YUFA! A Practical Guide To Mandarin Chinese Grammar - ELTE

x GlossarySentential particleSee modal particle.Sentential subjectThe subject of a sentence that is itself a complete sentence.SubjectWhat or whom a sentence is about.Subject–predicate construction A sentence that is composed of a subject and a predicatethat follows the subject.Subordinate clauseAlso called a dependent clause. It is part of a complexsentence and is not complete in meaning. Therefore, itcannot function independently. In Chinese, a subordinateclause appears before the main clause.Time phraseA word or phrase that indicates when an action occurs.Topic–comment structureA sentence of which the predicate is one or more completesentences. The subject in such a sentence is referred toas the topic, and the predicate is the comment.

Section 1The core structures

1The basic formation ofa Chinese sentenceA Chinese sentence can typically be classified as either a subject–predicate constructionor a non-subject–predicate construction. Another structure generally referred to as the‘topic–comment’ structure is also common in Chinese.Level1/2/31.1 The subjectThe following are some of the key grammatical features of the subject in a Chinese sentence.(a) Definite subjectsThe subject of a sentence is generally of a definite nature; i.e. it is a specific entity that is knownto both the speaker and the listener. See Chapter 3 for more information on the definiteness of nouns.王老师来我家。 (王老师 is definite.)昨天王老师ZuótiAn Wáng lKoshC lái wN jiA.Yesterday Teacher Wang came to my 。 (一个客人 is iAn wN jiA lái le yí ge kèrén.Yesterday a guest came to my house. See 21.8 for word-order rules.(b) Non-definite, generic subjectsAn entity of non-definite nature that is generic in meaning can also serve as the subject.菠菜菠菜很有营养。(菠菜 is generic.)BDcài hLn yNu yíngyKng.Spinach is nutritious.熊猫熊猫真可爱。(熊猫 is generic.)XióngmAo zhBn kL’ài.Pandas are really cute.(c) What can be a subject?Words and phrases that function as nouns, pronouns, proper nouns, numerals, adjectives orverbs can serve as the subject.

4 。 (你的学生 is a noun phrase.)Wáng lKoshC: NMde xuéshBng zhBn ��努力最重要。 (聪明 and 努力 are adjectives.)ZhAng lKoshC: CDngmíng méiyNu yòng, nOlì zuì zhòngyào.Teacher Wang: Your students are really smart.Teacher Zhang: Being smart is of no use; being hard-working is most important.(d) Sentential subjectsA complete sentence can serve as the subject without any particular marker. It should be notedthat a comma can be used after a sentential subject, especially when the subject is long.丈夫做家务，是一件很平常的事。 (丈夫做家务 is the subject.)在中国，丈夫做家务Zài ZhDngguó, zhàngfE zuò jiAwù, shì yí jiàn hLn píngcháng de shì.In China, husbands doing housework is a very common thing.Expletive ‘it’ in English has no counterpart in Chinese. This means that a sentence witha sentential subject may have different word orders in English and ，让她很难过。Érzi bù tCng tAde huà, ràng tA hLn nánguò.It saddens her ( makes her sad) that her son does not listen to her.In English, a sentential subject is frequently introduced by the phrase ‘(the fact) that . . .’.Note that such a phrase is not used in Chinese. The phrase ‘the fact that’ does not have acounterpart in 小姐不表示李小姐也喜欢王先生。Wáng xiAnsheng xMhuAn LM xiKojiL bù biKoshì LM xiKojiL yL xMhuAn Wáng xiAnsheng.The fact that Mr Wang likes Miss Li does not mean that Miss Li likes Mr Wang, too.(e) Subjects in passive sentencesThe subject is not always the performer of the action; it is sometimes the receiver of the action. See 23.3 for unmarked passive.我的车修好了。(车 does not perform the action of 修.)WNde chB xiE hKo le.My car has been fixed.Level1/2/31.2 The predicateThe predicate in a Chinese sentence can be any of the following:(a) Simple verbs, compound verbs or verbal phrasesIt should be noted that a sentence with a simple verb as its predicate rarely appears without atleast one other element, such as a particle or a time phrase. When it does appear withoutanother element, it is usually in context.(Situation: Wang is throwing a party. Li and Zhang are talking about it.)去吗？李：你们去LM: NMmen qù Ang: WN qù; wN nY péngyNu bú qù.Li: Are you (plural) going?Zhang: I am going; my girlfriend is not.

