HSK 1 Grammar PDF

HSK 1 GRAMMAR Interrogative Pronoun 什么 (Shenme) – What Theinterrogative pronoun “ 什么” is used in interrogative sentences. 你叫什么名字。 Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì. 这是什么书。 Zhè shì shénme shū. 你学习什么。 Nǐ xuéxí shénme. The 是 (shi) sentence A 是 (shi) sentence is...

HSK 1 GRAMMAR Interrogative Pronoun 什么 (Shenme) – What Theinterrogative pronoun “ 什么” is used in interrogative sentences. 你叫什么名字。 Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì. 这是什么书。 Zhè shì shénme shū. 你学习什么。 Nǐ xuéxí shénme. The 是 (shi) sentence A 是 (shi) sentence is a determinative sentence indicating that something or someone equals to or belongs to. It is equivalent to is/am/are in English language. 我是留学生。 Wǒ shì liúxuéshēng. 他是日本人。 Tā shì rìběn rén. This is a book – Zhe bushi yiben shu. She is a teacher – Ta bushi laoshi He is a lawyer (lushi) That is my friend Negating the 是 (shi) sentence Negation of 是 (shi) is done by placing " 不 " (bu) before " 是. “ 她不是印度人。 Tā bùshì yìndùrén. 我不是老师。 Wǒ bùshì lǎoshī. Interrogative pronouns 谁 (Shei2/Shui2) and 哪 (Na3) 谁 [shéi/shuí] Who/whom 谁的 [shéi de/shuí de] Whose 哪 [nǎ/něi] Which (singular) 哪个 [nǎge/něige] Which one (singular)  Example sentences 1. 你是谁？ [Nǐ shì shéi?] Who are you? 2. 谁是你的经理？ [Shéi shì nǐ de jīnglǐ?] Who is your manager? 3. 这是谁的钱？ [Zhè shì shéi de qián?] Whose money is this? 4. 你喜欢哪个人？ [Nǐ xǐhuān nǎge rén?] Which person do you like? 5. 你买哪个东西？ [Nǐ mǎi nǎge dōngxī?] Which things did you buy?  Structural particle 的 (de) This particle is most often used for modifying nouns. Before nouns, 的 (de) is used to mark possession or modification. One way to think about 的 (de) is that it works like apostrophe-"s" in English. Think of this one as the "possessive de" or "noun-modifying de." Sentence structure Although certainly not complete for all uses, this simple structure should help as a general guideline: 的 + Noun  Examples 1. 我的手机 wǒ de shǒujī my cell phone 2. 我们的老师 wǒmen de lǎoshī our teacher 3 漂亮的衣服 piàoliang de yīfu beautiful clothes 4. 热闹的酒吧 rènao de jiǔbā a lively bar 5. 我女朋友的公司 wǒ nǚpéngyou de gōngsī my girlfriend's company  Interrogative particle 呢 (ne) Theparticle 呢 (ne) has more uses than 吗 (ma), but we'll look at the most important one here: forming queries or asking bounce-back questions. The most common use for 呢 is probably to form simple queries. All you do is put 呢 after the thing you want to query. This is often equivalent to saying “and … ?", “what about … ?” or “how about … ?”  Examples 1 我有一个妹妹。你呢？ Wǒ yǒu yí ge mèimei. Nǐ ne? I have a younger sister. What about you? 2. 我呢？ Wǒ ne? What about me? 3. 这些东西呢？ Zhèxiē dōngxi ne? What about these things? 4. 我是中国人，你是美国人。他呢？ Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén, nǐ shì Měiguó rén. Tā ne? I’ m Chinese and you’re American. What about him? Interrogative pronoun 几 (Ji) Thisis the interrogative pronoun to use when you want to ask for the quantity of something, especially when the quantity is less than 10. A measure word often follows " 几 " to form a complete question. Let's look at some sample sentences:  Example sentences 1. 现在几点了？ xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le? What's the time now 2. 今天几号？ jīn tiān jǐ hào? What's today's date? 3. 你要几个苹果 Nǐ yào jǐ gè píngguǒ ？ How many apples do you want?  Modal particle” 了 (le)”to show change of state In order to indicate change of state this grammar particle le ( 了 ) appears at the end of a sentence. Let’s look at few examples to understand this. 你女儿几岁了？ Nǐ nǚ'ér jǐ suì le? ( duo da le? – used to ask age of someone elder to you?/ How old is your daughter? In this question, the particle le 了 emphasizes a change in the daughter’s age. Children are always growing, so their age does not remain the same. The daughter has aged since you last asked her age. 几点了？ Jǐ diǎnle? What time is it? As with the above example, le 了 here emphasizes a change in time. Time is constantly changing, so le 了 here emphasizes the time change. The time has changed since you last looked at the clock.  Used with Adjectives When an adjective indicates a change to the subject, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a change of state. Structure Subj. + Adj. + 了 Example sentences 1. 我饿了 。 Wǒ è le. 2. 孩子们都累了 。 Háizi men dōu lèi le. 3. 妈妈老了 。 Māma lǎo le. 4. 你胖了 。 Nǐ pàng le.  Used with Verbs When following a verb or verb phrase, the 了 (le) indicates a change in an overall situation. For these sentences, sometimes you can translate this 了 (le) as "now." Structure Subj. + Verb + 了 Example sentences 1. 下雨了 。 Xià yǔ le. Xiayu ting le. 2. 宝宝会说话 了 。 Bǎobao huì shuōhuà le. / Wo didi hui youyong le 3. 他当经理 了 。 Tā dāng jīnglǐ le. 4. 我男朋友找到新工作了 。 Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò le.  Interrogative phrase 多 + 大 多 , as an Interrogative Adverb, is placed before an adjective to ask a question about the degree. In the answer, the number is provided and the adjective is often not repeated. 多大 is used to ask about the age and also about area, volume, weight, etc. Example sentences 你 的 孩子 多 大？ Nǐ de háizi duō dà? 你家 多 大？ Nǐ jiā duō dà? 