Chinese Grammar

Mandarin Chinese grammar overview: key typological features, word order, particles, aspect markers, measure words, and the most important patterns by level.

Chinese grammar differs from English in ways that require deliberate re-learning, not translation.

Key Differences from English

Feature English Chinese
Verb conjugation (tense) Yes No — aspect markers instead
Subject-verb agreement Yes No
Plural marking Yes (-s) No
Articles (a/the) Yes No
Relative clauses After noun Before noun
Time/place placement After verb Before verb
Adjective as predicate Needs "to be" Direct: 她很高 (She [is] tall)
Measure words No Mandatory
Topic prominence Rare Very common

The Golden Word Order

Subject + Time + Place + Manner + Verb + Object + Complement

Not all elements appear in every sentence. Key rule: time and place come before the verb:

  • ❌ 我去图书馆昨天。
  • ✓ 我昨天去图书馆。(I yesterday went to the library.)

The Three "De" Particles

All pronounced "de" (neutral tone):

Character Function Pattern Example
的 Attributive Adj/N + 的 + N 我的书 (my book) / 漂亮的花 (beautiful flowers)
地 Adverbial Adj + 地 + V 慢慢地走 (walk slowly) / 高兴地笑 (laugh happily)
得 Degree complement V + 得 + complement 跑得很快 (run fast) / 高兴得跳起来 (so happy jumped up)

Aspect Markers (not tenses)

Chinese has no grammatical tense. Time is expressed via time words and context.

Marker Aspect Example Note
了 le Completion / change of state 我吃了。她来了。 Negated with 没 (没吃, didn't eat)
着 zhe Ongoing state 门开着。他站着。 Describes a resulting state
过 guo Experiential (ever) 我去过北京。 Have ever been; negated with 没

Measure Words (Mandatory)

Every noun requires a specific measure word between a number/demonstrative and the noun.

MW Pinyin Category Examples
个 gè General/default 一个人, 一个苹果, 三个问题
本 běn Books, volumes 一本书, 两本杂志
张 zhāng Flat objects 一张纸, 一张桌子, 两张票
条 tiáo Long flexible 一条鱼, 一条路, 一条新闻
件 jiàn Clothing, matters 一件衬衫, 一件事
只 zhī Small animals, one of pair 一只猫, 一只手
杯 bēi Cups of liquid 一杯水, 两杯茶
辆 liàng Vehicles 一辆车, 一辆自行车
块 kuài Chunks; colloquial money 一块钱, 一块蛋糕
双 shuāng Pairs 一双鞋, 一双手

Key Grammar Patterns by Level

See Grammar patterns index for all 572 patterns.

A1 (HSK 1–2): Essentials

  • 是 copula (only before nouns): 我是学生
  • Adjective predicate: 她很高 (no 是 needed)
  • 有 possession/existence: 我有一本书
  • 不 negation: 我不是学生
  • 吗 yes/no question: 你是学生吗？
  • 比 comparison: 他比我高

A2 (HSK 3): Key structures

  • 把 disposal: 我把书放在桌子上
  • Result complements: 我听懂了 (understand through listening)
  • 被 passive: 书被他拿走了
  • Direction complements: 他跑进来了

B1 (HSK 4): Intermediate

  • Potential complements: 进得去/进不去
  • 连…都/也 (even): 连小孩都知道
  • 越来越 (more and more): 天气越来越热
  • Topic-comment sentences

B2–C1 (HSK 5–6): Advanced

  • Formal connectives: 尽管, 由于, 然而, 从而
  • Classical-influenced: 以…为, 于 (formal 在), 所 + V
  • 成语 (4-character idioms) in context

Reference Resources