Verb
- Also known as: 动词 (dòngcí).
Verbs are the "action" words which make up the predicates of most sentences. Verbs may take objects, and can also be reduplicated in Chinese. They can be negated, as well as modified by particles.
Contents
Characteristics
There are five main characteristics of verbs in Chinese. After we go over them, we will discuss some other aspects of Chinese verbs as well.
- The main function of verbs is to be in the predicate of a sentence.
- The majority of Chinese verbs are transitive, which means they take an object.
- Verbs can be negated by the adverb "不". However, other than the psychological verbs, they cannot be modified by "很."
- Most Chinese verbs can be reduplicated, changing their meaning slightly.
- Most verbs can be modified with aspect particles 了, 着, 过.
Notes
Negation
Generally, verbs are negated by the adverbs 不 when talking about habitual actions or future actions. However, when referencing the past, 没 is used. Another way of saying this is if you normally don't do something, or if you won't do something, you would use "不", but if you want to say you didn't do something, then you would use "没."
There are always exceptions though, and the exception here is the verb "有". We'll talk more about it below, but the important thing here is that it is always negated by "没" and not by "不."
Reduplication
In Chinese, verb reduplication is a common phenomenon. Reduplication indicates one or more of the following:
- A short, quick action
- An attempt
- Something being light and relaxed
When reduplicating single character verbs such as 看, 一 can optionally be inserted between them e.g. 看一看. On the other hand, when you are reduplicating two character verbs, (e.g. 整理整理), 一 can't be inserted between them. The reduplicated part of the verb is always pronounced with a neutral tone. If the aspect particle 了 is used, it must be inserted between the reduplicated verbs, not afterwards, so it would be "看了看" not "看看了."
Special verb 是
Since "是" is special, it has a few rules that only apply to it. First off, "是" cannot be modified with aspect particles 了, 着, 过, nor can it be reduplicated. This means that it will always just be "是" by itself, unless it is negated. When "是" is negated, it always uses "不" even in the past.
Special verb 有
The verb "有" has many functions, including possession (both of qualities and of objects), expressing existence, comparing things (你有他高 / 没有他高), and listing things. "有" can also take abstract nouns and turn them into adjectives (like it does with "有意思").
With all of these functions, "有" has some special rules as well. Firstly, "有" can only take the aspect particles 了 and 过. It never takes the particle "着." Furthermore, it cannot be reduplicated, so it will always just stay as "有." Finally, "有" is only ever negated with "没", complementary to "是." A common mistake is to say "不有", but we're going to try to avoid that as much as possible!
Special verb 在
Like "是", "在" can not be modified with any aspect particles, nor can it be reduplicated. It will appear on its own. Unlike "是" however, "在" can use both "不" and "没" to be negated.
If "在" takes an object, that object is usually a place. If the object is a personal noun or pronoun, the words 那儿 or 这儿 must be added. (e.g. 在我这儿.)
Objects
Some verbs are transitive, which means they take an object. Others are intransitive, which means they can stand just by themselves. However, there are also some verbs that can take two objects, some like 毕业 which don't take an object, and some like 希望 that take another verb as an object.
Further notes
- Unlike many European languages, the form of Chinese verbs does not change; there is no conjugation or agreement.
- Questions can be formed by putting the verb and a negative verb side by side e.g. 要不要. These are called affirmative-negative questions because they have both the positive and negative response within them.
- Some nouns and adjectives can be turned into verbs with -化 (similar to -ize in English).
- Many Chinese verbs can also function as nouns (but not all). 的 can make verbs into attributives, e.g. 丢的东西. 地 can make verbs into adverbs, e.g. 注意地.
