Difference between revisions of "Basic sentence order"
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== SV Structure ==
 
== SV Structure ==
  
−
The most basic "Subject + Verb" word order in Chinese is:
+
The most basic word order in Chinese is:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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|-
 
|-
 
| 我 || 跳舞 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I dance.</span>
 
| 我 || 跳舞 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I dance.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 我 || 去 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I go.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 看一下 || 。|| <span class="spaced">You look.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 滚 || !|| <span class="spaced">You get out of here! </span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 说 || 。|| <span class="spaced">You speak. </span>
 +
|-
 +
| 孩子 || 哭 || 。|| <span class="spaced">Child cry.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 谁 || 要 学 || ？|| <span class="spaced">Who wants to study?</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 谁 || 想 做 || ？|| <span class="spaced">Who wants to do?</span>
 
|}
 
|}
  
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! Subject !! Verb !! Object !!  !!  Translation
 
! Subject !! Verb !! Object !!  !!  Translation
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 你 || 吃 || 包子 || 。|| <span class="spaced">You eat baozi.</span>
+
| 我 || 吃 || 肉 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I eat mead.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 喝 || 汤 || 。|| <span class="spaced">You drink soup.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 我 || 去 || 学校 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I go to school.</span>
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 他 || 说 || 中文 || 。|| <span class="spaced">He speaks Chinese.</span>
 
| 他 || 说 || 中文 || 。|| <span class="spaced">He speaks Chinese.</span>
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 我 || 爱 || 你 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I love you.</span>
+
| 我们 || 要 买 || 电脑 || 。|| <span class="spaced">We are going to buy computer.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 我 || 想 吃 || 中国 菜 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I want to eat Chinese food.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 我 || 喜欢 || 那 个 小 孩子 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I like that child.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 我 || 爱 || 你 和 爸爸 || 。|| <span class="spaced">I love you and dad.</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 要 做 || 什么 || ？|| <span class="spaced">What do you want to do?</span>
 +
|-
 +
| 你 || 想 吃 || 什么 菜 || ？|| <span class="spaced">What food do you want to eat?</span>
 
|}
 
|}
  
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* [[Time words and word order]]
 
* [[Time words and word order]]
 
* [[Using "zai" with verbs]]
 
* [[Using "zai" with verbs]]
 +
* [[Verbing briefly]]
 +
* [[Topic-comment sentences]] 
 +
* [[Expressing location with "zai...shang/xia/li"]]
 +
* [[Wanting to do something with yao]]
 +
* [[Standard negation with bu]]
 +
* [[Using the verb jiao]]
 +
* [[Using the verb qu]]
 +
* [[In the future in general]]
 +
* [[Expressing a learned skill]] 
 +
* [[Expressing ability or possibility]]
 +
* [[Expressing permission]]
 +
* [[Connecting nouns with "shi"]]
 +
* [[Simple "noun + adjective" sentences]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
−
 
−
=== Books ===
 
  
 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 10) [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]
 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 10) [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]
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{{Similar|Word order}}
 
{{Similar|Word order}}
 
{{Similar|Time words and word order}}
 
{{Similar|Time words and word order}}
−
{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}
 
−
{{Similar|Connecting nouns with "shi"}}
 
−
{{Similar|Simple "noun + adjective" sentences}}
 
 
{{Similar|Actions in a row}}
 
{{Similar|Actions in a row}}
−
{{Similar|Standard negation with bu}}   
 
−
{{Similar|Using the verb jiao}}
 
−
{{Similar|Using the verb qu}}
 
−
{{Similar|In the future in general}}
 
−
{{Similar|Expressing a learned skill}}   
 
−
{{Similar|Expressing ability or possibility}}
 
−
{{Similar|Expressing permission}}   
 
 
{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}     
 
{{Similar|Using "zai" with verbs}}     
−
{{Similar|Wanting to do something with yao}}
 
 
{{Similar|Placement of question words}}   
 
{{Similar|Placement of question words}}   
−
{{Similar|Verbing briefly}}
 
−
{{Similar|Topic-comment sentences}}   
 
−
{{Similar|Expressing location with "zai...shang/xia/li"}}         
 
 
{{Structure|Basics}}
 
{{Structure|Basics}}
 
{{Used for|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Used for|Sentence Patterns}}

Revision as of 09:02, 6 September 2013

In its most basic form, Chinese word order is very similar to English word order. Don't expect these similarities to hold true too far past the very basic sentence order outlined below, though!

SV Structure

The most basic word order in Chinese is:

Subject + Verb

You can form very simple sentences with just two words.

Examples

Very simple SV sentences
Subject Verb Translation
你 吃 。 You eat.
他 跑步 。 He runs.
我 跳舞 。 I dance.
我 去 。 I go.
你 看一下 。 You look.
你 滚 ! You get out of here!
你 说 。 You speak.
孩子 哭 。 Child cry.
谁 要 学 ？ Who wants to study?
谁 想 做 ？ Who wants to do?

SVO Structure

A basic sentence usually has an object, and is formed with this structure:

Subject + Verb + Object

This is the same as in English, and is commonly referred to as SVO word order. You can express a huge variety of things with this simple structure.

Examples

Simple SVO sentences
Subject Verb Object Translation
我 吃 肉 。 I eat mead.
你 喝 汤 。 You drink soup.
我 去 学校 。 I go to school.
他 说 中文 。 He speaks Chinese.
我们 要 买 电脑 。 We are going to buy computer.
我 想 吃 中国 菜 。 I want to eat Chinese food.
我 喜欢 那 个 小 孩子 。 I like that child.
我 爱 你 和 爸爸 。 I love you and dad.
你 要 做 什么 ？ What do you want to do?
你 想 吃 什么 菜 ？ What food do you want to eat?

See also

Sources and further reading

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