Difference between revisions of "Topic-comment sentences"
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*<em>他 的 事</em> ,我 不 想 管 那么 多 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Tā de shì</em>, wǒ bù xiǎng guǎn nàme duō.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to be so much involved in his business.</span> | *<em>他 的 事</em> ,我 不 想 管 那么 多 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Tā de shì</em>, wǒ bù xiǎng guǎn nàme duō.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to be so much involved in his business.</span> | ||
*<em>明天 下午 要 开会</em> ,你 记得 吧 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>Míngtiān xiàwǔ yào kāi huì</em>, nǐ jìde ba?</span><span class="trans">You have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. You remember that, don't you?</span> | *<em>明天 下午 要 开会</em> ,你 记得 吧 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>Míngtiān xiàwǔ yào kāi huì</em>, nǐ jìde ba?</span><span class="trans">You have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. You remember that, don't you?</span> | ||
− | *我 的 笔 | + | *<em>我 的 笔</em> ,弟弟 弄坏 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wǒ de bǐ</em>, dìdi nòng huài le.</span><span class="trans">My younger brother broke my pen.</span> |
*不 好意思 ,<em>咖啡</em> ,我 都 喝完 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, <em>kāfēi</em>, wǒ dōu hē wán le.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry. I finished all the coffee.</span> | *不 好意思 ,<em>咖啡</em> ,我 都 喝完 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, <em>kāfēi</em>, wǒ dōu hē wán le.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry. I finished all the coffee.</span> | ||
*你好 ,<em>票</em> ,还有 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐhǎo, <em>piào</em>, háiyǒu ma?</span><span class="trans">Hello. Are there any tickets left?</span> | *你好 ,<em>票</em> ,还有 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐhǎo, <em>piào</em>, háiyǒu ma?</span><span class="trans">Hello. Are there any tickets left?</span> |
Revision as of 03:49, 2 January 2018
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Keywords
In a topic-comment sentence, the usual word order is rearranged a bit in order to emphasize a certain part of a sentence. The part that is to be emphasized becomes the topic, and moves to the beginning of the sentence, with the comment on the topic coming after the topic has been stated.
Structure
Topic ,Comment
Examples
Just make sure to put a comma after the topic if you are writing the sentence down!
- 水果 ,我 最爱 吃 草莓 。Fruit, I like strawberries best.
- 这个 问题 ,你一个人 没办法 解决 。There is no way that you can solve this problem all by yourself.
- 那 部 电影 ,看 过 的 人 都 喜欢 。Whoever watched that movie likes it.
- 这个 新 项目 ,公司 打算 让 我 来 负责 。The company plans to let me in charge of this new project.
- 你 借 我 的 钱 ,还没 还 吧 ?You haven't returned the money you borrowed from me, have you?
- 他 的 事 ,我 不 想 管 那么 多 。I don't want to be so much involved in his business.
- 明天 下午 要 开会 ,你 记得 吧 ?You have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. You remember that, don't you?
- 我 的 笔 ,弟弟 弄坏 了 。My younger brother broke my pen.
- 不 好意思 ,咖啡 ,我 都 喝完 了 。I'm sorry. I finished all the coffee.
- 你好 ,票 ,还有 吗 ?Hello. Are there any tickets left?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 149-50) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 260) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 83-4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 353-4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy