• The addition of guo 过 = “passed” after the verb indicates that the action occurred at an unspecified time in the past:
Wǒ chī guo jiǎozi.
I ate (passed) dumplings
= “I’ve eaten dumplings already.”
• The use of le 了 = “completed” after the verb indicates actions that were just completed:
Wǒ chī le jiǎozi.
I ate (completed) dumplings
= “I’ve just eaten dumplings.”
• The addition of yào 要 = “want” or huì 会 = “will/shall” before the verb indicates a future action:
Wǒ yào chī jiǎozi.
I want eat dumplings
= “I’m going to eat the dumplings.”
Wǒ huì chī nàxiē jiǎozi.
I will eat those dumplings
= “I’ll be eating those dumplings.”
9 Adjectives
Adjectives generally precede the nouns they modify, sometimes with the possessive word de 的 added in between. For example,
| xiǎo xióngmāo | “a small panda” |
| zāng yīfu | “dirty clothes” |
| hǎo péngyou | “good friends” |
| měilì de fēngjǐng | “beautiful scenery” |
| míngguì de lǐwù | “expensive gift” |
| tǎoyàn de wénzi | “annoying mosquitoes” |
10 Adverbs
Adverbs are usually placed before the words they modify. Common examples are: hěn 很 “very”, yě 也 “also”, bǐjiào 比较 “comparatively, relatively”, jiù 就 “then”, zǒng 总 “always”. For example,
Chángchéng hěn cháng.
Great Wall very long
= “The Great Wall is very long.”
Wǒ yě xiǎng qù Shànghǎi.
I also want go Shanghai
= “I want to go to Shanghai too.”
Shànghǎi xiàtiān bǐjiào rè.
Shanghai summer rather hot
= “Shanghai is rather hot in summer.”
Nǐ xiān zǒu, wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái
You first go, I immediately then come
= “Go first, I’ll join you very soon.”
Wǔyuè de shíhou, zhè lǐ zǒng xiàyǔ.
May (month) (possessive) time this place always rains
= “In May, it always rains here.”
11 Negatives
There are two common words used to express the negative in Chinese: bù 不 and méi 没. The most often used one is bù 不 = “not”. The word méi 没 is used express actions not completed as in 没有 měiyǒu = “do not have”, “did not”.
Fàncài bù hǎo chī.
Food not good eat
= “The food is not good.”
Wǒ bù qù le.
I not go anymore
= “I am not going anymore.”
Tā bù zài zhèr.
He not at here
= “He’s not here.”
Wǒ zhǎo bù dào zhège dìzhǐ.
I find cannot this address
= “I cannot find this address.”
12 Questions
There are three ways to ask a question in Chinese. The easiest way is to add the word ma 吗 at the end of the sentence. This word functions like a question mark.
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
You can speak English (question marker)
= “Can you speak English?”
Nǐ shì Bǐdé ma?
You are Peter (question marker)
=“Are you Peter?”
The second way is to use the yes/no verbal construction which presents two opposing alternatives.
Nǐ huì bu huì shuō Yīngyǔ?
You can not can speak English
= “Can you speak English?”
Nǐ shì bu shì Bǐdé?
You are not are Peter
= “Are you Peter?”
The third way is to use a question word like shéi “who”, shénme “what”, nǎli/nǎr “where”, wèishénme “why”, jǐ “how many”, nǎ “which” and zěnme “how”. Here are some examples of questions you can ask.
1. Nǐ shì shéi/shuí?
You are who
= “Who are you?”
2. Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
You called what name
= “What’s your name?”
3. Nǐ zěnme qù jīcháng?
You how go airport
= “How are you going to the airport?”
4. Nǐ cóng nar lái?
You from where come
= “Where are you from?”
5. Nǐ péngyǒu zài