The basic formation of a Chinese sentence ��么节目？MAma: ZuótiAn de wKnhuì nM gBn mèimei biKoyKn le shénme 。 (唱歌 and 跳舞 are both compound verbs.)Érzi: WN chànggB, tA tiàowO.Mother: What did you and your younger sister perform at yesterday’s evening party?Son: I sang; she ��欢我。 (喜欢李小姐 and 不喜欢我 are verbal phrases.)我喜欢李小姐WN xMhuAn LM xiKojiL; LM xiKojiL bù xMhuAn wN.I like Miss Li; Miss Li does not like me.(b) AdjectivesIt should be noted that 是 is not used in this case.In a simple positive descriptive statement, a degree adverb or a complement of degree shouldbe used. When the degree adverb 很 is used, it does not literally mean ‘very’, but is only usedto fulfil this basic grammar requirement.很忙。 (Do not say 他忙 or 他是忙; 很 does not have我爸爸在大使馆工作，他很忙a literal meaning of ‘very’ in this sentence.)WN bàba zài dàshMguKn gDngzuò, tA hLn máng.My father works at the embassy. He is busy.要命。 (要命 is a complement of degree; therefore, there is no degree adverb我累得要命before 累.)WN lèi de yàomìng.I am extremely tired. ( I am tired to death.)When the adjective appears alone, a comparison is 妹妹。弟弟大WN yNu dìdi, yL yNu mèimei. Dìdi dà, mèimei xiKo.I have a younger brother and I also have a younger sister. My younger brother is older(than my younger 校，男老师多Wáng: NMmen xuéxiào, nán lKoshC duD háishì nY lKoshC duD?丁：女老师多多。DCng: NY lKoshC duD.Wang: At your school, are there more male teachers or more female teachers?Ding: There are more female teachers. See 8.3 for information on adjectival verbs.Some adjectives are not associated with a matter of degree but are used to indicate a fact.The predicate in such a sentence is 是 adjective 的. See 20.11 for more information.是蓝的。这件大衣是蓝的Zhè jiàn dàyC shì lán de.This coat is blue. (This is to indicate a fact.)这件大衣很好看很好看。Zhè jiàn dàyC hLn hKokàn.This coat is pretty. (This is to indicate an opinion.)

6 的？ (男 and 女 are adjectives, and it is improper to refer toindividuals as 男人 or 女人.)Wáng lKoshC shì nán de háishì nY de?Is Teacher Wang a man or a woman?(c) NounsSuch a predicate is frequently used to indicate age, time, day, date, year, amount of money, etc.It should be noted that such a sentence is usually a simple positive statement or a questionwith an interrogative 岁)。王先生三十五岁Wáng xiAnsheng sAnshí wO suì, Wáng tàitai sAnshí (suì).Mr Wang is 35 years old; Mrs Wang is 30.几点？现在几点Xiànzài jM diKn?What time is it now?多少钱？这本书多少钱Zhè bLn shE duDshKo qián?How much is this book?In a negative sentence or an affirmative–negative question, a noun alone cannot be thepredicate. A verb must be used; thus the predicate would be a verbal áng: JCntiAn shì bú shì xCngqC ��四。ZhAng: JCntiAn búshì xCngqC sAn, shì xCngqC sì.Wang: Is today Wednesday?Zhang: Today isn’t Wednesday; it’s Thursday.(d) Complete sentencesThis is an example of the topic–comment structure, in which the subject is considered thetopic, and the complete sentence is the comment. A topic can have more than one comment. See g xiAnsheng xCnzàng bù hKo, xuLyA yL hLn gAo. SubjectPredicate: 心脏不好 and 血压很高 are complete sentences.(Topic)(Two comments)Mr Wang’s heart is not good and his blood pressure is also high.Level2/31.3 Non-subject–predicate constructionsA non-subject–predicate construction is a sentence whose initial constituent is not the subjectbut is the predicate, or a sentence whose constituent is neither a clear-cut subject nor a predicate.The following are typical non-subject–predicate constructions.(a) Subjectless sentencesA subjectless sentence starts with a verbal phrase, although the verbal phrase can be precededby a time phrase or a location. See Chapter 21 for more on subjectless sentences.

