句

用反问句表示强调

Emphasis with 反问句

• 反问句1：不是⋯⋯吗？/难道⋯⋯吗？ Fǎnwènjù 1: bú shì⋯⋯ ma? / nándào⋯⋯ ma? Rhetorical question 1: Isn't it…? / Could it be that…?
• 今天不是星期天吗？ Jīntiān bú shì xīngqītiān ma? Isn't today Sunday?

用“是”强调

Emphasis with 是 · 用 (yòng)“是 (shì)”强调 (qiángdiào)

• 你说得对，这位经理是很负责。 Nǐ shuō de duì, zhèwèi jīnglǐ shì hěn fùzé. You're right; this manager is indeed very responsible.
• 我同意，那电影是很有意思。 Wǒ tóngyì, nà diànyǐng shì hěn yǒuyìsi. I agree — that movie really is interesting.

用疑问语调表示疑问

Question form · 用疑问语调表示疑问 (wèn)

• 今天是星期六？ Jīntiān shì xīngqīliù? Is today Saturday?
• 你打算去旅行？ Nǐ dǎsuàn qù lǚxíng? Are you planning to travel?

都⋯⋯了

Colloquial pattern · 都 (dōu)⋯⋯了 (le)

• 都十一点了，你别看电视了。 Dōu shí yìdiǎn le, nǐ biékàn diànshì le. It's already eleven — stop watching TV.
• 都三天了，他怎么还没回来？ Dōu sān tiān le, tā zěnme hái méi huílai? It's been three days — why hasn't he come back?

X就X（点儿）吧

X就X（点儿）吧 · X就 (jiù)X（点儿 (diǎnr)）吧 (bā)

• 慢就慢吧，他能完成任务就很不错了。 Màn jiù màn ba, tā néng wánchéng rènwu jiù hěn bùcuò le. Slow, then, let it be — just finishing the task is quite good enough for him.
• 忙就忙点儿吧，我们过几天就能休息了。 Máng jiù máng diǎnr ba, wǒmen guò jǐtiān jiù néng xiūxi le. Busy, then, let it be — in a few days we'll get to rest.