Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives-and-Adverbs

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Mandarin Chinese Grammar → Sentence Structure and Word Order → Adjectives and Adverbs

As a Mandarin Chinese language teacher with over twenty years of experience, I understand that mastering a foreign language can be challenging. However, I can also assure you that with enough practice and perseverance, anyone can achieve fluency. In this lesson, we will explore the use of adjectives and adverbs in Mandarin Chinese sentences.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Basic structure of a sentence & Complex Verb Phrases.

Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe or modify nouns. They usually come before the noun that they modify in a sentence. In Mandarin Chinese, adjectives are generally not inflected and they do not change for number, gender or tense.

Some commonly used Mandarin Chinese adjectives include:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English
大	dà	big, great
小	xiǎo	small, little
长	cháng	long
高	gāo	tall, high
矮	ǎi	short
漂亮	piàoliang	pretty, beautiful
丑	chǒu	ugly
快	kuài	fast, quick
慢	màn	slow
好	hǎo	good
坏	huài	bad

Here are some examples of adjectives used in Mandarin Chinese sentences:

这只猫很漂亮。 (zhè zhī māo hěn piàoliang.) - This cat is very pretty.
我的房间很小。 (wǒ de fángjiān hěn xiǎo.) - My room is very small.
他会说很好的中文。 (tā huì shuō hěn hǎo de zhōngwén.) - He speaks very good Chinese.

Note that adjectives can also be placed after the noun they modify in a sentence to create a different emphasis or tone. In this case, the particle "的" (de) is added between the noun and the adjective. For example:

他是篮球运动员。(tā shì lánqiú yùndòngyuán.) - He is a basketball player.
他是运动员的篮球。(tā shì yùndòngyuán de lánqiú.) - He is a basketball of the players.

The first sentence places emphasis on the person's profession, while the second sentence emphasizes the basketball.

Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs in a sentence. They convey information about how, when, or where an action is performed. Adverbs in Mandarin Chinese usually come immediately before the verb that they modify in a sentence.

Some commonly used Mandarin Chinese adverbs include:

Mandarin Chinese	Pronunciation	English
很	hěn	very
非常	fēicháng	extremely
有时候	yǒushíhou	sometimes
常常	chángcháng	often
往往	wǎngwǎng	frequently, often
一起	yīqǐ	together
就	jiù	then, only
已经	yǐjīng	already
没	méi	not have/never
还	hái	still, also

Here are some examples of adverbs used in Mandarin Chinese sentences:

我很喜欢吃中国菜。(wǒ hěn xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài.) - I really like to eat Chinese food.
她非常聪明。(tā fēicháng cōngming.) - She is extremely smart.
我一起去。(wǒ yīqǐ qù.) - I will go together.

Note that in Mandarin Chinese, some adverbs can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence to create a specific emphasis. For instance:

今天我没有去学校。(jīntiān wǒ méiyǒu qù xuéxiào.) - Today, I did not go to school.
往往我们只看到一个人表面的东西。(wǎngwǎng wǒmen zhǐ kàn dào yīgèrén biǎomiàn de dōngxi.) - Often we only see the surface of a person.

It is important to note that while adjectives and adverbs function similarly in English and Mandarin Chinese, there is no direct translation between the two languages. Therefore, it is important to practice and learn how to use them appropriately in Mandarin Chinese sentences.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned about the classification and positioning of adjectives and adverbs in Mandarin Chinese sentences. Remember that adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Keep practicing with different sentence structures and new vocabulary to enhance your Mandarin Chinese skills. Good luck!

Sources

Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: 个 (ge) & 呢 ne.

Table of Contents - Mandarin Chinese Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Pinyin and Tones

Greetings and Basic Expressions

Sentence Structure and Word Order

Daily Life and Survival Expressions

Chinese Festivals and Traditions

Verbs and Verb Usage

Hobbies, Sports and Activities

China's Geography and Landmarks

Nouns and Pronouns

Professions and Personality Traits

Chinese Traditional Arts and Crafts

Comparative and Superlative

Cities, Countries and Tourist Destinations

Modern China and Current Events

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