这些 东西 多 重？ Zhèxiē dōngxi duō zhòng?  Interrogative Pronoun Shéi ( 谁 ) and Nǎ/Nǎ ge ( 哪 / 哪个 ) Expressing "Who" with 谁 (shéi) Structure Subj. + 是 + 谁 ? 谁 + Verb ? Example sentences 1 你 是 谁？ Nǐ shì shéi? 2 你 不 喜欢 谁？ Nǐ bù xǐhuan shéi? 3 谁 想 去？ Shéi xiǎng qù?  Expressing "Which" with 哪个 (nǎge/neige) Structure Subj. + Verb + 哪个 (+ Noun) ? Example sentences 1 你 要 哪个？ Nǐ yào nǎge? 2 你 喜欢 哪 个 菜？ Nǐ xǐhuan nǎge cài? 3 你 在 哪 个 房间？ Nǐ zài nǎge fángjiān? Modal verb hui ( 会 ) Chinese, huì 会 is used before a verb to indicate ability In acquired through learning. In English, huì 会 used this way means “to know how to”. The structure is: Subject + ( 不 ) 会 + verb + object To make the sentence negative, just add bù 不.  Examples 1. 我会说中文。 Wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén. I know how to speak Chinese. 2. 你会做饭吗？ Nǐ huì zuò fàn ma? Do you know how to cook? 3. 他不会写汉字。 Tā bù huì xiě hànzì. He does not know how to write Chinese characters. 4. 我会弹钢琴。 Wǒ huì tán gāngqín. I can play the piano.  Interrogative pronoun zenme ( 怎么 ) Explanation : How to do something with "zenme" 怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese Thequestion word 怎么 (zěnme) is used to ask how in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about: Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj. Notethat the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.  Examples 1. 你们怎么学中文？ Nǐmen zěnme xué Zhōngwén? How do you study Chinese? 2. 你怎么上班？坐地铁吗？ Nǐ zěnme shàngbān? Zuò dìtiě ma? How do you get to work? By metro? 你怎么知道我喜欢旅行？ Nǐ zěnme zhīdào wǒ xǐhuan lǚxíng? How did you know I like to travel? 我不知道怎么跟女孩子说话。 Wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme gēn nǚháizi shuōhuà. I don't know how to talk to girls.  Adjectival Predicate Sentence Basic sentence structure is “sentences with an adjectival predicate”. In Chinese it is called “ 形容词谓语句 xíngróngcí wèiyǔ jù”. This kind of sentence does not need a verb, as the adjective follows the subject directly. You have to notice that the adverb “ 很 hěn” is usually placed before the adjective. Subject + 很 hěn +Adj. Here the meaning of “ 很 hěn” is not so obvious. “Tiānqi hěn hǎo” and “tiānqi hǎo” are not so much different in degree. 天气很好。 Tiānqi hěn hǎo. The weather is fine. We usually use this kind of sentence to describe something or somebody. For example ：  Examples 熊猫很胖。 Xióngmāo hěn pàng. Pandas are fat. 它很可爱。 Tā hěn kěài. It’s cute. 它的眼睛很黑。 Tā de yǎnjīng hěn hēi. Its eyes are black. 它的身体很圆。 Tā de shēntǐ hěn yuán. It has a round body. 玛丽很漂亮。 Mǎ lì hěn piàoliang 。 Mary is beautiful. Sentences with serial-verb constructions This kind of sentence has two verbs or verbal phrases. The first verb or verbal phrase usually is “come, go or return”, and the second one is indicative of purpose. In English we call it the sentence with serial verbs or verbal phrases indicating purpose. The structure is ： S + V1 +(location)+ V2 （ The purpose of V1 is V2. ）  Examples 王小宝来中国学汉语。 Wáng Xiǎobǎo lái zhōngguó xué hànyǔ. Wang Xiaobao came to China to learn Chinese. 他们去上海看东方明珠。 Tāmen qù Shànghǎi kàn Dōngfāngmíngzhū. They went to Shanghai to see the Oriental Pearl Tower. 他去公园玩。 Tā qù ɡōnɡyuán wán. He goes to the park to play. 奶奶上街买菜。 Nǎinɑi shànɡjiē mǎi cài. Grandma went to the market to buy food.  Expressing "would like to/wish to" with "xiang" ( 想 ) The verb 想 (xiǎng) can be used to express "would like to.“ or “wish to” Structure Subj. + 想 + Verb (+ Obj.) Wo xiang he cha – I would like to drink tea Negate 想 (xiǎng) with 不 (bù) Structure Subj. + 不 + 想 + Verb + Obj.  Examples sentences 你 想 去 吗？ Nǐ xiǎng qù ma? 我们 想 看 电视。 Wǒmen xiǎng kàn diànshì. 他 想 买 一 个 大 房子。 Tā xiǎng mǎi yī gè dà fángzi. 他 不 想 花 父母 的 钱。 Tā bù xiǎng huā fùmǔ de qián. 我 不 想 回家。 Wǒ bù xiǎng huíjiā. 他们 不 想 去 酒吧。 Tāmen bù xiǎng qù jiǔbā.  The interrogative pronoun duoshao “ 多少 ” is used to ask about number greater than 10 " 多少 " is used when you want to find out a specific quantity of something. Unlike " 几 " which covers a quantity below 10, it can cover any number when used in a question. Also, it does not require a measure word to form a question. The measure word is optional. " 多少钱 " is a useful colloquial phrase to find out the price of an item. " 多少 " is not just used to ask about quantity, it can also be used to ask for a string of numbers, such as telephone or mobile number, password, etc.  Examples sentences 冰箱里有多少 ( 个 ) 苹果？ bīng xiāng li yǒu duō shǎo gè píng guǒ 这支笔多少钱？ zhè zhī bǐ duō shǎo qián? 你家的电话号码是多少？ nǐ jiā de diàn huà hào mǎ shì duō shǎo?  He is a teacher Shi- is/am/are He is in a classroom – zai – verb (to be) and preposition Ta zai jiaoshi li. Ta shi zai jiaoshi li The cat is under a table Mao zai zhuozi xiamian The dog is on the chair. Gou, shang, yizi Gou zai yizi shang.  Expressing existence at a place with "zai" “ 在” The verb 在 (zài) is used to express existence in a place. English does not have a verb exclusively for this purpose, and instead uses "to be" with a preposition. In Chinese, 在 (zài) can cover both of these roles. Sentence Structure Subj. + 在 + Place +  Examples sentences 1. 我在上海。 Wǒ zài Shànghǎi. 