是 links two nouns: "A is B". The negative is 不是. Do not use 是 with adjectives: "I'm busy" is 我很忙, not 我是忙.
A 是 B — A is B
A 不是 B — A is not B
A 是 B 吗？ — Is A B?
我是学生。 Wǒ shì xuésheng. I'm a student.
他是老师。 Tā shì lǎoshī. He's a teacher.
她是中国人。 Tā shì Zhōngguó rén. She's Chinese.
……吗？
Yes/no questions with the particle 吗
To ask a yes/no question, add 吗 to the end of a statement. The word order stays the same. Answer with the verb from the question: 是 / 不是, 有 / 没有, 去 / 不去.
In Chinese, an adjective can act as the predicate on its own — no 是 is needed. In statements, it is usually preceded by 很; this often does not mean "very", but simply makes the sentence complete: 我很忙 "I'm busy".
Subject + 很 + adjective — someone/something is a certain way
Subject + 不 + adjective — someone/something is not that way
Subject + adjective + 吗？ — is it that way?
Subject + 非常 + adjective — truly very
我很好。 Wǒ hěn hǎo. I'm well.
今天很冷。 Jīntiān hěn lěng. It's cold today.
这个菜很好吃。 Zhège cài hěn hǎochī. This dish is tasty.
不 + verb / adjective
Negation with 不: "don't, won't, am not"
不 means "not" for the present, future, and habits: 我不喝茶 "I don't drink tea", 明天我不去 "I won't go tomorrow". It goes directly before the verb or adjective. It cannot be used with 有: only 没有.
Subject + 不 + verb — don't do / won't do
Subject + 不 + adjective — not that way
Subject + 也 / 都 + 不 + verb — also not / none
我不喝茶。 Wǒ bù hē chá. I don't drink tea.
他不是医生。 Tā bú shì yīshēng. He's not a doctor.
我不知道。 Wǒ bù zhīdào. I don't know.
A 的 B
Whose? Possession with 的: 我的书
的 marks possession, like English "'s": 我的书 "my book", 老师的手机 "the teacher's phone". First the owner, then the thing. With family and groups you belong to, 的 is usually omitted: 我妈妈, 我们学校.
Owner + 的 + thing — whose thing it is
我 / 你 / 他 + family member (without 的) — my dad, your sister
这是 + owner + 的 — this belongs to someone (the thing can be left unnamed)
这是我的书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. This is my book.
那是老师的电脑。 Nà shì lǎoshī de diànnǎo. That is the teacher's computer.
你的手机很新。 Nǐ de shǒujī hěn xīn. Your phone is new.
什么？ 谁？
What? Who? — the question word goes where the answer goes
In Chinese questions, "what" and "who" go where the answer would go: 你喝什么？ — 我喝茶。 Word order stays the same; 吗 is not needed. 什么 + noun means "what kind of"; 谁的 means "whose".
Subject + verb + 什么？ — what (are you doing, drinking…)?
什么 + noun？ — what kind of …?
谁 + verb？ / … 是 谁？ — who?
谁的 + noun？ — whose?
你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? What's your name?
这是什么？ Zhè shì shénme? What is this?
你喝什么？ Nǐ hē shénme? What will you drink?
…… 呢？
"And you?", "Where is…?": short questions with 呢
呢 after a word asks a follow-up question, "what about…?": 我很好，你呢？ "and you?". Without context, 呢 asks "where is?": 我的手机呢？ "where is my phone?".
Statement，+ person/thing + 呢？ — …, and (what about) …?
Thing / person + 呢？ — where is …?
我很好，你呢？ Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne? I'm fine, and you?
我是学生，你呢？ Wǒ shì xuésheng, nǐ ne? I'm a student, and you?
我喝茶，你呢？ Wǒ hē chá, nǐ ne? I'll have tea, and you?
A 也 + verb
"Also": 也 always goes before the verb
也 means "also, too". It has one position: after the subject, before the verb or adjective: 我也是学生, 他也不去. Do not put 也 at the beginning or end of a sentence.
