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

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{{AKA|是⋯⋯的结构 (shì ... de jiégòu)|是 ... 的 sentence|是 ... 的 pattern}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
The 是 ... 的 construction is used to draw particular attention to certain information in a sentence. It's often used to respond to questions that seek specific information, or to explain a situation by emphasising a particular detail.
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{{AKA|是⋯⋯的结构 (shì... de jiégòu)|是⋯⋯的 sentence|是⋯⋯的 pattern}}
  
== Basic 是 ... 的 structure ==
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The 是⋯⋯的 (shì... de) construction is used to draw 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 or telling ''details'' about the past.
  
A 是 ... 的 sentence is formed with this structure:
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This use of 是⋯⋯的 (shì... de) is usually emphasized in textbooks over other uses, and therefore is sometimes called the "classic" 是⋯⋯的 construction.
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
== When to Use It ==
 
 
Subject + 是 + <strong>information to emphasized</strong> + Verb + 的
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
This structure can be used to emphasise any detail, but most commonly it emphasises time, manner, or place.
 
  
Some examples:
+
Even if you understand that 了 is not used to mark "past tense" in Chinese, it's possible that you incorrectly use it that way sometimes. For example, what if you want to ask a question about something that happened in the past? Would you ever say one of the following sentences?
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我们 <strong></strong> <em>昨天</em> 来 <strong>的</strong>。 <span class="expl">'Yesterday' is emphasized.</span>
+
<ul>
* 他 <strong></strong> <em>去年</em> 到 北京 去 <strong>的</strong><span class="expl">'Last year' is emphasized.</span>
+
<li class="x">你 昨天 <strong>几点</strong> <em></em> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <strong>jǐ diǎn</strong> dào <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">What time did you arrive yesterday?</span></li>
 
+
<li class="x">你 跟 <strong></strong> <em></em> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēn <strong>shéi</strong> <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">Who did you go with?</span></li>
* 她 <strong></strong> <em>坐 飞机</em> 去 美国 <strong>的</strong>。 <span class="expl">'By plane' is emphasized.</span>
+
<li class="x">他 <strong>用 什么</strong> 打 你 <em></em> <span class="pinyin"><strong>yòng shénme</strong> dǎ nǐ <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">What did he use to hit you?</span></li>
* 他 <strong></strong> <em>跟 他 朋友</em> 唱歌 <strong>的</strong><span class="expl">'With his friends' is emphasized.</span>
+
</ul>
 
 
* 我 <strong></strong> <em>在 英国</em> 学 英文 <strong>的</strong>。 <span class="expl">'In Britain' is emphasized.</span>
 
* 你 <strong></strong> <em>在 中国</em> 出生 <strong>的</strong><span class="expl">'In China' is emphasized.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Picking out different details with 是 ... 的 ==
+
In each of these sentences above, 了 is not the right choice, because you're not asking if an event happened or not. You're asking about details of past events. When you are singling out details for emphasis--in a question or a statement--you need to use the 是⋯⋯的 construction.
  
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:
+
A 是⋯⋯的 construction can pick out any detail that's related to a past event. Whatever comes immediately after 是 is emphasized. Check out this example:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 上 个 星期六 跟 家人 在 饭馆 吃饭。
+
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 昨天 去 杭州 了。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ qù Hángzhōu le.</span><span class="trans">I went to Hangzhou yesterday.</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 你 <em>是</em> <strong>怎么</strong> 去 <em>的</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>shì</em> <strong>zěnme</strong> qù <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">How did you get there?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> <em>是</em> <strong>坐 火车</strong> 去 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shì</em> <strong>zuò huǒchē </strong> qù <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I went by train.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
We can pick out any one of the details by putting 是 in front of it:
+
Now let's revisit those other three sentences and ask the questions correctly with 是⋯⋯的:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <strong></strong> <em>上 个 星期六</em> 跟 我 家人 在 饭馆 吃饭 <strong></strong>
+
<ul>
* 我 上 个 星期六 <strong></strong> <em>跟 我 家人</em> 在 饭馆 吃饭 <strong></strong>
+
<li class="o">你 昨天 <em>是</em> <strong>几点</strong> <em>的</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <em>shì</em> <strong>jǐ diǎn</strong> dào <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">What time did you arrive yesterday?</span></li>
* 我 上 个 星期六 跟 我 家人 <strong></strong> <em>在 饭馆</em> 吃饭 <strong></strong>
+
<li class="o">你 <em>是</em> <strong>跟 谁</strong> 去 <em>的</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>shì</em> <strong>gēn shéi </strong> qù <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">Who did you go with?</span></li>
 +
<li class="o">他 <em>是</em> <strong>用 什么</strong> 打 你 <em>的</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>shì</em> <strong>yòng shénme</strong> dǎ nǐ <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">What did he use to hit you?</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== When to use 是 ... 的 ==
+
== Affirmative Form ==
  