Types of verbs
- Existential and connecting verbs
- Separable verbs
- Directional verbs
- Psychological verbs
- Causative verbs
Grammar Patterns for Verbs
A1 Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "be going to" with "yao" | Subj. + 要 + Verb (+ 了) | 我 要 去 吃饭，你 去 吗？ |
| Expressing a learned skill with "hui" | 会 + Verb | 他 会 说 中文 。 |
| Expressing ability or possibility with "neng" | 能 + Verb | 中文 这么 难，你 能 学 好 吗？ |
| Expressing existence in a place with "zai" | 在 + Place | 老师 在 上海 。 |
| Expressing existence with "you" | Place + 有 + Obj. | 我们 学校 有 很 多 学生。 |
| Expressing permission with "keyi" | 可以 + Verb | 这里 可以 吸烟 吗? |
| Expressing possession with "you" | Subj. + 有 + Obj. | 我 有 钱。 |
| How to do something with "zenme" | 怎么 + Verb ? | 怎么 走? |
| Negation of past actions with "meiyou" | 没有 + Verb | 我 没有 去 酒吧。 |
| Negative commands with "buyao" | 不要 + Verb | 不要 说 英文！ |
| Using the verb "jiao" | 叫 + Name | 你 叫 什么 名字 ？ |
| Using the verb "qu" | 去 + Place | 我 去 学校。 |
| Using the verb "xing" | 姓 + Surname | 你 姓 什么 ？ |
| Wanting to do something with "yao" | 要 + Verb | 我 要 吃饭 。 |
A2 Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Actions in a row | (Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2) | 我们 去 咖啡店 喝 咖啡 吧。 |
| Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings | 要 + Noun / 要 + Verb | 我 要 一 杯 水。 |
| Basic comparisons with "meiyou" | Noun 1 + 没(有) + Noun 2 + Adj. | 你 没有 我 胖 。 |
| Directional verbs "lai" and "qu" | 来 / 去 + Place | 我 来 上海 一 年 了。 |
| Expressing "difficult" with "nan" | 难 + Verb | 难 做。难 买。 |
| Expressing "never" with "conglai" | 从来 + 不 / 没(有) + Verb | 她 从来 不 喝酒。我 从来 没有 去 过 美国。 |
| Expressing "should" with "yinggai" | 应该 / 该 + Verb | 你 应该 工作。 |
| Expressing "together" with "yiqi" | 一起 + Verb | 我们 一起 去 吧！要 不 要 一起 吃饭？ |
| Expressing "will" with "hui" | 会 + Verb | 明天 你 会 来 吗？ |
| Expressing "would like to" with "xiang" | 想 + Verb | 我 想 去。 |
| Expressing duration with "le" | Verb + 了 + Duration | 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年。 |
| Expressing ongoing duration with double "le" | Verb + 了 + Duration + 了 | 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年 了。 |
| Inability with "mei banfa" | 没办法 + Verb | 我 没 办法 帮 你。 |
| Indicating location with "zai" before verbs | Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb | 我 在 上海 工作。 |
| Polite requests with "qing" | 请 + Verb | 请 坐 。 |
| Reduplication of verbs | Verb + Verb | 你 看看。 |
| Special cases of "zai" following verbs | Verb + 在 + Place | 我 住 在 北京。放 在 这里。 |
| Special verbs with "hen" | 很 + Verb | 我 很 喜欢 他。 |
| Using "dao" to mean "to go to" | 到 + Place | 我 到 上海。 |
| Using "hao" to mean "easy" | 好 + Verb | 好 做。好 买。 |
| Verbing briefly with "yixia" | Verb + 一下 | 你 看 一下 。 |
| Verbs that take double objects | Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj. | 我 问 了 老师 一 个 问题。 |
B1 Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance with "kanqilai" | 看起来⋯⋯ | 这 家 餐厅 看起来 不错 。 |
| Causative verbs | Subj. + 让 / 叫 / 请 / 使 + Person + Predicate | 你 为什么 不 让 我 去 ？ |
| Doing something less with "shao" | 少 + Verb | 请 少 放 点 盐 。 |
| Doing something more with "duo" | 多 + Verb | 多 吃 点 。 |
