Lesson Two
Lesson Three
Lesson Four
Lesson Five
Lesson Six
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Lesson One 2. Sentences
How to use this webpage 1. Place the mouse on the following Chinese words to view the functions of the words. Click on the words to learn the expressions. 2. If you place the mouse on the example sentences, the English translation of the sentences will pop up on your screen. Click on the example sentences to hear the sentences spoken. Click on the Back button on the navigation bar at the top of your webpage to return to the top of the Sentences section.
1. 可 …了 kĕ..……le INDEED; CERTAINLY; REALLY 可 …了is used to emphasize stative verbs and modal verbs.可 is placed before negatives, stative verbs, modal verbs, adverbs, other construction particles, and co-verbs such as 比, 把, and 被. [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] 年轻人可不能学吸烟 (before NEG) Young people really shouldn't learn to smoke. 他的中文可好了 (before SV) His Chinese is really good. 我可想去中国了 (before MV) I really want to go to China. 她的中文可比我的好多了 (before 比) Her Chinese is certainly much better than mine. 了 is placed at the end of affirmative sentences, but is not used in the negative form of this expression: 我可不想听这些话 I really don’t want to hear this. If 可 appears in front of a resultative verb or directional verb, it often has the idea of "at last (we have reached the end)": 功课可作完了 (at last) I have finished the homework. 他可走了。 Analyse the following sentences and note the difference between 年轻人不可能吸烟 and 年轻人可不能吸烟. Try to say the following sentences in Chinese. 1. Thank God, he has left! 2. She is extremely pretty. 3. I'm extremely hungry. 4. Chinese food is extremely cheap. 2. 逛(逛) guàng or 转(转) zhuàn TO GO SIGHTSEEING; TO HAVE A WALK [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] A casual way of saying to go out to enjoy oneself or go on holiday: 我想明年去美国逛逛 I would like to travel in the U.S.A. next year. 逛 can be followed by a place: 逛公园 to enjoy oneself in the park. 转转 is similar to 玩儿. Both 转 and 玩儿 are not usually followed by a noun: 去公园转转 or 去公园玩儿玩儿. If 逛逛 and 转转 are used at the end of a sentence they are often duplicated to soften the tone of voice.
Try to use the alternative expressions 逛逛, 转转 and 玩儿 for the above sentences, and see whether they would still work. Try to say the following sentences in Chinese. 3. 有 V 头 yŏu tóu IT IS INTERESTING TO…; IT IS WORTH… The following verbs are commonly used in the affirmative form of this expression: 听, 说, 看, 作, 吃, 喝, 玩. [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] This expression is often used as a stative verb clause in a sentence, in the following pattern.
Chinese films are interesting to watch. The negative form for this expression is 没有 V 头. However, the rhetorical question 有什么V 头 also has a negative sense: 中文有(什么)学头 what is so good about learning Chinese? It implies that 中文没有什么学头 Chinese is not worth learning. In colloquial Chinese, the question word 什么 is often used in rhetorical questions to express a negative attitude. [Also see sentence patterns 6 and 13, which demonstrate how the question words 哪儿 and 怎么 are used in a similar way.] 在饭店里吃不到好饺子。过年的时候去中国北方人家吃饺子才有吃头呢。 Try to say the following sentences in Chinese. 1. Chinese is not worth learning. 2. That film is too boring to watch. 4. 还(算) … hái suàn RATHER; FAIRLY [Click on the following Chinese examples sentence to hear the example sentences spoken.] This expression shows that the speaker is not positive about the preceding statement. 还 here implies a negative feeling about a stative verb that has a positive sense: 这个菜还好 this dish of food is OK. (The speaker is not very enthusiastic about the dish.) The stative verb after 还 must have a positive sense: 好 good; 漂亮 beautiful. One cannot place 还 before 难, as 难 has an undesirable sense. In order to soften a stative verb with an undesirable sense such as 难, one can say 比较难. 还 also shows that you do not want to express your positive views too strongly. 英国夏天的天气还（算）不错﹐可是冬天天气冷得没有人想去上课。 Can you think of any English words that have a similar function? 5. 还 ... 呢 hái ne COME OFF IT; HOW COULD YOU…? 还 ... 呢 is used to deny or be sarcastic about the statement which is placed between 还 and 呢 . [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] This expression can sometimes demonstrate the speaker's disapproval: 还睡觉呢 ! 不看看几点了 Still in bed! Can't you see what time it is! 你还说她努力呢﹐你看﹐ 她中午上酒馆﹐下午逛马路﹐ 晚上去跳舞﹐总是不学习。 A 我想去吃法国菜。 Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. Come off it, how could you say she is pretty? What's wrong with your eyes? 6. 哪儿...了 năr le or 怎么...了 zĕnme le (Lit. WHERE DID...?) [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] The rhetorical question 哪儿…了is used to deny that an action has taken place. The denied action is placed between 哪儿 and 了. This expression does not have the same sarcastic tone of voice as 还...呢. Note the difference between 她怎么漂亮了 she is not pretty; and 她还漂亮呢! Her, pretty? Come off it! The difference between 哪儿…了and 怎么...了 is that 哪儿…了 is used for denying actions and situations, while 怎么...了 is used for denying a stative verb or the degree of action.
Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. I certainly didn't say that she was pretty. 7. 数得上 shŭ dé shàng (Lit. TO BE COUNTED AS); TO BE RECKONED TO BE (AN OUTSTANDING); THE TOP; THE BEST [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] If 数得上 is used at the end of a sentence as a stative verb, it is normally placed between 是...的 for emphasis. 数得上 may be preceded by 还 to soften the stative verb: 这种酒是数得上的 This is one of the top grade wines. 他的口语还数得上 His spoken language is quite good. It can also be placed before 的 and used as an adjective in a sentence: 他是我们这儿数得上的有钱人 He can be reckoned to be one of the richest people in this place. What is the function of 数得上 in the above sentence? Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. You can be reckoned to be the number one alcoholic in the Institute. 8. 拿...来说 ná láishuō 对 ... 来说 duì láishuō [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] 8a. 拿...来说 TO TAKE ... AS AN EXAMPLE The example is placed between 拿 and 来说. This expression is often followed by another clause that reinforces the example in the 拿 clause. It is often used in the following pattern: [Click on the following Chinese example sentence to hear the example sentences spoken.]
China's urban population is very large. Take Shanghai as an example: (one can see) huge crowds of people on the streets. However, 拿...来说 cannot be the last clause of a sentence. One can't say 中国城巿人口可多了,拿上海来说. Support for the examples is needed in this usage. Another similar expression is 比如 (FOR INSTANCE, FOR EXAMPLE). This is always placed before the example given. ‘Support’ for the example is not necessary. 中国虽然在改革,可是问题非常多,拿物价上升来说就是目前的大问题。 学汉语好处可多着呢。就拿跟朋友上中国饭店吃饭来说，人家看不懂的菜你都能看懂。 我们课文的内容真有看头呀。拿书里的古波来说，他就是一个非常有意思的角色。 Use 比如 instead of 拿...来 说 in the above sentences. 8b. 对 ... 来说 AS FAR AS...IS CONCERNED The matter or person concerned is placed between 对 and 来说, which is often followed by a statement relating to the matter or person concerned. 学习中文对日本人来说不太难﹐可是对我们英国学生来说可困难了。 对去逛外国来说他什么都知道﹐要是说到学习﹐他就什么都不懂了。 对作工作来说老王算是一个数得上的热心人﹐可是他就是不会生活。 Try to say the following sentences in Chinese. As far as I am concerned, the most interesting thing in life is drinking! That is why everybody calls me a drunkard. 9. 管 guăn Ａ 叫 jiàoＢ / 管 / 管他 V 不 V 9a. 管 Ａ 叫 Ｂ TO ADDRESS "A" AS "B" This construction is commonly used in the spoken language. 管 acts as a co-verb, like 把, but does not require a complement after the main verb. 叫 is the only verb used in this construction. 9b. 管 TO TAKE CHARGE; TO CONTROL; TO PROVIDE FOR/WITH (Colloquial) Try to use "把" in the above sentences. 9c 管他 V 不 V I DON'T GIVE A DAMN; I DON'T CARE The matter about which one does not care should be placed after 管他, but in an affirmative/ negative (choice type) speech pattern. 10. 倒 dào BUT; YET; ACTUALLY; RATHER; UNEXPECTEDLY (BETTER) 倒 indicates that something has turned out to be the opposite of, and usually better than what one expected. It is similar to 可是, but 倒 can only be placed before a verb or stative verb. 可是 and 倒 can both be used in the same sentence. [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] 倒 can also be followed by 还是 as in: 小王比小李努力,可是考试的成绩倒还是小李好 Xiao Wang works harder than Xiao Li, but unexpectedly Xiao Li's exam results were better. 去年我总管着他﹐可是他一点都不努力。今年我不管他了﹐他倒用功起来了。 