Grammar set - 9 Flashcards
Before and after with “zhiqian” and “zhihou”
=》Before and after can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are in relatively the same vein as 以前/以后, except that these two are adverbs, while 之前/之后 are prepositions. Don’t forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.
Used as a Preposition
% Structure = Event + 之前 / 之后 ，⋯⋯
Examples
来 中国 之前 ，我 的 汉语 很 一般 。Lái Zhōngguó zhīqián, wǒ de Hànyǔ yībān.Before I came to China, my Chinese was so so.
下班 之后 给 我 打 个 电话 。Xiàbān zhīhòu gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.Give me a call after you get off work.
吃 完 饭 之后 去 看 电影 吧 ？Chī wán fàn zhīhòu qù diànyǐng ba?What about going to the movie after we finish dinner?
出国 之前 ，他 和 女朋友 分手了 。Chūguó zhīqián, tā hé nǚpéngyou fēnshǒu le.Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.
她 每天 放学 之后 都 要 去 上 钢琴 课 。Tā měi tiān fàngxué zhīhòu dōu yào qù shàng gāngqín kè.She needs to go to piano class every day after school is over.
Used as a Time Word
% Structure = ⋯⋯ ，之前 / 之后 ⋯⋯
Examples
他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ，之后 回 上海 了 。Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, zhīhòu huí Shànghǎi le.He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.
她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ，之前 是 教 英语 的 。Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, zhīqián shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.She’s been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.
老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ，之前 在 休假 。Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái gōngzuò, zhīqián zài xiūjià.The boss just came back to work. He was on vocation before.
我们 都 不知道 ，他 之前 什么 也 没 说 。Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā zhīqián shénme yě méi shuō.None of us knows. He didn’t say anything before.
我 现在 去 吃饭 ，之后 去 见 潜在 客户 。Wǒ xiànzài qù chīfàn, zhīhòu qù jiàn kèhù.I’m going to eat now. After that I will go to meet a potential client.
Expressing “ever since” with “yilai”
=》There are a few ways to express “ever since” in Chinese. In English, we would say something like “ever since I came to Shanghai, my Chinese has improved a lot.” In this article, we will first take a look at using 以来 (yǐlái) to mean “ever since.” We will also take a quick look at using “ever since” with 来 (lái), which is similar but used in a somewhat different way.
Pattern with 以来
=》To express “ever since,” all one needs to do is put 以来 after a specific event or time. It expresses what has happened since the stated event until the time that the speaker talks (in other words, referring to a certain time period).
》This grammar pattern is usually used to start a statement.
% Structure = Time / Event + 以来 ，⋯⋯
》When you need to use 以来 in a more formal or written context, you can add 自, 从 or 自从 (or other similar words) before the time or event.
% Structure = 自 / 从 / 自从 + Time / Event + 以来
Examples
今年 八月 以来 ，这里 一直 没 下 过 雨 。Jīnnián Bāyuè yǐlái, zhèlǐ yīzhí méi xià guo yǔ.It hasn’t rained since August.
结婚 以来 ，我们 没 吵 过 架 。Jiéhūn yǐlái, wǒmen méi chǎo guo jià.We’ve never had a fight since we got married.
从 他 爸爸 去世 以来 ，他 一直 没 回 过 家 。Cóng tā bàba qùshì yǐlái, tā yīzhí méi huí guo jiā.He hasn’t returned home since his father passed away.
从 毕业 以来，她 一直 在 教 汉语 。Cóng bìyè yǐlái, tā yīzhí zài jiāo Hànyǔ.She has been teaching Chinese since she graduated.
自 改革 开放 以来 ，中国 社会 发生 了 巨大 的 变化 。Zì gǎigé kāifàng yǐlái, Zhōngguó shèhuì fāshēng le jùdà de biànhuà.Tremendous changes have been taken place in China since the reform and opening up.
Pattern with 来
=》Using 来 to mean “ever since” is basically the same as 以来, however, there is one key difference: you can only use 来 after a time interval. In other words, it needs to be used with a certain number of years, months, days, hours etc. In English this would be like saying “ever since three days ago, I’ve had a constant headache.” It doesn’t have to be a specific number either, it could be “a few” (几).
% Structure = Time Interval + 来 ，⋯⋯
》This form cannot be used with 自, 从 or 自从 (or other similar words). Examples
十 年 来，房价 一直 在 涨 。Shí nián lái, fángjià yīzhí zài zhǎng.Ever since ten years ago, housing price has been going up.
几 年 来 ，我们 公司 的 收入 一直 在 增加 。Jǐ nián lái, wǒmen gōngsī de shōurù yīzhí zài zēngjiā.Out company’s income has been increasing during the past few years.
实习 几 个 月来 ，我 学到 了 很 多 。Shíxí jǐ gè yuè lái, wǒ xuédào le hěn duō.I’ve learnt a lot from my internship during the past few months.
出国 几 个 月 来 ，她 一点 也 不 想 家 。Chūguó jǐ gè yuè lái, tā yīdiǎn yě bù xiǎng jiā.She hasn’t missed home at all since he went abroad a few month ago.
