Deconstructing Mandarin Chinese

Deconstructing Mandarin Chinese Sentence Structure (Subject – Verb – Object) The apple is red

nà gè píng guǒ shìhóng sè de

(nà gè= the/that)

It is John’s apple

zhè shìJohn de píng guǒ

(zhe shi = this is)

I give John the apple

wǒ gěi John nà gè píng guǒ

We give him the apple

wǒ men gěi tā nà gèpíng guǒ

You give the apple to him

nǐ bǎ nà gè píng guǒ gei tā

He gives it to John

tā bǎ zhè gè gěi John

She gives it to him

tā bǎ zhè gègěi tā

(ta = he/she/it)

Negatives The apple is not red

nà gè píng guǒ bú shìhóng sè de

He does not give it to John

tā méi bǎ zhè gè gěi John

I do not give John the apple

wǒ méi gěi John nà gè píng guǒ

Tenses I gave him the apple (past)

wǒ gěi le tā nà gè píng guǒ

I will give him the apple (future)

wǒ huì gěi tā nà gè píng guǒ

Helping Verbs I must give it to him

wǒ bì xū bǎ tā gěi tā

I want to give it to her

wǒ xiǎng bǎ tā gěi tā

I need to sleep

wǒ xū yào shuìjiào le

I have to go

wǒ dé zǒu le

I should get up

wǒ gāi qǐ chuáng le

randomwire.com

Essential Verbs shì

= be / being / been / am / are / is / was / were

zuò

= do / does / did

yǒu

= have / had / has

yīng gāi

= should / could / would / must

huì

= will / can / shall

yě xǔ

= may / might

randomwire.com