B1 Grammar [Part 1] Flashcards
Adj. + 极了(jíle)
extremely Adj
不怎么 + Adj. / [Psychological Verb]
不怎么 + Verb
Using this grammar structure is a way to indirectly or mildly state something. Instead of saying 他不聪明 (tā bù cōngming) you can say 他不怎么聪明 (tā bù zěnme cōngming), turning a very direct statement to a milder, more inoffensive comment.
最近 不 怎么 忙 。
Zuìjìn bù zěnme máng.
Lately (subj) not very busy.
Using it with a verb will give it the meaning of “not often/not much”.
他 不怎么 爱 说话 。
Tā bù zěnme ài shuōhuà.
He not much love talk.
(He doesn’t like to talk much.)
全 (quán)
全 + Noun + 都
Simply put 全 in front of the noun you want to emphasize “the whole/entirety” of. You cannot use it with 的.
(usually paired up with 身 (body), 家 (family), 国 (country), 世界 (world), 天 (day) and the like.)
我们 全 家 都 去 过 北京 。
Wǒmen quán jiā dōu qù guo Běijīng.
Our whole family has been to Beijing.
Before a verb 全 can be omitted (and you just use 都 before the verb), but if it is used, the purpose is to emphasize the idea of “all” or “entire.”
When you negate 全都 with 不 or 没 AFTER it, you’re not just saying “not entirely,” you’re saying “none of it” or “not at all.”
你们 全 都 不 怕 吗 ？
Nǐmen quán dōu bú pà ma?
You guys not at all afraid?
When you negate by putting 不 or 没 BEFORE 全都, you’re only partially negating. In other words, you’re communicating “not all.”
菜 太 多 了 ，我们 没 全 都 吃完 。
Cài tài duō le, wǒmen méi quán dōu chī wán.
Food too much was, we not all eat finished./
There was too much food, we didn’t eat it all.
Reduplicating Adj
A A + 的 (+ Noun)
A A B B + 的 (+ Noun)
When adjectives are used as adverbs to modify verbs, you can reduplicate the adjective using the AABB pattern.
AABB + 地 + Verb
If you use an adjective as a predicate, then you’re basically using the adjective like a verb, and you reduplicate it as you would a verb, which means ABAB form. Using an adjective in this way is roughly equivalent to using 一下 after the (non-reduplicated) adjective. (“a little bit”)
Subj. + ABAB
Subj. + AB + 一下
Verb + 一 + Verb
考虑 考虑
kǎolǜ kǎolǜ
Think it over a bit.
笑 一 笑
Smile a bit.
你 看看。
Nǐ kànkan.
Take a little look.
正好 zhènghǎo + VERB
“happen to be”
正好 要… usually means “happen to be going to… VERB”
我 正好 要 出去
I happen to be going to go out.
我 正好 要 找 你
I happen to be going to look for you.
正好 after phrase or sentence means “just right/just enough”.
水温 正好，不 冷 也 不 热 。
Shuǐwēn zhènghǎo, bù lěng yě bù rè.
Water temp + just right, not cold and not hot.
就要 (jiùyào) & 快要 (kuàiyào)
就要/快要 + Verb + 了
“about to VERB”
又 + Verb + 了
“Verb again”
你 又 迟到 了 。
Nǐ yòu chídào le.
You late again.
我 又 忘 了 。
Wǒ yòu wàng le.
I forgot again.
NEGATED:
又 + 不 / 没 + Verb
他 又 没 来 上课 。
Tā yòu méi lái shàngkè.
He again not come to class.
又来了
Here it comes again/There it goes again/There it happens again.
(Colloquial Expression of annoyance at something that is ongoing and happening again).
原来 (yuánlái)
means “originally” (similar to 本来) as an adverb, or “original” or “former” as an adjective. As an adverb it can also mean “all along” and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown—a bit like, “so it’s been like that all along… how could I have not realized?”
When used as ADJ: 原来 + 的 + Noun
When used as ADVERB: Subj. + 原来 + Predicate
你 原来 的 发型 也 很 可爱 。
Nǐ yuánlái de fàxíng yě hěn kě’ài.
You(r) original hairstyle also very cute.
原来 她 是 他 的 中文 老师，现在 是 他 老婆 。
Yuánlái tā shì tā de Zhōngwén lǎoshī, xiànzài shì tā lǎopo.
Originally she is his Chinese teacher, not is his wife.
