HSK2·Recap

HSK 2 Complete Review

HSK 2 复习总结

A comprehensive recap of all grammar points and vocabulary covered in HSK 2 Lessons 1–15.

Hanzi	Pinyin	English
就	jiù	exactly; precisely
给	gěi	(used to introduce the recipient of an action) to; for
让	ràng	let; allow
接	jiē	meet; welcome; receive
次	cì	(indicating how many times or which time something happens) time; occurrence
旅游	lǚyóu	travel; make a tour
帮忙	bāngmáng	help
不好意思	bù hǎoyisi	find it embarrassing (to do sth); sorry

Modal Particle "吧" (ba) (2)

The modal particle "吧" (ba) is used at the end of an interrogative sentence to express a tone of speculation or estimation.

你们就是她的学生吧？ (nǐ men jiù shì tā de xué shēng ba ？)
You must be her students, right?
她唱歌很好听吧？ (tā chàng gē hěn hǎo tīng ba ？)
She sings well, doesn't she?
陈天中是泰国人吧？ (chén tiān zhōng shì tài guó rén ba ？)
Chen Tianzhong is Thai, right?

"是……的" (shì...de) Sentence

The "是……的" (shì...de) sentence can be used to emphasize the time, place, manner, agent, purpose, etc., of an event. In affirmative and interrogative sentences, "是" (shì) can be omitted, but it cannot be omitted in negative sentences.

我们是来旅游的。 (wǒ men shì lái lǚ yóu de 。)
We came here for sightseeing.
苹果在哪儿买的？ (píng guǒ zài nǎ ér mǎi de ？)
Where did you buy the apples?
我们不是坐出租车去的。 (wǒ men bú shì zuò chū zū chē qù de 。)
We didn't go by taxi.

Pivotal Sentences

A pivotal sentence consists of two verbal phrases, in which the object of the first verb serves as the subject of the second verb. When the preceding verb is "请" (qǐng), "让" (ràng), or "叫" (jiào), it indicates asking or having someone do something. Basic structure: Subject+请/让/叫 (jiào)+Object (→Subject)+Verb or Verbal Phrase.

我想请你帮个忙。 (wǒ xiǎng qǐng nǐ bāng gè máng 。)
I'd like to ask you for a favor.
王老师让我们说中文。 (wáng lǎo shī ràng wǒ men shuō zhōng wén 。)
Ms. Wang asked us to speak Chinese.
妈妈叫孩子们回家。 (mā ma jiào hái zi men huí jiā 。)
Mom called the children home.

Fixed Pattern "还是……吧" (hái shì...ba)

The fixed pattern "还是……吧" (hái shì...ba) is used to express a preferential choice, with the connotation that "this way is better".

我们还是打车去吧。 (wǒ men hái shì dǎ chē qù ba 。)
Let's take a taxi instead.
那件衣服很好看，还是买那件吧。 (nà jiàn yī fu hěn hǎo kàn ， hái shì mǎi nà jiàn ba 。)
That outfit looks great. Let's buy that one instead.
你第一次去北京，还是找个人接你吧。 (nǐ dì yī cì qù běi jīng ， hái shì zhǎo gè rén jiē nǐ ba 。)
It's your first time in Beijing. You'd better have someone pick you up.

Expressing Approximate Numbers with "多" (duō)

Adding "多" (duō) after a number or a numeral phrase indicates that the quantity is slightly greater than the stated number. When the number is a multiple of ten, "多" (duō) is usually placed directly after the numeral. When the number is not a multiple of ten, "多" (duō) is usually placed after the measure word.

北京大学有四万多名学生呢！ (běi jīng dà xué yǒu sì wàn duō míng xué shēng ne ！)
Peking University has over 40,000 students!
教室里有二十多个学生。 (jiào shì lǐ yǒu èr shí duō gè xué shēng 。)
There are over 20 students in the classroom.
这两个苹果五块多钱。 (zhè liǎng gè píng guǒ wǔ kuài duō qián 。)
These two apples cost just over 5 yuan.

Verbs, Verbal Phrases, and Subject-Predicate Phrases as Attributives

Verbs, verbal phrases, or subject-predicate phrases can be placed before a noun to indicate the characteristics or state of that noun.

他们卖的电影票也很便宜。 (tā men mài de diàn yǐng piào yě hěn pián yi 。)
The movie tickets they sell are also very affordable.
现在学中文的学生很多。 (xiàn zài xué zhōng wén de xué shēng hěn duō 。)
There are many students learning Chinese now.
这是朋友给我的杯子。 (zhè shì péng yǒu gěi wǒ de bēi zi 。)
This is the cup my friend gave me.