The basic formation of a Chinese sentence 7(b) Imperative sentencesAn imperative sentence is used to give orders and commands or make strong suggestions andrequests, etc. The subject 你 or 你们 is implied. See Chapter 7 for more on imperative sentences.(c) Elliptical sentencesAn elliptical sentence is typically used when the context is clear and the meaning can beunderstood without both the subject and the predicate being present.The subject of a sentence is omitted when it is the same as the subject of the previous �？DCng: NMde chB shì lánsè de háishì l{ sè de?李：蓝色的。(Both the subject 我的车 and the verb 是 are omitted.)LM: Lánsè de.Ding: Is your car blue or green?Li: Blue.The predicate of a sentence can be omitted if what is omitted is clear in meaning.张：谁自愿来唱个歌？ZhAng: Shéi zìyuàn lái chàng ge gB?王：我!Wáng: WN!Zhang: Who wants to volunteer to sing a song?Wang: Me! (I volunteer.)Level31.4 The topic–comment structureThe Chinese language is viewed by many as topic prominent. The topic must be a noun ornoun phrase that is definite and has been mentioned in the conversation or is pre-existent inthe context.(a) When the comment is a complete sentenceUsually the comment is a complete sentence used to elaborate on the topic.这家饭馆，服务很好。Zhè jiA fànguKn, fúwù hLn hKo. TopicComment (服务很好 is a complete sentence.)Service at this restaurant is good.(b) When the comment is another topic–comment structureSometimes, a comment itself can be a topic–comment structure. There is frequently a commabetween the topic and the comment.(Situation: Wang knew that Zhang had taken two tests yesterday, and Wang wanted to find outhow Zhang had done on the tests.)

8 Yufa!王：Wáng:昨天的考试，ZuótiAn de kKoshì,Topic张：ZhAng:(那两个考试，)(Nà liKng ge kKoshì,)你考得怎么样？nM kKo de zLnmeyàng?Comment (a complete sentence)中文的，我考得不错， 英文的，我考得不好。ZhDngwén de,YCngwén de,wN kKo de bú cuò,wN kKo de bù hKo.TopicComment #1Comment �不好。TopicCommentTopicCommentWang: How did you do on yesterday’s tests?Zhang: Of the two tests, I did fine on the Chinese one, and I did poorly on the English one.Level2/31.5 Basic Chinese word order(a) Subject verb objectSubject verb object (S V O) is generally considered the basic word order in a Chinesesentence of the subject–predicate construction. However, many variations exist, most notablythe 把 structure. See Chapter 22 for the 把 structure.我 认识王小姐。WN rènshì Wáng xiKojiL.SVOI know Miss Wang.(b) Object pre-positionWhen the object is definite, such an object is, more often than not, moved to the beginning ofthe sentence (O S V) or moved before the verb (S O V). See Chapter 3 for more on the definiteness of nouns.O S V and S O V are regarded by some as topic–comment structures.这本书，我 看过了。Zhè bLn shE,wN kàn guo le.OSV Pre-posed objectI have read this book.这本书， 我看过了。 Topic CommentIn the O S V sentence, a comma may be, and frequently is, used after the object.张：ZhAng:那两本小说，你 看完了吗？那两本小说， 你看完了吗？Nà liKng bLn xiKoshuDnM kàn wán le ma? 文的还没有开始呢！LM:WN YCngwén dekàn wán le,ZhDngwén dehái méiyNu kAishM ne. SOVOVZhang: Have you finished reading those two novels?Li: I have finished reading the English one; I have not started the Chinese one yet.