Subject + 也 + verb / adjective — also (does something, has a quality)
Subject + 也 + 不 / 没有 + verb — not … either
我也是学生。 Wǒ yě shì xuésheng. I'm a student too.
他喝茶，我也喝茶。 Tā hē chá, wǒ yě hē chá. He drinks tea, and so do I.
我也很忙。 Wǒ yě hěn máng. I'm busy too.
A 都 + verb
"All, both": 都 before the verb
都 means "all, both." It goes before the verb, after the group it refers to: 我们都是学生 "we are all students." 都不 means "none," 不都 means "not all." With 也: 也都.
Several people/things + 都 + verb / adj. — all (do something, are a certain way)
…… + 都不 + verb — none, nobody
…… + 不都 + verb — not all
…… + 也都 + verb — also all
我们都是学生。 Wǒmen dōu shì xuésheng. We are all students.
他们都很忙。 Tāmen dōu hěn máng. They are all busy.
爸爸妈妈都在家。 Bàba māma dōu zài jiā. Both Dad and Mom are at home.
A 有 B / A 没有 B
"I have," "there is": 有 and 没有
有 means "have; there is": 我有猫 "I have a cat," 房间里有电视 "there is a TV in the room." The negative is always 没有, never 不有.
Person + 有 + thing — someone has something
Person + 没有 + thing — someone does not have something
Place + 有 + thing — there is something somewhere
…… 有 …… 吗？ — is there? / do you have?
我有一个弟弟。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge dìdi. I have a younger brother.
她有两个孩子。 Tā yǒu liǎng ge háizi. She has two children.
我们家有一只猫。 Wǒmen jiā yǒu yì zhī māo. We have a cat at home.
number + 个 / 本 / 只 … + noun
Measure words: 一个人, 两本书
A measure word is required between a number and a noun: 一个人, 两本书, 三只猫. The most common is 个. "Two" before a measure word is 两, not 二. Age is number + 岁, with no measure word.
number + measure word + noun — how many of something
两 + measure word + noun — two (of something)
person + number + 岁 — how old someone is
我有一个哥哥。 Wǒ yǒu yí ge gēge. I have an older brother.
我们有两个老师。 Wǒmen yǒu liǎng ge lǎoshī. We have two teachers.
我吃了两个包子。 Wǒ chī le liǎng ge bāozi. I ate two baozi buns.
这 / 那 / 哪 + measure word + noun
This, that, which: 这本书, 那个人, 哪件？
"This", "that", and "which" before a noun require a measure word: 这本书, 那个人, 哪件衣服？ In "This is …", no measure word is needed: 这是我的书. Plural forms: 这些, 那些, 哪些.
这 / 那 + measure word + noun — this / that object
哪 + measure word + noun？ — which one?
这些 / 那些 + noun — these / those
这 / 那 + 是 + … — this / that is …
这个人是我的老师。 Zhège rén shì wǒ de lǎoshī. This person is my teacher.
那本书很好看。 Nà běn shū hěn hǎokàn. That book is interesting.
这件衣服很漂亮。 Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn piàoliang. This piece of clothing is beautiful.
几 + measure word？ / 多少？
How many? 几 and 多少
几 asks about a small number (usually up to 10) and requires a measure word: 几个孩子？ 多少 asks about any number; the measure word can be omitted: 多少学生？ For prices, always use 多少钱？
几 + measure word + noun？ — how many (a small number)?
多少 + (measure word) + noun？ — how many (any number)?
…… 多少 钱？ — how much does it cost?
几 点 / 几 号 / 星期 几？ — what time, what date, what day of the week?
你有几个孩子？ Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge háizi? How many children do you have?
你家有几口人？ Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén? How many people are there in your family?
你买了几本书？ Nǐ mǎi le jǐ běn shū? How many books did you buy?
A 在 + place (+ verb)
Where? 在 + place: "I'm at home", "I work at a hospital"
在 + place means "in, at, on". On its own, 在 means "to be located": 我在家 "I'm at home". With another verb, the place goes BEFORE it: 我在家吃饭 "I eat at home", not after.
Who / what + 在 + place — where someone or something is
Who + 在 + place + verb — where someone does something
在 + object + 里 / 上 — in / on something
Who + 不在 + place — someone is not at a place
我在家。 Wǒ zài jiā. I'm at home.