离婚 这 几 年 来 ，他 从 没 去 看 过 孩子 。Líhūn zhè jǐ nián lái, tā cóng méi qù kàn guo háizi.He hasn’t visited his child ever since he got divorced a few years ago.
Expressing “when” with “shi”
=》By now you should now how to express “when” using “的时候” (de shíhou). But there’s also a slightly shorter, more formal way to do it: simply use 时 (shí) all by itself. (No 的!)
% Structure = Verb-Obj. + 时 ，Subj. ⋯⋯
》As time words can appear before or after the subject, you can also place the Verb-Obj. + 时 after the subject. 》There are two great examples of this pattern in the poem below:
你
一会儿看我
一会儿看云
你看我时很远
你看云时很近
Examples
考试 时 不要 说话 。Kǎoshì shí bùyào shuōhuà.Don’t talk when you take a test.
我 面试 时 经常 会 问 这个 问题 。Wǒ miànshì shí jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.I often ask this question in a job interview.
会议 结束 时 老板 才 来 。Huìyì jiéshù shí lǎobǎn cái lái.The boss didn’t show up until the meeting was over.
我 生气 时 不 想 说话 。Wǒ shēngqì shí bù xiǎng shuōhuà.I don’t want to talk when I’m angry.
他们 大学 毕业 时 就 分手 了 。Tāmen dàxué bìyè shí jiù fēnshǒu le.They broke up when they graduated from college.
飞机 起飞 时 ，他 关 了 手机 和 电脑 。Fēijī qǐfēi shí, tā guān le shǒujī hé diànnǎo.When the plane took off, he turned off his cell phone and computer.
他 太太 提出 离婚 时 ，他 很 惊讶 。Tā tàitai tíchū líhūn shí, tā hěn jīngyà.He was very surprised when his wife asked for a divorce.
他 去世 时 ，他 的 孩子 都 不 在 身边 。Tā qùshì shí, tā de háizi dōu bù zài shēnbiān.His children weren’t there when he passed away.
我们 公司 成立 时 只有 三 个 人 。Wǒmen gōngsī chénglì shí zhǐyǒu sān gè rén.There were only three people when this company was founded.
跟 别人 说话 时 不要 玩 手机 。Gēn biérén shuōhuà shí bùyào wán shǒujī.Don’t play with your cell phone when you talk with other people.
Sequencing past events with “houlai”
=》”⋯⋯, 后来⋯⋯” (…, hòulái…) is used to sequence past events in the same way that “Afterward…” is in English. Something very important to note is that 后来 can only be used with two events that have already occurred.
% Structure = [Past Event 1] ，后来 ，[Past Event 2]
Examples
》Here are some examples of this pattern in action:
他 说 他 会 来 ，后来 又 说 不 来 了 。Tā shuō tā huì lái, hòulái yòu shuō bù lái le.He said he would come, but later he said that he’s not coming.
他们 上周 吵架 了 ，后来 和好 了 。Tāmen shàng zhōu chǎojià le, hòulái hé hǎo le.They had a fight last week and they made up afterwards.
他 以前 是 厨师 ，后来 当 了 老板 。Tā yǐqián shì chúshī, hòulái dāng le lǎobǎn.He used to be a chef. Afterwards he became the owner.
我 昨晚 走 得 早 ，不 知道 后来 发生 了 什么 。Wǒ zuówǎn zǒu de zǎo, bù zhīdào hòulái fāshēng le shénme.I left very early yesterday evening, so I don’t know what happened afterwards.
开始 我 父母 不 同意 ，后来 他们 同意 了 。Kāishǐ wǒ fùmǔ bù tóngyì, hòulái tāmen tóngyì le.My parents disapproved in the beginning, but they approved later.
空调 我 上 个 月 修好 了 ，后来 又 坏了 。Kōngtiáo wǒ shàng gè yuè xiū hǎo le, hòulái yòu huài le.I fixed the air conditioner last week, but it was broken again after that.
他们 在一起 差不多 三 年 ，后来 分手 了 。Tāmen zài yīqǐ chàbuduō sān nián, hòulái fēnshǒu le.They had been together for about three years. But they broke up afterwards.
她 以前 是 兼职 老师 ，后来 做 了 全职 。Tā yǐqián shì jiānzhí lǎoshī, hòulái zuò le quánzhí.She used to be a part time teacher. Afterwards she became full time.
我 的 大学 老师 辞职 了 ，后来 去 上海 做 生意 了 。Wǒ de dàxué lǎoshī cízhí le, hòulái qù Shànghǎi zuò shēngyi le.My college teacher quit his job. Afterwards, he went to Shanghai to do business.
北京 以前 叫 北平 ，后来 改成 了 北京 。 Běijīng yǐqián jiào Běipíng, hòulái gǎi chéng le Běijīng.Beijing used to be called Beiping and got changed into Beijing afterwards.
Advanced yes-no questions with “ma”
=》The question particle 吗 (ma) is a very simple way to convert it into a “yes/no question,” and beginners will learn not to use 吗 with other question words, because it’s redundant. More advanced students, however, will note that 吗 has some more complicated structures that do involve combining it with question words in order to ask very specific types of confirming questions.
