Difference between revisions of "The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details"

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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
{{Resource|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|577-9|link=http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA}}
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|577-9|link=http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA}}
{{Resource|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|54-5|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899}}
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{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|54-5|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 46-7, 173-80) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|46-7, 173-80|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615}}
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) ]] (pp. 319-22) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) |319-22|link=http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ}}
* [[Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)]] (pp. 46) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7800529029/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7800529029 →buy]
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{{Source|Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)|46|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7800529029/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7800529029}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 119-121) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|119-121|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 14-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|14-6|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 152-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|152-4|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881}}
* [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 587-94) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 →buy]
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{{Source|Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar|587-94|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103}}
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 233-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|233-5|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 88-9, 153) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|88-9, 153|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) ]] (pp. 204-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) |204-5|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192}}
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Threshold Vol. 2 (汉语口语入门篇下) ]] (pp. 66-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913656/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913656 →buy]
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{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Threshold Vol. 2 (汉语口语入门篇下) |66-8|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913656/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913656}}
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)]] (p. 530)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|530|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20}}
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)]] (p. 205)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)|205|link=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===

Revision as of 03:39, 16 June 2017

Also known as: 是⋯⋯的结构 (shì... de jiégòu), 是⋯⋯ 的 sentence and 是⋯⋯ 的 pattern.

The 是⋯⋯的 (shì... de) construction is used to draw particular attention to certain information in a sentence. It's often used to ask questions that seek specific information, or to explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail.

While not strictly tied to any "tense," the 是⋯⋯ 的 construction is frequently used when asking details about the past or telling details about the past.

Basic 是⋯⋯ 的 structure

A 是⋯⋯ 的 sentence is formed with this structure:

Subj. + 是 + Information to be Emphasized + Verb + 的

This structure can be used to emphasize any detail, but most commonly it emphasizes time, manner, or place. Don't worry if this still seems a little confusing; lots of helpful examples are coming up!

Simple Question Examples

These are some of the most common questions asked using the 是⋯⋯ 的 construction and some possible answers:

  • 怎么 来 Emphasizing "how" or "in what manner"shì zěnme lái de?How did you come?
  • 怎么 做 Emphasizing "how" or "in what manner"shì zěnme zuò de?How did you do it?
  • 谁 告诉 你 Emphasizing "who"Shì shéi gàosu nǐ de?Who was it that told you?
  • 什么时候 来 Emphasizing "when" shì shénme shíhou lái de?When did you come?

You might be wondering, "can I still say the same thing without the 是 and the 的?" The answer is that in most cases, no, not really. While the 是 can sometimes be dropped, these examples sound weird without the 的. It's just a part of learning to ask questions naturally in Mandarin. You don't have to learn a "past tense," but you do have to learn this way of asking for details about the past, sooner or later.

Other Examples

Some examples where time is emphasized:

  • 我们 昨天"Yesterday" is emphasized.Wǒmen shì zuótiān lái de.We came yesterday.
  • 去年 到 北京 去 "Last year is emphasized. shì qùnián dào Běijīng qù de.He went to Beijing last year.

Some examples where manner is emphasized:

  • 坐 飞机 去 美国 "By plane" is emphasized. shì zuò fēijī qù Měiguó de.She went to the USA by plane.
  • 从 香港 转机 到 上海 "from Hong Kong" is emphasized"shì cóng Xiānggǎng zhuǎnjī dào Shànghǎi de.I'm coming to Shanghai from Hong Kong.

Some examples where place is emphasized:

  • 在 英国 学 英文 "In Britain" is emphasized.shì zài Yīngguó xué Yīngwén de.I studied English in Britain.
  • 在 中国 出生 "In China" is emphasized.shì zài Zhōngguó chūshēng de.You were born in China.

Singling out details for emphasis with 是⋯⋯ 的

As mentioned above, a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction can pick out any detail in a sentence. Whatever comes immediately after 是 is emphasized. So in the sentence below:

  • 我 上 周六 跟 我 家人 在 饭店 吃饭 。 Wǒ shàng zhōuliù gēn wǒ jiārén zài fàndiàn chīfàn.I ate with my family in a restaurant last Saturday.

We can pick out any one of the details by putting 是 in front of it:

  • 我 跟 我 家人 上 周六 在 饭店 吃 饭 。"last Saturday" is emphasized.Wǒ gēn wǒ jiārén shì shàng Zhōuliù zài fàndiàn chī de fàn.
  • 我 上 周六 在 饭店 跟 我 家人 饭 。"with my family" is emphasized.Wǒ shàng Zhōuliù zài fàndiàn shì gēn wǒ jiārén chī de fàn.
  • 我 上 周六 跟 我 家人 在 饭店 饭 。"in a restaurant" is emphasized.Wǒ shàng Zhōuliù gēn wǒ jiārén shì zài fàndiàn chī de fàn.

When to use 是⋯⋯ 的

As described above, the 是⋯⋯ 的 construction is used to draw attention to particular information in a sentence. Whereas a sentence without a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction might describe a situation, a sentence with a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction explains it. 是⋯⋯ 的 is not generally used for reporting new information, but for adding important details that make the information clearer.

You could think of 是⋯⋯ 的 as being equivalent to saying one of the following in English:

  • "The situation is that"
  • "It's that... "
  • "It was... that... "

If the sentence could be formed with one of those phrases in English, it can probably use a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction in Chinese. Usually the topic of a 是⋯⋯ 的 sentence has already been established.

