Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives-and-Adverbs
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As a Mandarin Chinese language teacher with over twenty years of experience, I understand that mastering a foreign language can be challenging. However, I can also assure you that with enough practice and perseverance, anyone can achieve fluency. In this lesson, we will explore the use of adjectives and adverbs in Mandarin Chinese sentences.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Basic structure of a sentence & Complex Verb Phrases.
Adjectives
Adjectives are used to describe or modify nouns. They usually come before the noun that they modify in a sentence. In Mandarin Chinese, adjectives are generally not inflected and they do not change for number, gender or tense.
Some commonly used Mandarin Chinese adjectives include:
Mandarin Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
大 | dà | big, great |
小 | xiǎo | small, little |
长 | cháng | long |
高 | gāo | tall, high |
矮 | ǎi | short |
漂亮 | piàoliang | pretty, beautiful |
丑 | chǒu | ugly |
快 | kuài | fast, quick |
慢 | màn | slow |
好 | hǎo | good |
坏 | huài | bad |
Here are some examples of adjectives used in Mandarin Chinese sentences:
- 这只猫很漂亮。 (zhè zhī māo hěn piàoliang.) - This cat is very pretty.
- 我的房间很小。 (wǒ de fángjiān hěn xiǎo.) - My room is very small.
- 他会说很好的中文。 (tā huì shuō hěn hǎo de zhōngwén.) - He speaks very good Chinese.
Note that adjectives can also be placed after the noun they modify in a sentence to create a different emphasis or tone. In this case, the particle "的" (de) is added between the noun and the adjective. For example:
- 他是篮球运动员。(tā shì lánqiú yùndòngyuán.) - He is a basketball player.
- 他是运动员的篮球。(tā shì yùndòngyuán de lánqiú.) - He is a basketball of the players.
The first sentence places emphasis on the person's profession, while the second sentence emphasizes the basketball.
Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs in a sentence. They convey information about how, when, or where an action is performed. Adverbs in Mandarin Chinese usually come immediately before the verb that they modify in a sentence.
Some commonly used Mandarin Chinese adverbs include:
Mandarin Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
很 | hěn | very |
非常 | fēicháng | extremely |
有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
常常 | chángcháng | often |
往往 | wǎngwǎng | frequently, often |
一起 | yīqǐ | together |
就 | jiù | then, only |
已经 | yǐjīng | already |
没 | méi | not have/never |
还 | hái | still, also |
Here are some examples of adverbs used in Mandarin Chinese sentences:
- 我很喜欢吃中国菜。(wǒ hěn xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài.) - I really like to eat Chinese food.
- 她非常聪明。(tā fēicháng cōngming.) - She is extremely smart.
- 我一起去。(wǒ yīqǐ qù.) - I will go together.
Note that in Mandarin Chinese, some adverbs can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence to create a specific emphasis. For instance:
- 今天我没有去学校。(jīntiān wǒ méiyǒu qù xuéxiào.) - Today, I did not go to school.
- 往往我们只看到一个人表面的东西。(wǎngwǎng wǒmen zhǐ kàn dào yīgèrén biǎomiàn de dōngxi.) - Often we only see the surface of a person.
It is important to note that while adjectives and adverbs function similarly in English and Mandarin Chinese, there is no direct translation between the two languages. Therefore, it is important to practice and learn how to use them appropriately in Mandarin Chinese sentences.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have learned about the classification and positioning of adjectives and adverbs in Mandarin Chinese sentences. Remember that adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Keep practicing with different sentence structures and new vocabulary to enhance your Mandarin Chinese skills. Good luck!
Sources
Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: 个 (ge) & 呢 ne.
Other Lessons
- Describing People with Suffixes 家 者 师 员 生 手
- 个 (ge)
- Conditional Mood
- Tones Introduction
- Complex Verb Phrases
- Express "excessively" with 太 (tài)
- Express existence with 有 (yǒu)
- How to Use be
- Plurals
- Be Polite
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