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Mandarin Chinese 1 Unit 3: Basic sentence patterns

Mandarin sentences follow subject-verb-object order, and verbs never change form for different subjects.

Covers: Subject-verb-object, 是 (to be), 吗 questions, 不 negation, 也 and 都, question words

Study guide

Mandarin's basic word order is subject–verb–object, like English: 我喝茶 (wǒ hē chá, I drink tea). Verbs don't change form for person or tense, so 我吃, 你吃 and 他吃 all use the same 吃 (chī, eat). Time words come before the verb, usually right after the subject or at the start: 我今天去学校 (I'm going to school today).

是 (shì) means "to be" and links two nouns: 他是老师 (tā shì lǎoshī, he is a teacher). Adjectives don't use 是; instead they often use 很 (hěn, very) as a link: 我很忙 (wǒ hěn máng, I'm busy).

To make a yes/no question, add 吗 (ma) to the end of a statement: 你是学生吗? (Are you a student?). Another way is the verb-not-verb pattern: 你是不是学生?

不 (bù) negates verbs and adjectives in the present and future, and it goes before the verb: 我不是老师 (I'm not a teacher), 我不喝咖啡 (I don't drink coffee). 有 (yǒu, to have) is negated with 没 (méi) instead: 我没有书.

也 (yě, also) and 都 (dōu, all, both) are adverbs that go before the verb, never at the end of the sentence: 我也是学生 (I'm also a student), 我们都喜欢茶 (we all like tea).

Question words stay in the same position as the answer would: 你叫什么? (what are you called?), 他是谁? (who is he?), 你去哪儿? (where are you going?). Others include 什么 (shénme, what), 谁 (shéi, who), 哪儿 (nǎr, where), 什么时候 (when), 为什么 (why), 怎么 (how) and 几 or 多少 (how many).

To say where something is, use 在 + place + a location word: 书在桌子上 (the book is on the table), 猫在椅子下面 (the cat is under the chair). Common location words are 上 (on), 下 (under), 里 (in), 前面 (in front), 后面 (behind) and 旁边 (beside). 太 + adjective + 了 means "too…" or "so…!": 太贵了 (too expensive), 太好了 (great!). 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) at the end asks "how is it?" or suggests something: 今天天气怎么样? 我们去看电影, 怎么样?

Make comparisons with A + 比 + B + adjective: 哥哥比我高 (my brother is taller than me). Don't add 很. The negative uses 没有: 我没有哥哥高 (I'm not as tall as my brother). 离 (lí) expresses distance from a place: 学校离我家很远 (the school is far from my home), 商店离这儿不远. The pattern is A + 离 + B + 远 or 近.

Some prepositions come before the verb, not after it: 给 (to or for someone: 我给妈妈打电话), 对 (to or toward: 他对我说), 向 (toward or from: 向老师学习). The pattern is subject + coverb + person + verb.

Key ideas

• Word order: Subject + Verb + Object (我喝茶 = I drink tea).
• 是 (shì) links nouns: 我是学生 = I am a student.
• Add 吗 (ma) at the end to make a yes/no question.
• 不 (bù) before a verb negates it: 我不喝咖啡.
• Question words stay in place: 你叫什么？ (You are called what?)

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Putting the question word at the start like English (什么你叫？ ✗).
• Using 是 with adjectives (我是高 ✗ → 我很高 ✓).

Words to know

是

to be (shì)

他

he / him (tā)

她

she / her (tā)

是不是

is it or not (shì bu shì)

很

very (hěn)

也

also (yě)

都

all / both (dōu)

不

not (bù)

吗

(yes/no question particle) (ma)

呢

what about…? (ne)

吧

(suggestion particle) (ba)

和

and (hé)

还是

or (in questions) (háishi)

可是

but (kěshì)

但是

but (dànshì)

有

to have (yǒu)

没有

to not have (méiyǒu)

什么

what (shénme)

谁

who (shéi)

哪儿

where (nǎr)

什么时候

when (shénme shíhou)

为什么

why (wèishénme)

怎么

how (zěnme)

几

how many (jǐ)

哪国人

what nationality (nǎ guó rén)

怎么样

how is it? (zěnmeyàng)

因为

because (yīnwèi)

所以

so (suǒyǐ)

忙

busy (máng)

高

tall (gāo)

矮

short (ǎi)

累

tired (lèi)

饿

hungry (è)

高兴

happy (gāoxìng)

漂亮

pretty (piàoliang)

帅

handsome (shuài)

好看

good-looking (hǎokàn)

好吃

tasty (hǎochī)

有意思

interesting (yǒu yìsi)

难

difficult (nán)

Sample practice questions

5 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.