》You'll remember that this is the simple pattern for yes/no questions:
% Structure = Statement + 吗 ？
》If you embed a question that uses a question word instead of a statement, you can create a more complex kind of "confirming" 吗 (ma) question:
% Structure = [Question Word] + 吗 ？
》Examples of common question words include 什么 (shénme), 谁 (shéi), and 哪里 (nǎlǐ).
Examples
》Note that the following examples typically contains some kind of "verb of understanding" such as 知道 (zhīdào),了解 (liǎojiě), 明白 (míngbai), 认识 (rènshi), etc. Then "吗" (ma) can still be added at the end of the question, turning it into a kind of confirmation. For example:
1）
这 是 什么 ？Zhè shì shénmei?What is this?
你 知道 这 是 什么 吗？Nǐ zhīdào zhè shì shénme ma?Do you know what this is?
2）
他 是 谁 ？Tā shì shéi?Who is he?
你 知道 他 是 谁 吗？Nǐ zhīdào tā shì shéi ma?Do you know who he is?
3）
他 叫 什么 名字 ？Tā jiào shénme míngzi?What is his name?
你 知道 他 叫 什么 名字 吗？Nǐ zhīdào tā jiào shénme míngzi ma?Do you know what his name is?
4）
# 她 住 在哪儿 ？Tā zhù zài nǎr?Where does she live?
她 说 过 她 住 在哪儿 吗 ？Tā shuō guo tā zhù zài nǎr ma?Did she say where she lives?
5）
这个 标志 是 什么 意思 ？Zhège biāozhì shì shénme yìsi?What does this sign mean?
你们 明白 这个 标志 是 什么 意思 吗？Nǐmen míngbai zhège biāozhì shì shénme yìsi ma?Do you understand what this sign means?
6）
我们 想 要 什么 ？Wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme?What do we want?
他 问 过 我们 想 要 什么 吗？Tā wèn guo wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme ma?Did he care to ask what we want?
7）
你 的 问题 是 什么 ？Nǐ de wèntí shì shénme?What is your question?
你 能 再 说 一 遍 你 的 问题 是 什么 吗 ？Nǐ néng zài shuō yī biàn nǐ de wèntí shì shénme ma?Can you repeat what your question is?
8）
他 是 什么 时候 开始 学 中文 的 ？Tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de?When did he started to learn Chinese?
你 知道 他 是 什么 时候 开始 学 中文 的 吗 ？Nǐ zhīdào tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de ma?Do you know when he started to learn Chinese?
9）
这 是 在 哪儿 买 的 ？Zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de?Where did you buy this?
你 能 告诉 我 这 是 在 哪儿 买 的 吗 ？Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de ma?Can I tell me where you bought this?
10）
我 老板 的 孩子 多大 ？Wǒ lǎobǎn de háizi duō dà?How old is my boss’ child?
你 知道 我 老板 的 孩子 多大 吗？Nǐ zhīdào wǒ lǎobǎn de háizi duō dà ma?Do you know how old my boss’ child is?
Aspect particle “zhe”
=》The particle 着 (zhe) is one way of indicating the continuous aspect in Mandarin Chinese (another common way is using the adverb 在 in front of verbs). You may have heard that the Chinese particle 着 added onto the end of verbs is similar to the use of -ing in English. This isn’t particularly helpful, however, because the use of 着 in Chinese is not nearly so frequent, and can also be quite idiomatic.
Basic Usage
% Structure = Verb + 着
Examples
我 读 ，你 听 着 。Wǒ dú, nǐ tīng zhe.I’ll read the letter, and you will listen.
我们 做 ，你们 看 着 。Wǒmen zuò, nǐmen kàn zhe.We will do it, and you will watch.
你们 坐 着 ，我 马上 回来 。Nǐmen zuò zhe, wǒ mǎshàng huílái.Sit here. I’ll be right back.
我 出去 一下 ，你 帮 我 看 着 行李 。Wǒ chūqù yīxià, nǐ bāng wǒ kān zhe xíngli.I’ll go out for a second, and you watch the luggage for me.
Used for Manner or State in which an Action is Performed
% Structure = Verb 1 + 着 + Verb 2
》Note that the first verb (followed by 着) describes the state; the second verb is the action verb. In this case, the "-ing" translation can be useful. Examples
她 喜欢 站 着 吃饭 。”standing + eat = eating while standing”Tā xǐhuan zhàn zhe chīfàn.
他 笑 着 说 “对不起” 。”smiling + say = saying “I’m sorry” while smilingTā xiào zhe shuō “duìbuqǐ”.
孩子 抱 着 爸爸 哭 了 起来 。”hugging + cry = crying while huggingHáizi bào zhe bàba kū le qǐlái.
》Note: If you want to make a sentence where both verbs are action verbs (neither is truly a state), then you don't want this pattern, you want 一边⋯⋯，一边⋯⋯.