2. 他们在英国。 Tāmen zài Yīngguó. 3. 老板在外面。 Lǎobǎn zài wàimiàn. 4. 他不在学校。 Tā bù zài xuéxiào. 5. 她现在在家吗 ? Tā zài jiā ma ？ 6. Is she at home now? 7. 你在公司吗？ Nǐ zài gōngsī ma?  Zai “ 在” can also act as preposition It is used before word of locality to introduce the place where an action or behavior takes place. Sentence Structure Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb + Obj. Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears afterwards.  Examples sentences 1. 我 在 上海 上大学。 Wǒ zài Shànghǎi shàng dàxué. 2. 你 一直 在 这 家 公司 工作 吗？ Nǐ yīzhí zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò ma? 3. 我 周末 想 在 家 睡觉。 Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng zài jiā shuìjiào. 4. 不 要 在 床 (bed) 上 吃 东西。 Bùyào zài chuáng shàng chī dōngxi. 5. 你 想 在 哪儿 开 生日 派对？ Open/to hold Nǐ xiǎng zài nǎer/nali kāi shēngrì pàiduì? 6. 很 多 人 在 地铁 上 吃 早饭。 Hěn duō rén zài dìtiě shàng chī zǎofàn.  有 ( yǒu) 有 (yǒu) can be used in various ways, but fundamentally, it has two basic usages in Chinese: 1. Use 有 (yǒu) to Express Possession This is the most common scenario. People use 有 (yǒu) to indicate they own or possess something. It’s just like “to have” in English. Sentence pattern : subject + 有 (yǒu) + object  Examples sentences 1. 我有一个妹妹。 Wǒ yǒu yí gè mèimei. I have a younger sister. 2. 我们有三只猫。 Wǒmen yǒu sān zhī māo. We have 3 cats. 3. 猫有四条腿。 Māo yǒu sì tiáo tuǐ. Cat has four legs. 4 你有时间吗？ Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma? Do you have time? 5. 你们有英文菜单吗？ Nǐmen yǒu yīngwén càidān ma? Do you have an English menu?  2. Use 有 (yǒu) to Express Existence When 有 (yǒu) is used to express existence, it means “there is” or “there are” in English. Literally, it says the place has something, i.e, something (the object) is existent at that place. The place could simply be the name of a location or a location word (a.k.a. noun of locality) such as 里面 (lǐmiàn), 外面 (waimiàn), 上面 (shàngmiàn), etc. Sentence pattern : place + 有 (yǒu) + object  Examples sentences 1. 我家有五口人。 Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ kǒu rén. There are five people in my home. 2. 上海有很多外国公司。 Shànghǎi yǒu hěn duō wàiguó gōngsī. There are many foreign companies in Shanghai. 3. 公园里有很多老人。 Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǎo rén. There are many old people in the park. 4 房间里有人吗？ Fángjiān lǐ yǒu rén ma? Is there anybody in the room? 5. 我的包里有些钱。 Wǒ de bāo lǐ yǒu xiē qián. There is some money in my bag. You can use 有 (yǒu) to express possession or existence in the past, present, and future. There is no need to add particles like 了 (le), 过 (guò). Let’s look at some examples: 1. 小时候我有一只猫。 Xiǎo shíhou wǒ yǒu yì zhī māo. When I was young, I had a cat. 2. 明天我有一个会。 Míngtiān wǒ yǒu yí gè huì. I’ll have a meeting tomorrow. 3. 以前这里有个花园。 Yǐqián zhèli yǒu gè huāyuán. There was a garden here before. 4. 这个周末家里有客人。 Zhège zhōumò jiā lǐ yǒu kèrén. There will be visitors to the house this weekend.  Negating the verb “ 有” You may recognize the negation word 不 (bù). Indeed, in Chinese, you can negate almost any verb with 不 (bù), such as 不是 (bú shì), 不要 (bú yào), 不去 (bú qù). However, when dealing with the verb 有 (yǒu), you must use 没 (méi) to negate it. This stands as the sole exception in the realm of Chinese verbs. Sentence pattern : 没 (méi) + 有 (yǒu) + object  Examples sentences 1. 我没有钱。 Wǒ méiyǒu qián. I don’t have money. 2. 他没有房子。 Tā méiyǒu fángzi. He does not have a house. 3. 我的奶奶没有手机。 Wǒ de nǎinai méiyǒu shǒujī. My granny does not have a mobile phone. 4 这里 (zhe’r) 没有商店。 Zhèli méiyǒu shāngdiàn. There is no shop here. 5. 办公室里没有人吗？ Bàngōngshì lǐ méiyǒu rén ma? There is no one in the office?  Short Form of 没有 (méiyǒu): 没 (méi) 没有 (méiyǒu) can be shortened to simply 没 (méi) without changing its meaning. This is particularly common in spoken Chinese (and still grammatically correct!). Native speakers like keeping sentences short and concise. Example sentences: 我没有时间。 Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān. → 我没时间。 Wǒ méi shíjiān. I don’t have time. 他没有钱。 Tā méiyǒu qián. → 他没钱。 Tā méi qián. He dose not have money. 这里没有人。 Zhèli méiyǒu rén. → 这里没人。 Zhèli méi rén. There is no one here. 附近没有银行吗？ Fùjìn méiyǒu yínháng ma? → 附近没银行吗？ Fùjìn méi yínháng ma? There is no bank nearby?  Expressing Location and Existence in Chinese: Using 在 , 有 and 是 When describing the position of an object or person in a sentence, Mandarin Chinese commonly uses three verbs: 在 (zài), 是 (shì), and 有 (yǒu). These verbs convey different nuances and can be used in various sentence structures to indicate the location or existence of someone or something. Understanding how to use these verbs correctly is a fundamental part of the Chinese language, and they come up frequently in everyday situations, such as giving directions. Here, we will try to understand the difference between 在 , 是 , and 有 , offering examples to aid your understanding of their usage.  1. 在 (zài) Use “ 在” to show where someone or something is. Someone/something + 在 (verb) + Location word This pattern is similar as the English sentence structure “Something/someone is at some location.” 1. 