Difference between revisions of "Simple "noun + adjective" sentences"

Revision as of 03:34, 3 February 2012

In English, nouns can be linked to adjectives and other nouns with the verb to be. In Chinese, nouns are linked in different ways to adjectives and other nouns. Nouns are linked to nouns with 是. Nouns are linked to adjectives with 很. The structure is:

Noun + 很 + Adjective

The noun in this structure is the subject of the sentence. Sometimes the 很 in this structure is translated as "very", but often it is just a way to link a noun to an adjective. In the following examples, 很 is just a link, and the sentences could be translated as "(Noun) is (adjective)".

Simple 很 sentences
Subject	很	Adjective
我	很	好	。
她	很	高	。
他	很	高兴	。
你	很	好看	。
大象	很	大	。
老鼠	很	小	。

Remember that 是 is not used to link adjectives to nouns. This is a classic mistake that almost everyone makes when learning Chinese. Make sure you use 很 and not 是 to link adjectives to nouns, as shown below:

他是高。
他很高。

Sources and further reading

Books

Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 56-8) →buy
Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 44-5) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 126-8)　→buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 20-1, 143) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 23, 166, 249) →buy

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 56-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
+* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 44-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
 * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 126-8)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 20-1, 143) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]