Difference between revisions of "Conjunction"

Latest revision as of 03:23, 30 May 2016

Also known as: 连词 (liáncí).

Conjunctions in Chinese do exactly what they do in English: connect things. They help make the transition between ideas smoother and also show the relationships between those ideas.

Characteristics

Conjunctions can be used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and even entire sentences. They themselves cannot act as sentence elements. Instead, they come between the elements to connect them in some way. Unlike English, Chinese conjunctions need to have something next to them, so they cannot just be at the end of the sentence, as sometimes happens in English. Unlike adjectives and verbs, conjunctions are not reduplicated.

Functions

As said above, conjunctions connect ideas and can show the relationship between them. Some of the more commonly expressed relationships include coordination (and), causality (so), condition (because), supposition (if), alternation (or), and succession (then). Less common relationships include inference, transition, concession, enumeration, and progression.

Grammar Patterns for Conjunctions

A1 Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "and" with "he"	Noun 1 + 和 + Noun 2	我和他都不去。
Offering choices with "haishi"	A + 还是 + B ?	你要喝茶还是咖啡 ?

A2 Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "or" in statements	⋯⋯或者⋯⋯	我想去青岛或者南京。
Expressing "with" with "gen"	跟⋯⋯ + Verb	你要跟我一起去吗？
The filler word "neige"	⋯⋯那个⋯⋯	那个⋯⋯你可以做我的女朋友吗？
Two words for "but"	……，可是 / 但是……	我喜欢他，可是/但是他不喜欢我。

B1 Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
A softer "but" with "buguo"	⋯⋯ ，不过 ⋯⋯	他的汉语口语不错，不过不认识汉字。
Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"	Reason / Situation，要不 + Suggestion + 吧	下雨了，要不明天再去吧。
Expressing "in addition" with "haiyou"	⋯⋯ ，还有，⋯⋯	你需要吃药。还有，要多休息。
Expressing "in addition" with "lingwai"	⋯⋯ ，另外，⋯⋯	希望你不要再迟到了。另外，你应该穿得正式一点。
Expressing "in addition" with "zaishuo"	⋯⋯ ，再说，⋯⋯	这么晚，别走了。再说，外面还在下雨。
Expressing "then…" with "name"	那么⋯⋯	他不听，那我应该怎么办？
Using "lai" to connect two verb phrases	通过 / 用 + Method + 来 + Verb Phrase	用这种方法来赚钱，真丢人。

B2 Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "and then" with "yushi"	⋯⋯ ，于是 ⋯⋯	他实在太懒了，于是老板把他辞了。
Using "er" to explain contrasting ideas	Sentence 1， + 而 + Sentence 2	以后后悔的人不是我，而是你自己。

C1 Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
"In order to avoid" with "yimian"	以免 + Verb Phrase	这儿有高压电线，请不要靠近，以免发生危险。
Expressing "as well as" with "yiji"	Subj. + 何必 + Predicate	A ，B + 以及 + C
Expressing "in short" with "zongzhi"	（⋯⋯ ，）总之，⋯⋯	不管他的理由是什么，总之，我不会再相信他了。
Indicating contrast with "ze"	Clause 1，+ 则 + Clause 2	南方人喜欢吃甜的东西，北方人则喜欢吃咸的东西。

Sources and further reading

A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 123-31)→buy
Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 73-5) →buy
Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 14-5) →buy
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 97-9) →buy
Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 95-120) →buy
实用汉语语法 (pp. 58-9) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 52-3) →buy

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-{{stub}}
+{{AKA|连词 (liáncí)}}
-== Notes ==
+Conjunctions in Chinese do exactly what they do in English: connect things. They help make the transition between ideas smoother and also show the relationships between those ideas.
-* Can indicate:
-** Coordination
-** Causality
-** Condition
-** Supposition
-** Inference
-** Transition
-** Concession
-** Alternative
-** Enumeration
-** Succession
-** Progression
-* Can't be used alone.
-* Can't be reduplicated.
-* Can't serve as any sentence element.
-* Important conjunctions:
-** [[Expressing "and" with "he"|和]]
-** 及
-** 并
-** [[Combining Verbs with "bing"|并且]]
-** [[Comparing "houlai" and "ranhou"|然后 (vs 以后)]]
-** [[Expressing "otherwise" with "yaobu"|不然]]
-** [[Offering choices with "haishi"|还是]]
-** [["Or" in statements|或者]]
-** [[Two words for "but"|可是]]
-** [[Two words for "but"|但是]]
-** [[Because" with "er" Indicating Effect|而]]
-** 同
-** [[Expressing "with" with "gen"|跟]]
-** [[Expressing "not only… but also"|不但 ... 而且]]
-** [[Expressing "not only… but also"|而且]]
-** [["Or" in statements|或, 或者]]
-** [[Cause and effect with "yinwei" and "suoyi"|因为, 所以]]
-** 以至
-** 从而
-** 反之
-** 固然
-** 好
-** 何况
-** 即
-** 以便
-** 况且
-** 免得
-** [[Expressing "no wonder"|难怪]]
-** 宁可
-** 任
-** 甚至
-** 省得
-** 可见
-** [["In addition" with "zaishuo"|再说]]
-** 鉴于
-** 以免
-** [["On the Contrary" with "fan'er"|反而]]
-** [["Since" with "jiran"|既然 ... 就]]
-** [["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"|如果 ... 就]]
-** 与其 ... 不如
-** [["Only if" with "zhiyou"|只有 ... 才]]
-** [["As long as" with "zhiyao"|只要 ... 就]]
-** [[Expressing Simultaneous Actions with "yimian"|一面 ... 一面]]
-** 尚且 ... 可况
-** [[Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"|要么 ... 要么]]
-** [["Although" with "suiran" and "danshi"|虽然 ... 但是]]
-** [[Expressing "Even if…" with "jishi"|即使 ... 也]]
-** [["Although" with "jinguan"|尽管 ... 也]]
-** [["No Matter" with "wulun"|无论 ... 都]]
+==Characteristics==
+Conjunctions can be used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and even entire sentences. They themselves cannot act as sentence elements. Instead, they come between the elements to connect them in some way. Unlike English, Chinese conjunctions need to have something next to them, so they cannot just be at the end of the sentence, as sometimes happens in English. Unlike [[Reduplication of adjectives|adjectives]] and [[Verb reduplication|verbs]], conjunctions are not reduplicated.
+==Functions==
+As said above, conjunctions connect ideas and can show the relationship between them. Some of the more commonly expressed relationships include coordination ([[and]]), causality ([[so]]), condition ([[because]]), supposition ([[if]]), alternation ([[or]]), and succession ([[then]]). Less common relationships include inference, transition, concession, enumeration, and progression.
+==See Also==
 * Different ways to say '[[and]]' (depending on the context)
 * Different ways to say '[[if]]' (depending on the context)
 * Different ways to say '[[or]]' (depending on the context)
+== Grammar Patterns for Conjunctions==
+{{POS Page|Conjunctions}}
 == Sources and further reading ==