他不在家。 Tā bú zài jiā. He isn't at home.
你的手机在桌子上。 Nǐ de shǒujī zài zhuōzi shàng. Your phone is on the table.
…… 在 / 去 哪儿？ 哪 国？
Where? Where to? 哪儿 / 哪里 and 哪国人
哪儿 and 哪里 mean "where? where to?". They go where the place would be in the answer: 你去哪儿？ — 我去超市。 哪 + 国 / measure word means "which": 你是哪国人？
Who / what + 在 + 哪儿？ — where?
Who + 去 + 哪儿？ — where to?
Who + 在 + 哪儿 + verb？ — where does the action take place?
哪 + 国 / measure word + …？ — which one; from which country?
你去哪儿？ Nǐ qù nǎr? Where are you going?
老师在哪儿？ Lǎoshī zài nǎr? Where is the teacher?
我的手机在哪儿？ Wǒ de shǒujī zài nǎr? Where is my phone?
Subject + time + verb
Time comes before the verb: 我明天去
Time expressions (today, tomorrow, at eight) go before the verb — right after the subject or at the very beginning: 我明天去 / 明天我去. If there is also a place: who → when → where → does what.
Subject + time + verb — who does what and when
Time + subject + verb — the same, with time at the beginning
Subject + time + 在 + place + verb — when → where → what
我明天去。 Wǒ míngtiān qù. I'll go tomorrow.
今天我休息。 Jīntiān wǒ xiūxi. I'm resting today.
他晚上看电视。 Tā wǎnshang kàn diànshì. He watches TV in the evening.
……年……月……号，星期……，……点……分
Dates and time: year, month, day, hour
Dates and times go from largest to smallest: year → month → day → day of the week → part of the day → hours → minutes. 五月一号 "May 1," 星期一 "Monday," 晚上八点半 "half past eight in the evening."
…… 年 …… 月 …… 号 (日) — date: year, month, day
星期 + 一……六 / 星期天 — day of the week
(part of the day) + …… 点 …… 分 / 半 — clock time
今天五月一号。 Jīntiān wǔ yuè yī hào. Today is May first.
今天星期一。 Jīntiān xīngqī yī. Today is Monday.
明天是星期天。 Míngtiān shì xīngqītiān. Tomorrow is Sunday.
A 和 B
"And" between words: 和
和 only connects people and things: 爸爸和妈妈, 苹果和牛奶. Two actions cannot be linked with 和 — put them side by side or use 也. 和 often needs 都: 我和他都……
A 和 B — A and B (people, things)
A 和 B + 都 + verb — both A and B
A、B 和 C — a list: 和 only before the last item
我和他是朋友。 Wǒ hé tā shì péngyou. He and I are friends.
他喜欢猫和狗。 Tā xǐhuan māo hé gǒu. He likes cats and dogs.
我想买苹果和牛奶。 Wǒ xiǎng mǎi píngguǒ hé niúnǎi. I want to buy apples and milk.
想 / 要 + verb
"Want to": 想 and 要
想 + verb means "want to, would like to" (softer). 要 + verb means "want to, be going to, need to" (firmer). 要 + thing means "want this, will take it". "Don't want to" is 不想.
Subject + 想 + verb — want to (do); would like to
Subject + 要 + verb — want to; be going to; need to
Subject + 要 + thing — want (to have) something
Subject + 不想 + verb — don't want to
我想喝茶。 Wǒ xiǎng hē chá. I'd like some tea.
你想吃什么？ Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? What would you like to eat?
你想看电影吗？ Nǐ xiǎng kàn diànyǐng ma? Would you like to watch a movie?
会 / 能 + verb
"Know how to" and "can": 会 and 能
会 means "know how to" (a learned skill): 我会说汉语. 能 means "can" (circumstances, time or energy allow it): 明天我能来. 不会 means "don't know how to"; 不能 means "can't" or "not allowed to".
