Chinese Grammar Core Course — Grammar reference
Read the pattern, cover the translation, and rebuild the sentence from its meaning. Return to the detailed articles for exceptions and nuance.
| # | What to notice | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sentence frame: subject–time–place–verb–object Chinese often keeps the action early and places time before the action. Build the short subject–verb–object spine first, then add time and place. | 我明天在学校学习中文。 Wǒ míngtiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí Zhōngwén. Meaning in context: I will study Chinese at school tomorrow. |
| 2 | Predicates: noun, adjective, and verb sentences A noun predicate normally needs 是, while an adjective can be the predicate directly. 很 often links a neutral description rather than simply meaning “very”. | 她是老师。她很忙。 Tā shì lǎoshī. Tā hěn máng. Meaning in context: She is a teacher. She is busy. |
| 3 | Time, place, and movement Time usually comes before the verb; a place where an action happens normally comes before that verb too. Do not copy English post-verbal place phrases blindly. | 我明天在学校学习中文。 Wǒ míngtiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí Zhōngwén. Meaning in context: I will study Chinese at school tomorrow. |
| 4 | Negation: 不, 没(有), and 别 Use 不 for habits, intention, and future; use 没(有) for an action that did not happen. 别 is a direct negative request. | 我不喝咖啡。昨天没喝。别着急。 Wǒ bù hē kāfēi. Zuótiān méi hē. Bié zhāojí. Meaning in context: I do not drink coffee. I did not drink it yesterday. Do not worry. |
| 5 | Questions without inversion Question words stay in the slot where the answer would go. Yes–no questions use 吗, an A-not-A pattern, or an interrogative word; the word order does not flip. | 你想吃什么？ Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? Meaning in context: What do you want to eat? |
| 6 | Modifiers: 的, 地, and 得 的 attaches a modifier to a noun, 地 marks the manner before a verb in formal writing, and 得 introduces a complement after a verb. First decide what is being modified. | 我买的书很好看。她说得很快。 Wǒ mǎi de shū hěn hǎokàn. Tā shuō de hěn kuài. Meaning in context: The book I bought is good. She speaks quickly. |
| 7 | Numbers and measure words A number normally needs a measure word before a noun, and 两 is common before measure words. Learn noun and measure word together as one usable chunk. | 两本书，三杯茶。 Liǎng běn shū, sān bēi chá. Meaning in context: Two books; three cups of tea. |
| 8 | Existence, location, and identification 有 introduces what exists somewhere; 在 states where a known item is; 是 identifies or classifies. Switching these changes the information focus. | 桌子上有一本书。书在桌子上。 Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yì běn shū. Shū zài zhuōzi shàng. Meaning in context: There is a book on the table. The book is on the table. |
| 9 | Completed events with 了 了 marks a bounded or newly relevant event, not a simple past tense. Look for a completed action, a change of situation, or a contrast with the present. | 我看了电影。我在看电影。我看过这部电影。 Wǒ kàn le diànyǐng. Wǒ zài kàn diànyǐng. Wǒ kàn guo zhè bù diànyǐng. Meaning in context: I watched a film. I am watching a film. I have seen this film. |
| 10 | Ongoing, continuing, and experienced actions 在/正在 show an action in progress, 着 highlights a continuing state, and 过 marks life experience. Choose the viewpoint before choosing a marker. | 门开着。他学了两年。 Mén kāi zhe. Tā xué le liǎng nián. Meaning in context: The door is open. He studied for two years. |
| 11 | Modal verbs and intention 会 can mean learned ability or prediction; 能 concerns practical possibility; 可以 grants permission; 想 and 要 express desire or plan. Their differences matter more than an English “can”. | 我会游泳。今天不能来。 Wǒ huì yóuyǒng. Jīntiān bù néng lái. Meaning in context: I can swim. I cannot come today. |
| 12 | Comparison and degree With 比, do not add 很 before the adjective. Use 没有 for “not as … as”, and use 一点儿 or 更 to express small or greater degree. | 她比我高。这本书太贵了。 Tā bǐ wǒ gāo. Zhè běn shū tài guì le. Meaning in context: She is taller than I am. This book is too expensive. |
