HSK 3 grammar points with CEFR
"HSK 3" is the third level of the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK). This pages shows the exact CEFR Level equivalent of each HSK 3 grammar point (instead of "Examples") for easy comparison between the two systems.
There are 87 total HSK 3 grammar points in the list below. You may also want to refer to our HSK 3 Standard Course textbook index page.
Parts of Speech
These following grammar points fit pretty neatly into one part of speech category.
Adjectives
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Adjectives with "-ji le" | Adj. + 极了 | B1 |
| Reduplication of adjectives | Adj. + Adj. | B1 |
| Turning adjectives into adverbs | Adj. + 地 + Verb | B1 |
Adverbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "again" in the past with "you" | 又 + Verb + 了 | B1 |
| Expressing "all along" with "yizhi" | Subj. + 一直 + Predicate | A2 |
| Expressing "always" with "zongshi" | 总是 + Verb | A2 |
| Expressing duration of inaction | Duration + 没 + Verb + 了 | B1 |
| Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu" | Subj. + 终于 + Predicate + 了 | B1 |
| Expressing lateness with "cai" | Subj. + Time + 才 + Verb | B1 |
| Expressing "nearly" with "jihu" | Subj. + 几乎 + Verb | B2 |
| Expressing "only" with "zhi" | 只 + Verb | A2 |
| Sequencing with "xian" and "zai" | 先⋯⋯ ，再⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Simultaneous tasks with "yibian" | 一边 + Verb 1 (，) 一边 + Verb 2 | A2 |
| Using "always" as a complaint with "laoshi" | Subj. + 老 (是 ) + Verb | B1 |
| Using "cai" for small numbers | 才 + Number + Measure Word + Noun | B1 |
Adverbs with Adjectives
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Adjectives with "name" and "zheme" | 那么 / 这么 + Adj. | B1 |
| Basic comparisons with "yiyang" | Noun 1 + 跟 / 和 + Noun 2 + 一样 + Adj. | A2 |
| Expressing "both A and B" with "you" | 又⋯⋯ 又⋯⋯ | A2 |
| Expressing "rather" with "bijiao" | Subj. + 比较 + Adj. | B1 |
| Intensifying with "duo" | Subj. + 多 + Adj. | A2 |
| Modifying nouns with adjective + "de" | Adj. + 的 + Noun | A2 |
Conjunctions
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "or" in statements | ⋯⋯或者⋯⋯ | A2 |
| Expressing "then…" with "name" | 那么⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "with" with "gen" | 跟⋯⋯ + Verb | A2 |
| Offering choices with "haishi" | A + 还是 + B ? | A1 |
Nouns
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Before a specific time with "yiqian" | Time / Verb + 以前 | A2 |
| Expressing "before" in general with "yiqian" | 以前，⋯⋯ | A2 |
| Expressing "just now" with "gangcai" | 刚才 + Verb | A2 |
| Expressing "when" with "shi" | Time + 时 | B1 |
| In the future in general with "yihou" | 以后，⋯⋯ | A2 |
| Sequencing past events with "houlai" | ⋯⋯ ，后来 ⋯⋯ | B1 |
Numbers
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Approximating with sequential numbers | Number 1 + Number 2 | A2 |
| Big numbers in Chinese | Number + 万 / 亿 | A2 |
| Structure of times (advanced) | Number 1 + 点(钟) + Number 2 + 分 | A2 |
| Structure of times (basic) | Number + 点(钟) | A1 |
Particles
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect particle "zhe" | Verb + 着 | B1 |
| Change of state with "le" | ⋯⋯了 | A2 |
| Questions with "ne" | ⋯⋯呢 ? | A1 |
| Structural particle "de" | 的 / 得 / 地 | A2 |
Prepositions
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "about" with "guanyu" | 关于 + Obj. ，⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao" | 直到 + Time / Event ，Subj. + 才 ⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "towards" with "xiang" | 向 + Direction / Person + Verb | B1 |
Verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance with "kanqilai" | 看起来⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Basic comparisons with "meiyou" | Noun 1 + 没(有) + Noun 2 + Adj. | A2 |
| Causative verbs | Subj. + 让 / 叫 / 请 / 使 + Person + Predicate | B1 |
| Expressing "through" with "jingguo" | 经过 + Event / Time ，⋯⋯ | B1 |
Auxiliary verbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "should" with "yinggai" | 应该 / 该 + Verb | A2 |
Verb phrases
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "difficult" with "nan" | 难 + Verb | A2 |
| Expressing duration with "le" | Verb + 了 + Duration | A2 |
| Expressing ongoing duration with double "le" | Verb + 了 + Duration + 了 | A2 |
| Inability with "mei banfa" | 没办法 + Verb | A2 |
| Reduplication of verbs | Verb + Verb | A2 |
| Special verbs with "hen" | 很 + Verb | A2 |
Grammatical Structures
These are grammatical structures that do not correspond to one particular part of speech.