Complement of Result

Some verbs or adjectives can be placed after a verb to indicate the result of the action. The negative form is formed by adding "没（有）" (méiyǒu) before the verb and removing "了" (le). There are three types of interrogative forms: (1) add "了吗" (le ma) at the end of the sentence; (2) add "（了）没有" (leméi yǒu) at the end of the sentence; and (3) Verb+没 (méi)+Verb+Complement of Result.

菜都做好了。 (cài dōu zuò hǎo le 。)
The dishes are all done.
我吃完饭了。 (wǒ chī wán fàn le 。)
I have finished eating.
小雪今天来晚了。 (xiǎo xuě jīn tiān lái wǎn le 。)
Xiaoxue came late today.
我没吃完饭。 (wǒ méi chī wán fàn 。)
I haven't finished eating.
小雪没来晚。 (xiǎo xuě méi lái wǎn 。)
Xiaoxue didn't come late.
你吃完饭了吗？ (nǐ chī wán fàn le ma ？)
Have you finished eating?
小雪来晚了没有？ (xiǎo xuě lái wǎn le méi yǒu ？)
Did Xiaoxue come late?
你学没学会？ (nǐ xué méi xué huì ？)
Have you learned it or not?

Verb Reduplication (1)

Action verbs that are dynamic, repeatable or continuous may appear in a reduplicated form. Such reduplication usually indicates brief actions, limited repetitions, or simple attempts. It conveys a relaxed and casual tone and is mostly used in spoken Chinese. The reduplicated form of a monosyllabic verb is "A（一）A" (yī); that of a disyllabic verb is "ABAB"; and that of a separable word is "AAB".

那你再想一想，你想好了，我来买票。 (nà nǐ zài xiǎng yi xiǎng ， nǐ xiǎng hǎo le ， wǒ lái mǎi piào 。)
Then think about it more. Once you've made up your mind, I'll buy the tickets.
我有点儿累，现在想休息休息。 (wǒ yǒu diǎn er lèi ， xiàn zài xiǎng xiū xi xiū xi 。)
I'm a little tired; I want to rest for a bit.
你能过来帮帮忙吗？ (nǐ néng guò lái bāng bāng máng ma ？)
Can you come and help?

Verb Reduplication (2)

When describing an action that has already taken place, the reduplicated form of a monosyllabic verb is "A了A" (le). Generally, a disyllabic verb cannot be used in its reduplicated form; instead, "AB了一下" (le yī xià) is used. The reduplicated form of a separable word is "A了AB" (le).

我看了看网上的介绍。 (wǒ kàn le kàn wǎng shàng de jiè shào 。)
I looked at some introductions online.
我休息了一下，现在觉得不累了。 (wǒ xiū xi le yí xià ， xiàn zài jué de bú lèi le 。)
I rested for a bit and now I don't feel tired anymore.
他昨天来帮了帮忙。 (tā zuó tiān lái bāng le bāng máng 。)
He came and helped a bit yesterday.

Aspect Particle "过" (guò)

The aspect particle "过" (guò) is used after a verb to indicate that an action occurred in the past but has not continued to the present. Basic structure: Subject+Verb+过 (guò)+Object. The negative form is constructed by adding "没（有）" (méiyǒu) before the verb. There are three types of interrogative forms: (1) add "吗" (ma) at the end of the sentence; (2) add "没有" (méi yǒu) at the end of the sentence; and (3) Verb+没 (méi)+Verb+过.

她去过中国。 (tā qù guò zhōng guó 。)
She has been to China.
我吃过饺子，很好吃。 (wǒ chī guò jiǎo zǐ ， hěn hǎo chī 。)
I've eaten dumplings before; they were delicious.
她没去过中国。 (tā méi qù guò zhōng guó 。)
She has never been to China.
我们来过这家商场吗？ (wǒ men lái guò zhè jiā shāng chǎng ma ？)
Have we been to this shopping mall before?
陈天中吃过饺子没有？ (chén tiān zhōng chī guò jiǎo zǐ méi yǒu ？)
Has Chen Tianzhong eaten dumplings before?
你看没看过那个电影？ (nǐ kàn méi kàn guò nà ge diàn yǐng ？)
Have you seen that movie or not?

Causal Complex Sentence "因为……，所以……" (yīn wèi...suǒ yǐ...)

The structure "因为……所以……" (yīn wèi...suǒ yǐ...) forms a complex sentence expressing cause and effect. "因为" (yīn wèi) and "所以" (suǒ yǐ) can be used either together as a pair or individually.

就是因为没穿过，所以要试试啊！ (jiù shì yīn wèi méi chuān guò ， suǒ yǐ yào shì shì a ！)
That's exactly why you should give it a try — because you've never worn it before!
因为我生病了，今天没去上班。 (yīn wèi wǒ shēng bìng le ， jīn tiān méi qù shàng bān 。)
Because I was sick, I didn't go to work today.
我没去过他家，所以让他来车站接我。 (wǒ méi qù guò tā jiā ， suǒ yǐ ràng tā lái chē zhàn jiē wǒ 。)
I've never been to his home, so I asked him to pick me up at the station.