The basic formation of a Chinese sentence 9Do not pre-pose a non-definite object.我认识一个中国学生。 (一个中国学生 is non-definite; it cannot be pre-posed.)WN rènshì yí ge ZhDngguó xuéshBng.I know a Chinese student.(Situation: Zhang and Wang are looking at a photograph. Zhang points at two people in the photoand asks Wang a question. Wang points at each of them when answering.)张：你认识这两个人吗？ (or 这两个人，你认识吗？)ZhAng: NM rènshì zhè liKng ge rén �个(，Wáng: Zhè ge(,) wN rènshì; zhè ge(,) wN bú rènshì.Zhang: Do you know these two people?Wang: I know this one; I don’t know this one.Although an object may be definite, it is not usually pre-posed if it is not pre-existent in 上，看见了哪些人？ZhAng: ZuótiAn nM zài XiKo Wáng de shBngrì wOhuì shàng, kànjiàn le nK xiB : 小丁跟小陈，我看见了。)LM: WN kànjiàn le XiKo DCng gBn XiKo Chén.Zhang: Whom did you see at Xiao Wang’s birthday party yesterday?Li: I saw Xiao Ding and Xiao Chen. (Although Xiao Ding and Xiao Chen can beconsidered definite, they should not be pre-posed because they are not pre-existent inthe �？ZhAng: ZuótiAn nM kànjiàn XiKo DCng gBn XiKo Chén 没有看见。LM: XiKo DCng, wN kànjiàn le; XiKo Chén, wN méiyNu kànjiàn.Zhang: Did you see Xiao Ding or Xiao Chen yesterday?Li: I saw Xiao Ding; I didn’t see Xiao Chen. (Ding and Chen have been mentioned byZhang; therefore, they can be pre-posed by Li.)When the adverb 都 is used with a verb (都 V) to refer to the object, objectpre-position is no longer an option but a must.这两个人，我都不认识。 (Incorrect: 我都不认识这两个人。)Zhè liKng ge rén, wN dDu bú rènshì.I don’t know either of these two �是(喜欢喝LM: NM xMhuAn hB chá háishì (xMhuAn hB) 喜欢。 (Incorrect: 我都喜欢茶跟咖啡。)DCng: (Chá gBn kAfBi,) wN dDu xMhuAn.Li: Do you like to drink tea or coffee?Ding: I like both (tea and coffee).When 都 is used to refer to the subject, object pre-position becomes optional.我和我妹妹都认识那个人。( 那个人，我和我妹妹都认识。)WN hé wN mèimei dDu rènshì nà ge rén.Both my younger sister and I know that person.

10 Yufa!(c) Location of prepositional phrasesA prepositional phrase (preposition object) usually appears before the verb. ‘Prepositionalphrase verb’ is the verbal phrase of the sentence. See Chapter 6 for more on prepositions.In English, a prepositional phrase typically appears after the verb.在哪里工作？ (在哪里 is the prepositional phrase; 在哪里工作 is the张：你爸爸在哪里verbal phrase.)ZhAng: NM bàba zài nKlM �家写书。 (在家 is the prepositional phrase; 在家写书 isthe verbal phrase.)LM: TA xiànzài méiyNu gDngzuò; tA zài jiA xiL shE.Zhang: Where does your father work?Li: He does not have a job now; he is writing a book at 为我女朋友WN qù huAdiàn wèi wN nY péngyNu mKi le yí shù huA.I went to the flower shop to buy a bunch of flowers for my girlfriend.(d) Location of time phrasesA time phrase (indicating when an action takes/took place) can appear at the beginning ofthe sentence or before the verbal phrase although the connotations might be slightly different.几点 ( jM diKn: ‘what time’) is an exception; it is unusual for 几点 to appear at the beginning ofthe �。( tiAn wKnshàng XiKomíng zài jiA xiL xìn.Xiaoming was writing letters at home yesterday evening.(Incorrect: 小明在家昨天晚上写信。(在家写信 is the verbal phrase.))几点要去上课？(Unusual: 几点你要去上课？)你几点NM jM diKn yào qù shàng kè?What time are you going to class?(e) Location of adverbsAdverbs appear before the verbal phrase or the adjective.When more than one adverb is used in a sentence, the order in which these adverbs appear isbased on the general rule that the modifiers precede the word being modified.也很好看。我觉得这个电影也WN juéde zhè ge diànyMng yL hLn hKokàn.I think that this movie was also good. (Possibility: One person, more than one movie.)我也也觉得这个电影很好看。WN yL juéde zhè ge diànyMng hLn hKokàn.I also think that this movie was good. (Possibility: One movie, more than one person.)In rare cases when several common adverbs appear in one sentence, the following is the mostacceptable word order (although note that this is not the only acceptable order):也 都 常(常) 只 一起 (常 and 只 can be switched depending on the actual situation.)

