{"id":3019,"date":"2019-10-30T01:24:27","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T01:24:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-grammar\/10-basic-chinese-grammar-points-for-beginners\/"},"modified":"2019-10-30T01:24:27","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T01:24:27","slug":"10-basic-chinese-grammar-points-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/mm\/10-basic-chinese-grammar-points-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"10 basic Chinese grammar points for beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"
Here are ten basic Chinese grammar points that everyone interested in the language should know. If you’ve recently started learning Chinese, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re familiar with these points.<\/p>\n

The grammar points listed here might make a nice refresher if you’ve already got a few Chinese lessons under your belt. o<\/em>nce you’ve been studying for a while, they’ll probably seem very obvious!<\/p>\n

Basic Chinese Grammar 101<\/p>\n

Talk a<\/em>bout locations with \u5728 (zài)<\/p>\n

To talk a<\/em>bout things being in places, use the word \u5728 (zài). This is actually a verb, so you don’t need to use any other words to talk a<\/em>bout something being somewher.<\/p>\n

The structure is:<\/p>\n

[something] \u5728 [place]
Have a look at some example:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u5728\u8fd9\u91cc\u3002
W\u01d2 zài zhèl\u01d0.
I am here.
\u4f60\u5728\u90a3\u91cc\u3002
N\u01d0 zài nàl\u01d0.
You are there.
\u4e0a\u6d77\u5728\u4e2d\u56fd\u3002
Shàngh\u01cei zài Zh\u014dngguó.
Shanghai is in China.
\u732b\u5728\u6c99\u53d1\u4e0a\u3002
M\u0101o zài sh\u0101f\u0101 shàng.
The cat is on the sofa.
Notice how English uses the verb “to be” wher Chinese uses \u5728. English also uses prepositions – “to be in” – wheras Chinese often just uses \u5728.<\/p>\n

Use measure words with nouns<\/p>\n

Measure words are used whenever you talk a<\/em>bout quantities in Chinese. You can’t attach numbers directly to nouns – you have to put a measure word in between.<\/p>\n

There are different measure words for different categories of things. For example, the measure word for books is \u672c (b\u011bn), whilst the measure word for flat things is \u5f20 (zh\u0101ng).<\/p>\n

Luckily, there is also a general purpose measure word: \u4e2a (ge). This can be used for pretty much everything, but it’s better to use more specific measure words when you can.<\/p>\n

Talk a<\/em>bout having things with \u6709 (y\u01d2u)<\/p>\n

You can talk a<\/em>bout having things with the word \u6709 (y\u01d2u) – “to have”. Remember that you don’t need to co<\/em>njugate (change) verbs in Chinese, so \u6709 is always \u6709 no matter whom you’re talking a<\/em>bout.<\/p>\n

The structure is simply:<\/p>\n

[subject] \u6709 [object]
Let’s have a look at some example sentences. Notice that the nouns in the sentences have measure words before them: \u4e2a (ge), \u672c (b\u011bn) and \u628a (b\u01ce).<\/p>\n

\u6211\u6709\u4e00\u4e2a\u59b9\u59b9\u3002
W\u01d2 y\u01d2u y\u012b gè mèimei.
I have a younger sister.
\u6211\u6709\u4e00\u672c\u4e66\u3002
W\u01d2 y\u01d2u y\u012b b\u011bn sh\u016b.
I have a book.
\u4ed6\u6709\u4e00\u628a\u67aa\uff01
T\u0101 y\u01d2u y\u012b b\u01ce qi\u0101ng!
He has a gun!
Hopefully you won’t ever have to use the last example sentence there.<\/p>\n

\u662f (shì) is not exactly the same as “to be”<\/p>\n

The closest equivalent of the English word “to be” in Chinese is \u662f (shì). This is used to l<\/em>ink nouns to other nouns. The structure is:<\/p>\n

[noun] \u662f [noun]
Let’s have a look at some examples:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u662f\u5b66\u751f\u3002
W\u01d2 shì xuésh\u0113ng.
I am a student.
\u4ed6\u662f\u8001\u5e08\u3002
T\u0101 shì l\u01ceosh\u012b.
He is a teacher.
\u5979\u662f\u533b\u751f\u3002
T\u0101 shì y\u012bsh\u0113ng.
She is a doctor.
\u8fd9\u662f\u4e66\u3002
Zhè shì sh\u016b.
This is a book.
Notice how \u662f is used to talk a<\/em>bout one noun being another. You can’t use \u662f to l<\/em>ink adjectives to nouns, though, as in “this book is heavy”. To do that, you have to use \u5f88 (h\u011bn).<\/p>\n