"的" (de) Phrase

The structural particle "的" (de) is used after nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, etc., to form a "的" (de) phrase, which functions as a noun phrase.

红色的、绿色的、黑色的，你想买哪个？（=红色的书包、绿色的书包、黑色的书包） (hóng sè de 、 lǜ sè de 、 hēi sè de ， nǐ xiǎng mǎi nǎ gè ？（ = hóng sè de shū bāo 、 lǜ sè de shū bāo 、 hēi sè de shū bāo ）)
Red ones, green ones, black ones—which one do you like? (= red schoolbag, green schoolbag, black schoolbag)
这个面包是爸爸买的，妈妈买的在那儿。（=买的面包） (zhè ge miàn bāo shì bà ba mǎi de ， mā ma mǎi de zài nà ér 。（ = mǎi de miàn bāo ）)
This bread was bought by dad. The one mom bought is over there. (= bought bread)
这件衣服太贵了，还是买那件便宜的吧。（=便宜的衣服） (zhè jiàn yī fu tài guì le ， hái shì mǎi nà jiàn pián yi de ba 。（ = pián yi de yī fu ）)
This piece of clothing is too expensive. Let's buy the cheaper one instead. (= cheap clothes)

Simple Complement of Direction (1)

The basic structure of simple complements of direction is "Verb+来/去" (lái / qù). "来" (lái) indicates that the action is moving toward the speaker, while "去" (qù) indicates that the action is moving away from the speaker. The most commonly used verbs include "上" (shàng), "下" (xià), "进" (jìn), "出" (chū), "回" (huí), and "过" (guò). Additionally, verbs such as "叫" (jiào), "开" (kāi), "买" (mǎi), "拿" (ná), "请" (qǐng), "送" (sòng), "要" (yào), "找" (zhǎo), and "走" (zǒu) can also be used in this structure. "起来" (qǐlái, get up) is a special expression that can either mean "to get up (from bed)", or indicate an upward directional movement.

我不上去了，就在下面等你。（说话人在下边，听话人在上边） (wǒ bú shàng qù le ， jiù zài xià miàn děng nǐ 。（ shuō huà rén zài xià biān ， tīng huà rén zài shàng biān ）)
I'm not going up; I'll wait for you downstairs. (Speaker is below, listener is above)
家月到下边了，你下去接她吧。（说话人在上边，听话人在上边） (jiā yuè dào xià biān le ， nǐ xià qù jiē tā ba 。（ shuō huà rén zài shàng biān ， tīng huà rén zài shàng biān ）)
Jiayue has arrived downstairs; why don't you go down to meet her. (Speaker is above, listener is above)
我在外边呢，你出来（chūlái, come out）吧。（说话人在外边，听话人在里边） (wǒ zài wài biān ne ， nǐ chū lái （ c h ū l á i , c o m e o u t ） ba 。（ shuō huà rén zài wài biān ， tīng huà rén zài lǐ biān ）)
I'm outside; come out. (Speaker is outside, listener is inside)
她拿来一本中文书。 (tā ná lái yì běn zhōng wén shū 。)
She brought a Chinese book (toward the speaker).
你别过来拿了，我给你送去。 (nǐ bié guò lái ná le ， wǒ gěi nǐ sòng qù 。)
Don't come over for it; I'll send it to you.

Simple Complement of Direction (2)

When a verb takes both a simple complement of direction and an object: if the object is a location noun, place it before "来/去" (lái / qù); if the object is a thing noun, it can be placed either before or after "来/去" (lái / qù). In addition, verbs such as "开" (kāi), "买" (mǎi), "拿" (ná), "请" (qǐng), "送" (sòng), "要" (yào), "找" (zhǎo), and "走" (zǒu) can also combine with complements of direction like "上" (shàng), "下" (xià), "进" (jìn), "出" (chū), "回" (huí), "过" (guò). In this case, the verb usually takes an object, which is placed after the direction complement.

你们太客气了，还拿这么多礼物来！ (nǐ men tài kè qì le ， hái ná zhè me duō lǐ wù lái ！)
You're too kind! You didn't have to bring so many gifts!
家月给我送来了一本书。 (jiā yuè gěi wǒ sòng lái le yì běn shū 。)
Jiayue brought me a book.
上课了，你们快进教室来吧。 (shàng kè le ， nǐ men kuài jìn jiào shì lái ba 。)
Class is starting; please come into the classroom quickly.
爸爸今天买回了很多水果。 (bà ba jīn tiān mǎi huí le hěn duō shuǐ guǒ 。)
Dad brought back lots of fruit today.
妈妈拿出了二十块钱，让小雪自己去买点儿吃的。 (mā ma ná chū le èr shí kuài qián ， ràng xiǎo xuě zì jǐ qù mǎi diǎn ér chī de 。)
Mom took out twenty yuan and let Xiaoxue buy some food herself.

