M6 Chinese Grammar Points For Beginners

SAN BEDA UNIVERSITY
Integrated Basic Education

A.Y. 2018-2019
Basic Chinese Grammar 猫在沙发上。

Māo zài shāfā shàng.
Talk about locations with 在 (zài) The cat is on the sofa.
To talk about things being in places, use the word 在 Notice how English uses the verb “to be” where
(zài). This is actually a verb, so you don’t need to use Chinese uses 在. English also uses prepositions - “to be
any other words to talk about something being in” - whereas Chinese often just uses 在.
somewhere.
Use measure words with nouns
The structure is:
Measure words are used whenever you talk about
[something]+ 在+ [place] quantities in Chinese. You can’t attach numbers
directly to nouns - you have to put a measure word in
Have a look at some example: between.
我在这里。 There are different measure words for different

Wǒ zài zhèlǐ. categories of things. For example, the measure word
for books is 本 (běn), whilst the measure word for flat
I am here.
things is 张 (zhāng).
你在那里。
Nǐ zài nàlǐ. Luckily, there is also a general purpose measure
word: 个 (ge). This can be used for pretty much
You are there.
everything, but it’s better to use more specific
上海在中国。 measure words when you can.
Shànghǎi zài Zhōngguó.
Talk about having things with 有 (yǒu)
Shanghai is in China.
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You can talk about having things with the word 有是 (shì) is not exactly the same as “to be”
(yǒu) - “to have”. Remember that you don’t need to
conjugate (change) verbs in Chinese, so 有 is always The closest equivalent of the English word “to be” in
有 no matter whom you’re talking about. Chinese is 是 (shì). This is used to link nouns to other
nouns. The structure is:
The structure is simply:
[noun]+是+ [noun]
[subject]+有+[object]
Let’s have a look at some examples:
Let’s have a look at some example sentences. Notice
that the nouns in the sentences have measure 我是学生。
words before them: 个 (ge), 本 (běn) and 把 (bǎ). Wǒ shì xuéshēng.
I am a student.
我有一个妹妹。
Wǒ yǒu yī gè mèimei. 他是老师。
I have a younger sister. Tā shì lǎoshī.

He is a teacher.
我有一本书。
Wǒ yǒu yī běn shū. 她是医生。
I have a book. Tā shì yīshēng.

She is a doctor.
他有一把枪！
Tā yǒu yī bǎ qiāng! 这是书。
He has a gun! Zhè shì shū.

This is a book.
Hopefully you won’t ever have to use the last
example sentence there. Notice how 是 is used to talk about one noun being
another. You can’t use 是 to link adjectives to nouns,
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A.Y. 2018-2019
though, as in “this book is heavy”. To do that, you You can talk about directly wanting something with
have to use 很 (hěn). the word 要 (yào). This word is also used to talk about
the future, as in “I’m going to do” something.
The basic structure for 很 (hěn) is the same as for 是,
but 很 is used with adjectives. Have a look at some 要 is quite versatile and can be used with nouns or
example sentences: verbs:
这本书很重。 [subject]+要+[noun]
Zhè běn shū hěn zhòng. or
This book is heavy.
[subject]+要+[action]
她很高。
Tā hěn gāo. Have a look at some examples:
She is tall. 我要一个三明治。
我们很高兴。 Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.
Wǒmen hěn gāoxìng. I want a sandwich.
We are happy. 我要吃三明治。
Sometimes 很 is translated as “very”, but opinions vary Wǒ yào chī sānmíngzhì.
on how accurate this is. We think it’s simply used to I'm going to eat a sandwich / I want to eat a
link adjectives to nouns, whilst others think it also sandwich.
intensifies the adjectives.
她要去北京。
Talk about wanting things with 要 (yào) Tā yào qù Běijīng.
She's going to go to Beijing.
我们要走了。
Wǒmen yào zǒu le.
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We're going to leave. That’s how you negate 有. But there’s a different word
for everything else!
Be careful when using 要 to mean “to want”, as it
could be quite abrupt, just as in English. Negate everything else with 不 (bù)
Every other verb apart from 有 is negated with 不 (bù).