Subject + 会 + verb — know how to (a skill)
Subject + 能 + verb — can (circumstances allow it)
Subject + 不会 / 不能 + verb — don't know how to / can't; not allowed to
你 + 会 / 能 + verb + 吗？ — do you know how to / can you?
我会说汉语。 Wǒ huì shuō Hànyǔ. I can speak Chinese.
你会开车吗？ Nǐ huì kāichē ma? Do you know how to drive?
我不会做饭。 Wǒ bú huì zuò fàn. I don't know how to cook.
可以 + verb
"May": 可以 and asking permission with 我可以……吗？
可以 + verb means "may, be allowed to": 你可以坐这儿. Ask permission with 我可以……吗？ and answer 可以 "yes, you may" or 不可以 "no, you may not".
Subject + 可以 + verb — may (be allowed to)
我 + 可以 + verb + 吗？ — may I…?
Subject + 不可以 + verb — not allowed to
我可以坐这儿吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèr ma? May I sit here?
你可以坐这儿。 Nǐ kěyǐ zuò zhèr. You can sit here.
我可以喝一点儿水吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ hē yìdiǎnr shuǐ ma? May I drink some water?
verb + 了
The action happened: the particle 了
了 after a verb indicates that an action has happened: 我买了一本书 "I bought a book". Without a quantity, 了 usually goes at the end: 我吃饭了. The negative form is 没有 + verb, without 了.
Subject + verb + 了 + number + measure word + noun — what (and how much) someone did
Subject + verb + noun + 了 — did it (short sentence)
…… 了 吗？ — did it?
Subject + 没有 + verb — did not do it (without 了)
我买了一本书。 Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū. I bought a book.
她买了很多水果。 Tā mǎi le hěn duō shuǐguǒ. She bought a lot of fruit.
昨天我看了一个电影。 Zuótiān wǒ kàn le yí ge diànyǐng. Yesterday I watched a film.
没有 + verb
"Did not do it": 没有 + verb
To say an action did not happen ("did not go", "did not eat"), put 没有 (没 in conversation) before the verb. Leave out 了: 我没有去. "Not yet" is 还没有.
Subject + 没有 + verb — did not do it; it did not happen
Subject + 还没有 + verb — have not done it yet
…… 了吗？ — 没有。 — did it? — no
我没有去。 Wǒ méiyǒu qù. I didn't go.
他昨天没有上班。 Tā zuótiān méiyǒu shàngbān. He didn't go to work yesterday.
我没有看见你。 Wǒ méiyǒu kànjiàn nǐ. I didn't see you.
太 + adjective + 了
"Too…!", "So…!": 太……了
太 + adjective + 了 means "too" or an enthusiastic "so …!": 太贵了！ "too expensive!", 太好了！ "great!". "Not very" is 不太 + adjective, without 了.
太 + adjective + 了 — too / so …!
不太 + adjective / verb of feeling — not very
太好了！ Tài hǎo le! Great!
太贵了！ Tài guì le! Too expensive!
今天太热了。 Jīntiān tài rè le. It's too hot today.
在 / 正在 + verb (+ 呢)
"Doing it now": 在 / 正在 + verb
To say "I'm doing this now", put 在 or 正在 ("right now") before the verb, often with 呢 at the end: 我在吃饭呢 "I'm eating". The negative is 没有在 + verb.
Subject + 在 / 正在 + verb (+ 呢) — is doing it now
你 + 在 + 做 + 什么？ — what are you doing?
Subject + 没有 + 在 + verb — is not doing it (now)
我在吃饭。 Wǒ zài chī fàn. I'm eating.
你在做什么？ Nǐ zài zuò shénme? What are you doing?
他在睡觉。 Tā zài shuìjiào. He's sleeping.
…… 吧
"Let's…", "probably…": the particle 吧
吧 at the end softens a sentence. After a suggestion — "let's": 我们去吧. After a request — gentler: 你休息吧. After a guess — "probably…, right?": 你是老师吧？
我们 + verb + 吧 — let's do something
你 + verb + 吧 — gentle request, advice
Statement + 吧？ — probably so, right? (a guess)
我们去吧！ Wǒmen qù ba! Let's go!