Fixed Pattern "都……了" (dōu...le)

The fixed pattern "都……了" (dōu...le) conveys meanings such as "already" or "up to a certain point", and generally carries a tone of emphasis or dissatisfaction.

都12点了，我们吃饭吧。 (dōu 1 2 diǎn le ， wǒ men chī fàn ba 。)
It's already 12 o'clock. Let's eat.
都8点半了，你还不起床吗？ (dōu 8 diǎn bàn le ， nǐ hái bù qǐ chuáng ma ？)
It's already 8:30. Aren't you going to get up?
我都去过北京了，不想再去了。 (wǒ dōu qù guò běi jīng le ， bù xiǎng zài qù le 。)
I've already been to Beijing; I don't want to go again.

Adjective Reduplication

The reduplicated form of a monosyllabic adjective "A" is "AA", while the reduplicated form of a disyllabic adjective "AB" is generally "AABB". Adjective reduplication is often used to intensify the degree of the adjective or to express feelings of fondness or affection.

我再给她买个大大的生日蛋糕。 (wǒ zài gěi tā mǎi gè dà dà de shēng rì dàn gāo 。)
I'll get her a big birthday cake.
这只猫小小的，真让人喜欢。 (zhè zhī māo xiǎo xiǎo de ， zhēn ràng rén xǐ huan 。)
This little cat is so cute; everyone loves it.
一雪的女儿每天都漂漂亮亮的。 (yì xuě de nǚ ér měi tiān dōu piào piào liang liang de 。)
Yixue's daughter is beautifully dressed every day.

Set Phrase "什么的" (shén me de)

The set phrase "什么的" (shén me de) indicates "and so on" or "and the like". Basic structure: ……什么的.

画我们的家！有爸爸、妈妈、弟弟，还有黑色的狗、白色的猫什么的。 (huà wǒ men de jiā ！ yǒu bà ba 、 mā ma 、 dì di ， hái yǒu hēi sè de gǒu 、 bái sè de māo shén me de 。)
Our home! With dad, mom, little brother, and our black dog, white cat, and so on.
桌子上有电脑、杯子、书和画笔什么的。 (zhuō zi shàng yǒu diàn nǎo 、 bēi zi 、 shū hé huà bǐ shén me de 。)
On the table, there's a computer, cups, books, pens, and so on.
她拿来了一些水、面包和苹果什么的。 (tā ná lái le yì xiē shuǐ 、 miàn bāo hé píng guǒ shén me de 。)
She brought some water, bread, apples, and other things.

Structural Particle "地" (de)

The structural particle "地" (de) is generally placed between an adjective and a verb to indicate the manner or state in which an action is performed.

过生日就要吃好吃的，还要高高兴兴地玩。 (guò shēng rì jiù yào chī hǎo chī de ， hái yào gāo gāo xìng xìng dì wán 。)
On your birthday, you should enjoy good food and play happily.
老师早早地到了教室。 (lǎo shī zǎo zǎo dì dào le jiào shì 。)
The teacher arrived at the classroom early.
爸爸很快地吃完早饭，就去上班了。 (bà ba hěn kuài dì chī wán zǎo fàn ， jiù qù shàng bān le 。)
Dad finished breakfast quickly and went to work.

Contracted Complex Sentence "一……就……" (yī...jiù...)

The contracted complex sentence "一……就……" (yī...jiù...) indicates that the second action occurs immediately after the first; it also means the first action serves as the condition or cause, and the second as the result. When the subjects are the same, the subject is placed before "一" (yī) or "就" (jiù); when the subjects are different, the two subjects are placed before "一" (yī) and "就" (jiù) respectively.

你怎么一下课就往外跑？ (nǐ zěn me yí xià kè jiù wǎng wài pǎo ？)
Why do you rush out as soon as class ends?
我一到家，妈妈就打来电话了。 (wǒ yí dào jiā ， mā ma jiù dǎ lái diàn huà le 。)
As soon as I got home, mom called.
一到星期六，陈天中就跟同学去打篮球。 (yí dào xīng qī liù ， chén tiān zhōng jiù gēn tóng xué qù dǎ lán qiú 。)
Every Saturday, Chen Tianzhong goes to play basketball with classmates.