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.
+
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:
  
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... "
  
* "The situation is that"
+
=== Structure ===
* "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 ... sentence has already been established.
+
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + + [Information to be Emphasized] + Verb +
 +
</div>
  
=== Completed action ===
+
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!
  
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.
+
=== Examples ===
  
== Negating 是 ... 的 ==
+
<div class="liju">
  
... 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.
+
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你们 <em></em> <strong>什么 时候</strong> 到 <em></em> ?<span class="expl">Emphasizing "when"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>shì</em> <strong>shénme shíhou</strong> dào <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">When did you guys arrive?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我们 <em></em> <strong>昨天</strong> 到 <em>的</em> 。<span class="expl">"Yesterday" is emphasized.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shì</em> <strong>zuótiān</strong> dào <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">We arrived yesterday.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
Some examples:
+
</div>
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我们 <strong></strong> 是 坐 火车 来 的。
+
<ul class="dialog">
* 他 <strong></strong> 是 用 毛笔 写 信。
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>是</em> <strong>在 哪儿</strong> 出生 <em>的</em> ?<span class="expl">"Where" is emphasized.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>shì</em> <strong>zài nǎr</strong> chūshēng <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">Where were you born?</span></li>
* 你 <strong></strong> 是 跟 她 出去 的。
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em>是</em> <strong>在 香港</strong> 出生 <em></em> 。<span class="expl">"In Hong Kong" is emphasized.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shì</em> <strong>zài Xiānggǎng</strong> chūshēng <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I was born in Hong Kong.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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 ... 的 is being denied. So, in the last sentence, the implication is that 你 didn't go out with , but ''did'' go out with ''someone''. So negative ... 的 constructions would work nicely in the final scenes of detective dramas.
+
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 is required in this construction is when it's being negated. Other than that, is commonly omitted.
 
 
== 是 ... 的 and questions ==
 
 
 
是 ... 的 constructions can be made into questions in the usual three ways to form questions in Chinese:
 
 
 
* With a [[Interrogative Sentences#Question particles|question particle]]
 
* With a [[Word order#Using question words in a Chinese sentence|question word]]
 
* With [[Interrogative Sentences#Positive-negative questions|positive-negative inversion]]
 
 
 
Some examples:
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 是 用 手枪 杀害 他 的 <strong></strong>
+
<ul class="dialog">
* 他 是 坐 飞机 去 意大利 的 <strong>吗</strong>
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <strong>骑 自行车</strong> 来 <em>的</em> 吗 ?<span class="expl">Emphasizing "by bike"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>qí zìxíngchē</strong> lái <em>de</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Did you come by bike? </span></li>
 
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <strong></strong> 来 <em>的</em> 。<span class="expl">Emphasizing "by foot"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>zǒu</strong> lái <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I came by foot.</span></li>
* 你 是 跟 <strong></strong> 出去 的?
+
</ul>
* 你 是 <strong>怎么</strong> 来 北京 的?
 
 
 
* 你们 <strong>是 不是</strong> 去年 认识 的?
 