The basic formation of a Chinese sentence 11王老师：我的学生都都很聪明。Wáng lKoshC: WNde xuéshBng dDu hLn ��明。 (Improper: 我的学生都也很聪明。)LM lKoshC: WNde xuéshBng yL dDu hLn cDngmíng.Teacher Wang: All my students are smart.Teacher Li: All my students are also �XiKo Wáng chángcháng zhM hB tAng, bù chC fàn.Xiao Wang often only has soup, but no 小丁也都常常只XiKo ZhAng hé XiKo DCng yL dDu chángcháng zhM hB tAng, bù chC fàn.Both Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li also often only have soup, but no 。ZhAng: WN bàmA cháng yìqM qù kàn ��看电影。DCng: WN bàmA yL cháng yìqM qù kàn diànyMng.Zhang: My parents often go to see a movie together.Ding: My parents also often go to see a movie together.Negative adverb 不: As a general rule, 不 appears before the word it negates. Therefore, theword order of a negative sentence affects its meaning.都不是老师。我爸爸妈妈都不WN bàba mAma dDu bú shì lKoshC.Neither of my parents are teachers.Compare: 我爸爸妈妈不都不都是老师。WN bàba mAma bù dDu shì lKoshC.My parents are not both teachers. (One is; the other �以NM shBntM bù hKo, bù kLyM hB jiO.Your health is not good; you cannot drink ( you are not allowed to drink).Compare: 你酒量不好，可以不可以不喝酒。NM jiOliàng bù hKo, kLyM bù hB jiO.You get drunk easily; you don’t have to drink ( it’s OK ifyou don’t ��他的法文不太好WNde FKwén lKoshC shì RìbLn rén, tAde FKwén bú tài hKo.My French teacher is Japanese; his French is not very good (literally: not too good).Compare: �好很不好。WNde YCngwén lKoshC shì ZhDngguó rén, tAde YCngwén hLn bù hKo.My English teacher is Chinese; his English is very bad.Do not place an adverb immediately before a noun/noun phrase, pronoun, proper nounor time phrase.English:Chinese:(Incorrect:Both Xiao Wang and Xiao Li are my good 是XiKo Wáng hé XiKo LM dDu shì wNde hKo péngyNu.都小王和小李是我的好朋友。)

12 Yufa!English:Chinese:(Incorrect:Mrs Wang has only one son.王太太只有只有一个儿子。Wáng tàitai zhM yNu yí ge érzi.王太太有只一个儿子。)(f) Location of direct objects and indirect objectsSome verbs can take two objects: one is the direct object and the other, the indirect object.The indirect object, which is usually a person, immediately follows the verb. The direct object,which is usually a non-person, follows the indirect object.Such verbs in Chinese are limited and the most common ones are: 给 (gLi: ‘to give’), 送 (sòng:‘to give something as a gift’), 借 ( jiè: ‘to lend’), 还 (huán: ‘to return something’), 教 ( jiAo:‘to teach’), 问 (wèn: ‘to ask questions’), 告诉 (g

A Practical Guide to Mandarin Chinese Grammar Yufa! A Practical Guide to Mandarin Chinese Grammar takes a unique approach to explaining the major topics of Mandarin Chinese grammar. The book is presented in two sections: the core structures of Chinese grammar, and the practical use of the Chinese language. Key features include: