Chinese 3 Grammar Notes

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L13

Direction and Location words:

• Direction and location words combined with 边，面, and 头
• These compounds are location words
• Ex: 学校里有很多的学生。

Comparative Sentences using 没有:

• Similar to the 比 structure
• 那么 adds emphasis
• Ex: 弟弟没有我高

Indicating Degree Using 那么:

• Denotes a high degree
• Emphasis
• Ex: 这件衣服没有那件衣服那么舒服

到 Place 去 Action:

• Denotes the purpose of going somewhere
• Same as 去 + place + action
• Ex: 我要到电脑中心去上网

The Dynamic Particle 过:

• Denotes past experience
• Ex: 我见过李友，所以知道他很高。
• Expressions of time are unspecific 
• 以前 is implied, but sometimes added to the structure
  • Ex: 我们一前去过中国城， 知道怎么走
• There are also sentences with specific past time
  • Ex: 见过，上个月还见过他

Verb Reduplication:

• Softens the tone of a request or suggestion
• Ex: 老师您再说说什么时候用”了”，好吗？
• If the section has a modal and action verb only the action verb is repeated
  • Ex: 他想看看我的新手机

Resultative Complements:

• 完: 看完，考完，吃完，买完， 喝完， 卖完
• 到: 找到， 听到， 看到， 买到
• 见: 看见，听见
• 好: 做好，买好，准备好
• 错: 买错，说错， 找错，走错，写错
• 懂: 听懂， 看懂
• 清楚: 看清楚，听清楚
• 会: 学会

一… 就… (As soon as … then …):

• The second action happens right after the first
• Ex: 他一上课就想睡觉
• If it is a one-time situation the second action happens after the first action is completed
  • Ex: 我们一进饭馆儿，服务员就告诉我们没位子了。

L14

Indication an Action in Progress using 呢:

• Indicates the action is still in progress
• Used at the end of the sentence
• Ex: 你在些什么呢？
• When 在 or 正在 is used the 呢 is optional
  • 在 and 正在 are used before the verb
  • 正在 adds emphasis
  • Ex: 我昨天给他打电话的时候他正在做功课呢。

Verbal Phrases and Subject-Predicate phrases used as attributives:

• Attributives are followed by 的
• Attributives can be verbs, verbal phrases, and subject-predicate phrases
• Ex: 吃的东西

Time Duration:

• Subject + verb + （object + verb) + 了 + duration
  • Ex: 老高想在上海住一年。
  • If the verb takes an object, the verb has to be repeated
  • Ex: 你上暑期半上了多长时间？
• Subject + verb + 了 + duration of time + 的 + object
  • Used if the verb has an object
  • Ex: 昨天下了一天的学。
  • The length of time must be put before the verb

Sentences with 是… 的…:

• Describes or inquires about the place, time, manner, etc
• Used for actions we already know happens
• 是 is optional in some cases
• Ex: Q: 你去过北京马？ A：我去过北京。 Q：你是跟谁一起去的？
• 是 cannot be removed in negative statements
• Ex: 我不是在中国学的， 是在美国学的。

还 Still:

•  Used as an adverb which means still
• Ex: 上午十一点了，他还在睡觉。

又 … 又 … (both … and …):

• Combines 2 positive or negative adjectives

• Ex: 他又聪明又用功。

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L15

Indicating an Extreme Degree Using 死:

• Used after an adjective
• Indicates extreme degree
• Has a negative connotation
• Ex: 打针疼死了
• 高兴死了is the only positive adjective used with this structure
• 死 used as a resultative complement means to die
  • Ex: 我听说那个地方有人饿死了。

Indicating the beginning of an action using 起来:

• The moment an action begins
• The object is placed between the 起 and the 来
• Ex: 我们一见面就聊起来了。
• Ex：他一回家就玩儿起手机来了。

次 for Frequency：

• How many times an action is performed
• Follows a verb
  • EX: 上午我打了两次电话./ 上午我打电话打了两次。
• When the object is a person on place 次 can go between the verb and object or after the object
  • Ex: 去年我去了一次中国。/ 去年我去了中国一次。
• 次 must follow the object if it is a personal pronoun
• 遍 is the measure word for completing an action beginning to end
  • Ex: 请你念一遍课文。

The 把 Constructor：

•  Subject + 把 + object + verb + other element(complement/ 了）
• 把 emphasizes the impact on the element
• The verb indicates the result of the object\
• Ex: 我把你要的书找到了。