* 你的 自行车 <strong>是 不是</strong> 被 这 个 人 偷走 的?
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
== 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:
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 他 (是) 昨天 来 <strong>的</strong>
+
<ul class="dialog">
* 我们 (是) 两 月 以前 认识 <strong>的</strong>。
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> <strong>谁</strong> 告诉 你 <em>的</em> ?<span class="expl">Emphasizing "who"</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Shéi</strong> gàosu nǐ <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">Who told you? </span></li>
* 我 (是) 用 中文 问路 <strong></strong>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> <strong>一 同事</strong> 告诉 我 <em>的</em> 。<span class="expl">Emphasizing "a colleague"</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Yī gè tóngshì</strong> gàosu wǒ <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">A colleague told me.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Where to put 的 in a 是 ... 的 construction ==
+
You might be wondering, "can I still say the same thing without the 是 and the ?" The answer is that in most cases, ''no, not really''. While the 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.
  
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.
+
== Negative Form ==
  
For example:
+
是⋯⋯的 sentences can only be negated with 不, as 没 can not be used to negate 是. Remember that you need ''both'' the 不 ''and'' the 是 together to make the correct negative form.
 +
 
 +
Some examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <strong>是 <em>在 英国</em> 学习 <strong></strong> 英语。
+
<ul>
 +
<li class="o">他们 <em>不是</em> <strong>在 网上</strong> 认识 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù shì</em> <strong>zài wǎngshàng</strong> rènshi <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">They didn't meet online.</span></li>
 +
<li class="o">他 <em>不是</em> <strong>跟 我们 一起</strong> 去 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù shì</em> <strong>gēn wǒmen  yīqǐ</strong> qù <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">He didn't go with us.</span></li>
 +
<li class="x">我 <em>不</em> <strong>坐 地铁</strong> 来 <em>的</em> 。<span class="expl">The is missing</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> <strong>zuò dìtiě</strong> lái <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I didn't come by metro.</span></li>
 +
<li class="x">我 <em>不</em> <strong>在 中国</strong> 出生 <em>的</em> 。<span class="expl">The 是 is missing</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> <strong>zài Zhōngguó</strong> chūshēng <em>de</em>. </span><span class="trans">I wasn't born in China.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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.
+
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 second sentence, the implication is that 他 didn't go with 我们, but ''did'' go out with ''someone''. So negative 是⋯⋯的 constructions would work nicely in the final scenes of detective dramas.
  
Sometimes this arrangement is useful for avoiding [[ambiguity]] in the sentence.
+
== Used in a Question ==
  
== More 是 ... 的 emphasis examples ==
+
是⋯⋯的 constructions can be made into questions in the usual three ways to form questions in Chinese:
  
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.
+
* With a [[Interrogative Sentences#Question particles|question particle]]
 +
* Within [[affirmative-negative questions]]
 +
* With a [[Word order#Using question words in a Chinese sentence|question word]]
  
=== Focusing on time ===
+
Some examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <strong></strong> <em>上 个 星期五</em> <strong></strong>
+
*<strong>用 邮件</strong> 回复 <em></em> 吗 ?<span class="expl">吗 is a question particle</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>yòng yóujiàn</strong> huífù <em>de</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Did she reply by email?</span>
* 那 时候,我 <strong></strong> <em>每 天</em> 坐 车 上班 <strong></strong>
+
*你们 <em>是 不 是</em> <strong>去年</strong> 认识 <em>的</em> ?<span class="expl">是不是 is an affirmative-negative pattern</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>shì bu shì</em> <strong>qùnián</strong> rènshi <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">Did you meet each other last year?</span>
* 我们 <strong></strong> <em>十 年 以前</em> 认识 <strong></strong>
+
*这个 东西 <strong>多少钱</strong> <em></em> ?<span class="expl">多少 is a question word</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège dōngxi <strong>duōshao qián</strong> mǎi <em>de</em>?</span><span class="trans">How much did you buy this thing for?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Focusing on place ===
+
== Is 是 always optional? ==
 +
 
 +
Generally, 是 can be omitted, and the meaning will not change. However, in a small number of cases, omitting 是 will make it unclear which part of the sentence is being emphasized. In these cases, 是 clearly indicates which words are being emphasized. Take a look at this example:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 她 <strong>是</strong> <em>在 美国</em> 学习 英文 <strong>的</strong>。
+
* 你 上周 和 他 去 北京 <em></em> 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shàng zhōu hé tā qù Běijīng  <em>de</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Did you go to Beijing with him last weekend?</span>
* 他们 <strong>是</strong> <em>在 图书馆</em> 认识 <strong>的</strong>。
 