Used for Continuous State
=》While it’s true that the “full progressive pattern” can make use of 着, this is not a pattern you’re going to want to use all the time. The most commonly used verbs are the ones below:
《》 开 (kāi) alone can mean “to open” or “to turn on.” Adding 着 allows one to express that something “is open” or “is on.”
《》 关 (guān) alone can mean “to close” or “to turn off.” Adding 着 allows one to express that something “is closed” or “is off.”
《》 穿 (chuān) alone means “to wear.” Adding 着 allows one to express that one “is wearing” or “has” something (on one’s person).
《》 戴 (dài) alone means “to wear.” Adding 着 allows one to express that one “is wearing” or “has” something (on one’s person).
《》 躺 (tǎng) alone means “to lie on one’s back.” Adding 着 allows one to express that someone “is lying down.”
Examples
1）
✓ - 公司 的 门 开 着 ，可是 没 人 在 。”Being on” is a state, so using 着 is natural.)Gōngsī de mén kāi zhe, kěshì méi rén zài.The door of the company is open but no one is in there.
X - 公司 的 门 在 开 ，可是 没 人 在 。”Being open” is not an action, so don’t use 在.)Gōngsī de mén zài kāi, kěshì méi rén zài.
2）
✓ - 她 穿 着 一 条 小 黑 裙 。”Be wearing” is a state, so using 着 is natural.)Tā chuān zhe yī tiáo xiǎo hēi qún.She’s wearing a little black dress.
X - 她 在 穿 一 条 小 黑 裙 。”Be wearing” is not an action, so don’t use 在.)Tā zài chuān yī tiáo xiǎo hēi qún.
3）
✓ - 躺 着 最 舒服 。”Lying here” is a state, so using 着 is natural.)Tǎng zhe zuì shūfu.It makes me most comfortable just lying there.
X - 在 躺 最 舒服 。”Lying here” is not strictly an action, so don’t use 在.)Zài tǎng zuì shūfu.
Colloquial Saying
=》Certain verbs tend to take 着 more frequently than others, and exactly what the 着 is doing might not be apparent at all. It’s best to think of these usages as colloquialisms. You can even think of them as set phrases.
Examples of this usage:
听 着 ! “to listen and keep listening”Tīng zhe!
别 客气 ，拿 着 吧 。”to take and keep it”Bié kèqi, ná zhe ba.
你们 等 着 ! “to wait and keeping waiting”Nǐmen děng zhe!
》There's also one colloquial usage of 着 that's been chosen by at least one textbook for special treatment, so we'll cover it here as well:
% Structure = Subj. + 是 + Verb + 着 + 玩 + 的
》This pattern may look like that "doing an action in a particular state" pattern already covered above, but in practice it doesn't really work that way. It just means "[Verb] for fun" or "[Verb] as a joke."
Examples of this usage:
你 不要 生气 ，我 是 说 着 玩 的 。Nǐ bùyào shēngqì, wǒ shì shuō zhe wán de!Don’t be mad. I was just joking.
我 听不懂 英文 歌 ，只 是 听 着 玩 的 。Wǒ tīng bu dǒng Yīngwén gē, zhǐshì tīng zhe wán de.I don’t understand English songs. I listen just for fun.
Expressing the self-evident with “ma”
=》The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in pronunciation to the simple “yes/no question” particle 吗 (ma) you learned back in the day, but with a rather different function. It can be used when the speaker feels what he is saying is obvious (from his point of view).
% Structure = Statement + 嘛
Examples
你 妹妹 很 漂亮 嘛 。Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang ma.Your sister is pretty.
他 家 挺 有钱 的 嘛 。Tā jiā tǐng yǒuqián de ma.His family is pretty rich.
不 想 去 就 不要 去 嘛 。Bù xiǎng qù jiù bùyào qù ma.If you don’t wanna go, don’t go.
你 别 太 谦虚 嘛 。Nǐ bié tài qiānxū ma.Don’t be too modest.
大家 有 话 就 说 嘛 。Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō ma.Guys, you should say whatever you want to say.
你 跟 他 很 熟 嘛 。Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu ma.You two know each other well.
开 慢点 ，安全 第一 嘛 。Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán dìyī ma.Drive slowly. Safety first.
不用 塑料袋 更 环保 嘛 。Bùyòng sùliàodài gèng huánbǎo ma.It’s more environmental not to use plastic bags.
这个 老外 很 了解 中国 文化 嘛 。Zhège lǎowài hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà ma.This foreigner know a lot about Chinese culture.
别 担心 ，一边 工作 一边 学 嘛 。Bié dānxīn, yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué ma.Don’t worry. You can learn while you work.
Reviewing options with “ba”
=》When 吧 (ba) is used twice in a sentence, it is used to list two options that the speaker is debating. It gives the sentence an indecisive feel, as though the speaker doesn’t know which one to choose. This construction often has a negative connotation, since the options usually are not ideal.