The preposition 对:

• The preposition 对 how a person or thing is affected by something else
• Ex：这种药对感冒很有用。

越来越 More and More:

• Progressive change over time
• Ex: 李友的中文越来越好。

The conjunction 再说 Moreover:

• Addition reason for action
• Similar to 而且
• Ex: 我不喜欢今天晚上的舞会，音乐不好，再说人也太少。
• In the 不但… 而且… structure 而且cannot be replaced with 再说
  • Ex: 这是王老师，他不但是我的老师，而且是我的朋友。

L16

Descriptive Complements: 

Mandarin Grammar: Ep7. Descriptive Complements: V. + 得 (de)   

• The subject can be described by a complement following 得
• Ex: 我们玩的很高兴
• Complements describe the effects on the subject

Potential Complements:

• 得 or 不 indicates whether a result can happen or not
• Ex: A: 你能学会跳舞吗？B： 跳去太难，我学不会。
• Usually used in negative sentences 
• In affirmative sentences, 能 is used

就 Only, just:

• When used before a noun, pronoun, or verb, 就 means just or only
• Ex: 我们半人很少，就七个学生。

Directional Complements: 方向补语 (Part 1) Arm your verbs with directions - Introduction to Directional Complements in Chinese 

• Indicate the direction object moves
• subject+verb+place+word/noun + 来/去
  • Ex: 他下楼来
• Subject+verb + 来/去 + noun
  • Ex: 他买来了一些水果
• Subject + verb +上/下/进/出/回/过/开/去 / 来/ 起／到+ place word/noun
  • Ex: 他走上来

Compound Directional Complement:

• Subject + verb +上/下/进/出/回/过//起/到+ place word/noun+去/来
  • Ex: 他走下楼来
• Subject+ verb + 上/下/近/出/回/过/起 + 来/去 + noun
  • Ex: 他买回来一些水果

L17

Verb + 了 + numeral + measure word + noun + 了:

• Implies that the action has been continuing for some time 
• Action will last into future
• Ex: 他病了三天了。（implies he is still sick)
• Can be followed by another clause 
  • Ex: 这本书我已经看了两遍了，不想再看了。

连 … 都/也 …:

• What follows 连 represents the most extreme case
• 连 means even
• Ex: 我姐姐的孩子很聪明，连日语都会说。
• If a child can speak such a difficult language as Chinese, then they must be intelligent.

Potential Complements II:

• Verb + 不下 structure suggests that a location/container does not have the capacity to accommodate a certain number of people or things
• Ex: 这个客厅大是大，坐不下二十个人。

Indicating an approximate number using 多:

• 多 is placed after a number to indicate an approximate number
• Ex: 我们班有二十多学生。  （ There are over 20 students in our class)

Questions using 都/也:

• 都/也 follows a question pronoun
• This means all or none
• Ex: 这些公寓我哪套都不租。（I’m not renting any of these apartments)
• Ex: 在这个城市那儿也吃不到糖醋鱼。（You can’t find sweet-and-sour fish anywhere in this city)

L18

Duration of Inactivity:

• Time expression + 没 + verb + 了
• Indicates that an action has not been performed for a certain amount of time
• 他三天没上网了。
• There is a difference between the affirmative version
  • Affirmative: 我学了两年中文。
  • Negative: 是吗？我两年没学中文了。

好/难 + verb:

• Some verbs can be preceded by 好 or 难 which results in compounds
• This means easy or difficult
• Ex: 好受，难受，好些，难写，好走，难走，好说，难说， 好懂，难懂

Indicating continuation using 下去:

• Signifies the continuation of an action that is in progress
• Ex: 你别念下去了，我一点儿也不喜欢听。

Duration of Activity:

• Indicates time by a duplicating verb or time expression before object
• If the time expression is before the object add “的”
• Examples
  • Duplication: 他每天听录音听一个小时
  • In between verb + object: 他每天听一个小时的录音

The particle 着:

• Continuation of action or state
• When used between 2 verbs, signifies they are at the same time
  • The first verb is the accompanying action
  • The second verb is the main action
• Ex: 老师站着教课，学生坐着听课

Passive voice sentences using 被/叫/让

Structure: receiverreciever of action + 被/叫/让 + agent of action + verb + other element