* 我们 <strong>是</strong> <em>在 家里</em> 喝醉 <strong>的</strong>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Focusing on manner ===
+
This sentence could emphasize 上周 (time), or 和他 (part of the subject). A simple 是 can make clear which one the speaker is emphasizing.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <strong></strong> <em>跟 我 朋友</em> 出去 玩 <strong></strong>
+
<ul>
* 我 <strong></strong> <em>开车</em> 回家 <strong></strong>
+
<li class="o">你 <em>是</em> <strong>上周</strong> 和 他 去 北京 <em>的</em> 吗 ?<span class="expl">上周 is emphasized</span><span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>shì</em> <strong>shàng zhōu</strong> hé tā qù Běijīng <em>de </em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Was it last week that you went to Beijing with him?</span></li>
* 他 <strong></strong> <em>很 快地</em> 到 他 家 来 <strong></strong>
+
<li class="o">你 上周 <em>是</em> <strong>和他</strong> 去 北京 <em></em> 吗 ?<span class="expl">和他 is emphasized</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ shàng zhōu <em>shì</em> <strong>hé tā</strong> qù Běijīng <em>de</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Was it him that you went to Beijing with last week?</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Focusing on instrument ===
+
== Position of 的 ==
 +
 
 +
Until now we've said that the 的 appears at the end of the sentence in a 是⋯⋯的 construction. This is very often the case. However, it can actually appear in one of two places. Take a look at the examples below:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <strong></strong> <em>用 法文</em> <strong></strong> 信。
+
<ul>
* 他 小 的时候 <strong></strong> <em>用 筷子</em> 吃饭 <strong></strong>。
+
<li class="o">我们 <em>是</em> <strong>用 Skype</strong> 开 <strong>会</strong> <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shì</em> <strong>yòng Skype</strong> kāi <strong>huì</strong> <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">We had a meeting by Skype.</span></li>
* 她 <strong></strong> <em>用 电脑</em> 学习 汉语 <strong></strong>
+
<li class="o">我们 <em>是</em> <strong>用 Skype</strong> <em></em> <strong></strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shì</em> <strong>yòng Skype</strong> kāi <em>de</em> <strong>huì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We had a meeting by Skype.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Focusing on agent ===
+
As you can see, when the verb is followed by an object, 的 can go before ''or'' after the object. Both sentences are grammatically correct, but the first the sentence could be referring to either a specific event in the past or habitual actions.
 +
 
 +
Take a look at these two sentences which remove the ambiguity by including a bit more information about the timeframe:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
+
* <strong>那次</strong> 我们  <em>是</em> <strong>用 Skype</strong> 开 <strong>会</strong> <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> <strong>Nà cì</strong> wǒmen <em>shì</em> <strong>yòng Skype</strong> kāi <strong>huì</strong> <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">That time we had the meeting by Skype.</span>
* <strong>是</strong> <em>被 谁</em> 杀害 <strong></strong>
+
* 我们 <strong>平时</strong> <em></em> <strong>用 Skype</strong> 开 <strong>会</strong> <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>píngshí</strong> <em>shì</em> <strong>yòng Skype</strong> kāi <strong>huì</strong> <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">We usually have meetings by Skype.</span>
* 我的 钱包 <strong></strong> <em>被 男人</em> 偷走 <strong>的</strong>。
 
* 你的 玩具 <strong></strong> <em>被 你 妹妹</em> 弄破 <strong></strong>
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
: ''See also: [[Bei sentence|被 sentence]]''
+
For the most part, you should be fine regularly putting 的 at the end of your 是……的 sentences. Just be aware that there is some potential for ambiguity in certain situations. If you don't want to move 的 around, then including a bit of extra information about time can keep things clear.
  
=== Focusing on target ===
+
== Completed Action ==
  
<div class="liju">
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It's important to note that while the 是⋯⋯的 construction also indicates that an action has been completed, this is not the ''purpose'' of a 是⋯⋯的 construction. The completed action part is more like a ''prerequisite'' for using 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 certain details of a completed action.
  
