Grammar Reference

动态助词：过

Aspect particle · 动态助词 (dòngtàizhùcí)(过 (guò))

动态助词：过

• 我去过一次中国。/我没去过中国。 Wǒqù guò yícì zhōngguó. / wǒ méi qù guò zhōngguó. I've been to China once. / I've never been to China.
• 他学过一点儿中文，他没学过中文。 Tā xué guò yìdiǎnr zhōngwén, tā méi xué guò zhōngwén. He has studied a little Chinese. / He hasn't studied Chinese.
• 你学过中文吗？ Nǐ xué guò zhōngwén ma? Have you studied Chinese?
• 我没去过北京。 Wǒ méi qù guò běijīng. I've never been to Beijing.

动态助词：着

Aspect particle · 动态助词 (dòngtàizhùcí)(着 (zhāo))

动态助词：着

• 门关着。/门没关着。 Mén guān zhe. / mén méi guān zhe. The door is shut. / The door isn't shut.
• 电视开着呢。/电视没开着。 Diànshì kāi zhene. / diànshì méi kāi zhe. The TV is on. / The TV isn't on.
• 他穿着一条黑色的裤子。 Tā chuānzhuó yì tiáo hēisè de kùzi. He is wearing a pair of black trousers.
• 教室的门开着。 Jiàoshì de mén kāi zhe. The classroom door is open.

语气助词：啊、吧、的

Modal particle · 语气助词 (yǔqìzhùcí)(啊 (ā)/吧 (bā)/的)

语气助词：啊/吧/的

• 今天真冷啊！ Jīntiān zhēn lěng a! It's really cold today!
• 您是老师吧？ Nín shì lǎoshī ba? You're the teacher, I take it?
• 她怎么不在家呢？ Tā zěnme bú zàijiā ne? How come she isn't home?
• 明天你想去哪儿呢？ Míngtiān nǐ xiǎng qù nǎr ne? Where would you like to go tomorrow?

其他助词：的话、等

Particle · 其他助词(的话 (dehuà)/等 (děng))

其他助词：的话/等

• 你要来的话，就给我打个电话，我去接你。 Nǐ yào lái dehuà, jiù gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà, wǒqù jiē nǐ. If you're coming, just give me a call and I'll come pick you up.
• 我去超市买了很多东西，有酒、水果、牛奶等。 Wǒqù chāoshì mǎi le hěn duō dōngxī, yǒu jiǔ, shuǐguǒ, niúnǎi děng. I bought a lot at the supermarket: wine, fruit, milk and so on.

喂

Word class / interjection · 喂 (wéi)

• 喂，是王老师吗？ Wèi, shì wáng lǎoshī ma? Hello, is this Teacher Wang?
• 喂，您找哪位？ Wèi, nín zhǎo nǎ wèi? Hello — whom are you looking for?

基本结构类型

Phrase / structure type

• 听懂、回去、跑得很快、等一下 Tīngdǒng, huíqu, pǎo dehěn kuài, děngyíxià to understand by listening, to go back, to run very fast, wait a moment

其他结构类型1

Phrase / structure type

名词性短语

Noun phrase

• 新电脑、老师的书、火车票、一个男孩、两条、这间 Xīn diànnǎo, lǎoshī de shū, huǒchēpiào, yìge nánhái, liǎng tiáo, zhè jiān new computer, the teacher's book, train ticket, a boy, two (of them), this one

动词性短语

Verb phrase

• 写汉字、听懂、回去、经常上网、可以进去 Xiě hànzì, tīngdǒng, huíqu, jīngcháng shàngwǎng, kěyǐ jìnqù writing characters, to understand by listening, to go back, to go online often, to be allowed in

形容词性短语

Adjective phrase

• 很累、非常忙、慢一点儿 Hěn lèi, fēicháng máng, màn yìdiǎnr very tired, extremely busy, a little slower

不一会儿

Phrase / fixed phrase

• 今天的作业我不一会儿就做完了。 Jīntiān de zuòyè wǒ bù yíhuìr jiù zuòwán le. I finished today's homework in no time.
• 我们走到车站，不一会儿，公交车就来了。 Wǒmen zǒu dào chēzhàn, bù yíhuìr, gōngjiāochē jiù lái le. We walked to the stop, and before long the bus came.

什么的

Phrase / fixed phrase · 什么的 (shénmede)

• 考试前多做点儿练习什么的。 Kǎoshì qián duō zuò diǎnr liànxí shénme de. Before the exam, do a bit more practice and such.
• 我去超市买了一些水果、面包什么的。 Wǒqù chāoshì mǎi le yìxiē shuǐguǒ, miànbāo shénme de. I went to the supermarket and bought some fruit, bread and such.
• 他喜欢唱歌、跳舞什么的。 Tā xǐhuan chànggē, tiàowǔ shénme de. He likes singing, dancing and things like that.
• 足球、篮球什么的，我都喜欢。 Zúqiú, lánqiú shénme de, wǒ dōu xǐhuan. Football, basketball and such — I like them all.