% Structure = Option 1 + 吧 ，⋯⋯ ；Option 2 + 吧 ，⋯⋯
》If this structure doesn't seem clear to you, the examples will help. Examples
冬天 去 吧 ，太 冷 ；夏天 去 吧 ，太 热 。Dōngtiān qù ba, tài lěng; xiàtiān qù ba, tài rè.Going in the winter, it’s too cold; Going in the summer, it’s too hot.
早点 去 吧 ，要 等 ；晚点 去 吧 ，会 堵车 。Zǎo diǎn qù ba, yào děng; wǎn diǎn qù ba, yòu dǔchē. Going early, we’ll have to wait; Going later, there will be too much traffic.
穿 得 多 一点 吧 ，会 热 ；穿 得 少 一点 吧 ，会 冷 。Chuān de duō yīdiǎn ba, huì rè; chuān de shǎo yīdiǎn ba, huì lěng.Wearing a little more, it will be hot; Wearing a little less, it will be cold.
去 吧 ，要 给 红包 ；不 去 吧 ，他 没 面子 。Qù ba, yào gěi hóngbāo; bù qù ba, tā méi miànzi.Going there, I need to give a red envelope; Not going, he will lose face.
不 说 吧 ，他 还 会 做 错 ；说 吧 ，他 肯定 不 高兴 。Bù shuō ba, tā hái huì zuò cuò; shuō ba, tā kěndìng bù gāoxìng.Not telling him, he will still do it wrong next time; Telling him, he must be upset.
回去 吧 ，机票 太 贵 ；不 回去 吧 ，家人 肯定 会 想 我 。Huíqù ba, jīpiào tài guì; bù huíqù ba, jiārén kěndìng huì xiǎng wǒ.Going back, the air ticket is too expensive; Not going back, my family definitely miss me.
带 你 去 吧 ，你 总是 不 听话 ；不 带 你 去 吧 ，你 一个人 肯定 无聊 。Dài nǐ qù ba, nǐ zǒngshì bù tīnghuà; bù dài nǐ qù ba, nǐ yīgèrén kěndìng wúliáo.Taking you with me, you will be naughty like always; Not taking you with me, you will definitely be bored.
见面 吧 ，常常 吵架 ；不 见面 吧 ，还是 会 想 他 。Jiànmiàn ba, chángcháng chǎojià; bù jiànmiàn ba, háishì huì xiǎng tā.Seeing each other, we fight a lot; Not seeing each other, I miss him anyway.
不 说 真话 吧 ，老婆 不 高兴 ；说 真 话 吧 ，老婆 也 不 高兴 。Bù shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo bù gāoxìng; shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo yě bù gāoxìng.Not speaking the truth, the wife will be upset; Telling the truth, the wife will also be upset.
这个 老房子 ，卖 吧 ，怕 父母 不 同意 ；不 卖 吧 ，就 没 钱 买 新 车 。Zhège lǎo fángzi, mài ba, pà fùmǔ bù tóngyì; bù mài ba, jiù méi qián mǎi xīn chē.Selling this old house, I’m afraid my parents disagree; Not selling it, I don’t have money to buy a new car.
Using “de” (modal particle)
=》The particle 的 (de) is most often a structural particle, but it can also be a sentence-final particle which indicates that the speaker is certain about what he is saying. When it serves this purpose, it’s expressing a type of “mood,” and thus is called a “modal particle.”
% Structure = Statement + 的
》Frequently the statement will include 会 (huì) or 一定会 (yīdìng huì) to emphasize the speaker's certainty. Examples
他 会 好 的 。Tā huì hǎo de.He will get better.
你 可以 的 。Nǐ kěyǐ de.You can do this.
她 一定 会 来 的 。Tā yīdìng huì lái de.She’s definitely coming.
我们 能 搞定 的 。Wǒmen néng gǎodìng de.We can fix this.
他 不 会 道歉 的 。Tā bù huì dàoqiàn de.He’s not going to apologize.
这个 地方 我们 来 过 的 。Zhège dìfang wǒmen lái guo de.We’ve been here.
我 跟 你 说 过 的 ，你 不 记得 了 ？Wǒ gēn nǐ shuō guo de, nǐ bù jìde le?I’ve told you this. Do you not remember?
我 不 会 骗 你 的 。Wǒ bù huì piàn nǐ de.I won’t lie to you.
你们 会 成功 的 。Nǐmen huì chénggōng de.You will succeed.
你 的 建议 我们 会 考虑 的 。Nǐ de jiànyì wǒmen huì kǎolǜ de.We will consider your advice.
Expressing “about” with “guanyu”
=》关于 (guānyú) usually points to a range or scope, acting like the English word “about.” It can be used in a few ways, often marking a topic of a statement, or modifying a noun.
Used for Topic-Marking
》As an adverb/adverbial clause, it can only be placed at the beginning of the sentence.
% Structure = 关于 + Obj. ，⋯⋯
Examples
关于 中国 历史，我 知道 的 不多。Guānyú Zhōngguó lìshǐ, wǒ zhīdào de bù duō.As for Chinese history, I don’t know a lot.
关于 这 次 考试，我 还 有 几 个 问题 要 问。Guānyú zhè cì kǎoshì, wǒ hái yǒu jǐ gè wèntí yào wèn.As for this exam, I still have a lot of questions that I need to ask.
