Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

PrePOSITIOnS And PrePOSITIOnAL PhrASeS

14.2

• Adverbs occur before the prepositional phrase. They do not occur between the prepositional
  phrase and the main verb.

Say this Not this

请你马上到我家来。 *请你到我家马上来。

請你馬上到我家來。 請你到我家馬上來。

Qǐng nǐ mǎshàng dào wǒ jiā lái. Qǐng nǐ dào wǒ jiā mǎshàng lái.

Please come to my home immediately.

我一定跟你去看电影。 *我跟你一定去看电影。

我一定跟你去看電影。 我跟你一定去看電影。

Wǒ yīdìng gēn nǐ qù kàn diànyǐng. Wǒ gēn nǐ yīdìng qù kàn diànyǐng.

I will definitely go with you to see a movie.

C15.1

14.2 Basic functions of prepositions

Here are the most common Mandarin prepositions, arranged according to function. The prepo-

sitional phrase is emphasized in each example. The last category includes prepositions that are

only used in formal speech and writing.

14.2.1 Prepositions that indicate location in time or space –
no movement involved

在 zài ‘at, in, on’

他每天晚上在家吃饭。

他每天晚上在家吃飯。

Tā měitiān wǎnshang zài jiā chī fàn.

He eats at home every evening.

每天在公园里玩。

他們每天在公園裏玩。

Tāmen měitiān zài gōngyuán lǐ wán.

They play in the park every day.

在 zài is optional in time expressions:

我(在)两点钟来找你，行吗？

我(在)兩點鐘來找你，行嗎？

Wǒ (zài) liǎng diǎn zhōng lái zhǎo nǐ, xíng ma?

I’ll come looking for you at 2 o’clock, okay?

14.2.2 Prepositions that indicate an action performed toward a reference
point – no movement involved
对/對 duì ‘to, toward’

他对你说了什么话？

他對你說了甚麼話？

Tā duì nǐ shuō le shénme huà?

What did he say to you?

向 xiàng ‘toward’

他一直向外面看。

Tā yīzhí xiàng wàimian kàn.

He keeps looking (to the) outside.