刘老师在教室里。 Liú lǎoshī zài jiàoshì lǐ. Teacher Liu is in the classroom. 2. 银行在哪儿？ Yínháng zài nǎ’er? Where is the bank?  2. 有 (yǒu) Use“ 有” to show that someone or something exists in a particular place. Location word + 有 + Someone/something 1. 我家对面有一个公园。 Wǒjiā duìmiàn yǒu yígè gōngyuán. Across from our home, there is a park. 2. 教学楼前有很多自行车。 Jiàoxué lóu qián yǒu hěnduō zìxíngchē. There are many bicycles in front of the academic building.  3. 是 (shì) Use the following pattern to specify who or what is in a particular place when we already know that they exist there. Location word + 是 + Someone/something 1. 这个包里是什么东西？ Zhège bāo lǐ shì shénme dōngxi? What’s in this bag? 2. 孩子前边是妈妈。 Háizi qiánbian shì māma. Mother is in front of the child.  General comparison between 在 , 有 and 是 Basically,we can use these three common ways to express the position of an object: English sentence Chinese sentence B is A’s location 公园 在 我家的旁边 (Gōngyuán zài wǒjiā The park is next to my home. de pángbian.) A is B’s location 我家 的旁边 有 公园 (Wǒjiā de There is a park next to my home. pángbian yǒu gōngyuán.) A is B’s location 我家 的旁边 是 公园 (Wǒjiā de Next to my home is a park. pángbian shì gōngyuán.)  Note : However the difference between 有 and 是 : A sentence with 有 only denotes what exists in a certain place, while a sentence with 是 not only indicates that a certain thing exists in a certain place, but also further specifies what that thing is. A ： 我家旁边有一个公园.( Wǒjiā pángbiān yǒu yí gè gōngyuán.) There is a park next to my home. B ：是什么公园？ (Shì shénme gōngyuán?) What’s kind of that park?/ what’s name of that park? (B wants to know more information about that park in detail.) A: ( 我家旁边 ) 是景山公园。 (Wǒjiā pángbiān) shì jǐngshān gōngyuán. It’s Jingshan Park beside my home. Furthermore, the object of a sentence indicating existence with 有 is usually a general reference, while the object of a sentence indicating existence with 是 is usually a specific reference. Therefore, we can say “ 孩子前边有个人。 There is a person in front of the child,” but we wouldn’t say “ 孩子前边有 妈妈。 There is a mother in front of the child.” Instead, we  Conjunction 和 (and) Chinese, the conjunction 和 (hé) is primarily used to In connect nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns, functioning similarly to the English word "and." Don't try to link verbs (or whole sentences) with 和 (hé). Structure : Noun 1 + 和 + Noun 2 Example sentences: 1. 老板 喜欢 咖啡 和 茶。 Lǎobǎn xǐhuan kāfēi hé chá. 2. 你爸爸和你 妈妈 都 是美国 人 吗 ？ Nǐ bàba hé nǐ māma dōu shì Měiguó rén ma? 3. 手机 和 电脑 都 很 贵 。 Shǒujī hé diànnǎo dōu hěn guì (expensive).  Modal verb “ 能 (néng) “ 能 (néng) is one of several Chinese words that is normally translated as "can" in English. However, 能 (néng) is used to emphasize one's ability or the possibility of something happening. Structure: Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj. This structure is used to indicate "ability"  Examples sentences 1. 我 能 吃 四 十 个 饺子。 Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi. I can eat 40 dumplings. 2. 他 能 工作 24 个 小时。 Tā néng gōngzuò èrshí-sì gè xiǎoshí. He can work for 24 hours. 3. 一 岁 的 宝宝 能 说话 吗？ Yī suì de bǎobao néng shuōhuà ma? Can a one year old baby talk? Expressing Possibility When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, 能 (néng) generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action. In other words, it's not possible. Structure The structure to use 能 (néng) to express possibility is exactly the same: Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.  Examples sentences 1. 开车 一 个 小时 能到 家 吗？ Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí néng dào jiā ma? Is it possible to drive home in one hour? 2. 他们 明天 能 早 点 来 吗？ Tāmen míngtiān néng zǎo diǎn lái ma? Would it be possible for them to come a little early tomorrow? 3. 你 能 告诉 我 她的 手机号码 吗 ？ Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma? Could you tell me her mobile number?  DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 能 AND 会 会 (huì) and 能 (néng) are modal verbs, all of which can be translated as “can” in English. 会 means “know how to” and expresses an action that you had to learn or be trained to do. 能 means “to be able to” and expresses having a certain ability or having obtained a certain requirement.  EXPRESSING ABILITY WITH 能 AND 会 Both 会 and 能 can express the ability to do something. 会 is used to express a skill that has been learned or studied. In this case, it means “to know how to”. 能 is used to express natural ability, i.e. when talking about activities that are not consciously learned or studied. It means “being able to”. Pattern Subject + （不）会 / 能 + Verb + Object 1. 我会开车 (to know how to) ，但是我今天喝酒了，不能开 车 (being not able to) 。 Wǒ huì kāichē (to know how to), dànshì wǒ jīntiān hējiǔle, bùnéng kāichē (being not able to).  Example sentences 1. 他不会修手机。 tā bù huì xiū shǒujī. 2. 你会说法语吗？ nǐ huì shuō fǎyǔ ma? 3. 我今天不能去上班。 wǒ jīntiān bùnéng qù shàngbān. 4. 你能吃三个汉堡 nǐ néng chī sān gè hànbǎo ma? 5. 你能不能帮我搬桌子？ nǐ néng bùnéng bāng wǒ bān zhuōzi?  EXPRESSING POSSIBILITY WITH 能 AND 会 能 and 会 can also be used to express possibility, 不能 means it’s not possible (not allowed or not capable of). 