Language/Yue-chinese/Grammar/Adverbs

Yue Chinese → Grammar → Adverbs

As a Yue Chinese language teacher, I understand that advanced grammar knowledge helps in building a strong foundation in the language. Adverbs, which describe time, place, manner, and degree, are an essential part of Yue Chinese grammar. In this lesson, you will learn how to use adverbs in Yue Chinese to make your sentences more meaningful.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Give your Opinion & Possibility and Certainty.

What are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs in a sentence. In Yue Chinese, adverbs come before the verb or adjective that they modify. Adverbs are essential for expressing time, place, manner, and degree, and they add more depth and dimension to the sentence.

Here are some examples of adverbs in Yue Chinese:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
昨天	joek6 jat1	Yesterday
晚上	maan5 soeng6	Night
很	han2	Very
快	faai3	Fast

Types of Adverbs

Adverbs can be categorized into four types, based on the information they provide:

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time describe when an action or event takes place, and they answer the question "when?". Adverbs of time usually come at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples:

• 昨天 (joek6 jat1) - Yesterday
• 今天 (gam1 tin1) - Today
• 明天 (ming4 tin1) - Tomorrow
• 已經 (ji5 ging1) - Already

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place describe where an action or event takes place, and they answer the question "where?". Adverbs of place usually come after the verb in a sentence.

Examples:

• 在家 (zoi6 gaa1) - At home
• 在學校 (zoi6 hok6 haau6) - At school
• 在商店 (zoi6 soeng1 dim3) - At the store
• 在地鐵站 (zoi6 dei6 tit3 zaam6) - At the subway station

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how an action or event takes place, and they answer the question "how?". Adverbs of manner usually come after the verb in a sentence.

Examples:

• 很慢 (han2 maan6) - Very slowly
• 輕輕地 (hing1 hing1 dei6) - Gently
• 狂野地 (kong4 je5 dei6) - Wildly
• 好好地 (hou2 hou2 dei6) - Properly

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree describe the extent or intensity of an action or event, and they answer the question "to what extent?". Adverbs of degree usually come before the verb or adjective in a sentence.

Examples:

• 很 (han2) - Very
• 特別 (dak6 bit6) - Especially
• 更 (gang3) - Even more
• 最 (zeoi3) - The most

Placement of Adverbs

In Yue Chinese, adverbs usually come before the verb or adjective that they modify. However, there are some exceptions. When an adverb modifies a verb and a direct object, the adverb usually comes before the object. Also, when there are multiple adverbs in a sentence, the order usually follows the sequence of time, place, manner, and degree.

Here are some examples of the placement of adverbs:

• 我昨天很忙。(ngo5 zoek6 jat1 han2 maang6) - I was very busy yesterday.
• 我很快地跑了五公里。(ngo5 han2 faai3 dei6 paau2 liu5 gung1 lei5) - I ran five kilometers very quickly.

Practice

Now that you've learned about adverbs, let's practice using them in sentences. Try to create sentences using the following adverbs:

• 今天 (gam1 tin1) - Today
• 在公園 (zoi6 gung1 jyun2) - At the park
• 好好地 (hou2 hou2 dei6) - Properly
• 更 (gang3) - Even more

Conclusion

Adverbs are important in Yue Chinese grammar as they provide valuable information about time, place, manner, and degree. They add more depth and dimension to the sentence, making it more interesting and meaningful. Remember to practice using them in your Chinese conversations and writing, and you'll soon master the art of using adverbs.

Sources

• Yue Chinese
• Adverb

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Plurals & Expressing Comparison.

Other Lessons

• How to Use Be
• Verbs Action and Stative
• Expressing Comparison
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Verb Tense
• Nouns
• Questions
• Basic Sentence Structure
• Comprehensive Review