| Expressing "don't need to" with "buyong" | Subj. + 不用 + Verb Phrase | 不用 担心 。 |
| Expressing "it depends" with "kan" | 这 / 那 + 要看 / 得看 + Unclear Situation | 这 得 看 你 的 时间 。 |
| Expressing "it seems" with "haoxiang" | 好像⋯⋯ | 他 好像 是 英国 人 。 |
| Expressing "mistakenly think that" with "yiwei" | Subj. + 以为⋯⋯ | 我 以为 你 不 是 我的 朋友。 |
| Expressing "must" with "dei" | 得 + Verb | 我们 得 走 了 。 |
| Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme" | 不怎么 + Verb | 我 儿子 不怎么 吃 零食 。 |
| Expressing "through" with "jingguo" | 经过 + Event / Time ，⋯⋯ | 经过 自己 的 努力 ，她 考上 了 北京 大学 。 |
| Expressing "through" with "tongguo" | 通过 + Agent / Method ，⋯⋯ | 我们 是 通过 他 的 朋友 找到 他 的 。 |
| Expressing "to come from" with "laizi" | Subj. + 来自 + Place | 我 来自 美国。 |
| Expressing "until" with "dao" | Verb + 到 + Time / Event | 我 昨天 晚上 工作 到 十二 点 半 。 |
| Expressing actions in progress (full form) | 正在 + Verb + 着 + 呢 | 我 正在 吃饭 呢 。 |
| Making judgments with "suan" | Subj. + 算 + Adj. + 的 | 在 我们 公司 ，我 算 年轻 的 。 |
| Measure words for verbs | Verb + Number + Measure Word | 做 三 次。读 两 遍 。 |
| Separable verb | Verb-Obj. | 我们 见 过 面 。 |
| Using "lai" as a dummy verb | (让 +) Subj. + 来 | 让 我 来 吧。 |
| Verbs followed by "gei" | Subj. + Verb + 给 + Recipient + Obj. | 他 送给 我 一 束 花 。 |
| Verbs preceded by "gei" | Subj. + 给 + Target + Verb + Obj. | 现在 不要 给 他 打 电话 。 |
B2 Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Challenging a verb with "shenme" | Verb + 什么 + Obj. | 没有 钱 看 什么 电影。 |
| Combining verbs with "bing" | Verb Phrase 1 + 并 / 并且 + Verb Phrase 2 | 我 同意 并且 支持 你 的 决定 。 |
| Comparing specifically with "xiang" | Noun 1 + 不像 + Noun 2 + 这么 / 那么 + Adj. / Verb | 你 怎么 像 我 妈 一样 啰嗦！ |
| Comparisons with "biqi" | 比起 + B (+ 来) ，A ~ | 比起上海 ，我 老家 的 物价 便宜 多 了。 |
| Comparisons with "buru" | 不如⋯⋯ | 我的 汉语 不如 他的。 |
| Emphasizing the doer of an action with "you" | 由 + Person + Verb | 这个 项目 由 小李 来 完成 。 |
| Expressing "hard to avoid" with "nanmian" | (Subj. +) 难免 + Verb Phrase | 第 一 次 尝试 ， 难免 失败 。 |
| Expressing "moreover" with "bingqie" | Verb Phrase 1 + 并 / 并且 + Verb Phrase 2 | 我 同意 并且 支持 你 的 决定 。 |
| Expressing "to be worth" doing with "zhide" | 值得 + Verb | 这个 想法 不错 ， 值得 考虑 。 |
| Expressing future with "jiang" | Subj. + 将 / 将要 / 将会 + Verb Phrase | 比赛 结果 将 在 月底 公布 。 |
| Indicating negative impact with "haide" | 害得 + Verb Phrase | 老师 给 的 作业 太 难 了 ， 害得 我 浪费 了 一 个 下午 学习 。 |
| Making "-ize" and "-ify" verbs with "hua" | Noun / Adj. + 化 | KFC 的 中国 本土化 经营 做 得 非常 成功。 |
| Passive verbs with "shou" | 受 + Verb | 他 为 人 善良 ， 很 受 尊重 。 |
| Using "nanguai" as a verb | 难怪 + Specific Person / People …… | 难怪 他，他还是个孩子呢，什么都不懂。 |
| Using "zhe" when "verbing away" | Verb + 着 + Verb + 着 + 就 + Comment + 了 | 走 着 走 着 ， 他们 到 家 了 。 |
C1 Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "I bet" using "liang" | 谅 + Subject + Verb phrase | 谅 他 也 不敢！ |
| Expressing "lies in" with "zaiyu" | ⋯⋯ 在于 ⋯⋯ | 我们 服务 的 特色 在于 个性化 。 |
| Expressing something is "not worth doing" with "buxie" | Subject + 不屑(于) + Verb | 我 的 同事 是 一位 很 诚实 的 人 ，他 不屑 说谎。 |
| Facilitating an outcome with "yibian" | 以便 + Verb | 用 普通话 说 ， 以便 我 能 听懂 。 |
Sources and further reading
Books
Websites
- Wikipedia: Chinese verbs