会 is often used to express trends or possibilities with the meaning that something is going to happen. 会 is regarded as a near future, and closer Subject in meaning to + 会 /going “be 能 + Verb + Object to” or “will”.  我星期天能去看电影。 wǒxīngqítiān néng qù kàn diànyǐng. (It is possible) 我星期天会去看电影。 wǒ xīngqítiān huì qù kàn diànyǐng. (I am sure) míngtiān wǒ néng zǎo dào xuéxiào. 明天我能早到学校。 míngtiān wǒ huì zǎo dào xuéxiào. 明天我会早到学校。  Time The Hours in Chinese Can you express the time in Chinese precisely? InChina, people are used to the twenty-four-hour clock. In order to master telling the time in Mandarin Chinese, first let’s look the following 2 words: 小时 (xiǎo shí) — hour 点 (diǎn) — o’clock Aswe mentioned above, “hour” in Chinese is 小时 (xiǎo shí), and 钟头 (zhōng tóu) is another way to say “hours” in daily conversation; it’s less formal than 小时 (xiǎo shí). However, to make it more convenient for speech, we usually just say the simplified version of 点钟 (diǎn zhōng), which is 点 (diǎn). Now, how do you say the time in Chinese exactly? Easy. To express any hour, all you need to do is say the number first and add 点 (diǎn) / 点钟 (diǎn zhōng) right after. For example,  Example sentence: 1. 现在是 16 点钟。 Xiàn zài shì shí liù diǎn. Additional Notes: Remember that when referring to time and currency, 两 (liǎng) is used for “two” instead of 二 (èr), which is used more commonly for counting.  The Minutes in Chinese Meitian (Every day), Ni jidian (what time) qi (rise, wake up) chuang (bed) Qilai – standup, start , get up, get out , remove, pull out 15 mins – yike, shiwu fen/fenzhong 30 mins – ban, sanshi fen/fenzhong 45 – sishiwu fenzhong – 15 + 15 + 15 – sanke 4.45 – sidian sanke  分钟 (fēn zhōng) is one of the most important time words in Chinese, meaning “minute.” Usually, people simplify it and just say 分 (fēn), which means the same thing. To express any specific minute at any hour, you just need to follow this formula: [number] “ 点 (diǎn) / 点钟 (diǎn zhōng)” + [number] “ 分 (fēn).” Usage in a sentence: 1. 现在是三点十八分。 Xiàn zài shì sān diǎn shí bā fēn.  General Time References of the Day What if you just want to give an approximate time in Chinese? Here are some words you can use to tell someone a general time of day. 早晨 (zǎo chén) — early morning 日出 (rì chū) — sunrise 下午 (xià wǔ) — afternoon 晚上 (wǎn shàng) — evening 中午 (zhōng wǔ) — noon 日落 (rì luò) — sunset 夜里 (yè lǐ) — at night 半夜 (bàn yè) — midnight 凌晨 (líng chén) — before dawn 1. 我喜欢在 [ 下午 ] 的时候吃水果。 Wǒ xǐhuan zài [xià wǔ] de shíhou chī shuǐguǒ.  Asking how something is with "zenmeyang“ ( 怎么样 ) Youmay know that 怎么 (zěnme) can mean "how", but by adding to it and making it 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng), you can ask how something is, or what it is like. Basic Usage Structure This question form is super simple. It is similar to asking the question, "how is...?“ Subj. + 怎么样 ?  Example sentences 1. 你 最近 怎么样 ？ (Nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng ?) 2. 中国 怎么样 ？ (Zhōngguò zěnmeyàng ?) 3. 北京 冬天 怎么样 ？ (Běijīng dōngtiān zěnmeyàng ?) 4. 今天 天气 怎么样 ？ (Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng ?) 5. 你 妹妹 的 工作 怎么样 ？ (Nǐ mèimei dē gōngzuò zěnmeyàng ?) 6. 你的 新 手机 怎么样 ？ (Nǐ de xīn shǒujī zěnmeyàng ?)  Asking Opinions Structure In this pattern, you're directly asking for an opinion in an open-ended way. 你 觉得 + Topic + 怎么样 ? This is like asking, "what do you think of...?"  Example sentences 1. 你觉得上海怎么样 ？ Nǐ juéde Shànghǎi zěnmeyàng ? 2. 你觉得中文怎么样 ？ 难学 吗 ？ (Nǐ juéde Zhōngwén zěnmeyàng? Nánxué ma?) 3. 你觉得香港的夜景怎么样？ (Nǐ juédé Xiānggǎng de yèjǐng zěnmeyàng ？ ) 4. 你觉得这个手机好用吗？ (Nǐ juédé zhègè shǒujī hǎo yòng má ？ ) 5. 你觉得这个颜色怎么样？ (Nǐ juédé zhègè yánsè zěnmeyàng ？ )  Sentences with Subject - Predicate Phrase as the Predicate In Chinese grammar, sentences with a "Subject-Predicate Phrase as the Predicate" structure are sentences where the predicate itself is a subject-predicate phrase. This type of sentence typically provides more detailed information about the subject. Structure and Explanation A sentence with a subject-predicate phrase as the predicate can be broken down as follows: Subject : The topic or main focus of the sentence. Predicate : A subject-predicate phrase that describes or gives more information about the subject. Inthese sentences, the predicate is not a simple verb or adjective but rather a full subject-predicate structure in itself. This kind of sentence is useful for providing detailed descriptions or explanations.  Examples and Analysis 1. 他身体很好。 (Tā shēntǐ hěn hǎo 。 ) Subject: 他 (He) Predicate: 身体很好 (His health is very good) Explanation: The predicate " 身体很好 " itself contains a subject " 身体 " (health) and a predicate " 很好 " (is very good). 2. 这件事大家都知道。 (Zhè jiànshì dàjiā dōu zhīdào) Subject: 这件事 (This matter) Predicate: 大家都知道 (Everyone knows) Explanation: The predicate " 大家都知道 " includes a subject " 大家 " (everyone) and a predicate " 都知道 " (knows). 3. 今天我们有很多作业。 (Jīntiān Wǒmén yǒu hěn duō zuòyè 。 ) Subject: 今天 (Today) Predicate: 我们有很多作业 (We have a lot of homework) Explanation: The predicate " 我们有很多作业 " includes a subject " 我们 " (we) and a predicate " 有很多作业 " (have a lot of homework). 