Chinese A2 — Conversations Official

Polite requests, negative commands, and suggestion patterns

请坐！别说话，让我想想。 (Qǐng zuò! Bié shuōhuà, ràng wǒ xiǎngxiang.)

请 (qǐng) + verb = polite please: 请坐 (qǐng zuò) = please sit, 请进 (qǐng jìn) = please come in. 别 (bié) + verb = don't (casual): 别说 (bié shuō) = don't speak, 别走 (bié zǒu) = don't leave. 不要 (búyào) + verb = don't (stronger/formal): 不要跑 (búyào pǎo) = don't run, 不要哭 (búyào kū) = don't cry. 让 (ràng) = let/allow: 让我看看 (ràng wǒ kànkan) = let me take a look, 让他进来 (ràng tā jìnlái) = let him come in. 吧 (ba) at end = suggestion/softener: 我们走吧 (wǒmen zǒu ba) = let's go, 吃饭吧 (chīfàn ba) = let's eat. Combining patterns: 请你不要说话 (qǐng nǐ búyào shuōhuà) = please don't talk. 让我们开始吧 (ràng wǒmen kāishǐ ba) = let's begin.

Expressing how often actions happen with frequency words

我经常跑步，但有时候很累。 (Wǒ jīngcháng pǎobù, dàn yǒu shíhou hěn lèi.)

总是 (zǒngshì) = always: 他总是迟到 (tā zǒngshì chídào) = he is always late. 经常 (jīngcháng) / 常常 (chángcháng) = often: 我经常跑步 (wǒ jīngcháng pǎobù) = I often run. 有时候 (yǒu shíhou) = sometimes: 我有时候喝茶 (wǒ yǒu shíhou hē chá) = I sometimes drink tea. 很少 (hěn shǎo) = seldom/rarely: 她很少吃肉 (tā hěn shǎo chī ròu) = she seldom eats meat. 从不 (cóng bù) = never: 我从不喝酒 (wǒ cóng bù hējiǔ) = I never drink alcohol. Position: frequency adverbs go BEFORE the verb. Time words like 每天 (měitiān) = every day, 每周 (měi zhōu) = every week go before the adverb or at sentence start.

Expressing ongoing actions with 在/正在 and past experience with 过

我在吃饭。我去过中国。 (Wǒ zài chīfàn. Wǒ qùguo zhōngguó.)

在 (zài) + verb = action in progress: 我在吃饭 (wǒ zài chīfàn) = I'm eating, 他在看书 (tā zài kànshū) = he's reading. 正在 (zhèngzài) = right now (emphatic): 他正在睡觉 (tā zhèngzài shuìjiào) = he's sleeping right now. 呢 (ne) can be added at the end for emphasis: 我在吃饭呢 (wǒ zài chīfàn ne) = I'm eating (right now)! Verb + 过 (guo) = have experienced: 我去过中国 (wǒ qùguo zhōngguó) = I've been to China, 你吃过北京烤鸭吗 (nǐ chīguo běijīng kǎoyā ma)? Negative: 没 (méi) + verb + 过 (guo): 我没吃过 (wǒ méi chīguo) = I've never eaten (it), 她没来过这里 (tā méi láiguo zhèlǐ) = she's never been here. 过 (guo) focuses on whether you have EVER had the experience, not when it happened: 你看过这个电影吗 (nǐ kànguo zhège diànyǐng ma) = Have you seen this movie?

Expressing completed actions and change of state with 了

我吃了饭了。 (Wǒ chī le fàn le.)

了 (le) after verb = completed action: 我吃了饭 (wǒ chī le fàn) = I ate, 他买了书 (tā mǎi le shū) = he bought a book. Sentence-final 了 (le) = change of state: 下雨了 (xià yǔ le) = it's raining now, 他走了 (tā zǒu le) = he's left. Double 了 (le) = completed + current relevance: 我吃了饭了 (wǒ chī le fàn le) = I've already eaten. Negative past: 没(有) (méi yǒu) + verb, NO 了: 我没吃饭 (wǒ méi chīfàn) = I didn't eat, 她没有来 (tā méiyǒu lái) = she didn't come. Question forms: verb + 了没有 (le méiyǒu): 你吃了没有 (nǐ chī le méiyǒu)? Or verb + 了吗 (le ma): 你吃了吗 (nǐ chī le ma)?

Comparing things using 比, 更, 最, and 跟...一样

他比我高，但她是最高的。 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo, dàn tā shì zuì gāo de.)

A + 比 (bǐ) + B + adjective: 他比我高 (tā bǐ wǒ gāo) = he is taller than me. 比 (bǐ)...多 (duō)/少 (shǎo) for quantity differences. 更 (gèng) = even more: 更好 (gèng hǎo) = even better, 更大 (gèng dà) = even bigger. A + 比 (bǐ) + B + adjective + 一点儿 (yīdiǎnr) = a little more: 贵一点儿 (guì yīdiǎnr) = a little more expensive. 最 (zuì) = most/superlative: 最好 (zuì hǎo) = best, 最大 (zuì dà) = biggest, 最高 (zuì gāo) = tallest. 跟 (gēn)...一样 (yīyàng) = same as: 他跟我一样高 (tā gēn wǒ yīyàng gāo) = he is as tall as me. Negative: 不一样 (bù yīyàng) = not the same.

