Difference between revisions of "Simple "noun + adjective" sentences"
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 <em>很</em> | + | * 我 <em>很</em> 好 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> hǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I'm good.</span> |
| − | * 她 <em>很</em> | + | * 她 <em>很</em> 高 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāo.</span> <span class="trans">She's tall.</span> |
| − | * 他 <em>很</em> | + | * 他 <em>很</em> 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāoxìng.</span> <span class="trans">He is happy.</span> |
| − | * 你 <em>很</em> | + | * 你 <em>很</em> 好看 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> hǎokàn.</span> <span class="trans">You are good-looking.</span> |
| − | * 大象 <em>很</em> | + | * 大象 <em>很</em> 大 。 <span class="pinyin">Dàxiàng <em>hěn</em> dà.</span> <span class="trans">The elephant is big.</span> |
| − | * 猫 <em>很</em> | + | * 猫 <em>很</em> 小 。 <span class="pinyin">Māo <em>hěn</em> xiǎo.</span> <span class="trans">The cat is small.</span> |
| − | * 他 <em>很</em> | + | * 他 <em>很</em> 坏 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> huài.</span> <span class="trans">He's bad.</span> |
| − | * 我 家 的 狗 <em>很</em> | + | * 我 家 的 狗 <em>很</em> 聪明 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā de gǒu <em>hěn</em> cōngming.</span> <span class="trans">My family's dog is clever.</span> |
| − | * 你 <em>很</em> | + | * 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span> <span class="trans">You are beautiful.</span> |
| − | * 中文 <em>很</em> | + | * 中文 <em>很</em> 难 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén <em>hěn</em> nán.</span> <span class="trans">Chinese is difficult.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="x">他<strong>是</strong> | + | <li class="x">他 <strong>是</strong>高 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>shì</strong> gāo.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">他<strong>很</strong> | + | <li class="o">他 <strong>很</strong>高 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>hěn</strong> gāo.</span> <span class="trans">He is tall.</span> |
</li> | </li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
Revision as of 06:48, 15 October 2014
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Level
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Similar to
- Age with "sui" (A1)
- Connecting nouns with "shi" (A1)
- The "also" adverb "ye" (A1)
- Expressing "both A and B" with "you" (A2)
- Special verbs with "hen" (A2)
- Superlative "zui" (A2)
- Adjectives with "name" and "zheme" (B1)
- Reduplication of adjectives (B1)
- Adjectival complement "de hen" (B2)
- Emphasizing with "henshi" (C1)
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Used for
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Keywords
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 (shì). Nouns are linked to adjectives with 很 (hěn).
Structure
Noun + 很 + Adjective
The noun in this structure is the subject of the sentence. Sometimes the 很 (hěn) in this structure is translated as "very", but often it is just a way to link a noun to an adjective.
Examples
In the following examples, 很 (hěn) is just a link, and the sentences could be translated as "(Noun) is (adjective)".
- 我 很 好 。 I'm good.
- 她 很 高 。 She's tall.
- 他 很 高兴 。 He is happy.
- 你 很 好看 。 You are good-looking.
- 大象 很 大 。 The elephant is big.
- 猫 很 小 。 The cat is small.
- 他 很 坏 。 He's bad.
- 我 家 的 狗 很 聪明 。 My family's dog is clever.
- 你 很 漂亮 。 You are beautiful.
- 中文 很 难 。 Chinese is difficult.
Remember that 是 (shì) 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 (hěn) and not 是 (shì) to link adjectives to nouns, as shown below:
- 他 是高 。
- 他 很高 。 He is tall.
See also
Sources and further reading
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: "To be" + Adjectives
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
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 86)→buy
