Difference between revisions of "Topic-comment sentences"

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
In a topic-comment sentence, the usual [[word order]] is rearranged a bit in order to emphasize a certain part of a sentence.  The part that is to be emphasized becomes the topic, and moves to the beginning of the sentence, with the comment on the topic coming after the topic has been stated.
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In a topic-comment sentence, the usual [[word order]] is rearranged a bit, in order to emphasize a certain part of a sentence.  The part that is to be emphasized becomes the topic and moves to the beginning of the sentence, with the comment on the topic coming after the topic has been stated.
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== Structure ==
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<div class="jiegou">
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Topic ,Comment
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</div>
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*<em>这 台 电视</em> ,价格 不太 贵。<span class="expl">"this television" the topic that is emphasized.</span><span class="trans">The price of this television isn't too expensive.</span>
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*<em>水果</em> ,我 最爱 吃 草莓 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shuǐguǒ</em>, wǒ zuì ài chī cǎoméi.</span><span class="trans">Fruit, I like strawberries best.</span>
*<em>上海 夏天</em> ,我 听说 每天 下 雨,也 很 潮湿。<span class="expl">"the summer in Shanghai" is emphasized.</span><span class="trans">I've heard that it rains every day and is very humid in the summer in Shanghai.</span>
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*不 好意思 ,<em>咖啡</em> ,我 都 喝完 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, <em>kāfēi</em>, wǒ dōu hē wán le.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry. I finished all the coffee.</span>
*<em>日语</em> ,我 怎么 说 也 说 得 不 好。<span class="expl">"Japanese" is the topic that is emphasized.</span> <span class="trans">The way I speak Japanese is very bad.</span>
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*你好 ,<em>票</em> ,还有 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐhǎo, <em>piào</em>, háiyǒu ma?</span><span class="trans">Hello. Are there any tickets left?</span>
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*<em>这个 问题 </em> ,你 一个人 没办法 解决 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Zhège wèntí</em>, nǐ yīgèrén méi bànfǎ jiějué.</span><span class="trans">There is no way that you can solve this problem all by yourself.</span>
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*<em>那 部 电影 </em> ,看 过 的 人 都 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nà bù diànyǐng</em>, kàn guo de rén dōu xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">All the people that have watched that movie like it.</span>
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*<em>这个 新 项目</em> ,公司 打算 让 我 来 负责 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Zhège xīn xiàngmù</em>, gōngsī dǎsuàn ràng wǒ lái fùzé.</span><span class="trans">The company plans to let me take charge of this new project.</span>
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*<em>你 借 我 </em> ,还没 还 吧 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>Nǐ jiè wǒ de qián</em>, hái méi huán ba?</span><span class="trans">You haven't returned the money you borrowed from me, right?</span>
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*<em>他 的 事</em> ,我 不 想 管 那么 多 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Tā de shì</em>, wǒ bù xiǎng guǎn nàme duō.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to be so involved in his business.</span>
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*<em>明天 下午 要 开会</em> ,你 记得 吧 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>Míngtiān xiàwǔ yào kāi huì</em>, nǐ jìde ba?</span><span class="trans">You have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. You remember, don't you?</span>
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*<em>我 的 笔</em> ,弟弟 弄坏 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wǒ de bǐ</em>, dìdi nòng huài le.</span><span class="trans">My younger brother broke my pen.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== See Also ==
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== See also ==
* [[Basic sentence order]]
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* [[Marking a topic with "de hua"]]
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* [[Marking a topic with "ma"]]
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== Sources and  further reading ==
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 149-50) [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|149-50}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 260) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|260}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 83-4) [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|83-4}}
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 353-4) [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|353-4}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|none|B1|Topic,Comment|工作 事 我们 以后 再 讨论。|grammar point|ASG5KNWW}}
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
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{{Basic Grammar|none|B1|Topic,Comment|<em>那 部 电影 </em> ,看 过 人 都 喜欢 。|grammar point|ASG5KNWW}}
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{{Similar|Marking a topic with "de hua"}}
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{{Similar|Marking a topic with "ma"}}
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{{Used for|Marking a topic}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Used for|Sentence Patterns}}
 

Latest revision as of 08:46, 24 April 2019

In a topic-comment sentence, the usual word order is rearranged a bit, in order to emphasize a certain part of a sentence. The part that is to be emphasized becomes the topic and moves to the beginning of the sentence, with the comment on the topic coming after the topic has been stated.

Structure

Topic ,Comment

Examples

Just make sure to put a comma after the topic if you are writing the sentence down!

  • 水果 ,我 最爱 吃 草莓 。Shuǐguǒ, wǒ zuì ài chī cǎoméi.Fruit, I like strawberries best.
  • 不 好意思 ,咖啡 ,我 都 喝完 了 。Bù hǎoyìsi, kāfēi, wǒ dōu hē wán le.I'm sorry. I finished all the coffee.
  • 你好 , ,还有 吗 ?Nǐhǎo, piào, háiyǒu ma?Hello. Are there any tickets left?
  • 这个 问题 ,你 一个人 没办法 解决 。Zhège wèntí, nǐ yīgèrén méi bànfǎ jiějué.There is no way that you can solve this problem all by yourself.
  • 那 部 电影 ,看 过 的 人 都 喜欢 。Nà bù diànyǐng, kàn guo de rén dōu xǐhuan.All the people that have watched that movie like it.
  • 这个 新 项目 ,公司 打算 让 我 来 负责 。Zhège xīn xiàngmù, gōngsī dǎsuàn ràng wǒ lái fùzé.The company plans to let me take charge of this new project.
  • 你 借 我 的 钱 ,还没 还 吧 ?Nǐ jiè wǒ de qián, hái méi huán ba?You haven't returned the money you borrowed from me, right?
  • 他 的 事 ,我 不 想 管 那么 多 。Tā de shì, wǒ bù xiǎng guǎn nàme duō.I don't want to be so involved in his business.
  • 明天 下午 要 开会 ,你 记得 吧 ?Míngtiān xiàwǔ yào kāi huì, nǐ jìde ba?You have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. You remember, don't you?
  • 我 的 笔 ,弟弟 弄坏 了 。Wǒ de bǐ, dìdi nòng huài le.My younger brother broke my pen.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books