Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Separable-verbs
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:
- 了 (le);
- 著/着 (zhe);
- 過/过 (guò);
- 不 (bù);
- 得 (de);
- result complement (e.g. 好, 起);
- classifier (e.g. 個/个, 節/节).
Separable words can be classified into three categories:
- 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;
- verb and result complement, e.g. 看見/看见, 撥動/拨动, only 不, 得 can be inserted;
- 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