关于 这个 问题，你们 还是 问 他 吧。Guānyú zhège wèntí, nǐmen háishì wèn tā bā.As for this problem, you’d better ask him.
关于 你 的 建议，老板 还在 考虑 。Guānyú nǐ de jiànyì, lǎobǎn hái zài kǎolǜ.As for your suggestion, the boss is still thinking it over.
关于 调查 结果，我们 也 不 太 清楚 。Guānyú diàochá jiéguǒ, wǒmen yě bù tài qīngchu.As for the result of that research, we don’t know much either.
Used as Part of a Modifier
=》As an attributive modifier, 关于 (guānyú) is placed before the noun phrase, and you should always add a 的.
% Structure = 关于 ⋯⋯ 的 + Noun
Examples
这 是 一 份 关于 中国 奢侈品 市场 的 报告 。Zhè shì yī fèn guānyú Zhōngguó shēchǐ pǐn shìchǎng de bàogào.This is a report about the Chinese luxury market.
汉语 有 很 多 关于 饮食 的 成语 。Hànyǔ yǒu hěn duō guānyú yǐnshí de chéngyǔ. There are lots of idioms about diet in Chinese.
我 昨天 看 了 一 部 关于 动物 保护 的 纪录片 。Wǒ zuótiān kàn le yī bù guānyú dòngwù bǎohù de jìlùpiàn.I saw a documentary about animal protection yesterday.
网上 有 很 多 关于 这 件 事情 的 评论 。Wǎngshang you hěn duō guānyú zhè jiàn shìqing de pínglùn.There are lots of comments about this matter online.
他 写 过 很 多 关于 男女 平等 的 文章 。Tā xiě guo hěn duō guānyú nánnǚ píngděng de wénzhāng.He wrote many articles about gender equality.
Unspoken 关于
=》The word “about” often follows verbs in English, such as “talk about” or “ask about.” In Chinese however, this “about” meaning is built into the verb and no additional “about” word is needed, much as we don’t say “discuss about” in English.
A few examples:
我们 聊聊 你 的 新 工作 吧 。Wǒmen liáoliao nǐ de xīn gōngzuò ba.Let’s talk about your new job.
今天 开会 要 说说 公司 下 个 月 的 培训 。Jīntiān kāihuì yào shuōshuo gōngsī xià gè yuè de péixùn.Today, we need to hold a meeting about next month’s company training.
Verbs preceded by “gei”
=》The word 给 (gěi) literally means “to give,” but is frequently used in Chinese to indicate the target of a verb. The target is who or what the verb is aimed or directed at.
% Structure = Subj. + 给 + Target + [Verb Phrase]
Examples
现在 不要 给 他 打电话 。Xiànzài bùyào gěi tā dǎ diànhuà.Don’t give him a phone call now.
请 快点 给 我 回 邮件 。Qǐng kuàidiǎn gěi wǒ huí yóujiàn.Please return my email soon.
他 说 他 会 给 我 写信 的 。Tā shuō tā huì gěi wǒ xiě xìn de.He said he would write letters to me.
你 可以 给 大家 读 一下 吗 ？Nǐ kěyǐ gěi dàjiā dú yīxià ma?Could you please read it for everybody?
我 给 你 发 短信 了 ，你 怎么 不 回 ？Wǒ gěi nǐ fā duǎnxìn le. Nǐ zěnme bù huí?I sent you short messages. Why didn’t you return any?
她 的 粉丝 常常 给 她 寄 礼物 。Tā de fěnsī chángcháng gěi tā jì lǐwù.Her fans often send her gifts.
小时候 ，妈妈 每天 都 给 我 讲 故事 。Xiǎoshíhou, māma měi tiān dōu gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi.When I was young, every day my mother would tell me stories.
爸爸 应该 给 儿子 道歉 。Bàba yīnggāi gěi érzi dàoqiàn.The father should apologize to his son.
谁 能 给 我 解释 一下 ？Shéi néng gěi wǒ jiěshì yīxià?Who can explain this to me?
老板 让 我 明天 给 客户 介绍 我们 的 新 产品 。Lǎobǎn ràng wǒ míngtiān gěi kèhù jièshào wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn.My boss asked to present our new product to the client tomrrow.
》Chinese speakers use 给 in some interesting ways, similar to how English speakers use "to give," as in "to give someone a phone call" or "to give someone a reply." Alternative Structure 》Although the structure above is the best one to learn first, some verbs frequently use 给, but have the 给 coming after the verb, rather than before. It's best to think of these as exceptions to the rule above, and you can learn more about these exceptions by reading about Verbs followed by "gei".
Using “dui” with verbs
=》When using 对 (duì) as a preposition, it is used to indicate “to” or “towards” an object or target. As with all prepositions, some care should be taken when using this particle, as usage of 对 doesn’t always totally “make sense” or correspond to English at all.
Basic Usage
% Structure = Subj. + 对 + Person + Verb
》Note that you shouldn't be plugging in just any old verb here.
