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.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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>
*<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>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>
*<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">Whoever watched that movie likes it.</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>
*<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 in charge of this new project.</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>
*<em>你 借 我 的 钱</em> ,还没 还 吧 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>Nǐ jiè wǒ de qián</em>, hái méi hái ba?</span><span class="trans">You haven't returned the money you borrowed from me, have you?</span>
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*<em>你 借 我 的 钱</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>
*<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 much involved in his business.</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>
*<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 that, don't you?</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>
 
*<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>
 
*<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>
  
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== See also ==
 
== See also ==
  
* [[Basic sentence order]]
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* [[Marking a topic with "de hua"]]
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* [[Marking a topic with "ma"]]
  
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|none|B1|Topic,Comment|工作 事 ,我们 下次 开会 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"}}
 
{{Used for|Marking a topic}}
 
{{Used for|Marking a topic}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|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