Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

把 bAˇ SenTenceS: The ‘dISPOSAL’ cOnSTrucTIOn 20.3


*她把文章写了写。
她把文章寫了寫。
Tā bǎ wénzhāng xiěle xiě.
(intended: She wrote the essay.)
Similarly, you can use 把 bǎ to say that you finished a painting, but not that you created
it by painting it.
她把画儿画完了。
她把畫兒畫完了。
Tā bǎ huàr huàwán le.
She finished the painting.
*她把画儿画了。
她把畫兒畫了。
Tā bǎ huàr huà le.
(intended: She painted the painting.)

20.3 Properties of the verb in 把 bF sentences


The verb in 把 bǎ sentences must refer to a bounded, complete action that has an endpoint.
There are a number of ways to add an endpoint to an action verb.

20.3.1 Adding an endpoint to a change-of-state verb


To add an endpoint to a change-of-state action verb such as 忘 wàng ‘forget,’ 丟 diū ‘lose,’
and 卖/賣 mài ‘sell,’ do one of the following.


  • Follow the verb with the perfective aspect particle 了 le.
    我把他们的名字都忘了。
    我把他們的名字都忘了。
    Wǒ bǎ tāmen de míngzi dōu wàng le.
    I forgot their names.
    C17.1

  • Follow the verb with a resultative ending such as 掉 diào + 了 le, which indicates that the
    action is complete.
    我把袜子给丢掉了。
    我把襪子給丟掉了。
    Wǒ bǎ wàzi gěi diūdiào le.
    I lost my socks.
    C18.3.2

  • For change-of-state verbs that refer to placing an object in a location, such as 放 fàng ‘put,
    place,’ and 挂/掛 guà ‘hang,’ follow the verb with the location phrase that indicates where
    the object will be located as a result of the action.
    把你的鞋子放在门外。
    把你的鞋子放在門外。
    Bǎ nǐ de xiézi fàng zài mén wài.
    Put your shoes outside the door.
    她把画儿挂在墙上了。
    她把畫兒掛在牆上了。
    Tā bǎ huàr guà zài qiáng shàng le.
    She hung the picture on the wall.
    C14.1

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