\tMandarin Chinese sentence structure is quite different than English or other European languages. Since the word order doesn't match, sentences which are translated word-for-word to Mandarin will be difficult to understand. You must learn to think in Mandarin Chinese when speaking the language.<\/p>\n
\tSUBJECT (WHO)
\tJust like English, Mandarin Chinese subjects come at the beginning of the sentence.<\/p>\n
\tTIME (WHEN)
\tTime expressions come immediately before or after the subject.<\/p>\n
\tJohn yesterday went to the doctor.<\/p>\n
\tYesterday John went to the doctor.
\tPLACE (WHERE)
\tTo explain where an event happened, the place expression comes before the verb.<\/p>\n
\tMary in school met her friend.
\tPREPOSITIONAL PHRASE (WITH WHOM, TO WHOM ETC.)
\tThese are phrases which qualify an activity. They are placed before the verb and after the place expression.<\/p>\n
\tSusan yesterday at work with her friend ate lunch.
\tOBJECT
\tThe Mandarin Chinese object has a great deal of flexibility. It is usually placed after the verb, but other possibilities include before the verb, before the subject, or even omitted. Conversational Mandarin often omits both the subject and the object when the context makes the meaning clear.<\/p>\n