Difference between revisions of "Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Basic-structure-of-a-sentence"
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The most basic word order in Chinese is: | The most basic word order in Chinese is: | ||
<code> | <code>Subject + verb</code> | ||
You can create very simple sentences with only two words. | You can create very simple sentences with only two words. |
Revision as of 17:50, 6 September 2018
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.
subject-predicate
The most basic word order in Chinese is:
Subject + verb
You can create very simple sentences with only two words.
Examples
Subject | Verb | Pinyin | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
他 | 笑。 | Tā xiào. | He's laughing. |
你 | 吃。 | Nǐ chī. | You eat. |
我 | 读。 | Wǒ dú. | I am reading. |
你 | 看。 | Nǐ kàn. | You look. |
你 | 说。 | Nǐ shuō. | You speak. |
我 | 去。 | Wǒ qù. | I leave. |
你 | 滚! | Nǐ gǔn | Leave here |
孩子 | 哭。 | Háizi kū. | The children are crying. |
谁 | 要 学? | Shuí yào xué? | Who wants to study? |
谁 | 想 做? | Shuí xiǎng zuò? | Who wants to do it? |
Subject, verb and complement
A simple sentence is often composed of a complement and follows this structure:
Subject + Verb + Complement
It's exactly like in French, a word order designated by the name SVC. You can express a whole range of information with this very simple structure.
Examples
Subject | Verb | Complement | Pinyin | Translation |
---|---|---|---|---|
我 | 吃 | 肉。 | Wǒ chī ròu. | I eat meat. |
我 | 去 | 学校。 | Wǒ qù xuéxiào. | I go to school. |
你 | 喝 | 汤。 | Nǐ hē tāng. | You drink soup. |
我们 | 要 买 | 电脑。 | Wǒmen yāomǎi diànnǎo. | We will buy a computer. |
他 | 说 | 中文。 | Tā shuō Zhōngwén. | He speaks Chinese. |
我 | 喜欢 | 那 个 小 孩子。 | Wǒ xǐhuān nàgè xiǎo háizi. | I like this child. |
我 | 想 吃 | 中国 菜。 | Wǒ xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài. | I want to eat Chinese. |
我 | 爱 | 你 和 爸爸。 | Wǒ ài nǐ hé bàba. | I love you and dad. |
你 | 想 吃 | 什么 菜? | Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme cài? | Do you want to eat which dish? |
你 | 要 做 | 什么? | Nǐ yào zuò shénme? | What do you want to do ? |