不 is pretty much equivalent to “not” or “don’t” in
English. It goes before a verb and negates it.
Negate 有 (yǒu) with 没 (méi) Some examples:
To talk about “not having” something, you negate 我不喜欢啤酒。

the word 有 (yǒu) with 没 (méi). Remember this
Wǒ bù xǐhuan píjiǔ.
important point: if you negate 有, always use 没. The
two words go together. I don't like beer.
我不要去纽约。
Examples:
Wǒ búyào qù Niǔyuē.
我没有车。 I'm not going to New York.
Wǒ méiyǒu chē. 我不想念他们。
I don't have a car. Wǒ bù xiǎngniàn tāmen.
他们没有钱。 I don't miss them.
Tāmen méiyǒu qián.
Remember to negate 有 with 没, and everything else
They don't have money. with 不.
他没有学位。
Mark possession with 的 (de)
Tā méiyǒu xuéwèi.
He doesn't have a degree.
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The most common character in Chinese is 的 (de). 这是他们的房子。

That’s because 的 is used all the time to Zhè shì tāmende fángzi.
mark possession. That means that it’s used to talk
This is their house.
about things belonging to other things, or to attach
qualities to things. 这条裤子是黑色的。
Zhè tiáo kùzi shì hēisè de.
的 is extremely versatile in Chinese. Pretty much any
These trousers are black.
relationship where one thing belongs to another, or is
the property of another, can be described with 的. 她是一个很重要的人。
Tā shì yīgè hěn zhòngyào de rén.
的 is kind of equivalent to ’s (apostrophe s) in English.
It goes between two things to indicate possession. But She is a very important person.
it’s used very widely to attach any kind of quality or
You might want to have a look at a more challenging
possession.
example sentence for 的. Don’t worry if this is beyond
Some examples: your ability at the moment, though:
这是你的。我今天学的东西很有意思。
Zhè shì nǐde. Wǒ jīntiān xué de dōngxi hěn yǒuyìsi.
This is yours. The things I have learnt today are very interesting.
那是小李的书。 The main point to remember is that 的 can attach

Nà shì Xiǎo Lǐ de shū. pretty much anything to anything else. You’ll get
more used to it the more you read and listen to
That is Xiao Li's book.
Chinese.
这是我的电话号码。
Zhè shì wǒde diànhuà hàomǎ. Link nouns with 和 (hé)
This is my phone number.

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The most common way to express “and” in Chinese is questions or binary questions. You can turn any
probably 和 (hé). Remember, though, that 和 can statement into a yes / no question simply by putting
only be used to link nouns. You can’t link verbs 吗 at the end.
together with 和.
Some examples:
和 is used to link nouns in the same way “and” is used
in English. Some examples: 你喜欢他吗？
Nǐ xǐhuan tā ma?
我和我哥哥要去北京。
Do you like him?
Wǒ hé wǒ gēgē yào qù Běijīng.
My brother and I are going to Beijing. 这是你的吗？
Zhè shì nǐde ma?
我喜欢米饭和面条。
Is this yours?
Wǒ xǐhuan mǐfàn hé miàntiáo.
I like rice and noodles. 你要去上海吗？
Nǐ yào qù Shànghǎi ma?
我和你一样。
Are you going to go to Shanghai?
Wǒ hé nǐ yīyàng.
You and I are the same.
Link nouns with 和 but not verbs. Linking verbs in

Chinese is a bit more complicated so we won’t look
at it here.
Ask yes/no questions with 吗 (ma)
Finally, use 吗 (ma) to ask yes / no questions in

Chinese. These questions are also known as polar

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SAN BEDA UNIVERSITY

Integrated Basic Education

Basic Chinese Grammar 猫在沙发上。

我在这里。 There are different measure words for different

I have a younger sister. Tā shì lǎoshī.

I have a book. Tā shì yīshēng.

He has a gun! Zhè shì shū.

Every other verb apart from 有 is negated with 不 (bù).

Negate 有 (yǒu) with 没 (méi) Some examples:

To talk about “not having” something, you negate 我不喜欢啤酒。

The most common character in Chinese is 的 (de). 这是他们的房子。

Zhè shì nǐde. Wǒ jīntiān xué de dōngxi hěn yǒuyìsi.

那是小李的书。 The main point to remember is that 的 can attach

This is my phone number.

Link nouns with 和 but not verbs. Linking verbs in

Ask yes/no questions with 吗 (ma)

Finally, use 吗 (ma) to ask yes / no questions in

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