Difference between revisions of "Simple "noun + adjective" sentences"
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* 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span> <span class="trans">You are beautiful.</span> | * 你 <em>很</em> 漂亮。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>hěn</em> piàoliang.</span> <span class="trans">You are beautiful.</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>老板 <em>很</em> 生气。 <span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>hěn</em> shēngqì.</span> <span class="trans">The boss is angry.</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> | ||
* 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> | * 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> | ||
* 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> | * 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> | ||
Revision as of 03:53, 21 September 2015
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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 beautiful.
- 他 很 高兴。 He is happy.
- 中文 很 难 。 Chinese is difficult.
- 老板 很 生气。 The boss is angry.
- 我 家 的 狗 很 聪明 。 My family's dog is clever.
- 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