我们吃饭吧。 Wǒmen chī fàn ba. Let's eat.
我们去看电影吧！ Wǒmen qù kàn diànyǐng ba! Let's go to the movies!
请 + verb
Polite requests: 请 + verb
请 at the start of a request is a polite "please": 请坐 "please sit down". 请 + person + verb means "invite, treat": 我请你吃饭. 请问 means "excuse me" before a question.
请 + verb — please do something
Who + 请 + whom + verb — invite / treat someone
请问，……？ — excuse me, …?
请坐。 Qǐng zuò. Please sit down.
请喝茶。 Qǐng hē chá. Please have some tea.
请说汉语。 Qǐng shuō Hànyǔ. Please speak Chinese.
有点儿 + adj. / adj. + 一点儿
"A little": 有点儿 and 一点儿
有点儿 + adjective means "a bit" (usually with dissatisfaction): 今天有点儿冷. 一点儿 goes after an adjective or before a noun: 便宜一点儿 "a little cheaper", 喝一点儿水 "drink a little water".
有点儿 + adjective — a bit, somewhat (a complaint)
adjective + 一点儿 — a little more … (a request)
verb + 一点儿 + noun — a little of something
今天有点儿冷。 Jīntiān yǒudiǎnr lěng. It's a bit cold today.
这件衣服有点儿贵。 Zhè jiàn yīfu yǒudiǎnr guì. This item of clothing is a bit expensive.
我今天有点儿忙。 Wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎnr máng. I'm a bit busy today.
verb + 一下
"Take a look", "for a moment": verb + 一下
一下 after a verb makes an action brief and a request gentler: 看一下 "take a look", 休息一下 "rest for a bit". Similar to English "just", "for a moment", "a little".
verb + 一下 — do once, briefly
verb + 一下 + object — just do something briefly
请 / 我可以 + verb + 一下 + … — polite request
我看一下。 Wǒ kàn yíxià. Let me take a look.
你听一下。 Nǐ tīng yíxià. Have a listen.
你来一下。 Nǐ lái yíxià. Come here for a moment.
怎么 + verb？
How do you do it? 怎么 + verb
怎么 before a verb asks "how, in what way?": 这个字怎么写？ "How do you write this character?" With 不 / 没有 and surprise, it means "how come, why?": 你怎么没有来？
…… + 怎么 + verb？ — how do you do (this)?
Who + 怎么 + 去 + place？ — how do you get there?
Who + 怎么 + 不 / 没有 + verb？ — how come… not…? (surprise)
这个字怎么写？ Zhège zì zěnme xiě? How do you write this character?
你的名字怎么写？ Nǐ de míngzi zěnme xiě? How do you write your name?
这个汉语怎么说？ Zhège Hànyǔ zěnme shuō? How do you say this in Chinese?
…… 怎么样？
"How is it?", "How about it?": 怎么样
怎么样 at the end of a phrase asks for an opinion: 这个菜怎么样？ "What do you think of this dish?" After a suggestion, it means "how about it?": 我们明天去，怎么样？
What / who + 怎么样？ — what's it like? how do you like it?
Suggestion + ，怎么样？ — …, how about it?
你觉得 + what + 怎么样？ — what do you think of…?
今天天气怎么样？ Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng? What's the weather like today?
这个菜怎么样？ Zhège cài zěnmeyàng? What do you think of this dish?
你的新手机怎么样？ Nǐ de xīn shǒujī zěnmeyàng? How do you like your new phone?
…… 的时候，……
"When…": …… 的时候
"When I eat" in Chinese is 我吃饭的时候: 的时候 goes AFTER the action, not at the beginning like English "when". This whole part comes before the main action.
Action + 的时候，main action — when (something happens), …
Age / state + 的时候 — when I was…, when it's cold…
我吃饭的时候不说话。 Wǒ chī fàn de shíhou bù shuōhuà. When I eat, I don't talk.
下雨的时候，我在家看书。 Xià yǔ de shíhou, wǒ zài jiā kàn shū. When it rains, I read at home.
冷的时候，我喝热茶。 Lěng de shíhou, wǒ hē rè chá. When it's cold, I drink hot tea.