A2 grammar points

"A2" (Elementary) is the second level used on this Chinese Grammar Wiki. It is roughly equivalent to HSK Levels 2-3.

There are 99 total grammar points in the list below.

Parts of Speech

These following grammar points fit pretty neatly into one part of speech category.

Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Negative adjectives with "-si le"	Adj. + 死了	我今天累死了。

Adverbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Approximations with "chabuduo"	Subj. + 差不多	我们的中文水平差不多。
Emphasizing quantity with "dou"	大家 / 很多人 + 都⋯⋯	很多地方都有 wifi。
Expressing actions in progress with "zai"	(正) 在 + Verb	我们正在吃饭。
Expressing "all along" with "yizhi"	Subj. + 一直 + Predicate	我一直在现在的公司工作。
Expressing "already" with "yijing"	已经⋯⋯了	他已经走了。
Expressing "always" with "zongshi"	总是 + Verb	他总是迟到。
Expressing "and also" with "hai"	还 + Verb	她有一个弟弟，还有一个妹妹。
Expressing "just" with "gang"	Subj. + 刚 + Verb	他刚走。
Expressing "only" with "zhi"	只 + Verb	我只有一个妹妹。
Expressing "then" with "jiu"	就 + Verb Phrase	我们现在有时间，就去吧。
Negative commands with "bie"	别 + Verb	别走。
Simultaneous tasks with "yibian"	一边 + Verb 1 (，) 一边 + Verb 2	不要一边说话，一边吃东西。

Adverbs with Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Asking about degree with "duo"	Subj. + 多 + Adj. ?	他多高？
Basic comparisons with "yiyang"	Noun 1 + 跟 / 和 + Noun 2 + 一样 + Adj.	你跟他一样高。
Expressing "a little too" with "you dian"	有点(儿) + Adj.	我有点饿。
Expressing "both A and B" with "you"	又⋯⋯ 又⋯⋯	他又高又帅。
Expressing distance with "li"	Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + Adv. + 近 / 远	我家离大学很近。
Expressing "even more" with "geng"	更 + Adj.	我想找一个更有钱的男朋友。
Expressing "not very" with "bu tai"	不太 + Adj.	他不太高兴。我不太喜欢。
Expressing "really" with "zhen"	真 + Adj.	你女朋友真漂亮。
Intensifying with "duo"	Subj. + 多 + Adj.	多好！外面多舒服！
Moderating positive adjectives with "hai"	还 + Adj.	还可以。还好。
Modifying nouns with adjective + "de"	Adj. + 的 + Noun	好喝的啤酒 / 可爱的宝宝
Modifying nouns with phrase + "de"	Phrase + 的 + Noun	去北京的火车。今天来的人。
Superlative "zui"	最 + Adj. (+ 了)	谁最有钱？

Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "or" in statements	⋯⋯或者⋯⋯	我想去青岛或者南京。
Expressing "with" with "gen"	跟⋯⋯ + Verb	你要跟我一起去吗？
The filler word "neige"	⋯⋯那个⋯⋯	那个⋯⋯你可以做我的女朋友吗？
Two words for "but"	……，可是 / 但是……	我喜欢他，可是/但是他不喜欢我。

Nouns

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
After a specific time with "yihou"	Time / Verb + 以后	10点以后，我不在家。
Before a specific time with "yiqian"	Time / Verb + 以前	十点以前，我在家。
Expressing "before" in general with "yiqian"	以前，⋯⋯	以前，我不会说中文。
Expressing "just now" with "gangcai"	刚才 + Verb	你刚才说什么了？
Expressing "when" with "de shihou"	⋯⋯的时候	你不在的时候，我会想你。
In the future in general with "yihou"	以后，⋯⋯	以后，你不要问我。
Time words and word order	Subj. + Time⋯⋯ / Time + Subj.⋯⋯	我明天有空。/ 明天我有空。

Numbers

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Approximating with sequential numbers	Number 1 + Number 2	三四个人。一两天。
Big numbers in Chinese	Number + 万 / 亿	五万
Structure of times (advanced)	Number 1 + 点(钟) + Number 2 + 分	现在十一点十八分。

Numbers and Measure Words

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Using "ji" to mean "several"	几 + Measure Word + Noun	桌子上有几本书。