Complement of State (1)

The complement of state follows a verb to supplement the state of the action. Basic structure: Verb+得 (dé)+Adjectival Phrase. The negative form is to add "不" (bù) before the adjective. There are three interrogative forms: (1) add "吗" (ma) at the end of the sentence; (2) Verb+得 (dé)+Adjective+不 (bù)+Adjective; and (3) Verb+得 (dé)+怎么样.

我踢得还可以。 (wǒ tī dé hái kě yǐ 。)
I play (soccer) reasonably well.
他们玩得很高兴。 (tā men wán dé hěn gāo xìng 。)
They had a great time playing.
白家月跑得不快。 (bái jiā yuè pǎo dé bú kuài 。)
Bai Jiayue doesn't run fast.
你跑得快吗？ (nǐ pǎo dé kuài ma ？)
Do you run fast?
他来得早不早？ (tā lái de zǎo bu zǎo ？)
Did he come early or not?
他们玩得怎么样？ (tā men wán dé zěn me yàng ？)
How well did they play?

Complement of State (2)

In sentences with a complement of state: if the verb is a separable word, the verbal morpheme needs to be repeated; if the verb takes an object, the object can be placed before the verb or the verb can be repeated.

我游泳游得不快。 (wǒ yóu yǒng yóu dé bú kuài 。)
I don't swim fast.
你篮球打得怎么样？ (nǐ lán qiú dǎ dé zěn me yàng ？)
How well do you play basketball?
白家月写汉字写得很好看。 (bái jiā yuè xiě hàn zì xiě dé hěn hǎo kàn 。)
Bai Jiayue writes Chinese characters very beautifully.

Comparative Sentences (1)

In this lesson, we learn to use the preposition "比" (bǐ) in comparative sentences to compare differences in nature and state. Basic structure: A 比 (bǐ) B+Adjective or Adjectival Phrase.

我也觉得左边的比右边的好看。 (wǒ yě jué de zuǒ biān de bǐ yòu biān de hǎo kàn 。)
今天比昨天冷。 (jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān lěng 。)
他觉得踢足球比打篮球有意思。 (tā jué de tī zú qiú bǐ dǎ lán qiú yǒu yì sī 。)

Comparative Sentences (2)

In comparative sentences with "比" (bǐ), adverbs of degree such as "很" (hěn) and "非常" (fēi cháng) cannot be used before the adjective, but "还" (hái) and "更" (gèng) can be used to enhance the degree.

我看网上说这个电影比那个爱情片更有意思。（爱情片很有意思，这个电影更有意思） (wǒ kàn wǎng shàng shuō zhè ge diàn yǐng bǐ nà ge ài qíng piàn gèng yǒu yì sī 。（ ài qíng piàn hěn yǒu yì sī ， zhè ge diàn yǐng gèng yǒu yì sī ）)
今天比昨天更热。（昨天很热，今天更热） (jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān gèng rè 。（ zuó tiān hěn rè ， jīn tiān gèng rè ）)
我觉得奶茶比牛奶还好喝。（我觉得牛奶很好喝，奶茶更好喝） (wǒ jué dé nǎi chá bǐ niú nǎi hái hǎo hē 。（ wǒ jué de niú nǎi hěn hǎo hē ， nǎi chá gèng hǎo hē ）)

Adversative Complex Sentence "虽然……，但是……" (suī rán...dàn shì...)

"虽然……，但是……" (suī rán...dàn shì...) forms an adversative complex sentence. The two words can be used in pairs or singly.

虽然你忘了，但是我记得。 (suī rán nǐ wàng le ， dàn shì wǒ jì de 。)
外边下雪了，但是不太冷。 (wài biān xià xuě le ， dàn shì bú tài lěng 。)
虽然觉得有点儿累，我还是走回家了。 (suī rán jué de yǒu diǎn er lèi ， wǒ hái shì zǒu huí jiā le 。)

Comparative Sentences (3)

In this lesson, we learn to use "没有" (méi yǒu) in comparative sentences to express the meaning of "not as...as" or "inferior to". Basic structure: A没有B+Adjective or Adjectival Phrase. The adjective can be preceded by "这么" (zhè me) or "那么" (nà me) to indicate that B has a higher degree. The affirmative form of "没有" (méi yǒu), which is "有" (yǒu), is often used in interrogative sentences to indicate comparison.

儿子的个子没有他那么高。 (ér zi de gè zi méi yǒu tā nà me gāo 。)
昨天没有今天这么冷。 (zuó tiān méi yǒu jīn tiān zhè me lěng 。)
这块手表没有那块好看。 (zhè kuài shǒu biǎo méi yǒu nà kuài hǎo kàn 。)
妹妹有姐姐高吗？ (mèi mei yǒu jiě jie gāo ma ？)
那件衣服有这件好看吗？ (nà jiàn yī fu yǒu zhè jiàn hǎo kàn ma ？)

Verb "离" (lí)

The verb "离" (lí) is used to indicate spatial or temporal distance. Basic structure: A离B…….

