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 and a verb

Used in oral Chinese to add emphasis when dealing with something.

Subj. + 把 + Obj. + 给 + Verb Phrase

• 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?

Using 当作 or 看作

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

把+ Obj.+ 当作 / 看作 + something else

• 我 把 他 当作 我 哥哥。I see him as my older brother.

Take something seriously

(别/不）把 + Obj.1 + 当回事

Verb +成

In this case, 成 can be translated as "into." The first example of this is for concrete objects.

把+ Obj. 1 + Verb (切/做/分/打扮) + 成 +Obj. 2

In the example below, we are dealing with more abstract verbs.

把 + Obj. 1 + Verb (换/变/改/看/当/转/转换/翻译/说) + 成 + Obj. 2

The example below is when somebody mistakes something for something else. This can be either mishearing, misspelling, seeing something as something else, etc.

把+ Obj. 1 + Perception Verbs (看/听/写/记)

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. 461-70) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 53-4) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 159-64) →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. 463-92) →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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