Describing how well or how an action is performed using 得

他说中文说得很好。 (Tā shuō zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.)

Verb + 得 (de) + description: 他跑得很快 (tā pǎo de hěn kuài) = he runs very fast, 她唱得很好听 (tā chàng de hěn hǎotīng) = she sings beautifully. Negative: verb + 得 (de) + 不 (bù) + adjective: 跑得不快 (pǎo de bú kuài) = doesn't run fast, 写得不好 (xiě de bù hǎo) = doesn't write well. Question: verb + 得 (de) + adj + 不 (bù) + adj: 跑得快不快 (pǎo de kuài bu kuài)? = Does he run fast? With object, repeat the verb: 他说中文说得很好 (tā shuō zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo) = he speaks Chinese very well. Object goes between the two verbs. Common combos: 做得好 (zuò de hǎo) = done well, 来得早 (lái de zǎo) = arrived early, 吃得多 (chī de duō) = eats a lot.

Three ways to express ability and permission in Chinese

我会游泳，但今天不能去。 (Wǒ huì yóuyǒng, dàn jīntiān bù néng qù.)

会 (huì) = learned skill/ability: 我会游泳 (wǒ huì yóuyǒng) = I can swim, 她会说法语 (tā huì shuō fǎyǔ) = she can speak French. 能 (néng) = physical ability or circumstances allow: 我不能来 (wǒ bù néng lái) = I can't come, 你能帮我吗 (nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma) = can you help me? 可以 (kěyǐ) = permission/allowed to: 可以进来吗 (kěyǐ jìnlái ma) = may I come in? 这里不可以吸烟 (zhèlǐ bù kěyǐ xīyān) = no smoking here. Negatives: 不会 (bú huì) = can't (lack skill), 不能 (bù néng) = can't (unable), 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) = not allowed. Past ability uses context, no tense marker needed: 小时候我会弹钢琴 (xiǎoshíhou wǒ huì tán gāngqín) = when I was young I could play piano.

Expressing cause and effect with paired conjunctions

因为下雨，所以我没去。 (Yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ wǒ méi qù.)

因为 (yīnwèi)...所以 (suǒyǐ)... = because...so...: 因为下雨，所以我没去 (yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ wǒ méi qù) = because it rained, I didn't go. Can use just 因为 (yīnwèi) alone: 我没去，因为下雨了 (wǒ méi qù, yīnwèi xià yǔ le) = I didn't go because it rained. 所以 (suǒyǐ) alone for result: 他病了，所以没来 (tā bìng le, suǒyǐ méi lái) = he was sick, so he didn't come. 由于 (yóuyú) = due to (more formal): 由于天气不好 (yóuyú tiānqì bù hǎo) = due to bad weather. Used in writing and formal speech. Note: in Chinese you can use BOTH 因为 (yīnwèi) and 所以 (suǒyǐ) in one sentence, unlike English where you only use one (because OR so).

Word order rules for time phrases and duration

我明天从九点到五点工作。 (Wǒ míngtiān cóng jiǔ diǎn dào wǔ diǎn gōngzuò.)

Time goes BEFORE the verb: 我明天去 (wǒ míngtiān qù) = I'll go tomorrow. 他昨天来了 (tā zuótiān lái le) = he came yesterday. Duration goes AFTER the verb: 学了两年 (xué le liǎng nián) = studied for two years, 等了三个小时 (děng le sān gè xiǎoshí) = waited for three hours. Specific times: 三点半 (sān diǎn bàn) = 3:30, 七点十五分 (qī diǎn shíwǔ fēn) = 7:15, 差五分九点 (chà wǔ fēn jiǔ diǎn) = five to nine. 从 (cóng)...到 (dào) = from...to: 从九点到五点 (cóng jiǔ diǎn dào wǔ diǎn) = from 9 to 5, 从星期一到星期五 (cóng xīngqīyī dào xīngqīwǔ) = Monday to Friday. 以前 (yǐqián) = before/ago: 三年以前 (sān nián yǐqián) = three years ago. 以后 (yǐhòu) = after/later: 吃饭以后 (chīfàn yǐhòu) = after eating.

Disposal construction to emphasize what happens to an object

我把书放在桌子上了。 (Wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài zhuōzi shàng le.)

Subject + 把 (bǎ) + object + verb + complement: 我把书放在桌子上 (wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài zhuōzi shàng) = I put the book on the table. 把 (bǎ) is used when something happens TO the object (disposal/result): 把门关上 (bǎ mén guānshàng) = close the door, 把水喝了 (bǎ shuǐ hē le) = drink up the water. The verb needs a complement (了 le/在 zài/到 dào/给 gěi/好 hǎo): 把作业做好 (bǎ zuòyè zuòhǎo) = finish the homework, 把钱给他 (bǎ qián gěi tā) = give the money to him. Cannot use 把 (bǎ) with: 是 (shì), 有 (yǒu), 在 (zài), 知道 (zhīdào). These verbs don't show disposal of an object. Negative: 没把 (méi bǎ) for past, 不把 (bù bǎ) for habitual: 我没把书带来 (wǒ méi bǎ shū dàilái) = I didn't bring the book.