Examples
宝宝 对 我 笑 了 。Bǎobao duì wǒ xiào le.The baby smiled at me.
小狗 在 对 你 叫 。Xiǎogǒu zài duì nǐ jiào.The dog is barking at you.
你 不 应该 这样 对 父母 说话 。Nǐ bù yīnggāi zhèyang duì fùmǔ shuōhuà.You shouldn’t talk to your parents this way.
他 总是 对 老师 撒谎 。Tā zǒngshì duì lǎoshī sāhuǎng.He always lies to his teachers.
不要 对 孩子 发脾气 。Bùyào duì háizi fā píqi.Don’t lose your temper at the child.
Colloquial Saying
=》In English we say “To someone or for someone.” In Chinese, the pattern is:
% Structure = 对 + Party + 来说 ，⋯⋯
》The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. 》Note that subject can be also placed before 对.
Examples
学好 中文 对 外国人 来说 不 容易 。Xuéhǎo Zhōngwén duì wàiguórén lái shuō bù róngyì.To foreigners, it is not easy to learn Chinese well.
对 孩子 来说 ，这个 问题 太 复杂 了 。Duì háizi lái shuō, zhège wèntí tài fùzá le.For kids, this question is too complicated.
对 你 来说 ，家庭 重要 还是 工作 重要 ？Duì nǐ lái shuō, jiātíng zhòngyào háishì gōngzuò zhòngyào?To you, is family or work more important?
Special Usage
=》Certain verbs, specially phycological verbs, are often used with 对, which means 对 is needed if you want to add an Obj in the structure, such as 对…感兴趣 (“to be interested in…”). In this case, 对 means “in, on, about,” etc. The short list below will give a few more verbs used with 对. Check it out!
《》 对⋯⋯感兴趣 (gǎn xìngqù) to feel interested in
《》 对⋯⋯负责 (fùzé) to be responsible for
《》 对⋯⋯满意 (mǎnyì) to feel satisfied about
《》 对⋯⋯好奇 (hàoqí) to feel curious about
《》 对⋯⋯失望 (shīwàng) to feel disappointed about
Some examples:
我 儿子 对 学 外语 很 感 兴趣 。Wǒ érzi duì xué wàiyǔ hěn gǎn xìngqù.My son is very interested in learning foreign language.
你 应该 对 自己 的 工作 负责 。Nǐ yīnggāi duì zìjǐ de gōngzuò fùzé .You should be responsible for your job.
老板 对 你 不 太 满意 。Lǎobǎn duì nǐ bù tài mǎnyì.The boss has been not very satisfied with you.
观众 对 比赛 结果 非常 失望 。Guānzhòng duì bǐsài jiéguǒ fēicháng shīwàng.Everyone is very disappointed with the result of the game.
我 的 小 女儿 对 所有 动物 都 很 好奇 。Wǒ de xiǎo nǚ’ér duì suǒyǒu dòngwù dōu hěn hàoqí.My younger daughter is curious about all the animals.
Idiomatic phrases with “zai”
=》You probably already know how to express location with 在. In this article, we’ll go more in depth as to how you can make idiomatic phrases using that construction. This kind of form is actually similar to some that we have in English, so it won’t be too difficult.
Used with 上
=》This construction can be translated as “on the topic of” or “in regards to.” It can be used to comment on an idea or concept. The examples below will help.
% Structure = 在 + Topic + 上 ，Subj. ⋯⋯
》Note that the subject can also be put before 在.
Examples
在 这 个 问题 上 ，我们 的 看法 是 一样 的 。Zài zhè gè wèntí shàng, wǒmen de kànfǎ shì yīyàng de.In regards to this problem, our opinions are the same.
在美国 历史 上 ，谁 是 最 重要 的 总统 ？Zài Měiguó lìshǐ shàng, shéi shì zuì zhòngyào de zǒngtǒng ?In American history, who is the most important president?
这个 句子 在 语法 上 没 什么 问题 ，但是 不 太 自然 。Zhège jùzi zài yǔfǎ shàng méi shénme wèntí, dànshì bù tài zìrán.This sentence is okay to say in terms of grammar, it’s just not very natural.
南方人 和 北方人 在 生活 习惯 上 有 很多 差异 。Nánfāng rén hé běifāng rén zài shēnghuó xíguàn shàng yǒu hěn duō chāyì.There are many differences between northern and southern people on the topic of living habits.
Used with 下
=》This construction can be translated (rather directly) as “under” and expresses conditions that affected the comment that comes after.
% Structure = 在 ⋯⋯ 下 ，⋯⋯
Examples
在 这样 的 环境 下 长大 ，孩子 会 快乐 吗 ？Zài zhèyàng de huánjìng xià zhǎngdà, háizi huì kuàilè ma?Do you think kids will be happy growing up in this kind of environment?
在 这 种 情况下 ，你们 会 怎么 做 ？Zài zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng xià, nǐmen huì zěnme zuò?In this situation, what would you do?
在 紧急 情况 下 ，你 可以 这样 做 。Zài jǐnjí qíngkuàng xià, nǐ kěyǐ zhèyàng zuò.In emergencies, you can do that.