4. 她学习很认真。 (Tā xuéxí hěn rènzhēn 。 ) Subject: 她 (She) Predicate: 学习很认真 (studies very diligently) Explanation: The predicate " 学习很认真 " includes a subject " 学习 " (studies) and a predicate " 很认真 " (is very diligent).  Adverb " 太“ (Tài) 太 (tài) is an adverb in Chinese that translates to "too" or "excessively" in English. It is used to emphasize the degree or extent of an adjective or verb, often implying that something is beyond a desirable level. Uses of 太 Expressing Excessiveness Expressing High Degree (Positively) Expressing a Strong Emotion or Reaction 1. Expressing Excessiveness 太 is often used to express that something is too much or excessively so. Example: 这件衣服太贵了。 (Zhè jiàn yīfú tài guì le.) - This piece of clothing is too expensive. 2. Expressing High Degree (Positively) 太 can also be used to express a high degree of a quality, usually followed by 了 (le) to indicate an exclamation. Example: 你太棒了！ (Nǐ tài bàng le!) - You are wonderful! 3. Expressing a Strong Emotion or Reaction It is used to express strong emotions or reactions, whether positive or negative. Example: 太好了！ (Tài hǎo le!) - Wonderful!  Interjection 喂 (wèi or wéi) Theinterjection 喂 (wèi or wéi) in the Chinese language is versatile and widely used in various contexts. It is an important part of conversational Chinese, often serving different purposes depending on the tone and situation. Below is a detailed explanation of its uses: 1. Greeting or Attention-Getting Usage: 喂 is commonly used to catch someone's attention or as a casual greeting, similar to saying "hey" or "hello" in English. Example: 喂，你好！ (Wèi, nǐ hǎo!) – "Hello, hey there!" 喂，等一下！ (Wèi, děng yīxià!) – "Hey, wait a moment!" 2. Telephone Conversations Usage: 喂 is frequently used when answering or making phone calls. It is akin to saying "hello" when picking up the phone. Example: 喂？请问您找谁？ (Wéi? Qǐng wèn nín zhǎo shéi?) – "Hello? Who are you looking for?" 喂，我是小明。 (Wéi, wǒ shì Xiǎomíng.) – "Hello, this is Xiaoming." Cultural Considerations Casual Tone: 喂 is often informal and might not be suitable for very formal or professional settings. Intonation Matters: The tone and context in which 喂 is used can significantly change its meaning. It can be perceived as friendly, rude, or urgent depending on the situation. Politeness: While 喂 is acceptable in many situations, using a person's name or title can be more polite, especially in professional contexts.  在……呢 (zài...ne) Thisgrammatical pattern is used to express continuous actions or ongoing states, similar to the present continuous tense in English (e.g., "is doing" or "is happening"). This pattern highlights an action or situation that is currently in progress. Structure and Usage 在……呢 is typically used in the following structure: Subject + 在 + Verb + Object + 呢 This structure emphasizes the action or state that is occurring at the moment of speaking. It can also add a sense of immediacy or focus to what the speaker is conveying.  Examples and Explanations 1. Describing Ongoing Actions Example: 他在吃饭呢。 (Tā zài chī fàn ne.) Translation: "He is eating." Explanation: The sentence indicates that the action of eating is happening right now. 2 Describing Ongoing Situations or States Example: 天气在变暖呢。 (Tiānqì zài biàn nuǎn ne.) Translation: "The weather is getting warmer." Explanation: The pattern describes an ongoing change in the weather. 3. Emphasizing Actions in Progress Example: 你在看什么书呢？ (Nǐ zài kàn shénme shū ne?) Translation: "What book are you reading?" Explanation: The question emphasizes the action of reading and seeks to know what book is being read at the moment. 4. Highlighting Activities with a Time Frame Example: 我们在开会呢，从上午九点开始。 (Wǒmen zài kāihuì ne, cóng shàngwǔ jiǔ diǎn kāishǐ.) Translation: "We are having a meeting, starting from 9 AM." Explanation: The sentence indicates the current activity along with its starting time, emphasizing its ongoing nature. 5. Indicating Continuous or Repeated Actions Example: 小孩子们在玩游戏呢。 (Xiǎo háizimen zài wán yóuxì ne.) Translation: "The children are playing games." Explanation: The sentence focuses on the continuous action of playing Nuances and Considerations Context and Tone: The use of 呢 adds a conversational tone, making the sentence feel more immediate and lively. It often implies that the speaker is interested or involved in the action being described. Regional Variations: In some regions, the 呢 at the end of the sentence might be omitted in casual speech, but 在 still indicates ongoing action. Use in Questions: The pattern is also commonly used in questions to inquire about ongoing activities. Example: 你在做什么呢？ (Nǐ zài zuò shénme ne?) Translation: "What are you doing?"  Additional Examples 1 他们在看电影呢。 (Tāmen zài kàn diànyǐng ne.) Translation: "They are watching a movie." 2 老师在讲课呢，请安静。 (Lǎoshī zài jiǎng kè ne, qǐng ānjìng.) Translation: "The teacher is giving a lesson, please be quiet." 3 妈妈在做饭呢。 (Māma zài zuò fàn ne.) Translation: "Mom is cooking." 4 他在忙工作呢。 (Tā zài máng gōngzuò ne.) Translation: "He is busy working." 