其他

越来越

Phrase / fixed phrase · 越来越 (yuèláiyuè)

• 天气越来越热了。 Tiānqì yuèláiyuè rè le. The weather is getting hotter and hotter.
• 我越来越喜欢学习中文。 Wǒ yuèláiyuè xǐhuan xuéxí zhōngwén. I like studying Chinese more and more.

还是⋯⋯吧

Fixed pattern · 还是 (háishi)⋯⋯吧 (bā)

• 打车太贵了，你还是坐地铁吧。 Dǎchē tài guì le, nǐ háishi zuò dìtiě ba. Taking a taxi is too expensive — you'd better take the subway.
• 外边下雨了，我们还是在房间看电视吧。 Wàibian xiàyǔ le, wǒmen háishi zài fángjiān kàn diànshì ba. It's raining outside — let's just watch TV in the room instead.

又⋯⋯又⋯⋯

Fixed pattern · 又 (yòu)⋯⋯又 (yòu)⋯⋯

• 这个饭馆的菜又好吃又便宜。 Zhège fànguǎn de cài yòu hǎochī yòu biànyí. This restaurant's dishes are both delicious and cheap.
• 这球鞋又贵又不好看。 Zhè qiúxié yòu guì yòu bù hǎokàn. These sneakers are both expensive and ugly.

（在）⋯⋯以前/以后/前/后

Fixed pattern · （在 (zài)）⋯⋯以前 (yǐqián)/以后 (yǐhòu)/前/后

• 在来中国以前，我只学过一点儿中文。 Zài lái zhōngguó yǐqián, wǒ zhǐ xué guò yìdiǎnr zhōngwén. Before coming to China, I had studied only a little Chinese.
• 吃完午饭以后，我常常会睡一会儿。 Chīwán wǔfàn yǐhòu, wǒ chángcháng huì shuì yíhuìr. After lunch I often take a short nap.

名词、代词、数词或数量短语、名词性短语作谓语

... as predicate · 名词 (míngcí)、代词 (dàicí)、数词或数量短语、名词性短语作谓语

• 今天晴天。 Jīntiān qíngtiān. It's sunny today.
• 明天星期五。 Míngtiān xīngqīwǔ. Tomorrow is Friday.
• 她高个子、大眼睛，很漂亮。 Tā gāogèzi, dà yǎnjing, hěn piàoliang. Tall, with big eyes, she is very pretty.
• 王老师上海人，四十多岁。 Wáng lǎoshī shànghǎi rén, sìshí duō suì. Teacher Wang is a Shanghai native, in his forties.

结果补语1：动词+错/懂/干净/好/会/清楚/完

Sentence element / complement · 结果补语1：动词 (dòngcí)+错 (cuò)/懂 (dǒng)/干净/好/会/清楚/完

• 你写错了两个汉字。 Nǐ xiě cuò le liǎng gè hànzì. You wrote two characters wrong.
• 这个句子我没看懂。 Zhège jùzi wǒ méi kàndǒng. I didn't understand this sentence.
• 这个字你写错了。 Zhège zì nǐ xiě cuò le. You wrote this character wrong.
• 老师的话你听懂了吗？ Lǎoshī dehuà nǐ tīngdǒng le ma? Did you understand what the teacher said?

趋向补语1

Sentence element / complement

• 你看，他向这边走来了。 Nǐ kàn, tā xiàng zhèbiān zǒu lái le. Look — he's walking toward us.
• 甲：这件礼物怎么给他？ Jiǎ: zhè jiàn lǐwù zěnme gěi tā? A: How shall we give him this present?
• 你上来吧，我在楼上等你。 Nǐ shànglái ba, wǒ zài lóushàng děng nǐ. Come on up — I'll be waiting for you upstairs.
• 太晚了，你快回去吧。 Tài wǎn le, nǐ kuài huíqu ba. It's too late — hurry on home.

状态补语1：动词+得+形容词性词语

Sentence element / complement · 状态补语1(动词 (dòngcí)+得 (dé)+形容词性…)

• 她跑得很快。 Tā pǎo dehěn kuài. She runs very fast.
• 我们玩儿得很高兴。 Wǒmen wánr dehěn gāoxìng. We had a great time.
• 大家玩儿得很高兴。 Dàjiā wánr dehěn gāoxìng. Everyone had a wonderful time.
• 他篮球打得很好。 Tā lánqiú dǎ dehěn hǎo. He plays basketball very well.