Chinese Grammar Guide: Simple Rules & Examples

Chinese Grammar Overview

Master Chinese grammar through our straightforward approach. Our guide breaks down word order, measure words, and aspect markers into digestible pieces. Each grammar concept is presented with a translation, helping you understand how Chinese sentences work in practice. Use this overview alongside your Chinese course or as a quick reference for daily practice.

Core Sentence Pattern

Mandarin Chinese usually follows Subject-Verb-Object order, but time expressions and locations often come before the main verb.

Pattern	Example	Meaning
Subject + Verb + Object	我喝茶	I drink tea
Time + Subject + Verb + Object	今天我喝茶	Today I drink tea
Subject + Place + Verb + Object	我在家喝茶	I drink tea at home

Key idea: Verbs do not change for person or number. 我去, 你去, and 他们去 all keep the same verb form.

Topic-Comment Structure

Chinese often introduces a topic first and then comments on it.

Pattern	Example	Meaning
Topic + comment	这本书，我很喜欢。	This book, I like it a lot.
Place + comment	上海，我去过。	Shanghai, I have been there.

This structure is common in spoken and written Chinese, especially when emphasizing what the sentence is about.

Measure Words

When you count nouns or point to a specific item, Chinese usually needs a measure word.

English	Chinese	Note
one person	一个人	`个` is the general measure word
one book	一本书	`本` is common for bound items
this car	这辆车	`辆` is used for vehicles

Common mistake: Saying 一书 or 这车 in situations where a measure word is expected.

Questions and Negation

Function	Pattern	Example
Yes/no question	statement + 吗	你忙吗？
Information question	question word in place	你要什么？
General negation	不 + verb/adjective	我不去。
Not having / not happened	没(有) + verb	我没有看见。

Use 不 for habits, intentions, and adjective negation. Use 没(有) for completed actions or for saying something is absent.

Nuance note: 想 is often softer and closer to “would like to” or “feel like,” while 要 is more direct and can express desire, need, or future intention depending on context.

Aspect Markers

Chinese relies on aspect markers instead of verb conjugation.

Marker	Main Use	Example	Meaning
了	completed action / change	我吃了。	I ate / I have eaten.
过	past experience	我去过北京。	I have been to Beijing.
在	ongoing action	我在吃饭。	I am eating.
着	ongoing state	门开着。	The door is open.

Modifiers: 的, 得, 地

These three particles look similar but have different jobs.

Particle	Function	Example
的	links modifiers to nouns	漂亮的车
得	follows verbs before complements	说得很快
地	marks adverbial modifiers	慢慢地说

At beginner level, 的 appears most often. The other two become easier once you see many examples.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Better Form	Why
我很喜欢他吗。	我很喜欢他。 / 你很喜欢他吗？	`吗` only marks a question
我不有时间。	我没有时间。	`有` usually negates with `没有`
我昨天去商店了昨天。	我昨天去商店了。	Time expressions usually appear before the verb
车漂亮。	这辆车很漂亮。	Stative adjectives often need context and often use `很` in neutral statements

Sentence and Grammar Structure with Examples

早上好。▶︎

zǎoshang hǎo.

Good morning.

晚上好。▶︎

wǎnshang hǎo.

Good evening.

你想要什么？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng yào shénme?

What would you like?

你想吃什么？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?

What would you like to eat?

你想喝什么？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng hē shénme?

What would you like to drink?

你想做什么？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme?

What would you like to do?

我想要这个。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng yào zhège.

I would like this.

我想要点东西。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng yào diǎn dōngxi.

I would like something.

我想喝点东西。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng hē diǎn dōngxi.

I would like to drink something.

我想吃点东西。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng chī diǎn dōngxi.

I would like to eat something.

我想做点什么。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng zuò diǎn shénme.

I would like to do something.

很好。▶︎

hěn hǎo.

It is good.

没问题。▶︎

méi wèntí.

It is OK.

不好。▶︎

bù hǎo.

It is bad.

你要做这个吗？▶︎

nǐ yào zuò zhège ma?

Are you going to do this?

你要吃吗？▶︎

nǐ yào chī ma?

Are you going to eat?

你要开车吗？▶︎

nǐ yào kāichē ma?

Are you going to drive?

我要做这个。▶︎

wǒ yào zuò zhège.

I am going to do this.

我要吃点东西。▶︎

wǒ yào chī diǎn dōngxi.

I am going to eat something.

我要开车。▶︎

wǒ yào kāichē.

I am going to drive.