Complements
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Direction complement | Verb (+ Direction) + 来 / 去 | B1 |
| Potential complement | Verb + 得 / 不 + Complement | B1 |
| Result complements | Verb + 好 / 完 / 错 | B1 |
| Result complement "-xiaqu" | Verb + 下去 | B1 |
Conditional Statements
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "as long as" with "zhiyao" | 只要⋯⋯，就⋯⋯ | B2 |
| Expressing "only after" with "cai" | ⋯⋯，才⋯⋯ | B2 |
| Expressing "only if" with "zhiyou" | 只有⋯⋯，才⋯⋯ | B2 |
Noun Phrases
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Using "youde" to mean "some" | 有的 + Noun | A2 |
Numbers and Measure Words
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "half" with "ban" | Number + Measure Word + 半 + Noun | A2 |
Sentence Patterns
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "not even one" | 一 + Measure Word + (Noun) + 也 / 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb | B2 |
| Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…" | Subj.＋越＋Verb＋越 + Adj. / Verb | B2 |
| Using "ba" sentences | Subj. + 把 + Obj.+ Verb Phrase | B1 |
| Using "bei" sentences | Subj. + 被 + Doer + Verb Phrase | B1 |
Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative existential sentences | Place + Verb + 着 + Noun Phrase | B1 |
| Expressing "as one likes" with "jiu" | 想 + Question Word + 就 + Question Word | B1 |
| Expressing "every" with question words | Question Word + 都 + Predicate | B1 |
| Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue" | Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了 | B1 |
| Expressing purpose with "weile" | 为了 + Purpose + Verb | B1 |
| Expressing "some" with question words | 在哪儿 / 谁 / 什么 / 什么时候 | B1 |
Comparison Patterns
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing comparable degree with "you" | Noun 1 有 Noun 2 + Adj. + 吗？ | B1 |
| Expressing "compared with" using "gen" | 跟 + Noun 1 + 比 (起来) ，Noun 2⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "even more" with "geng" or "hai" | Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 更 / 还 + Adj. | B1 |
| Expressing "much more" in comparisons | Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了 | B1 |
Complex Sentence Patterns
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "except" and "in addition" with "chule… yiwai" | 除了 ⋯⋯ (+ 以外) ，Subj. + 都 / 也 / 还 ⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "if... then..." with "ruguo... jiu..." | 如果 ⋯⋯ ，就 ⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "if" with "ruguo... dehua" | 如果⋯⋯ (的话) ，(就) ⋯⋯ | B1 |
| Expressing "not only... but also" with "budan... erqie..." | 不但⋯⋯，而且⋯⋯ | B1 |
Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points
What's the difference between this grammar point and that grammar point? Check here.
Adverbs
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing "cai" and "jiu" | 才 vs 就 | B2 |
| Comparing "gang" and "gangcai" | 刚 vs. 刚才 | B1 |
| Comparing "youdian" and "yidian" | 有点 vs. 一点 | B1 |
| Comparing "zai" and "you" | 再 vs 又 | B2 |
Conjunctions
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe" | 还是 vs. 或者 | B1 |
Time Words
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | CEFR Level |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing "yihou" "ranhou" "houlai" | 以后 vs. 然后 vs. 后来 | B2 |
