Difference between revisions of "Simple "noun + adjective" sentences"
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* 我 <em>很</em> 好。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> hǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I'm good.</span> | * 我 <em>很</em> 好。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hěn</em> hǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I'm good.</span> | ||
| − | * 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span> <span class="trans">You are | + | * 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span> <span class="trans">You are pretty.</span> |
* 他 <em>很</em> 高兴。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāoxìng.</span> <span class="trans">He is happy.</span> | * 他 <em>很</em> 高兴。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>hěn</em> gāoxìng.</span> <span class="trans">He is happy.</span> | ||
* 中文 <em>很</em> 难 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén <em>hěn</em> nán.</span> <span class="trans">Chinese is difficult.</span> | * 中文 <em>很</em> 难 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén <em>hěn</em> nán.</span> <span class="trans">Chinese is difficult.</span> | ||
* 老板 <em>很</em> 生气。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>hěn</em> shēngqì.</span> <span class="trans">The boss is angry.</span> | * 老板 <em>很</em> 生气。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>hěn</em> shēngqì.</span> <span class="trans">The boss is angry.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 猪 <em>很</em> 聪明 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhū <em>hěn</em> cōngming.</span> <span class="trans">Pigs are smart.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 我 哥哥 也 <em>很</em> 高。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge yě <em>hěn</em> gāo.</span> <span class="trans">My elder brother is also tall.</span> |
* 你 家 也 <em>很</em> 远 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ jiā yě <em>hěn</em> yuǎn ma?</span> <span class="trans">Is your house also far away?</span> | * 你 家 也 <em>很</em> 远 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ jiā yě <em>hěn</em> yuǎn ma?</span> <span class="trans">Is your house also far away?</span> | ||
| − | * 爸爸 <em>很</em> 忙，妈妈 也 | + | * 爸爸 <em>很</em> 忙，妈妈 也 很 忙。 <span class="pinyin"> Bàba <em>hěn</em> máng, māma yě hěn máng.</span> <span class="trans">Dad is busy. So is mom.</span> |
| − | * 他 和 他 弟弟 都 很<em>很</em> 帅。 <span class="pinyin">Tā hé tā dìdi dōu <em>hěn</em> shuài.</span> <span class="trans">His younger brother and him are both handsome.</span> | + | * 他 和 他 弟弟 都 很 <em>很</em> 帅。 <span class="pinyin">Tā hé tā dìdi dōu <em>hěn</em> shuài.</span> <span class="trans">His younger brother and him are both handsome.</span> |
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="x">他 <strong>是</strong>高 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>shì</strong> gāo.</span></li> | + | <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>高 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>hěn</strong> gāo.</span> <span class="trans">He is tall.</span> | + | <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 09:35, 11 January 2016
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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 + Adj.
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.
- 你 很 漂亮。 You are pretty.
- 他 很 高兴。 He is happy.
- 中文 很 难 。 Chinese is difficult.
- 老板 很 生气。 The boss is angry.
- 猪 很 聪明 。 Pigs are smart.
- 我 哥哥 也 很 高。 My elder brother is also tall.
- 你 家 也 很 远 吗？ Is your house also far away?
- 爸爸 很 忙，妈妈 也 很 忙。 Dad is busy. So is mom.
- 他 和 他 弟弟 都 很 很 帅。 His younger brother and him are both handsome.
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