The basic structure for \u5f88 (h\u011bn) is the same as for \u662f, but \u5f88 is used with adjectives. Have a look at some example sentences:<\/p>\n

\u8fd9\u672c\u4e66\u5f88\u91cd\u3002
Zhè b\u011bn sh\u016b h\u011bn zhòng.
This book is heavy.
\u5979\u5f88\u9ad8\u3002
T\u0101 h\u011bn g\u0101o.
She is tall.
\u6211\u4eec\u5f88\u9ad8\u5174\u3002
W\u01d2men h\u011bn g\u0101oxìng.
We are happy.
Sometimes \u5f88 is translated as “very”, but opinions vary on how accurate this is. We think it’s simply used to l<\/em>ink adjectives to nouns, whilst others think it also intensifies the adjectives.<\/p>\n

Talk a<\/em>bout wanting things with \u8981 (yào)<\/p>\n

You can talk a<\/em>bout directly wanting something with the word \u8981 (yào). This word is also used to talk a<\/em>bout the future, as in “I’m going to do” something.<\/p>\n

\u8981 is quite versatile and can be used with nouns or verbs:<\/p>\n

[subject] \u8981 [noun]
or
[subject] \u8981 [action]
Have a look at some examples:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u8981\u4e00\u4e2a\u4e09\u660e\u6cbb\u3002
W\u01d2 yào y\u012bgè s\u0101nmíngzhì.
I want a sandwich.
\u6211\u8981\u5403\u4e09\u660e\u6cbb\u3002
W\u01d2 yào ch\u012b s\u0101nmíngzhì.
I’m going to eat a sandwich \/ I want to eat a sandwich.
\u5979\u8981\u53bb\u5317\u4eac\u3002
T\u0101 yào qù B\u011bij\u012bng.
She’s going to go to Beijing.
\u6211\u4eec\u8981\u8d70\u4e86\u3002
W\u01d2men yào z\u01d2u le.
We’re going to leave.
Be careful when using \u8981 to mean “to want”, as it could be quite abrupt, just as in English.<\/p>\n

Negate \u6709 (y\u01d2u) with \u6ca1 (méi)<\/p>\n

To talk a<\/em>bout “not having” something, you negate the word \u6709 (y\u01d2u) with \u6ca1 (méi). Remember this im<\/em>portant point: if you negate \u6709, always use \u6ca1. The two words go together.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u6ca1\u6709\u8f66\u3002
W\u01d2 méiy\u01d2u ch\u0113.
I don’t have a car.
\u4ed6\u4eec\u6ca1\u6709\u94b1\u3002
T\u0101men méiy\u01d2u qián.
They don’t have money.
\u4ed6\u6ca1\u6709\u5b66\u4f4d\u3002
T\u0101 méiy\u01d2u xuéwèi.
He doesn’t have a degree.
That’s how you negate \u6709. But there’s a different word for everything else!<\/p>\n

Negate everything else with \u4e0d (bù)<\/p>\n

Every other verb apart from \u6709 is negated with \u4e0d (bù). \u4e0d is pretty much equivalent to “not” or “don’t” in English. It goes before a verb and negates it.<\/p>\n

Some examples:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u4e0d\u559c\u6b22\u5564\u9152\u3002
W\u01d2 bù x\u01d0huan píji\u01d4.
I don’t like beer.
\u6211\u4e0d\u8981\u53bb\u7ebd\u7ea6\u3002
W\u01d2 búyào qù Ni\u01d4yu\u0113.
I’m not going to New York.
\u6211\u4e0d\u60f3\u5ff5\u4ed6\u4eec\u3002
W\u01d2 bù xi\u01cengniàn t\u0101men.
I don’t miss them.
Remember to negate \u6709 with \u6ca1, and everything else with \u4e0d.<\/p>\n

