Learn Chinese for Free - Lesson 198

Sentence Structure 1
Verbal Predicate Sentence

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 2
The Declarative “是” Sentence - Part 1

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 3
“是” For Emphasis

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 4
Surnames

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 5
The Attributive Genitive

When a personal pronoun or a noun is used as an attributive genitive to show a relationship of belonging, possession, etc., it generally takes the structural particle 的character: 的
pinyin: de
details.

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
detailsteacher".

"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 And Nouns Used As An Attributive Genitive:

Sentence Structure 6
In​flec​tion in Chinese?

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 7
The Negative “是” Sentence

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 8
Questions With “吗”

An interrogative sentence is formed by adding the modal particle 吗character: 吗
pinyin: ma
details at the end of a declarative sentence, either affirmative or negative.

Example

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

Interrogative sentence: 她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details医生word: 医生
pinyin: yīshēng
details吗character: 吗
pinyin: ma
details？

This is the most frequently used way of asking a question, to which the answer is rather unpredictable.

Sentence Structure 9
The Affirmative-Negative Question - Part 1

The affirmative-negative question, or alternative question, is formed by juxtaposing the verb or adjective of the predicate and its negative form.

Examples

你character: 你
pinyin: ní
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details不character: 不
pinyin: bù
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details？

你character: 你
pinyin: nǐ
details爱character: 爱
pinyin: ài
details不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details爱character: 爱
pinyin: ài
details她character: 她
pinyin: tā
details？

Sentence Structure 10
Adjectival Predicate Sentence

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 11
Adverb “也”

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 12
The Elliptical Question With “呢”

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 13
Adverb “都”

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 14
Adverbs “也” And “都” Used Together

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 15
The Conjunction “和”

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

Sentence Structure 16
Attributive Genitive Without 的

When a personal pronoun is used as an attributive 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 17
The Subject-Predicate Construction - Part 1
Used as the Predicate of a Sentence

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 18
Adverbial Adjuncts

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 19
Time Words Used As An Adverbial Adjunct

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

They may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, attributives, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as an adverbial adjunct.

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 20
Nominal Predicate Sentence - Part 1

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 21
The TTT Rule

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

The word showing a longer period of time comes first.

年月日

Sentence Structure 22
Time Words Used As A Subject

Time words may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, attributives, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as a subject.

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 23
Time Words Used As A Predicate

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

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 24
Nominal Predicate Sentence - Part 2

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 25
The Affirmative-Negative Question - Part 2

When 是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details不character: 不
pinyin: bú
details是character: 是
pinyin: shì
details is put between the subject and the predicate, an affirmative-negative question, or alternative question, is formed.

Example

Sentence Structure 26
Numeral-Measure Compounds Acting As Attributives

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 27
Measure Words Omission - Part 1

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