你想要吗？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng yào ma?

Would you like it?

你想要点东西吗？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng yào diǎn dōngxi ma?

Would you like something?

你想吃东西吗？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng chī dōngxi ma?

Would you like to eat?

你能做这个吗？▶︎

nǐ néng zuò zhège ma?

Can you do it?

你能做点什么吗？▶︎

nǐ néng zuò diǎn shénme ma?

Can you do something?

你什么时候做这个？▶︎

nǐ shénme shíhou zuò zhège?

When will you do it?

你想看看吗？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng kànkan ma?

Would you like to see it?

我可以看看吗？▶︎

wǒ kěyǐ kànkan ma?

Can I see it?

我想看看。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng kànkan.

I would like to see it.

我想看这部电影。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng kàn zhè bù diànyǐng.

I want to see this movie.

我看得见。▶︎

wǒ kàn de jiàn.

I can see it.

我看不见。▶︎

wǒ kàn bú jiàn.

I cannot see it.

我想要它。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng yào tā.

I would like it.

我什么时候能看到？▶︎

wǒ shénme shíhou néng kàndào?

When can I see it?

我想待在这里。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng dāi zài zhè lǐ.

I want to stay here.

我想在这里吃。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng zài zhè lǐ chī.

I want to eat here.

我们待在这里。▶︎

wǒmen dāi zài zhè lǐ.

We are staying here.

要多久？▶︎

yào duō jiǔ?

How long will it take?

我明白了。▶︎

wǒ míngbai le.

I understand.

我不明白。▶︎

wǒ bù míngbai.

I do not understand.

我不明白你的意思。▶︎

wǒ bù míngbai nǐ de yìsi.

I do not understand what you mean.

你明白吗？▶︎

nǐ míngbai ma?

Do you understand?

你明白我的意思吗？▶︎

nǐ míngbai wǒ de yìsi ma?

Do you understand what I mean?

你能听懂我说的话吗？▶︎

nǐ néng tīng dǒng wǒ shuō de huà ma?

Can you understand what I am saying?

我听不懂你说的话。▶︎

wǒ tīng bù dǒng nǐ shuō de huà.

I cannot understand what you are saying.

对不起。▶︎

duìbuqǐ.

I am sorry.

对不起，我不想要。▶︎

duìbuqǐ, wǒ bù xiǎng yào.

I am sorry, I do not want it.

我找不到。▶︎

wǒ zhǎo bú dào.

I cannot find it.

我在哪里能找到它？▶︎

wǒ zài nǎlǐ néng zhǎodào tā?

Where can I find it?

我不知道它在哪里。▶︎

wǒ bù zhīdào tā zài nǎlǐ.

I do not know where it is.

我想找到它。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng zhǎodào tā.

I want to find it.

你知道它在哪里吗？▶︎

nǐ zhīdào tā zài nǎlǐ ma?

Do you know where it is?

我有。▶︎

wǒ yǒu.

I have it.

我有食物。▶︎

wǒ yǒu shíwù.

I have food.

我有水。▶︎

wǒ yǒu shuǐ.

I have water.

我有一辆车。▶︎

wǒ yǒu yí liàng chē.

I have a car.

你有吗？▶︎

nǐ yǒu ma?

Do you have it?

你想要它吗？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng yào tā ma?

Would you like it?

你为什么没有这个？▶︎

nǐ wèishénme méiyǒu zhège?

Why do you not have this?

我会把它给你。▶︎

wǒ huì bǎ tā gěi nǐ.

I will give it to you.

你能把它给我吗？▶︎

nǐ néng bǎ tā gěi wǒ ma?

Can you give it to me?

我什么时候能拿到？▶︎

wǒ shénme shíhou néng ná dào?

When can I have it?

我需要它。▶︎

wǒ xū yào tā.

I need it.

我需要休息。▶︎

wǒ xū yào xiūxi.

I need to rest.

我需要水。▶︎

wǒ xū yào shuǐ.

I need water.

我不需要它。▶︎

wǒ bù xū yào tā.

I do not need it.

我现在需要它。▶︎

wǒ xiànzài xū yào tā.

I need it now.

你需要它吗？▶︎

nǐ xū yào tā ma?

Do you need it?

你什么时候需要它？▶︎

nǐ shénme shíhou xū yào tā?

When do you need it?

我可以把它带来。▶︎

wǒ kěyǐ bǎ tā dàilái.

I can bring it.

我应该把它带来吗？▶︎

wǒ yīnggāi bǎ tā dàilái ma?

