Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

10 adjectival verbs Adjectival verbs translate into adjectives in English. They include 高 gāo ‘be tall,’ 贵/貴 guì ‘be expensive,’ ...

Modification by intensifiers 10.3 10.2 Yes–no questions with adjectival verbs Adjectival verbs can occur in yes–no questions for ...

AdjecTIvAL verbS 10.5 The intensifier suffixes 得很 de hěn ‘very,’ 极了/極了 jíle ‘extremely,’ and 得不得了 debù déliǎo ‘extremely’ follow ...

Linking adjectival verbs 10.8 They have comparative meaning when followed by 一点/一點 yīdiǎn a little more. 可以便宜一点吗？ 可以便宜一點嗎？ Kěyǐ ...

AdjecTIvAL verbS 10.10 那双鞋子很好。又便宜又舒服。 那雙鞋子很好。又便宜又舒服。 Nà shuāng xiézi hěn hǎo. Yòu piányi yòu shūfu. That pair of shoes is really ...

11 Stative verbs Stative verbs describe situations that do not involve action. Examples of stative verbs include 喜欢/喜歡 xǐhuan ‘l ...

STATIve verbS 11.3 11.2 Modification by intensifiers Stative verbs, like adjectival verbs, can be preceded and modified by inten ...

The equational verb 是 shì ‘be’ 11.4 note some verbs can function as a stative verb and as an action verb. 有 yIu as a stative ver ...

STATIve verbS 11.4 那本书是很贵。 那本書是很貴。 Nà běn shū shì hěn guì. That book is expensive (despite what you claim). 他是很聪明。 他是很聰明。 Tā shì ...

The equational verb 姓 xìng ‘be family named’ 11.5 是 shì is used to focus on some detail of a situation; for example, the time, p ...

STATIve verbS 11.6 11.6 The verb of possession and existence: 有 yIu ‘have,’ ‘exist’ 有 yǒu has two meanings: ‘have’ and ‘exist.’ ...

The location verb 在 zài ‘be located at’ 11.7 11.6.4 negation of 有 yIu The negation of 有 yǒu is always 没有/沒有 méi yǒu. 我没有弟弟。 我沒有弟 ...

12 Modal verbs Modal verbs occur before a verb and express the meanings of possibility, ability, permission, obligation, and pro ...

expressing permission: 可以 kGyH 12.3 12.2.2 能 néng 能 néng expresses physical ability or the unobstructed ability to perform some ...

MOdAL verbS 12.4 12.4 expressing obligations Obligations may be strong (must) or weak (should). In Mandarin, as in English, nega ...

expressing prohibitions 12.5 应当/應當 yīngdāng 孩子应当尊敬父母。 孩子應當尊敬父母。 Háizi yīngdāng zūnjìng fùmǔ. Children should respect their paren ...

MOdAL verbS 12.6 12.6 grammatical properties of modal verbs 12.6.1 negation of modal verbs Modal verbs are always negated with 不 ...

grammatical properties of modal verbs 12.6 中国人很能吃苦。 中國人很能吃苦。 Zhōngguórén hěn néng chī kǔ. Chinese people can endure a lot of har ...

13 action verbs Action verbs are verbs that describe doing things. They include 买/買 mǎi ‘shop,’ 学/學 xué ‘study,’ 看 kàn ‘look at, ...

negating actions 13.3 你点了几个菜？ 你點了幾個菜？ Nǐ diǎn le jǐge cài? How many dishes did you order? 我借了我同屋的车。 我借了我同屋的車。 Wǒ jiè le wǒ tóngw ...