在 那么 困难 的 条件 下 ，她 还是 坚持 让 孩子们 都 上学 。Zài nàme kùnnan de tiáojiàn xià, tā háishì jiānchí ràng háizi men dōu shàngxué.She still insisted that the children should all go to school under that difficult financial condition.
Used with 方面
=》This construction is similar to the 在⋯⋯上 above, which translates to “in relation to” or “on the topic of.”
% Structure = 在 + Topic + 方面 ，Subj. ⋯⋯
Examples
在 事业 方面 ，我 老板 很 成功 。Zài shìyè fāngmiàn, wǒ lǎobǎn hěn chénggōng.On the topic of career, my boss is very successful.
在 技术 方面 ，他 是 专家 。Zài jìshù fāngmiàn, tā shì zhuānjiā.On the topic of technology, he’s an expert.
在 管理 方面 ，你 比 我 有经验 。Zài guǎnlǐ fāngmiàn, nǐ bǐ wǒ yǒu jīngyàn.On the topic of management, you have more experience than I do.
中 西方 文化 在 很多 方面 都 有 共同点 。Zhōng xīfāng wénhuà zài hěn duō fāngmiàn dōu yǒu gòngtóngdiǎn.In certain aspects, Chinese and Western culture have a lot in common.
Expressing “towards” with “xiang”
=》向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means “towards,” and is used often when expressing or referring to a certain point.
Used as “towards”
=》When used as a preposition, “向” indicates an action that is performed towards a reference point, but doesn’t have any actual motion towards that point.
% Structure = 向 + Direction / Person + Verb
Examples
向 东 走 。Xiàng dōng zǒu.Walk towards east.
向 前 看 。Xiàng qián kàn.Look forward.
向 左 转 。Xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn.Turn left.
老师 正 向 我们 走 来 。Lǎoshī zhèng xiàng wǒmen zǒu lái.The teacher is walking towards us.
火车 已经 开 了 ，她 还在 向 我 招手 。Huǒchē yǐjīng kāi le, tā hái zài xiàng wǒ zhāoshǒu.The train already took off. She kept waving towards me.
你 必须 向 他 道歉 ！Nǐ bìxū xiàng tā dàoqiàn!You must apologize to him!
这 件 事 你 应该 向 老板 汇报 一下 。Zhè jiàn shì nǐ yīnggāi xiàng lǎobǎn huìbào yīxià.You should report this to the boss!
Used as “from”
=》Whereas in English we would say “learn from someone,” in Chinese this would be expressed as “learn toward someone,” as in the following example (and famous propaganda slogan):
向 雷锋 同志 学习 ！Xiàng Léi Fēng tóngzhì xuéxí!Learn from Comrade Lei Feng!
》More examples:
Examples
我 不 喜欢 向 朋友 借钱 。Wǒ bù xǐhuan xiàng péngyou jiè qián.I don’t like to borrow money to my friends.
你 会 向 陌生人 求助 吗 ？Nǐ huì xiàng mòshēngrén qiúzhù ma?Would you ask strangers for help?
我们 都 没 经验 ，是 来 向 你 请教 的 。Wǒmen dōu méi jīngyàn, lái xiàng nǐ qǐngjiào de.None of us have experience. We’re here to ask you for advice.
Expressing “toward” with “wang”
Used as “Towards”
Used before a Verb
=》”往”加方位词、处所词，放在动词前，表示动作的方向。
% Structure = 往 + Direction / Place + Verb
Examples # 一直 往 前 走 。Yīzhí wǎng qián zǒu.Go straight along.
往 左 拐 。Wǎng zuǒ guǎi.Turn left.
往 上 看 。Wǎng shàng kàn.Look up there.
那个 小偷 往 东 跑 了 。Nàge xiǎotōu wǎng dōng pǎo le.That thief ran east.
不要 往 楼下 扔 垃圾 。Bùyào wǎng lóuxià rēng lājī.Don’t throw trash downstairs.
不要 往 我 家 打电话 了 ！Bùyào wǎng wǒ jiā dǎ diànhuà le!Stop calling my house!
Used after a Verb
=》在书面语里，”往”可用于少数单音节动词后，后面加处所名词。
Examples
开 往 北京 的 火车 Kāi wǎng Běijīng de huǒchēThe train that goes to Beijing.
飞 往 纽约 的 飞机 Fēi wǎng Niǔyuē de fēijīThe airplane that flies to New York.
运 往 国外 的 货物 Yùn wǎng guówài de huòwùThe cargos that are shipped overseas.
往下 as “Keep Going”
=》”往下”可以引申为”接着、继续”的意思，表示这个过程前面中断过。与之搭配的动词一般是感官动词：说、读、写、看、听。
Examples
往 下 说 。Wǎng xià shuō.Keep talking.
往 下 读 。 Wǎng xià dú.Keep reading.
你 往 下 看 就 知道 了 。Nǐ wǎng xià kàn jiù zhīdào le.Keep reading it and then you will figure out.