USED AS “ALL ALONG”:
原来 + [New Information]
原来 是 你 ！
Yuánlái shì nǐ!
All along is you!/It was you all along!
原来 是 这样 ！
Yuánlái shì zhèyàng!
All along is like this/so it’s like that!
一下子 (yīxiàzi)
Adverb meaning “all at once/suddenly.” Because it inherently encompasses a sense of “completion,” it’s typically going to be followed by a 了 (le) later in the sentence.
(一下子 (yīxiàzi) is a very informal expression to describe how fast things happened. It usually touches upon sudden or severe changes in a very short amount of time. Although 一下子 (yīxiàzi) is already quite informal, in colloquial Chinese 一下 (yīxià) can also be used to express the same thing.)
Subj. + 一下子 + Predicate + 了
天气 一下子 变 冷 了 。
Tiānqì yīxiàzi biàn lěng le.
Weather suddenly/all at once became cold.
差点 (chàdiǎn) + VERB
(You will also hear 差点儿 (chàdiǎnr) in northern China)
MEANING: something bad almost happened (but didn’t) - [Note that the “Predicate” part of the structure is usually something bad or something you don’t wish for, and that it didn’t happen]
车 差点 撞到 我 .
Chē chàdiǎn zhuàngdào wǒ.
Car ALMOST hit me.
他们 差点 打 起来 .
Tāmen chàdiǎn dǎ qǐlái.
They almost fight started./They almost started a fight.
——————————————————————-
差点没 (chàdiǎn méi) + Verb Phrase
-[Note that the “Verb Phrase” part is a desired result. So this structure is literally saying, “almost didn’t [Verb Phrase].” Also note that because you’re using 没, you don’t use 了 after the verb phrase.]
我 差点 没 赶 上 火车。
Wǒ chàdiǎn méi gǎnshàng huǒchē.
I ALMOST NOT got on train./I almost missed the train.
——————————————————————-
TRICKY PART:
Sometimes you see 差点 没 with an UNDESIRED RESULT verb phrase, but it means the same thing as 差点 + Undesired Verb. IDK why.
结果 (jiéguǒ)
“As a result/therefore/the result (was/is)
used as a conjunction or an adverb meaning “as a result/consequently”. It normally starts the second half of a sentence and can also introduce an unexpected or undesirable result.
Reason / Condition ，结果 + Result
我 太 紧张 了 ，结果 说 错 了 很 多 。
Wǒ tài jǐnzhāng le, jiéguǒ shuō cuò le hěn duō.
I too nervous was, therefore/as a result speak wrong did very much./I was too nervous, so I mispoke a lot.
Sometimes there is no cause-effect relationship between what comes before and after 结果 (no logical connection). In these sentences, the second half of the sentence usually emphasizes that what actually happened was unexpected or undesired.
Situation ，结果 + [Unexpected Result]
我 去 机场 接 他 ，结果 没 接到 他 。
Wǒ qù jīchǎng jiē tā, jiéguǒ méi jiēdào tā.
I went to airport to meet him, ‘the result was’ not found him there.
Subj. + (已经 +) Duration + 没 + Verb + 了
他们 已经 两 天 没 吃 东西 了 。
Tāmen yǐjīng liǎng tiān méi chī dōngxi le.
They already two days not eat stuff (PAST).
互相 (hùxiāng)
“mutual/each other”
Only used with two syllable verbs, or else it sounds unnatural. If you need to use it with a one syllable verb - add more information after the verb to make it longer.
For example, DON’T say:
互相 看
hùxiāng kàn
Look at each other
But you can say:
互相 看 了 一 眼
hùxiāng kàn le yī yǎn
glanced at each other
互相 帮助
hùxiāng bāngzhù
Help each other.
够 (gòu)
够 + Verb / Adj. + 了
(The 了 is only strictly required when 够 comes before an ADJ. When used in the verb structure, it just adds emphasis.)
= “enough to VERB”/”ADJ enough”
这些 纸 够 用 吗 ？
Zhèxiē zhǐ gòu yòng ma?
These papers enough (for us) to use?
我 对 你 够 好 了 。
Wǒ duì nǐ gòu hǎo le.
I to you good enough./ I’ve been good enough to you.
LOL.
NEGATED:
Subj. + 不 + 够 + Adj. / Verb
(Note that 了 can’t be used when it’s negated.)
你 说 得 不 够 清楚 。
Nǐ shuō de bù gòu qīngchǔ
You talk not enough clearly.
