Difference between revisions of "Using objects with complements"

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== Basic Patterns ==
 
== Basic Patterns ==
  
The grammar for using an object with a [[complement]] is a little bit tricky. There are ''three'' different ways to arrange this sentence.
+
The grammar for using an Obj. with a [[complement]] is a little bit tricky. There are ''three'' different ways to arrange this sentence.
  
The first puts the object before everything else ([[Topic-comment sentences]]):
+
The first puts the Obj. before everything else ([[Topic-comment sentences]]):
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Object + Subject + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]
+
Obj. + Subj. + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
The second structure is to to insert the object right after the subject, followed by everything else:
+
The second structure is to to insert the Obj. right after the Subj., followed by everything else:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + Object + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]
+
Subj. + Obj. + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
And the third is to repeat the verb after the object, and follow it with the complement:
+
And the third is to repeat the verb after the Obj., and follow it with the complement:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + Verb + Object + Verb again + 得 / 不 + [complement]
+
Subj. + Verb + Obj. + Verb again + 得 / 不 + [complement]
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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{{Similar|Descriptive complements}}
 
{{Similar|Descriptive complements}}
 
{{Similar|Adjectival Complement "de hen"}}
 
{{Similar|Adjectival Complement "de hen"}}
{{Basic Grammar|得|B1|(V +) Obj + V + 得 + Complement|你 说 中文 说 <em>得</em> 很 好。/ 你 中文 说 <em>得</em> 很 好。|grammar point|ASGYP68O}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|得|B1|(Verb +) Obj. + Verb + 得 + Complement|你 说 中文 说 <em>得</em> 很 好。/ 你 中文 说 <em>得</em> 很 好。|grammar point|ASGYP68O}}
 
{{Translation|None}}
 
{{Translation|None}}
 
{{Structure|Complements}}
 
{{Structure|Complements}}
 
{{Subprop|Descriptive complements}}
 
{{Subprop|Descriptive complements}}

Revision as of 09:20, 19 October 2016

Using complements is one of the cool features of Chinese. Since they may be entirely new for Chinese learners, using them can be confusing.

Basic Patterns

The grammar for using an Obj. with a complement is a little bit tricky. There are three different ways to arrange this sentence.

The first puts the Obj. before everything else (Topic-comment sentences):

Obj. + Subj. + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]

The second structure is to to insert the Obj. right after the Subj., followed by everything else:

Subj. + Obj. + Verb + 得 / 不 + [complement]

And the third is to repeat the verb after the Obj., and follow it with the complement:

Subj. + Verb + Obj. + Verb again + 得 / 不 + [complement]

This can seem very complicated at first. You only need to know about all three structures for listening comprehension, and can just use one when speaking. Also, the complement itself is the same in all three structures, so this is the part to listen out for.

Examples

Some examples of sentences in all three structures:

  • 中文 他 说 很 好。Zhōngwén tā shuō de hěn hǎo.
  • 中文 很 好。Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.
  • 他 说 中文 很 好。Tā shuō Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.
  • All of these sentences mean "He speaks Chinese very well."
  • 中国菜 他 做 很 好。Zhōngguó cài tā zuò de hěn hǎo.
  • 中国菜 很 好。Zhōngguó cài zuò de hěn hǎo.
  • 他 做 中国菜 很 好。Tā zuò Zhōngguó cài zuò de hěn hǎo.
  • All of these sentences mean "He makes Chinese food very well."
  • 啤酒 她 喝 很 快。Píjiǔ tā hē de hěn kuài.
  • 啤酒 很 快。píjiǔde hěn kuài.
  • 她 喝 啤酒 很 快。Tā hē píjiǔde hěn kuài.
  • All of these sentences mean she drinks beer very quickly.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4