Mark possession with \u7684 (de)<\/p>\n

The most common character in Chinese is \u7684 (de). That’s because \u7684 is used all the time to mark possession. That means that it’s used to talk a<\/em>bout things belo<\/em>nging to other things, or to attach qualities to things.<\/p>\n

\u7684 is extremely versatile in Chinese. Pretty much any relatio<\/em>nship wher one thing belo<\/em>ngs to another, or is the property of another, can be described with \u7684.<\/p>\n

\u7684 is kind of equivalent to ’s (apostrophe s) in English. It goes between two things to indicate possession. But it’s used very widely to attach any kind of quality or possession.<\/p>\n

Some examples:<\/p>\n

\u8fd9\u662f\u4f60\u7684\u3002
Zhè shì n\u01d0de.
This is yours.
\u90a3\u662f\u5c0f\u674e\u7684\u4e66\u3002
Nà shì Xi\u01ceo L\u01d0 de sh\u016b.
That is Xiao Li’s book.
\u8fd9\u662f\u6211\u7684\u7535\u8bdd\u53f7\u7801\u3002
Zhè shì w\u01d2de diànhuà hàom\u01ce.
This is my phone number.
\u8fd9\u662f\u4ed6\u4eec\u7684\u623f\u5b50\u3002
Zhè shì t\u0101mende fángzi.
This is their house.
\u8fd9\u6761\u88e4\u5b50\u662f\u9ed1\u8272\u7684\u3002
Zhè tiáo kùzi shì h\u0113isè de.
These trousers are black.
\u5979\u662f\u4e00\u4e2a\u5f88\u91cd\u8981\u7684\u4eba\u3002
T\u0101 shì y\u012bgè h\u011bn zhòngyào de rén.
She is a very im<\/em>portant person.
You might want to have a look at a more challenging example sentence for \u7684. Don’t worry if this is beyond your ability at the moment, though:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u4eca\u5929\u5b66\u7684\u4e1c\u897f\u5f88\u6709\u610f\u601d\u3002
W\u01d2 j\u012bnti\u0101n xué de d\u014dngxi h\u011bn y\u01d2uyìsi.
The things I have learnt today are very interesting.
The main point to remember is that \u7684 can attach pretty much anything to anything else. You’ll get more used to it the more you read and listen to Chinese.<\/p>\n

l<\/em>ink nouns with \u548c (hé)<\/p>\n

The most common way to express “and” in Chinese is probably \u548c (hé). Remember, though, that \u548c can o<\/em>nly be used to l<\/em>ink nouns. You can’t l<\/em>ink verbs together with \u548c.<\/p>\n

\u548c is used to l<\/em>ink nouns in the same way “and” is used in English. Some examples:<\/p>\n

\u6211\u548c\u6211\u54e5\u54e5\u8981\u53bb\u5317\u4eac\u3002
W\u01d2 hé w\u01d2 g\u0113g\u0113 yào qù B\u011bij\u012bng.
My brother and I are going to Beijing.
\u6211\u559c\u6b22\u7c73\u996d\u548c\u9762\u6761\u3002
W\u01d2 x\u01d0huan m\u01d0fàn hé miàntiáo.
I like rice and noodles.
\u6211\u548c\u4f60\u4e00\u6837\u3002
W\u01d2 hé n\u01d0 y\u012byàng.
You and I are the same.
l<\/em>ink nouns with \u548c but not verbs. l<\/em>inking verbs in Chinese is a bit more complicated so we won’t look at it here.<\/p>\n

Ask yes\/no questions with \u5417 (ma)<\/p>\n

Finally, use \u5417 (ma) to ask yes \/ no questions in Chinese. These questions are also known as polar questions or binary questions. You can turn any statement into a yes \/ no question simply by putting \u5417 at the end.<\/p>\n

Some examples:<\/p>\n

\u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u4ed6\u5417\uff1f
N\u01d0 x\u01d0huan t\u0101 ma?
Do you like him?
\u8fd9\u662f\u4f60\u7684\u5417\uff1f
Zhè shì n\u01d0de ma?
Is this yours?
\u4f60\u8981\u53bb\u4e0a\u6d77\u5417\uff1f
N\u01d0 yào qù Shàngh\u01cei ma?
Are you going to go to Shanghai?
<\/div>\n