咖啡店离这儿有点儿远。 (kā fēi diàn lí zhè ér yǒu diǎn er yuǎn 。)
学校离医院不远。 (xué xiào lí yī yuàn bù yuǎn 。)
现在离我的生日还有三天。 (xiàn zài lí wǒ de shēng rì hái yǒu sān tiān 。)

Complement of Duration (1)

Time expressions are used after verbs to form complements of duration, indicating the length of time an action or a state lasts. Basic structure: Subject+Verb+Complement of Duration. When a verb is followed by an object, the position of the object can be in two cases: (1) if the object is a thing noun, it is usually placed after the complement of duration; (2) if the object is a term of address or a pronoun, it is usually placed before the complement of duration. When a verb is followed by an object, the verb can be repeated before adding the complement of duration. When the verb is a separable word, the verbal morpheme needs to be repeated before adding the complement of duration. When "了" (le) follows the verb and another "了" (le) appears at the end of the sentence as a modal particle, it indicates that the action is still ongoing.

走半个多小时就到了。 (zǒu bàn gè duō xiǎo shí jiù dào le 。)
他们学了两年。 (tā men xué le liǎng nián 。)
我们休息十分钟。 (wǒ men xiū xi shí fēn zhōng 。)
我看了一个晚上电视。 (wǒ kàn le yí gè wǎn shàng diàn shì 。)
李文等了她一个小时。 (lǐ wén děng le tā yí gè xiǎo shí 。)
我找了陈天中二十多分钟。 (wǒ zhǎo le chén tiān zhōng èr shí duō fēn zhōng 。)
他们学中文学了两年。 (tā men xué zhōng wén xué le liǎng nián 。)
李文等她等了一个小时。 (lǐ wén děng tā děng le yí gè xiǎo shí 。)

Sentences with a Subject-Predicate Phrase as the Predicate

A subject-predicate phrase can function as a predicate, providing an explanation or description of the subject, thereby forming a sentence with a subject-predicate phrase as the predicate. Generally speaking, the subject in the subject-predicate phrase is either a part of the whole sentence's subject or related to it. Basic structure: Subject+Subject-Predicate Phrase.

我的书包你看见了吗？ (wǒ de shū bāo nǐ kàn jiàn le ma ？)
弟弟手很小。 (dì di shǒu hěn xiǎo 。)
这件事他知道。 (zhè jiàn shì tā zhī dào 。)

Alternative Questions

The conjunction "还是" (hái shì) is used in interrogative sentences to indicate a choice. Basic structure: (是) A还是B.

妈妈，是您准备考试还是我准备考试？ (mā ma ， shì nín zhǔn bèi kǎo shì hái shì wǒ zhǔn bèi kǎo shì ？)
你更喜欢打篮球、踢足球还是游泳？ (nǐ gèng xǐ huan dǎ lán qiú 、 tī zú qiú hái shì yóu yǒng ？)
我们什么时候去看电影？今天还是明天？ (wǒ men shén me shí hòu qù kàn diàn yǐng ？ jīn tiān hái shì míng tiān ？)

Fixed Pattern "要/快/快要/就要……了" (yào / kuài / kuài yào / jiù yào...le)

The fixed pattern "要/快/快要/就要……了" (yào / kuài / kuài yào / jiù yào...le) is used to indicate that something is about to happen. If the sentence includes a time adverbial, "就要……了" (jiù yào...le) is typically used.

饭菜快要做好了。 (fàn cài kuài yào zuò hǎo le 。)
火车快开了。 (huǒ chē kuài kāi le 。)
我们下星期就要考试了。 (wǒ men xià xīng qī jiù yào kǎo shì le 。)

Aspect Particle "着" (zhe) (1)

The aspect particle "着" (zhe) is used after a verb to indicate the continuation of an action or a state. The negative form is created by adding "没（有）" (méiyǒu) before the verb.

那你在这儿坐着。 (nà nǐ zài zhè ér zuò zhe 。)
教室的门开着。 (jiào shì de mén kāi zhe 。)
教室的门没开着。 (jiào shì de mén méi kāi zhe 。)

Aspect Particle "着" (zhe) (2)

In sentences indicating the continuation of an action or a state, the object must be placed after the aspect particle "着" (zhe). There are three types of interrogative forms: (1) add "吗" (ma) at the end of the sentence; (2) add "没有" (méi yǒu) at the end of the sentence; (3) Verb+没 (méi)+Verb+着.