5 我在学习中文呢。 (Wǒ zài xuéxí zhōngwén ne.) Translation: "I am studying Chinese."  Modal particle 吧 (ba) Themodal particle 吧 (ba) in Chinese is a versatile word often used to add nuance to sentences. It can express suggestions, soften statements, show agreement, and more. Its usage is determined by context and tone, making it an essential tool for conveying subtleties in conversation. Uses of 吧 (ba) 1. Making Suggestions or Proposals 吧 is commonly used to suggest or propose an action, similar to saying "let's" or "how about" in English. It implies a sense of cooperation or consideration. Example: 我们去看电影吧。 (Wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐng ba.) Translation: "Let's go watch a movie." Explanation: The speaker is proposing an idea and inviting the listener to agree. 2 Giving Advice or Recommendations 吧 can be used to offer advice or make recommendations. It makes the advice sound softer and more polite. Example: 你还是多休息一下吧。 (Nǐ háishì duō xiūxi yīxià ba.) Translation: "You should probably get more rest." Explanation: The speaker is gently advising the listener to rest more. 3 Expressing Uncertainty or Tentativeness 吧 can indicate uncertainty or a guess, similar to saying "I guess" or "probably" in English. It shows that the speaker is not entirely sure about what they're saying. Example: 他可能已经到了吧。 (Tā kěnéng yǐjīng dàole ba.) Translation: "He has probably arrived by now." Explanation: The speaker is making an educated guess about the situation. 4 Soften Commands or Requests 吧 can make commands or requests sound less forceful, giving them a more polite or gentle tone. Example: 请坐下吧。 (Qǐng zuò xià ba.) Translation: "Please have a seat." Explanation: The particle softens the request, making it sound more courteous. 5 Indicating Agreement or Acceptance 吧 can be used to express agreement, often reluctantly or with a sense of compromise. Example: 好吧，我同意。 (Hǎo ba, wǒ tóngyì.) Translation: "Alright, I agree." Explanation: The speaker is agreeing, possibly after some consideration. Nuances and Considerations Tone Matters: The tone and context can greatly affect the meaning of 吧. A rising intonation may indicate a question, while a falling tone might suggest certainty or a decision. Politeness: Using 吧 can make sentences sound more polite and less direct, which is often appreciated in Chinese communication. Versatility: 吧 is versatile and widely used in both spoken and written Chinese, making it an important part of everyday language. 了 (le) to Show Completion or Occurrence The Chinese particle 了 (le) is a versatile grammatical marker that indicates the completion or occurrence of an action. It is often used to convey that something has happened or that a change of state has occurred. Understanding how 了 functions in sentences, along with its negative forms, is crucial for mastering Mandarin Chinese. 1. Usage of 了 to Show Completion or Occurrence 了 is primarily used to indicate: The completion of an action. A change in state or condition. An action that has occurred in the past. Structure Subject + Verb + 了 + Object  Examples and Explanations 1 Indicating Completed Action: Example: 我吃了饭。 (Wǒ chī le fàn.) Translation: "I ate the meal." Explanation: The action of eating is complete. 了 indicates that the meal has been eaten. 2 Emphasizing Past Occurrence: Example: 昨天下雨了。 (Zuótiān xià yǔ le.) Translation: "It rained yesterday." Explanation: The use of 了 confirms that the rain occurred in the past. 3 After Verbs Indicating Completion: Example: 我们看完了电影。 (Wǒmen kàn wán le diànyǐng.) Translation: "We finished watching the movie." Explanation: 了 indicates the completion of the action of watching the movie.  2. Position of 了 in Sentences The position of 了 in a sentence can change its meaning: After the Verb: Indicates completion or occurrence. Example: 我买了书。 (Wǒ mǎi le shū.) Translation: "I bought the book." At the End of the Sentence: Indicates a change of state or new situation. Example: 他走了。 (Tā zǒu le.) Translation: "He has left." Explanation: The sentence implies that the person is no longer present, marking a change of state. Both After the Verb and at the End: Example: 我吃了饭了。 (Wǒ chī le fàn le.) Translation: "I have eaten." Explanation: Emphasizes the completion and current relevance of the action.  3. Negative Form of 了 negate the completion of an action expressed by 了 , 没 (méi) or 没有 To (méiyǒu) is used instead of 了. This negates the occurrence or completion of an action. Structure Subject + 没 ( 有 ) + Verb + Object Examples and Explanations Negating Completed Action: Example: 我没吃饭。 (Wǒ méi chī fàn.) Translation: "I didn't eat." Explanation: 没 negates the action of eating, indicating it did not occur. Negating Past Occurrence: Example: 昨天没下雨。 (Zuótiān méi xià yǔ.) Translation: "It didn’t rain yesterday." Explanation: 没 indicates that the rain did not happen. With Verbs Indicating Completed Action: Example: 我们还没看完电影。 (Wǒmen hái méi kàn wán diànyǐng.) Translation: "We haven’t finished watching the movie yet." Explanation: 没 is used to indicate that the movie-watching has not been completed.  