Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Personal-Pronouns-and-Possessive-Pronouns

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Mandarin Chinese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Pronouns → Personal Pronouns and Possessive Pronouns

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on personal pronouns and possessive pronouns in Mandarin Chinese! In this lesson, we will explore the different forms and usages of these pronouns. Pronouns are essential in any language as they replace nouns to avoid repetition. Understanding how to use personal pronouns and possessive pronouns will greatly improve your ability to communicate in Mandarin Chinese.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Mandarin Chinese are used to refer to specific individuals or groups. Unlike English, Mandarin Chinese personal pronouns do not differentiate between gender. Let's explore the different forms and usages of personal pronouns in Mandarin Chinese.

Singular Personal Pronouns

Here are the singular personal pronouns in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English Translation
我	wǒ	I, me
你	nǐ	you
他/她/它	tā	he/she/it

• 我 (wǒ) is used when referring to oneself as the subject of a sentence. For example, 我是学生 (wǒ shì xuéshēng) means "I am a student."
• 你 (nǐ) is used when referring to the person being spoken to. For example, 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma?) means "How are you?"
• 他 (tā) is used when referring to a male person, 她 (tā) is used when referring to a female person, and 它 (tā) is used when referring to an object or an animal.

Plural Personal Pronouns

Here are the plural personal pronouns in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English Translation
我们	wǒmen	we, us
你们	nǐmen	you (plural)
他们/她们/它们	tāmen	they, them

• 我们 (wǒmen) is used to refer to a group of people that includes the speaker. For example, 我们是朋友 (wǒmen shì péngyou) means "We are friends."
• 你们 (nǐmen) is used to refer to a group of people that includes the person being spoken to. For example, 你们都很聪明 (nǐmen dōu hěn cōngmíng) means "You all are very smart."
• 他们 (tāmen) is used to refer to a group of male people, 她们 (tāmen) is used to refer to a group of female people, and 它们 (tāmen) is used to refer to a group of objects or animals.

Formal and Informal Pronouns

In addition to the standard personal pronouns, Mandarin Chinese also has formal and informal pronouns. The formal pronouns are used in formal settings or to show respect, while the informal pronouns are used in casual settings or among friends.

Here are the formal and informal pronouns in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English Translation
您	nín	you (formal)
你	nǐ	you (informal)

• 您 (nín) is the formal pronoun used to show respect to someone of higher status or in formal situations. For example, 您贵姓? (nín guìxìng?) means "May I ask for your surname?"
• 你 (nǐ) is the informal pronoun used among friends or in casual settings. For example, 你喜欢什么颜色? (nǐ xǐhuān shénme yánsè?) means "What color do you like?"

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Mandarin Chinese are used to indicate possession or ownership. They are placed before the noun they modify and agree with the number and gender of the noun.

Singular Possessive Pronouns

Here are the singular possessive pronouns in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English Translation
我的	wǒ de	my, mine
你的	nǐ de	your, yours
他的/她的/它的	tā de	his/hers/its

• 我的 (wǒ de) is used to indicate possession by the speaker. For example, 这是我的书 (zhè shì wǒ de shū) means "This is my book."
• 你的 (nǐ de) is used to indicate possession by the person being spoken to. For example, 这是你的电脑 (zhè shì nǐ de diànnǎo) means "This is your computer."
• 他的 (tā de) is used to indicate possession by a male person, 她的 (tā de) is used to indicate possession by a female person, and 它的 (tā de) is used to indicate possession by an object or an animal.

Plural Possessive Pronouns

Here are the plural possessive pronouns in Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English Translation
我们的	wǒmen de	our, ours
你们的	nǐmen de	your (plural), yours
他们的/她们的/它们的	tāmen de	their, theirs

• 我们的 (wǒmen de) is used to indicate possession by a group of people that includes the speaker. For example, 这是我们的家 (zhè shì wǒmen de jiā) means "This is our home."
• 你们的 (nǐmen de) is used to indicate possession by a group of people that includes the person being spoken to. For example, 这是你们的车 (zhè shì nǐmen de chē) means "This is your car."
• 他们的 (tāmen de) is used to indicate possession by a group of male people, 她们的 (tāmen de) is used to indicate possession by a group of female people, and 它们的 (tāmen de) is used to indicate possession by a group of objects or animals.

Summary

In this lesson, we have learned about personal pronouns and possessive pronouns in Mandarin Chinese. Personal pronouns are used to refer to specific individuals or groups, while possessive pronouns indicate possession or ownership. Remember to pay attention to the number and gender agreement when using possessive pronouns. Practice using these pronouns in different sentences to improve your Mandarin Chinese skills.

Now that you have a good understanding of personal pronouns and possessive pronouns, you are ready to move on to the next lesson in the "Complete 0 to A1 Mandarin Chinese Course." Keep up the great work!

Table of Contents - Mandarin Chinese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Pinyin and Tones

• Pinyin Introduction
• Tones Introduction
• Tone Pairs

  ---

Greetings and Basic Expressions

• Greeting People
• Basic Expressions
• Numbers and Counters

  ---

Sentence Structure and Word Order

• Subject-Verb-Object Structure
• Question Words and Question Structure
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Negation and Conjunctions
• Particles and Structure Particles

  ---

Daily Life and Survival Expressions

• Asking for Directions
• Ordering Food and Drinks
• Shopping and Bargaining
• Transport and Travel
• Emergencies and Medical Care

  ---

Chinese Festivals and Traditions

• Spring Festival and Chunyun
• Mid-Autumn Festival and Mooncakes
• Dragon Boat Festival and Zongzi
• Double Ninth Festival and Chongyang Cake

  ---

Verbs and Verb Usage

• Action Verbs and Stative Verbs
• Modal Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs
• Complex Verb Phrases

  ---

Hobbies, Sports and Activities

• Leisure Activities and Hobbies
• Sports and Exercise
• Outdoor Activities and Nature
• Music and Film

  ---

China's Geography and Landmarks

• China's Four Great Ancient Capitals
• Famous Chinese Mountains and Rivers
• China's Great Wall

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Common and Proper Nouns
• Personal Pronouns and Possessive Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns and Interrogative Pronouns

  ---

Professions and Personality Traits

• Professions and Jobs
• Personality Traits and Characteristics
• Emotions and Feelings

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Chinese Traditional Arts and Crafts

• Chinese Calligraphy and Painting
• Chinese Opera and Drama
• Chinese Knots and Paper-cutting

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Comparative and Superlative

• Comparative Form and Usage
• Superlative Form and Usage

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Cities, Countries and Tourist Destinations

• Chinese and International Cities
• Country Names and Nationalities
• Tourist Attractions and Transportation

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Modern China and Current Events

• China's Economy and Business Landscape
• Chinese Art and Entertainment Scene
• Current Events and Issues in China and Beyond

Other Lessons

• Chinese adjectives
• Transition words
• Question Words and Question Structure
• Complex Verb Phrases
• Common and Proper Nouns
• Mastering Chinese Grammar Easily – 8 Rules You Need to Know
• Future Tense
• 叫 (jiào)
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Ask how to do something with 怎么 (zěnme)

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Next Lesson — Demonstrative Pronouns and Interrogative Pronouns ▶️