Sentence patterns and function words

 

Question words , (1)

The question word refers to a noun, which is often the subject or object of a sentence, as in

小学生

什么

课本

primary schoolchildren

study

what

textbook

What textbooks do primary schoolchildren study?

is used to ask how something is done. It should be placed before verbs, as in

you

how

do

your housework

How do you do your housework? 

 

DE marker for describing nouns (1)

The marker is used to form a clause which describes a noun. The marker is placed  between the description and the noun. This construction is like an inverted relative clause in English. For instance,

他们

      

东西

很多

they

at home can study DE

things

very many

The things which they can learn at home are numerous.

As you can see, the clause of description which they can learn at home is placed before the marker , and this is followed by the noun things.

 

Modal verbs yīnggāi , néng (1)

Modal verbs are used to express obligation, feeling, intention, permission and capacity, and can be placed before main verbs of sentences. For instance,

             以后

I

set free school  after

may play

ma (QM)

May I play after school?

 

             以后

应该    

set free school  after

not  ought to play

 (You) shouldn’t play after school.

 

Stative verbs  , (1)

When an adjective is used as a predicate, such as to be + adjective, we label it a stative verb. In

这本书

很好

this book

very good

This book is very good.

The adjective good is used as a stative verb. The linking verb to be is not used in Chinese. For instance,

中国

小学生

很多

China

primary schoolchildren

very many

There are very many primary schoolchildren in China.

 

Linking verb shì (1)

The linking verb is used to connect two nouns or pronouns.

学生

he

is

student

He is a student.

 

(1)

is placed before position words such as before, after, within,out, above andbelow to indicate the time or position of the phrase before . For instance,

回家

以后

return home

afterwards

After going back home

 

Co-verb (1)

Many co-verbs are verbs in Chinese, but some of them, such as and , can only be used as co-verbs in modern Chinese.

Sequence is very important in Chinese when it comes to describing actions. The first action should come first. For example,

      

学习

I

to be at home

study

I study at home.

 

我坐飞机去了中国 I went to China by aeroplane. You have to think that the action of 飞机taking the aeroplane happens before going to China, therefore坐飞 by aeroplane should be placed before去中 went to China. If you want to say 我坐车去学校I go to school by car it is understood by a Chinese person that you have to take the car before you can reach school, so坐汽车by car should be placed before去学 go to school. As you can see from the above examples, a co-verb is followed by a noun to form a co-verb clause.