* 你 <strong>是</strong> <em>给 谁</em> 做 <strong>的</strong> 饭?
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== See also ==
* 我 <strong>是</strong> <em>为 你</em> 回来 <strong>的</strong>。
 
* 他 <strong>是</strong> <em>对 你</em> 感 兴趣 <strong>的</strong>。
 
  
</div>
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*[[的 (modal particle)]]
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*[[Adding emphasis with "jiushi"]]
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*[[The "shi... de" patterns: an overview]]
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*[[The "shi... de" construction for indicating purpose]]
  
== Sources and further reading ==
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== Sources and Further Reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar] (pp. 587 - 594)
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|114}}
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|577-9}}
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{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|54-5}}
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|46-7, 173-80}}
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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}}
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{{Source|Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)|46}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|119-121}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|14-6}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|152-4}}
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{{Source|Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar|587-94}}
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|233-5}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|88-9, 153}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) |204-5}}
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{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Threshold Vol. 2 (汉语口语入门篇下) |66-8}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|530}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)|205}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
  
* University website: [http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Lang%20work/Grammar%20database/grammar_database1.htm#The%20shi%20...%20de%20%20construction The shi ... de  construction]
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* University website: [http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Lang%20work/Grammar%20database/grammar_database1.htm#The%20shi%20⋯⋯ %20de%20%20construction The shi... de  construction]
* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2713/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/shi-de-construction/ The 是 … 的 construction in Mandarin]
 
  
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
[[Category:Structures]]
 
[[Category:Structures]]
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{{Used for|Emphasizing}}
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{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
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{{Basic Grammar|是|B1|是⋯⋯ 的|你 <em>是</em> 怎么 来 <em>的</em>?|grammar point|ASGE662E}}
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{{Similar|The "shi... de" construction for indicating purpose}}
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{{Similar|The "shi... de" patterns: an overview}}
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{{Similar|的 (modal particle)}}
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{{Rel char|的}}
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{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 April 2021

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 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 or telling details about the past.

This use of 是⋯⋯的 (shì... de) is usually emphasized in textbooks over other uses, and therefore is sometimes called the "classic" 是⋯⋯的 construction.

When to Use It

Even if you understand that 了 is not used to mark "past tense" in Chinese, it's possible that you incorrectly use it that way sometimes. For example, what if you want to ask a question about something that happened in the past? Would you ever say one of the following sentences?

  • 你 昨天 几点Nǐ zuótiān jǐ diǎn dào le?What time did you arrive yesterday?
  • 你 跟 Nǐ gēn shéile?Who did you go with?
  • 用 什么 打 你 yòng shénme dǎ nǐ le?What did he use to hit you?

In each of these sentences above, 了 is not the right choice, because you're not asking if an event happened or not. You're asking about details of past events. When you are singling out details for emphasis--in a question or a statement--you need to use the 是⋯⋯的 construction.

A 是⋯⋯的 construction can pick out any detail that's related to a past event. Whatever comes immediately after 是 is emphasized. Check out this example:

  • A: 昨天 我 去 杭州 了。Zuótiān wǒ qù Hángzhōu le.I went to Hangzhou yesterday.
  • B: 怎么shì zěnmede?How did you get there?
  • A: 坐 火车shì zuò huǒchē de.I went by train.

Now let's revisit those other three sentences and ask the questions correctly with 是⋯⋯的:

  • 你 昨天 几点Nǐ zuótiān shì jǐ diǎn dào de?What time did you arrive yesterday?
  • 跟 谁shì gēn shéi de?Who did you go with?
  • 用 什么 打 你 shì yòng shénme dǎ nǐ de?What did he use to hit you?

Affirmative Form

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... "

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!

Examples

  • A: 你们 什么 时候Emphasizing "when"Nǐmen shì shénme shíhou dào de?When did you guys arrive?
  • B: 我们 昨天"Yesterday" is emphasized.Wǒmen shì zuótiān dào de.We arrived yesterday.
  • A: 在 哪儿 出生 "Where" is emphasized.shì zài nǎr chūshēng de?Where were you born?
  • B: 在 香港 出生 "In Hong Kong" is emphasized.shì zài Xiānggǎng chūshēng de.I was born in Hong Kong.