现在路上车多，还下着雪，我开慢一点儿。 (xiàn zài lù shang chē duō ， hái xià zhe xuě ， wǒ kāi màn yì diǎn ér 。)
她穿着白色的裤子。 (tā chuān zhe bái sè de kù zǐ 。)
陈天中没拿着咖啡。 (chén tiān zhōng méi ná zhe kā fēi 。)
教室的门开着吗？ (jiào shì de mén kāi zhe ma ？)
白家月坐着没有？ (bái jiā yuè zuò zhe méi yǒu ？)
她拿没拿着手机？ (tā ná méi ná zhuó shǒu jī ？)

Adverb of Degree "最" (zuì)

The adverb of degree "最" (zuì) is used before adjectives or psychological verbs to indicate that a certain attribute surpasses all similar people or things.

你最喜欢吃中国菜。 (nǐ zuì xǐ huan chī zhōng guó cài 。)
在我们家，爸爸最高。 (zài wǒ men jiā ， bà ba zuì gāo 。)
你们班谁说中文说得最好？ (nǐ men bān shuí shuō zhōng wén shuō dé zuì hǎo ？)

Comparative Sentences (4)

In comparative sentences with "比" (bǐ), "多了" (duō le) or "得多" (dé duō) is placed after the adjective to indicate a significant difference. Basic structure: A比B+Adjective+多了/得多.

我这里比北京冷多了。 (wǒ zhè lǐ bǐ běi jīng lěng duō le 。)
坐飞机比坐火车快得多。 (zuò fēi jī bǐ zuò huǒ chē kuài dé duō 。)
他觉得红茶比绿茶好喝得多。 (tā jué de hóng chá bǐ lǜ chá hǎo hē dé duō 。)

Comparative Sentences (5)

In comparative sentences with "比" (bǐ), if the verb is followed by a complement of state, "比" (bǐ) can be placed either before or after the verb.

昨天比今天下得大。 (zuó tiān bǐ jīn tiān xià dé dà 。)
妈妈比我睡得晚。 (mā ma bǐ wǒ shuì dé wǎn 。)
李文跑得比白家月快。 (lǐ wén pǎo dé bǐ bái jiā yuè kuài 。)

Comparative Sentences (6)

In comparative sentences with "比" (bǐ), if the verb takes both an object and a complement of state, the object can be moved to the beginning of the sentence or the verb can be repeated. If the verb is a separable word, the verbal morpheme needs to be repeated.

你跑步跑得比我快。 (nǐ pǎo bù pǎo dé bǐ wǒ kuài 。)
白家月汉字写得比陈天中好。 (bái jiā yuè hàn zì xiě dé bǐ chén tiān zhōng hǎo 。)
他踢足球比我踢得好。 (tā tī zú qiú bǐ wǒ tī dé hǎo 。)

Double-Object Sentences (2)

A double-object sentence is a sentence in which a verb takes two objects. Generally, the first object refers to a person, while the second object refers to a thing. In this lesson, we learn double-object sentences formed with the verbs 拿 (ná), 送 (sòng), and 卖 (mài) combined with 给.

王老师喜欢花，就送给她花吧。 (wáng lǎo shī xǐ huan huā ， jiù sòng gěi tā huā ba 。)
Ms. Wang likes flowers, so let's give her flowers.
她拿给我一杯水。 (tā ná gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ 。)
She handed me a glass of water.
他卖给我一本中文书。 (tā mài gěi wǒ yì běn zhōng wén shū 。)
He sold me a Chinese book.

Comparative Sentences (7)

In comparative sentences using 比 (bǐ), numeral-measure word phrases are placed after the adjective to indicate the specific difference. Basic structure: A比B+Adjective+Numeral-Measure Word Phrase.

今天的词比昨天多了十个。 (jīn tiān de cí bǐ zuó tiān duō le shí gè 。)
Today's vocabulary has ten more words than yesterday's.
姐姐比我大三岁。 (jiě jie bǐ wǒ dà sān suì 。)
My older sister is three years older than me.
坐飞机比坐火车快五个多小时。 (zuò fēi jī bǐ zuò huǒ chē kuài wǔ gè duō xiǎo shí 。)
Flying is over five hours faster than taking the train.

Comparative Sentences (8)

In comparative sentences using 比 (bǐ), 一点儿 (yì diǎn ér) or 一些 (yì xiē) are placed after the adjective to indicate a small difference. Basic structure: A比B+Adjective+一点儿/一些.

比我们一起买的那个本子贵一点儿。 (bǐ wǒ men yì qǐ mǎi de nà ge běn zi guì yì diǎn ér 。)
It's a bit more expensive than the notebook we bought together.
姐姐比我高一点儿。 (jiě jie bǐ wǒ gāo yì diǎn ér 。)
My older sister is a little taller than me.
那间教室比这间大一些。 (nà jiān jiào shì bǐ zhè jiān dà yì xiē 。)
That classroom is a bit larger than this one.

Existential Sentences (2)

The aspect particle 着 (zhe) is placed after a verb to form an existential sentence. The phrase before the verb usually indicates a location, and the phrase after the verb generally refers to unspecified people or things. Basic structure: Location+Verb+着 (zhe)+People/Things.

你家楼下站着一个人。 (nǐ jiā lóu xià zhàn zhe yí gè rén 。)
There is someone standing downstairs at your building.
爸爸手里拿着一杯咖啡。 (bà ba shǒu lǐ ná zhe yì bēi kā fēi 。)
Dad is holding a cup of coffee in his hand.
那间教室里坐着不少学生。 (nà jiān jiào shì lǐ zuò zhe bù shǎo xué shēng 。)
There are quite a few students sitting in that classroom.

Adverb of Degree 多 (duō)

多 (duō) is used in exclamatory sentences to express a high degree.

你一个人在这儿多没意思啊！ (nǐ yí gè rén zài zhè ér duō méi yì si a ！)
How boring it is for you to be here alone!
我们一起去多好啊！ (wǒ men yì qǐ qù duō hǎo a ！)
How great it would be if we went together!
多好看啊！买这件吧。 (duō hǎo kàn a ！ mǎi zhè jiàn ba 。)
How nice it looks! Let's buy this one.

Compound Complement of Direction

Verbs 上 (shàng), 下 (xià), 进 (jìn), 出 (chū), 回 (huí), and 过 (guò), combined with 来 (lái), 去 (qù), and 起来 (qǐ lái) are used after a verb to form compound complements of direction. When the verb takes an object: if the object is a location noun, it is placed before 来/去 (qù); if the object is a thing noun, it can be placed either before or after 来/去.

她经常跑上来找我玩。 (tā jīng cháng pǎo shàng lái zhǎo wǒ wán 。)
She often runs upstairs to play with me.
楼不高，我们走上去吧。 (lóu bù gāo ， wǒ men zǒu shàng qù ba 。)
The building isn't tall, let's walk up.
一听到老师叫他的名字，他就站起来了。 (yì tīng dào lǎo shī jiào tā de míng zì ， tā jiù zhàn qǐ lái le 。)
As soon as he heard the teacher call his name, he stood up.
同学们都走出教室去了。 (tóng xué men dōu zǒu chū jiào shì qù le 。)
All the students walked out of the classroom.
白家月从书包里找出来一个漂亮的本子。 (bái jiā yuè cóng shū bāo lǐ zhǎo chū lái yí gè piào liang de běn zi 。)
Bai Jiayue took out a beautiful notebook from her bag.

Complement of Frequency (1)

Numeral+次 (cì) is used after a verb to form a complement of frequency, indicating the number of times an action occurs. When the verb is followed by an object, if the object is a person's name or a place name, it can be placed either before or after the complement of frequency.

我想去中国，虽然去过一次，但是很想再去一次。 (wǒ xiǎng qù zhōng guó ， suī rán qù guò yí cì ， dàn shì hěn xiǎng zài qù yí cì 。)
I want to go to China. I've been there once but really want to go again.
安妮去过一次北京。 (ān nī qù guò yí cì běi jīng 。)
Annie has been to Beijing once.
李文见了杨同乐两次。 (lǐ wén jiàn le yáng tóng lè liǎng cì 。)
Li Wen met Yang Tongle twice.

Complement of Frequency (2)

When a verb is followed by both a complement of frequency and an object: if the object is a thing noun, it is generally placed after the complement of frequency; if the object is a pronoun, it is placed before the complement of frequency.

因为我想再吃一次烤鸭，再喝一次奶茶。 (yīn wèi wǒ xiǎng zài chī yí cì kǎo yā ， zài hē yí cì nǎi chá 。)
Because I want to eat Peking Duck again and drink bubble tea again.
我想找他一次。 (wǒ xiǎng zhǎo tā yí cì 。)
I want to visit him once.
安妮来过这儿两次。 (ān nī lái guò zhè ér liǎng cì 。)
Annie has been here twice.

有 (yǒu) Sentence (2)

有 (yǒu) + Numeral-Measure Word Phrase indicates reaching a certain quantity.

你有一年没回国了吧？ (nǐ yǒu yì nián méi huí guó le ba ？)
You haven't been back to China for a year, right?
你女儿今年有10岁了吗？ (nǐ nǚ ér jīn nián yǒu 1 0 suì le ma ？)
Is your daughter 10 years old this year?
我有一个月没给家里打电话了。 (wǒ yǒu yí gè yuè méi gěi jiā lǐ dǎ diàn huà le 。)
I haven't called home for a month.

📚 Vocabulary

🧩 Grammar