Sentence patterns and function words

 

Question words 什 么, 怎 么 (1)

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

小学生	学	什么	课本
primary schoolchildren	study	what	textbook

What textbooks do primary schoolchildren study?

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

你	怎 么	作	你 的 家 务
you	how	do	your housework

How do you do your housework? 

 

DE 的 marker for describing nouns (1)

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

他们	在 家   能 学    的	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 的, and this is followed by the noun things.

 

Modal verbs yīnggāi 应 该, néng 能 (1)

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

我	放        学     以后	能 玩	吗
I	set free school  after	may play	ma (QM)

May I play after school?

 

放       学      以后	不 应该     玩
set free school  after	not  ought to play

 (You) shouldn’t play after school.

 

Stative verbs  多, 好 (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 好good is used as a stative verb. The linking verb to be 是 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是 (1)

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

他	是	学生
he	is	student

He is a student.

 

yĭ 以 (1)

以 is placed before position words such as 前before, 后after, 内within,外out, 上above and下below to indicate the time or position of the phrase before 以. 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 为 and 被, 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,

我	在       家	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 坐 飞机taking the aeroplane happens before going to China, therefore坐飞 机 by aeroplane should be placed before去中 国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 校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.