Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Basic-structure-of-a-sentence

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Basic structure of a sentence in Chinese

In its most basic form, the order of words in Chinese is quite similar to the order of words in English.

However, do not expect to have a completely similar order, especially when you try more complex sentences.

Finish up here, then consider these related lessons to further your learning: 是...的, How to ask a question in Chinese, Use the verb 去 (qù) & Time.

subject-predicate[edit | edit source]

The most basic word order in Chinese is:

Subject + verb

You can create very simple sentences with only two words.

Subject	Verb	Pinyin	Translation
他	笑。	Tā xiào.	He's laughing.
你	吃。	Nǐ chī.	You eat.
我	讀。/读。	Wǒ dú.	I am reading.
你	看。	Nǐ kàn.	You look.
你	說。/说。	Nǐ shuō.	You speak.
我	去。	Wǒ qù.	I leave.
你	滾！/滚！	Nǐ gǔn	Leave here
孩子	哭。	Háizi kū.	The children are crying.
谁	要學？/要学？	Shuí yào xué?	Who wants to study?
誰/谁	想做？	Shuí xiǎng zuò?	Who wants to do it?

A simple sentence is often composed of an object and follows this structure:

Subject + Verb + Object

It's exactly like in English, a word order designated by the name SVO.

You can express a whole range of information with this very simple structure.

Subject	Verb	Object	Pinyin	Translation
我	吃	肉。	Wǒ chī ròu.	I eat meat.
我	去	學校。/学校。	Wǒ qù xuéxiào.	I go to school.
你	喝	汤。	Nǐ hē tāng.	You drink soup.
我們/我们	要買/要买	電脑。/电脑。	Wǒmen yāomǎi diànnǎo.	We will buy a computer.
他	說/说	中文。	Tā shuō Zhōngwén.	He speaks Chinese.
我	喜歡/喜欢	那個小孩子。/那个小孩子。	Wǒ xǐhuān nàgè xiǎo háizi.	I like this child.
我	想吃	中國菜。/中国菜。	Wǒ xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài.	I want to eat Chinese.
我	愛/爱	你和爸爸。	Wǒ ài nǐ hé bàba.	I love you and dad.
你	想吃	什麽菜？/什么菜？	Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme cài?	Do you want to eat which dish?
你	要做	什麽？/什么？	Nǐ yào zuò shénme?	What do you want to do?