15 adverbs
Adverbs are words that modify the verb or verb phrase.
15.1 General properties of adverbs
In Mandarin, adverbs occur at the beginning of the verb phrase, before the verb and any
prepositional phrase.
Most adverbs must precede negation, but some adverbs may occur before or after negation.
她一定不去。 and also 她不一定去。
Tā yīdìng bù qù. Tā bù yīdìng qù.
She’s definitely not going. She may not go.
(She is not definitely going.)
她也许不去。 but not *她不也许去
她也許不去。 她不也許去
Tā yéxǔ bù qù. Tā bù yéxǔ qù.
Perhaps she won’t go.
她并不喜欢我。 but not *她不并喜欢我。
她並不喜歡我。 她不並喜歡我。
Tā bìng bù xǐhuan wǒ. Tā bù bìng xǐhuan wǒ.
She doesn’t like me at all.
C27.2
Unlike verbs, adverbs typically cannot be the one word answer to a yes–no question.
Question Respond with this Not this
他们经常在那个饭馆吃饭吗？ 对。 *经常。
他們經常在那個飯館吃飯嗎？ 對。 經常。
Tāmen jīngcháng zài nàge
fànguǎn chī fàn ma?
Duì. Jīngcháng.
Do they often eat at that restaurant? Correct.
or
他们经常在那儿吃饭。
他們經常在那兒吃飯。
Tāmen jīngcháng zài
nàr chī fàn.
They often eat there.
