Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Separable-verbs

What are verb-object phrases?

Hello everybody!

In today's lesson, we will teach you how to use certain kinds of verbs that still need a complement.

“Separable words”(离合詞/离合词, líhécí) or “separable verbs”(离合動詞/离合动词, líhédòngcí) get their name from their ability to "separate" into two parts (a verb part and an object part), may with other words in between. In fact, you could also simply call separable verbs "verb-object phrases". Some linguistics consider a “verb-object phrase” as two words, the other consider it as a phrase.

Feel free to edit this wiki page, if you think it can be improved.

Object verbs

If the verb 說/说 (shuō) "to speak" is followed by a complement, it is used alone:

• 我說漢語/我说汉语。 (Wǒ shuō hànyǔ.)

I speak Chinese.

But if we simply mean “talk”, we must add a “standard complement”: 話/话 (huà).

To say “He speaks”, we have to use 他說話。/他说话。 (Tā shuō huà.) and not simply 他說。/他说。 (Tā shuō.).

We also have already seen “write” 寫/写 (xiě) which requires the standard complement 字 (zì):

• 她寫字。/她写字。 (Tā xiě zì.).

She writes.

Attention, it is absolutely necessary to remove the standard complement when another complement is specified.

The following sentence is therefore false: 他說話漢語/他说话汉语。 (Tā shuō huà hànyǔ.)

A verb-object may be heard alone, but in this case the complement is implied:

• （漢語）我會說，不會寫。/（汉语）我会说，不会写。 [(Hànyǔ) wǒ huì shuō, bú huì xiě]

(Chinese) I can speak it, but not write it.

As is said, there can be other words in between of the verb and the object. Let's see how it works:

Words can be added between a separable verb and an object are:

1. 了 (le);
2. 著/着 (zhe);
3. 過/过 (guò);
4. 不 (bù);
5. 得 (de);
6. result complement (e.g. 好, 起);
7. classifier (e.g. 個/个, 節/节).

Separable words can be classified into three categories:

1. predicative and object, e.g. 上課/上课, 開車/开车, only 了, 著/着, 過/过, result complement, classifier, combination of 了 and classifier, combination of 著/着 and classifier (rare) can be inserted, leaving alone attributes of the object;
2. verb and result complement, e.g. 看見/看见, 撥動/拨动, only 不, 得 can be inserted;
3. verb and directional verb, e.g. 出來/出来, 分開/分开, only 不, 得, can be inserted.

• 我上了節課。/我上了节课。 (Wǒ shàng le jié kè.)

I went to class.

• 我上了節有趣的課。/我上了节有趣的课。 (Wǒ shàng le jié yǒuqùde kè.)

I went to an interesting class.

• 我開起車來。/我开起车来。 (Wǒ kāi qǐ chē lái.)

I started driving.

• 我看得見。/我看得见。 (Wǒ kàn de jiàn.)

I can see it.

• 我出不來。/我出不来。 (Wǒ chū bù lái.)

I can't get out.

In dictionaries, a combination of a separable verb and an object are noted with “//” between their pinyin.

Main Separable Verbs

Chinese	Pinyin (dictionary form)	Translation
上课	shàng//kè	to have a class
住院	zhù//yuàn	to be hospitalised
发烧	fā//shāo	to get a fever
吃饭	chī//fàn	to eat
开学	kāi//xué	to start a new term of school
开车	kāi//chē	to drive
打的	dǎ//dī	to get a taxi
游泳	yóu//yǒng	to swim
看病	kàn//bìng	to see a doctor
睡觉	shuì//jiào	to sleep
聊天	liáo//tiān	to chat
说话	shuō//huà	to speak
起床	qǐ//chuáng	to get up

Sources

https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Separable_verb

http://www.chine-culture.com/chinois/cours-de-chinois-6-grammaire.php

https://mandarinfriend.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/separable-verbs-a-misleading-concept-for-chinese-learners/