| 13 | Result and directional complements A complement tells whether an action succeeded, finished, found something, or moved in a direction. It is part of the verb phrase, so keep it next to the verb. | 我看懂了。请拿出来。 Wǒ kàn dǒng le. Qǐng ná chū lai. Meaning in context: I understood it. Please take it out. |
| 14 | Duration, frequency, and repetition Duration answers “for how long”, frequency answers “how often”, and number of times answers “how many times”. Their positions depend on whether the object is definite. | 请把门关上。 Qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng. Meaning in context: Please close the door. |
| 15 | 把: handling a known object 把 brings a definite, affected object before the verb and normally requires a result, location, quantity, or other outcome. It is not a decorative replacement for normal order. | 我的车被朋友借走了。 Wǒ de chē bèi péngyou jiè zǒu le. Meaning in context: My car was borrowed by a friend. |
| 16 | 被: affected subject and passive meaning 被 foregrounds the person or thing affected, often when the result matters or is unwelcome. Chinese also frequently leaves the agent unstated. | 我跟朋友从家走到学校。 Wǒ gēn péngyou cóng jiā zǒu dào xuéxiào. Meaning in context: I walk from home to school with a friend. |
| 17 | Coverbs: paths, recipients, and viewpoint Words such as 在, 从, 到, 给, 跟, and 对 introduce the setting, path, recipient, companion, or viewpoint before the main verb. Read them as a relationship, not as isolated translations. | 我去商店买水果。 Wǒ qù shāngdiàn mǎi shuǐguǒ. Meaning in context: I am going to the shop to buy fruit. |
| 18 | Serial verbs and purpose Several verbs can share one subject without extra “to” or “and”: go somewhere, then do something. Keep the actions in their real-world order. | 因为下雨，所以没去。 Yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ méi qù. Meaning in context: Because it rained, I did not go. |
| 19 | Connectors and logical flow Because–therefore, although–but, and if–then pairs make the relationship visible. Do not use both halves mechanically when context already makes one clear. | 你去吗？我想一想。 Nǐ qù ma? Wǒ xiǎng yi xiǎng. Meaning in context: Are you going? Let me think for a moment. |
| 20 | Sentence particles and reduplication 吗, 呢, 吧, and sentence-final 了 manage questions, shared context, softening, and change. Reduplication can make a brief action or a request sound lighter. | 老师明天会在教室里给我们讲这个问题。 Lǎoshī míngtiān huì zài jiàoshì lǐ gěi wǒmen jiǎng zhège wèntí. Meaning in context: The teacher will explain this question to us in the classroom tomorrow. |
| 21 | Reading by grammatical blocks Find the main predicate before translating. Then bracket time, place, coverb phrases, modifiers, and complements; a long sentence becomes several manageable blocks. | 我明天想跟朋友去图书馆学习。 Wǒ míngtiān xiǎng gēn péngyou qù túshūguǎn xuéxí. Meaning in context: Tomorrow I want to go to the library with a friend to study. |
| 22 | Writing a controlled paragraph Draft from a skeleton: topic, time/place, action, result, and reason. Check measure words, negation, and aspect before you add more vocabulary. | 我昨天没去。她说得很快。 Wǒ zuótiān méi qù. Tā shuō de hěn kuài. Meaning in context: I did not go yesterday. She speaks very quickly. |
| 23 | Editing with contrasts A strong revision asks targeted questions: 不 or 没? 的 or 得? 比 or 没有? Then read the sentence aloud for its information order. | 虽然下雨，但是我还是去了学校。 Suīrán xià yǔ, dànshì wǒ háishi qù le xuéxiào. Meaning in context: Although it rained, I still went to school. |
| 24 | Cumulative review and diagnostic A diagnostic should reveal a next step, not merely give a score. Rebuild the answers from meaning, mark weak patterns, and return to a single unit the next day. | 我明天想跟朋友去图书馆学习。 Wǒ míngtiān xiǎng gēn péngyou qù túshūguǎn xuéxí. Meaning in context: Tomorrow I want to go to the library with a friend to study. |