Should I bring it?

我应该带食物吗？▶︎

wǒ yīnggāi dài shíwù ma?

Should I bring food?

你能把它带来吗？▶︎

nǐ néng bǎ tā dàilái ma?

Can you bring it?

你能带水来吗？▶︎

nǐ néng dài shuǐ lái ma?

Can you bring water?

我应该几点把它带来？▶︎

wǒ yīnggāi jǐ diǎn bǎ tā dàilái?

At what time should I bring it?

我应该几点来？▶︎

wǒ yīnggāi jǐ diǎn lái?

At what time should I come?

你几点需要它？▶︎

nǐ jǐ diǎn xū yào tā?

At what time do you need it?

你几点到？▶︎

nǐ jǐ diǎn dào?

At what time will you arrive?

你会待多久？▶︎

nǐ huì dāi duō jiǔ?

How long will you stay?

我们会待两个小时。▶︎

wǒmen huì dāi liǎng ge xiǎoshí.

We will stay for two hours.

请你做一下，好吗？▶︎

qǐng nǐ zuò yíxià, hǎo ma?

Could you please do it?

请你帮我做一下，好吗？▶︎

qǐng nǐ bāng wǒ zuò yíxià, hǎo ma?

Could you please do it for me?

我想告诉你一件事。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng gàosu nǐ yí jiàn shì.

I want to tell you something.

你什么时候告诉我？▶︎

nǐ shénme shíhou gàosu wǒ?

When will you tell me?

我想让你告诉我。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng ràng nǐ gàosu wǒ.

I want you to tell me.

我想去那里。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng qù nàli.

I want to go there.

你想去哪里？▶︎

nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ?

Where do you want to go?

我不能去那里。▶︎

wǒ bù néng qù nàli.

I cannot go there.

我没有时间。▶︎

wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.

I have no time.

我很忙。▶︎

wǒ hěn máng.

I am busy.

我之前很忙。▶︎

wǒ zhīqián hěn máng.

I was busy earlier.

我在等。▶︎

wǒ zài děng.

I am waiting.

请你等一下，好吗？▶︎

qǐng nǐ děng yíxià, hǎo ma?

Could you wait, please?

我想买这个。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège.

I would like to buy this.

我想买一辆车。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí liàng chē.

I would like to buy a car.

我想看看。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng kànkan.

I would like to see it.

我想做这个。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng zuò zhège.

I would like to do it.

我喜欢它。▶︎

wǒ xǐhuan tā.

I like it.

我不喜欢它。▶︎

wǒ bù xǐhuan tā.

I don't like it.

我喜欢这种食物。▶︎

wǒ xǐhuan zhè zhǒng shíwù.

I like this kind of food.

我喜欢这辆车。▶︎

wǒ xǐhuan zhè liàng chē.

I like this car.

这个很贵。▶︎

zhège hěn guì.

This is expensive.

这个很便宜。▶︎

zhège hěn piányi.

This is cheap.

她很漂亮。▶︎

tā hěn piàoliang.

She is beautiful.

这辆车很漂亮。▶︎

zhè liàng chē hěn piàoliang.

This car is beautiful.

我准备好了。▶︎

wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo le.

I am ready.

你准备好了吗？▶︎

nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo le ma?

Are you ready?

一切很快就会准备好。▶︎

yíqiè hěn kuài jiù huì zhǔnbèi hǎo.

Everything will be ready soon.

有可能。▶︎

yǒu kěnéng.

It is possible.

不可能。▶︎

bù kěnéng.

It is impossible.

我有一个问题。▶︎

wǒ yǒu yí ge wèntí.

I have a question.

我想问你一个问题。▶︎

wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí.

I would like to ask you a question.

它在这里。▶︎

tā zài zhè lǐ.

It is here.

它不在这里。▶︎

tā bú zài zhè lǐ.

It is not here.

我没有。▶︎

wǒ méiyǒu.

I do not have it.

我感觉很好。▶︎

wǒ gǎnjué hěn hǎo.

I feel good.

你感觉怎么样？▶︎

nǐ gǎnjué zěnme yàng?

How do you feel?

我得快点。▶︎

wǒ děi kuài diǎn.

I need to hurry.

你能快点吗？▶︎

nǐ néng kuài diǎn ma?

Can you hurry?

这很重要。▶︎

zhè hěn zhòngyào.

It’s important.

它坏了。▶︎

tā huài le.

It’s broken.

这辆车坏了。▶︎

zhè liàng chē huài le.

This car is broken.