Particles

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Change of state with "le"	⋯⋯了	我 25 岁了。
Conceding with "ba"	⋯⋯吧	那好吧。
Expressing "already" with just "le"	Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了	你应该问老师。我问了。
Expressing completion with "le"	Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.	我吃了两个苹果。
Expressing experiences with "guo"	Verb + 过	我去过中国。
Expressing "not anymore" with "le"	不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了	我不想吃了。
Expressing "now" with "le"	New Situation + 了	吃饭了！
Modal particle "ne"	⋯⋯呢 ?	我不要回家。还早呢！
Sentence-final interjection "a"	⋯⋯啊	是啊！谁啊？
Softening speech with "ba"	⋯⋯吧	这样不太好吧。
Structural particle "de"	的 / 得 / 地	红色的车，跑得很快，慢慢地走
Using "guo" with "le"	Verb + 过 + 了	她吃过了。

Prepositions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Basic comparisons with "bi"	Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj.	你比我胖。
Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"	从⋯⋯到⋯⋯	从1 号到 5 号我在上海。

Verbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
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。
Polite requests with "qing"	请 + Verb	请坐。

Auxiliary verbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings	要 + Noun / 要 + Verb	我要一杯水。
Expressing "should" with "yinggai"	应该 / 该 + Verb	你应该工作。
Expressing "will" with "hui"	会 + Verb	明天你会来吗？
Expressing "would like to" with "xiang"	想 + Verb	我想去。

Verb phrases

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。
Expressing "difficult" with "nan"	难 + Verb	难做。难买。
Expressing duration with "le"	Verb + 了 + Duration	他在北京住了两年。
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 ongoing duration with double "le"	Verb + 了 + Duration + 了	他在北京住了两年了。
Expressing "together" with "yiqi"	一起 + Verb	我们一起去吧！要不要一起吃饭？
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。
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。

Grammatical Structures

These are grammatical structures that do not correspond to one particular part of speech.

Complements

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding	Verb + 不懂	我听不懂。
Result complements "-dao" and "-jian"	Verb + 到 / 见	听到了吗？
Result complement "-wan" for finishing	Verb + 完 (+ 了)	我说完了。

Noun Phrases

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "some" with "yixie"	一些 + Noun	这里有一些咖啡。
Using "youde" to mean "some"	有的 + Noun	派对的时候，有的人在喝酒，有的人在跳舞，还有的人在聊天。

Numbers and Measure Words

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Counting money	Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱)	给你五块三毛。
Expressing "every" with "mei"	每 + Measure Word (+ Noun)	每个人。每天。
Expressing "half" with "ban"	Number + Measure Word + 半 + Noun	三个半小时
Measure words for counting	Number + Measure Word + Noun	一个人。一杯水。
Measure words in quantity questions	几 + Measure Word (+ Noun) ?	几个人？
Measure words with "this" and "that"	这 / 那 + Measure Word (+ Noun)	那个人。这杯水。
Ordinal numbers with "di"	第 + Number (+ Measure Word)	你是我的第一个朋友。

Question Forms

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Asking how something is with "zenmeyang"	⋯⋯怎么样？	你最近怎么样？
Asking why with "zenme"	怎么⋯⋯？	你怎么没来？
Questions with "le ma"	Verb + 了 + 吗？	你吃饭了吗？

Sentence Patterns

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Cause and effect with "yinwei" and "suoyi"	因为⋯⋯ 所以⋯⋯	因为饿了，所以吃饭。
Expressing "about to happen" with "le"	快 + Verb / Adj. + 了	快下雨了。
Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou"	什么 + 都 / 也⋯⋯	爸爸什么都知道。
Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"	在 + Place + 上 / 下 / 里 / 旁边	你的手机在桌子上。
Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"	别 + Verb + 了	别哭了，烦死了。

Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points

What's the difference between this grammar point and that grammar point? Check here.

Adverbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "bu" and "mei"	不 vs 没	我今天晚上不吃饭。昨天晚上我没吃饭。

Auxiliary verbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "yao" and "xiang"	要 vs 想	我要一杯水。我想你。

A2 grammar points

Contents

Parts of Speech

Adjectives

Adverbs

Adverbs with Adjectives

Conjunctions

Nouns

Numbers

Numbers and Measure Words

Particles

Prepositions

Verbs

Auxiliary verbs

Verb phrases

Grammatical Structures

Complements

Noun Phrases

Numbers and Measure Words

Question Forms

Sentence Patterns

Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points

Adverbs

Auxiliary verbs

See Also