以前这本书不让看，想看的人可多了。但是现在可以随便看了，看的人倒不多了。 我以为去北京学口语最好。可是从台湾回来的学生的口语倒还是比我们强。 How many different ways can you find of using 还 and 还是? Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. It's already the end of October, but it is still hot. 11. 好 像 ... 似的 hăo xiàng shìde IT SEEMS AS IF; IT SEEMS THAT; IT SEEMS LIKE The resemblance should be framed by 好像 and 似的. 似的 can be omitted, but it gives a feeling of completion to the sentence. What is the difference between 好 像 ...似的 and 像 ...一样? Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. It seems as if he never hears what I say. 12a. 受 TO RECEIVE; TO ENDURE; TO SUFFER FROM (not in a medical sense) The difference between 受 and 收 is that 受is for abstract objects such as 影响 and 欺负 (influence, bullying); but 收 is for physical objects such as 信, 礼物 (letters, presents). 12b. 受 得 了 or 受 不 了 BEARABLE / UNBEARABLE This is an idiomatic phrase and must be used in the form of a potential verb complement. 13. 没有什么... méi yŏu shén me NOT AT ALL... [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] 没有什么 is used to reinforce a negative statement. It can also be used affirmatively as a rhetorical question (有什么...?) but with an opposite meaning: 学中文有什么好? Lit: what is good about learning Chinese? It implies that learning Chinese is not good at all. Also see the notes in Speech pattern 3, on page 8. 小王是个老好人。对他来说，这个世界上没有什么看不惯，受不了的事。 A 我可没吃过什么好吃的英国菜，这家馆子的菜还算高级，咱们试试吧？ 14. 千万 qiān wàn BE SURE TO; AT ALL COSTS; FOR GOD'S SAKE [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] It is used to give strong advice or a warning. It is usually used in the negative form and is often followed by 别, 不 要 and 不 能. The only affirmative modal verb which it is possible to use with this expression is 得 (dĕi): 你开车千万可得小心点儿 , (千万)别撞人啊 You must be extremely careful when you drive. For God’s sake, don’t run people over. 昨天晚上我在酒馆喝醉的事你可千万别告诉李老师啊。要不他又要说我了。 在家﹐在学院千万不能随便打人骂人﹐作坏事,可是在别的地方我就管不到你了。 Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. For God's sake don't drink any more! 15. (Name) 这个人 zhè ge rén ...THIS PERSON [Click on the following Chinese example sentences to hear the example sentences spoken.] If 这个人 is used after the name of a person, the following statement refers to his or her physical appearance or character: 小王很好 Xiao Wang is very well / Xiao Wang is very nice. But 小王这个人很好 has only one meaning, that is: Xiao Wang is a nice person. In spoken Chinese 你这个人啊! has overtones of complaint: honestly, you! Try to say the following sentence in Chinese. You have to be careful of Gubo. He is terribly snobbish. I really can't bear him. 16. 什么的 shén me de or ... 之类的 zhīlèi de THIS KIND OF THING; ET CETERA Both expressions are placed after a list of nouns, or a single noun. Another similar expression is 等等. 我们应该多吃点儿水果、蔬菜之类的食品﹐不能只吃肉、鱼什么的。 你们什么书都能看﹐就是那些黄色、红色、黑色之类的不能看。(!?) Can 等等be used in the above sentences? 17. 都...了 dōu… le ALREADY Its meaning is often not immediately clear. It can also mean ABOUT TO, NEARLY or ALMOST. It depends on the context of the additional statement. The important thing to know is that this expression gives a sense of urgency, or of urging people on, in the spoken language. What is the difference between 要...了 and 都...了? Try to say the following sentence in Chinese.
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