Noun - 后 (hòu) TheChinese noun 后 (hòu) is a versatile character with several meanings and uses. It is commonly associated with time, sequence, position, and sometimes even family relations. 后 is often used to indicate time-related concepts, particularly referring to what comes after or later. It can mean "after," "later," "behind," or "subsequent." Examples and Explanations 1 After (in Time) Example: 放学后，我去打篮球。 (Fàngxué hòu, wǒ qù dǎ lánqiú.) Translation: "After school, I go play basketball." 后 is used to indicate an event that occurs after Explanation: another event (school). 2 Later Example: 稍后再联系我。 (Shāo hòu zài liánxì wǒ.) 联系方式 – (lianxi fangshi – contact details) Translation: "Contact me later." Explanation: 后 is used to refer to a point in time that comes later than the current moment.  Modal particle - 啊 (a) The Chinese modal particle 啊 (a) is a versatile and commonly used character in spoken Mandarin. It serves to convey various emotions, add emphasis, soften tones, or make sentences more colloquial. The meaning and effect of 啊 depend significantly on context, intonation, and pronunciation, making it a rich and nuanced part of Chinese communication. 1. Expressing Emotions 啊 can convey a wide range of emotions, including surprise, excitement, happiness, annoyance, and more. The specific emotion is often determined by the tone and context in which it is used.  Examples and Explanations 1 Surprise or Realization Example: 啊！你来了！ (Ā! Nǐ lái le!) Translation: "Ah! You're here!" Explanation: 啊 is used to express surprise or a sudden realization. 2 Excitement or Happiness Example: 太好了啊！ (Tài hǎo le a!) Translation: "That's great!" Explanation: 啊 adds excitement and enthusiasm to the statement. 3 Annoyance or Frustration Example: 哎呀，这么难啊！ (Āiyā, zhème nán a!) Translation: "Oh no, this is so difficult!" Explanation: 啊 expresses frustration or annoyance about a situation. 4 Amazement or Admiration Example: 哇，这花真漂亮啊！ (Wā, zhè huā zhēn piàoliang a!) Translation: "Wow, this flower is really beautiful!" 啊 adds a sense of amazement or admiration to Explanation: the statement. Adding Emphasis 啊 can be used to add emphasis to a statement, drawing attention to a particular point or making the speech more engaging. Examples and Explanations Emphasizing a Statement Example: 这道菜真好吃啊！ (Zhè dào cài zhēn hǎochī a!) Translation: "This dish is really delicious!" Explanation: 啊 emphasizes the deliciousness of the dish. Highlighting Importance Example: 你一定要来啊！ (Nǐ yīdìng yào lái a!) Translation: "You must come!" Explanation: 啊 adds urgency and importance to the statement. Chinese grammatical pattern 是……的 The Chinese grammatical pattern 是……的 is used to emphasize certain details about an event or action, such as time, place, manner, purpose, or the person involved. This structure is similar to the way English might use emphasis to highlight specific information. It is particularly useful for specifying and clarifying information that may already be known or expected in a conversation. Here'sa detailed explanation of how the 是……的 structure works, along with its applications and examples:  Structure and Usage The basic structure of 是……的 is: Subject + 是 + (emphasized detail) + Verb + 的 + (emphasized detail) Key Functions of 是……的 Emphasizing Time Whenyou want to emphasize when something happened, you can use 是……的 to highlight the time. Example: 我是昨天去的。 (Wǒ shì zuótiān qù de.) Translation: "I went yesterday." Explanation:The sentence emphasizes that the action of going took place yesterday.  Emphasizing Place You can emphasize where an action occurred using this structure. Example: 他们是在上海认识的。 (Tāmen shì zài Shànghǎi rènshi de.) Translation: "They met in Shanghai." Explanation: The emphasis is on the location where they met. Emphasizing Manner or Means This structure can be used to stress how or by what means an action was done. Example: 他是坐飞机来的。 (Tā shì zuò fēijī lái de.) Translation: "He came by plane." Explanation: The sentence emphasizes the mode of transportation.  Emphasizing Purpose It can also be used to highlight the purpose or reason for an action. Example: 我是为了工作来的。 (Wǒ shì wèile gōngzuò lái de.) Translation: "I came for work." Explanation: The sentence emphasizes the reason for coming. Emphasizing the Person or Subject Involved You can emphasize who performed the action or who was involved. Example: 书是他写的。 (Shū shì tā xiě de.) Translation: "The book was written by him." Explanation: The emphasis is on who wrote the book.  Nuances and Considerations Past Tense Emphasis: The 是……的 structure is often used in the past tense to highlight specific details of an action or event. It’s not used for future actions or habitual actions without a specific context. Optional 是 : The 是 in the 是……的 structure is sometimes omitted, especially in spoken Chinese, when the emphasis is clear from the context. Example Without 是 : 我昨天去的。 (Wǒ zuótiān qù de.) Translation: "I went yesterday." Not for New Information: This pattern is used when the listener is already aware of the action but not the details. It's not typically used to introduce completely new information.