• Not commonly used
• Negative connotation
• Used in situations that are unpleasantunpleasent for the receiverreciever
• The agent of the action does not have to be specified
• Ex: 我的功课被/叫/让狗吃了

L19

不得了：

Mandarin Grammar: Ep32. 得很 (de hěn)/極了 (jíle)/不得了 (bùdéliǎo) 

• Indicates high degree
• Structure: Subject + adjective + 得不得了
• Adjectives with intensifying complements
• Follows 得
• An attribute of an adjective
• Similar to 极了
• 得不得了 is stronger than 很， 得很，and 极了

Ex: 那个地方的夏天热得不得了。

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Question Pronouns as Indefinite References:

L19 Grammar#2 Question Pronouns as Indefinite References 

• The first occurrence refers to an indefinite person, object place, etc. 

• The second occurrence refers to that same thing

• Both question pronouns are subjects or one is a subject and the other is an object

• Use 就 to emphasize you are referring to the first indefinite reference

• Common References

  • 谁：你想请谁，我就请谁。（whoever you want to invite, I will then invite)
  • 什么：你想看什么电影，我们就看什么电影。 （I will watch whatever movie you want to watch)
  • 什么时候: 你想什么时候去，我就什么时候去。(I will go whenever you want to go)
  • 哪儿：你想去哪儿，我就去哪儿。(I will go whenever you want to go)
  • 怎么：你想怎么去，我就怎么去。(Whatever public transportation you want to go on, I will go on the same one)

• When to use

  • Want to be flexible and accommodating

• Ex: 谁想去，谁就去。

• Ex: 哪双鞋便宜，就买哪双。

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Numbers over 1000:

Learn Chinese:Big Numbers in Mandarin FAST! 1000-1,000,000,000A million & A billion in Chinese 

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Ex: 12345 is 一万两千三百四十五

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Comparative Sentences Using 比：

• Use number + measure word to indicate a disparity in numerical terms
• X + 比 + Y + adjective + numeral + measure word + noun

Ex:我们比你们班多四个学生。

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打折

打折(dǎzhé) Discount 

• You say what percent of you end up playing and then divide by 10
• The number goes between 打 and 折

Ex: 20% off would become 打八折

L20

Comparing 的，得，and 地：

• 的 follows an attributive which can be formed by an adjective, noun, or verb phrase
• It is usually followed a noun
  • Ex: 妈妈给我的蛋糕。
• Sometimes it can precede an adjective or verb that serves as the subject or object
  • Ex: 南京的热是有名的。
• 地 links an adverbial to a following verb
  • Ex: 很高兴地说。
• An adverbial can be an adjective, adverb, or a set phrase
• It is not always followed by 地
• 得 is used after a verb or adjective to connect it with a descriptive complement or complement of degree
  • Ex: 跑得很快。
• Compare the 2 sentences
  • 她高兴的地唱着歌走会宿舍。
  • 她高兴得唱起歌来了。
  • In the first, 高兴 is used to describe the manner of his singing so it is followed by 地。 In the second 高兴 is the cause of his singing so it is followed by 得。

The 把 Construction II:

• 把 can be used with a directional complement

Simple Directional Complements: 

Pattern A: 

• Subject + 把 + object + verb + 来/去
• Ex:请把你的床搬来。

Pattern B: 

• Subject + 把 + object + verb + 上/下/进/出/回/过/起/开/到 + place word
• Ex: 你把孩子送回爷爷家。

Compound Directional Complements

Pattern A: 

• Subject + 把 + object + verb + 上/下/进/出/回/过/起/开/到  + 来/去
• Ex: 小李把车开回去了。

Pattern B:

• Subject + 把 + object + verb 上/下/进/出/回/过/起/开/到 + place word + 来/去

• Ex：麻烦把包拿上桌子上。

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的时候 and 以后 compared: 

• With verb + 的时候 verb 2 the second action and first action take place simultaneously

• Ex: 走的时候别忘了带些钱。

• With Verb 以后 verb 2 the second action takes place after the first one

• Ex: 他从家里走了以后，才想起来忘了带钱。

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还 + Positive Adjective:

• 还 used before a positive adjective indicates that something is acceptable but not truly outstanding

• Ex： 这个厨房还可以，挺干净的。

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Kinship Terms: 

• 堂 is used if you have the same last name as the person. 表 is used if you have different last names. This is assuming your parents had different last names. Because of this rule, 堂 is more common than 表。

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