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.

  • A:骑 自行车 吗 ?Emphasizing "by bike"qí zìxíngchē lái de ma?Did you come by bike?
  • B:Emphasizing "by foot"zǒu lái de.I came by foot.
  • A: 告诉 你 Emphasizing "who"Shéi gàosu nǐ de?Who told you?
  • B: 一 个 同事 告诉 我 Emphasizing "a colleague"Yī gè tóngshì gàosu wǒ de.A colleague told me.

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.

Negative Form

是⋯⋯的 sentences can only be negated with 不, as 没 can not be used to negate 是. Remember that you need both the 不 and the 是 together to make the correct negative form.

Some examples:

  • 他们 不是 在 网上 认识 Tāmen bù shì zài wǎngshàng rènshi de.They didn't meet online.
  • 不是 跟 我们 一起bù shì gēn wǒmen yīqǐde.He didn't go with us.
  • 坐 地铁The 是 is missing zuò dìtiě lái de.I didn't come by metro.
  • 在 中国 出生 The 是 is missing zài Zhōngguó chūshēng de. I wasn't born in China.

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 second sentence, the implication is that 他 didn't go with 我们, but did go out with someone. So negative 是⋯⋯的 constructions would work nicely in the final scenes of detective dramas.

Used in a Question

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

Some examples:

  • 用 邮件 回复 吗 ?吗 is a question particleyòng yóujiàn huífù de ma?Did she reply by email?
  • 你们 是 不 是 去年 认识 是不是 is an affirmative-negative patternNǐmen shì bu shì qùnián rènshi de?Did you meet each other last year?
  • 这个 东西 多少钱多少 is a question wordZhège dōngxi duōshao qián mǎi de?How much did you buy this thing for?

Is 是 always optional?

Generally, 是 can be omitted, and the meaning will not change. However, in a small number of cases, omitting 是 will make it unclear which part of the sentence is being emphasized. In these cases, 是 clearly indicates which words are being emphasized. Take a look at this example:

  • 你 上周 和 他 去 北京 吗 ?Nǐ shàng zhōu hé tā qù Běijīng de ma?Did you go to Beijing with him last weekend?

This sentence could emphasize 上周 (time), or 和他 (part of the subject). A simple 是 can make clear which one the speaker is emphasizing.

  • 上周 和 他 去 北京 吗 ?上周 is emphasizedshì shàng zhōu hé tā qù Běijīng de ma?Was it last week that you went to Beijing with him?
  • 你 上周 和他 去 北京 吗 ?和他 is emphasizedNǐ shàng zhōu shì hé tā qù Běijīng de ma?Was it him that you went to Beijing with last week?

Position of 的

Until now we've said that the 的 appears at the end of the sentence in a 是⋯⋯的 construction. This is very often the case. However, it can actually appear in one of two places. Take a look at the examples below:

  • 我们 用 Skype Wǒmen shì yòng Skype kāi huì de.We had a meeting by Skype.
  • 我们 用 Skype Wǒmen shì yòng Skype kāi de huì.We had a meeting by Skype.

As you can see, when the verb is followed by an object, 的 can go before or after the object. Both sentences are grammatically correct, but the first the sentence could be referring to either a specific event in the past or habitual actions.

Take a look at these two sentences which remove the ambiguity by including a bit more information about the timeframe:

  • 那次 我们 用 Skype Nà cì wǒmen shì yòng Skype kāi huì de.That time we had the meeting by Skype.
  • 我们 平时 用 Skype Wǒmen píngshí shì yòng Skype kāi huì de.We usually have meetings by Skype.

For the most part, you should be fine regularly putting 的 at the end of your 是……的 sentences. Just be aware that there is some potential for ambiguity in certain situations. If you don't want to move 的 around, then including a bit of extra information about time can keep things clear.

Completed Action

It's important to note that while the 是⋯⋯的 construction also indicates that an action has been completed, this is not the purpose of a 是⋯⋯的 construction. The completed action part is more like a prerequisite for using 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 certain details of a completed action.

See also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites