Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

talkiNG aBoUt the PreSeNt 34.3 34.2 Using 在 zài and 正在 zhèngzài to indicate ongoing actions in present time 在 zài or 正在 zhèngzài ...

Using 着/著 zhe to emphasize ongoing duration or an ongoing state in the present time 34.4 34.4 Using 着/著 zhe to emphasize ongoing ...

talkiNG aBoUt the PreSeNt 34.7 34.5 Indicating present time by context Time expressions are optional when the context makes it c ...

describing situations that are generally true 34.8 The adverb 已经/已經 yǐjing ‘already’ often occurs in these sentences to emphasiz ...

35 Talking about habitual actions Habitual actions are actions that occur regularly. The following time expressions and adverbs ...

adverbs that describe habitual action 35.3 35.3 adverbs that describe habitual action Adverbs that describe habitual action incl ...

talkiNG aBoUt haBitUal aCtioNS 35.3 一向 yīxiàng ‘always in the past’ 他一向很可靠。我们一定可以信任他。 他一向很可靠。我們一定可以信任他。 Tā yīxiàng hěn kěkào. Wǒ ...

36 Talking about the future Mandarin has no distinct future tense. Instead, future time is expressed by words and phrases that r ...

talkiNG aBoUt the FUtUre 36.3 再 zài ‘(do) again in the future’ 再见！ 再見！ Zài jiàn! See you again! (Goodbye) 我没听清楚，请你再说一次。 我沒聽清楚，請你 ...

Verbs that refer to the future 36.4 36.4 Verbs that refer to the future Verbs involving thinking or planning refer to events tha ...

37 indicating completion and talking about the past Mandarin has no grammatical structure that is entirely equivalent to past te ...

indicating that an action did not occur in the past 37.3 我已经吃晚饭了。 我已經吃晚飯了。 Wǒ yǐjing chī wǎnfàn le. I already ate dinner. Q: 那件事 ...

iNdiCatiNG ComPletioN aNd talkiNG aBoUt the PaSt 37.4 他没(有)买那本书。 他沒(有)買那本書。 Tā méi (yǒu) mǎi nà běn shū. He didn’t buy that book ...

talking about past experience: verb suffix 过/過 guo 37.6 To answer ‘no’ to any form of these yes–no questions, say: A: 没有。 沒有。 Mé ...

iNdiCatiNG ComPletioN aNd talkiNG aBoUt the PaSt 37.6 when talking about actions that are repeatable. Actions that are not repe ...

time words and adverbs that refer to past time 37.8 37.7 Comparing the aspect markers 过/過 guo and 了 le The aspect markers 过/過 gu ...

iNdiCatiNG ComPletioN aNd talkiNG aBoUt the PaSt 37.8 去年 qùnián last year 前年 qiánnián the year before last C49.2 37.8.1 adverbs ...

Focusing on a detail of a past event with 是... 的 shì... de 37.9 37.9 Focusing on a detail of a past event with 是 的 shì de To foc ...

iNdiCatiNG ComPletioN aNd talkiNG aBoUt the PaSt 37.9 If the object of the verb is a pronoun, 的 de can only occur after the pron ...

38 Talking about change, new situations, and changing situations Mandarin has a number of ways to indicate that a situation repr ...