Advanced uses of "ba"

Also known as: 把字句 ("bǎ"zìjù), 把 construction, preposition 把, disposal construction and pre-transitive 把.

Once you've gotten the hang of the basic 把 (bǎ) sentence pattern, you can start to use it in some more complex and abstract ways.

Using 把 with 给

This 给 is used in oral Chinese to add emphasis to the verb. The 给 is actually fully optional, but it's good to be familiar with this pattern because it's so commonly used in spoken Chinese.

You'll notice a structural similarity to this 给 used with 把, and the 给 used with 被.

Structure

Subj. + 把 + Obj. + 给 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 我 把 这 事儿 给 忘 了 。I forgot about this thing.
• 周末 我 把 脏 衣服 给 洗 了 。On weekends, I wash the dirty clothes.
• 你 能 把 这 些 都 给 记住 吗？Will you be able to remember all of this?
• 他 把 我的 手机 给 摔坏 了 。He dropped my phone and broke it.
• 妈妈 把 没 用的 东西 都 给 扔了 。Mom threw away all of the useless things.

Using 当作 or 看作

When you want to say that something is treated as something else, use this pattern.

Structure

把+ Obj.+ 当作 / 看作 + something else

Examples

• 我 一直 把 他 看作 我 哥哥。I always see him as my older brother.
• 他 把 我家 当作 了 他 自己 家 。He treated my house like his own.
• 很 多 留学生 都 把 自己 的 中文 老师 当作 朋友。Many study abroad students treat their Chinese teachers as their friends.
• 孩子 可以 把 家里 的 很多 小 东西 当作 玩具。Kids treat small things in the house as toys.
• 很 多 子女 把 父母 的 理想 当作了 自己 的 理想。Many kids make their parents' ideals their own ideals.

Take something seriously with 当回事

当回事 is mostly used in colloquial Chinese. It means to take something seriously or to hold something in high regard. It is usually used with the negative 不.

Structure

(别/不）把 + Obj.1 + 当回事

Using 把 with a verb + 成

In this case, 成 can be translated as "into."

Structure

把+ Obj. 1 + Verb + 成 +Obj. 2

Concrete Verb Examples

In the first example, we are using concrete verbs such as 切, 做, 分, etc. Obj. 2 would also be concrete.

Abstract Verb Examples

In the example below, we are dealing with more abstract verbs. These verbs include 换, 变, 改, 看, 当, 转, etc.

Mistaken Perception Examples

The example below is when somebody mistakes something for something else. This can be either mishearing, misspelling, seeing something as something else, etc. These verbs include 看, 听, 写, 记, etc.

把+ Obj. 1 + Perception Verbs

See also

• Result complement
• Direction complement
• Bei sentence
• Aspect particles

Sources and further reading

Books

• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 469-70) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 53-4) →buy
• Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 167-81) →buy
• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 3-5) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 142-4) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 225-7, 321-3) →buy
• Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 482) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 354-5) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 41-2, 88) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 15, 51, 101-2) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 369-70, 384, 398-9)→buy

Websites

• Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): 把 Construction
• CTCFL (Oxford): The 把 Construction
• ChinesePod: Qing Wen - The Magic Word 把 (free podcast content)
• ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 把 Humbug (free podcast content)
• FluentU: The Definite Guide to the Chinese Ba Construction
• Mandarin Online: 把字句
• Just Learn Chinese (blog): Lesson 10 How to understand and use Chinese sentence pattern “…把…”?

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