Completed action

It's important to note that a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction also indicates that an action has been completed. However, this is not the purpose of a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction. The association with a completed action is more like a side effect of 是⋯⋯ 的. This means you shouldn't use 是⋯⋯ 的 just to indicate that an action is completed. Use the aspect particle 了 for that. Instead, use 是⋯⋯ 的 to draw attention to particular features of the action.

Negating 是⋯⋯ 的

是⋯⋯ 的 sentences can only be negated with 不, as 没 can not be used to negate 是. Place 不 before 是 as you would in a standard sentence.

Some examples:

  • 我们 是 坐 火车 来 的 。 Wǒmen shì zuò huǒchē lái de.We didn't come by train.
  • 这个 电话 是 打给他的 。 Zhège diànhuà shì dǎ gěi tā de.This phone call isn't to him.
  • 我们 是 去 看她 的 。 Wǒmen shì qù kàn tā de.We didn't go to see her.

Note that negating a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction creates the implication that the action in the sentence was carried out, and only the detail emphasized by 是⋯⋯ 的 is being denied. So, in the last sentence, the implication is that 你 didn't go out with 她, but did go out with someone. So negative 是⋯⋯ 的 constructions would work nicely in the final scenes of detective dramas.

是⋯⋯ 的 and questions

是⋯⋯ 的 constructions can be made into questions in the usual three ways to form questions in Chinese:

Some examples:

  • 你 是 用 手枪 杀害 他 的 Did you use a pistol to murder him?
  • 他 是 坐 飞机 去 意大利 的 Did you take a plane to Italy?
  • 你 是 跟 出去 的?Who did you go out with?
  • 你 是 怎么 来 北京 的?How did you come to Beijing?
  • 你们 是 不是 去年 认识 的?Did you meet each other last year?
  • 你的 车 是 不是 你弟弟 开 走 的?Was your car driven away by your brother?

是 is often optional

Although this structure is called the 是⋯⋯ 的 construction, the 是 is nearly always optional. You will often hear this structure with 是 omitted, so be aware. The only time 是 is required in this construction is when it's being negated. Other than that, 是 is commonly omitted.

Some examples:

  • 他 (是) 昨天 来 He came yesterday.
  • 我们 (是) 两 个 月 以前 认识 We met two months ago.
  • 我 (是) 用 中文 问路 I used Chinese to ask the way.

Where to put 的 in a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction

Up till now we've said that 的 appears at the end of the sentence in a 是⋯⋯ 的 construction. This is very often the case. However, if there's an object, 的 can appear before the object.

For example:

  • 在 加拿大 学 英语the 的 comes before the object 英语I studied English in Canada.
  • 在 加拿大 学 英语 the 的 comes after the object 英语I studied English in Canada.

Note that if the object is a person, 的 has to go at the end of the sentence. Otherwise it can go before the object or at the end of the sentence.

  • 在 法国 认识 the 的 cannot come before the object 她I met her in France.
  • 在 法国 认识 the 的 can only come after the object 她I met her in France.

More 是⋯⋯ 的 emphasis examples

The 是⋯⋯ 的 construction is very versatile and can be used to pick out a large variety of details in a sentence. Have a look at the examples below to get a stronger grasp of how this structure can be used.

Focusing on time

  • 上 个 星期五"last Friday" is emphasized.I came last Friday.
  • 他们 婚后 一年 离婚 "one year after they got married" is emphasized.They got divorced one year after they got married.
  • 我们 十 年 以前 认识 "ten years ago" is emphasized.We met each other ten years ago.

Focusing on place

  • 在 美国 学习 英文 "in the USA" is emphasized.She studied English in the USA.
  • 他们 在 图书馆 认识 "in the library" is emphasized.They met each other in the library.
  • 我们 在 家里 喝醉 "in the house" is emphasized.We got drunk in the house.

Focusing on manner

  • 跟 我 朋友 出去 玩 "with my friends" is emphasized.I went out to hang with my friends.
  • 开车 回家 "by car" is emphasized.I came home by car.
  • 花 了 半 个 小时 才 到 他 家 "took him half an hour" is emphasized.It took him half an hour to get to his home.

Focusing on instrument

  • 用 法文 信。"used French" is emphasized.I used French to write the letter.
  • 他 小 的时候 用 筷子 吃饭 "used chopsticks" is emphasized.When he was younger, he used chopsticks to eat.
  • 用 电脑 学习 汉语 "used the computer" is emphasized.She used a computer to study Chinese.

Focusing on agent

  • 被 谁 杀害 "by whom" is emphasized.Who was he killed by?
  • 我的 钱包 被 一个男人 偷走 "by a man" is emphasized.My wallet was stolen by a man.
  • 你的 杯子 被 服务员 打 破"by the waiter" is emphasized.Your cup got broken by the waitor.
  • 我 弟弟 被 他同学 打伤 "by his classmate" is emphasized.My younger brother was hit and got injured by his classmates.
  • 爸爸 的 手机 被 他同事 弄 坏 "by his co-worker" is emphasized.Dad's cell phone was broken by his co-worker.
See also: 被 sentence

Focusing on target

  • 给 谁 饭?"who" is emphasized.Who did you make food for?
  • 为 你 回来 "for you" is emphasized.I came back for you.
  • 向 你 钱?"from you" is emphasized.He borrowed the money from you?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites