Mandarin Chinese Grammar Syllabus

What is the correct order for stating a full date in Mandarin?

Largest to smallest: Year + 年 + Month + 月 + Day + 日/号. Example: 2026年7月1日 = "July 1, 2026" (二零二六年七月一日).

How are days of the week expressed in Mandarin, and what is the exception for Sunday?

星期 (xīngqī) + number: 星期一 (Monday) ... 星期六 (Saturday). Sunday is 星期日 or 星期天 (xīngqī rì / tiān), NOT 星期七.

How do you tell time on the hour and half-past in Mandarin (e.g. 2:00 and 2:30)?

点 (diǎn) = o'clock, 分 (fēn) = minutes, 半 (bàn) = half. 2:00 = 两点 (liǎng diǎn); 2:30 = 两点半 (liǎng diǎn bàn). Note 2 o'clock uses 两 (liǎng), not 二.

What does the aspect particle 了 (le) after a verb indicate, and where is it placed?

Verb + 了 marks a completed/realized action (perfective aspect). Example: 我买了一本书 (wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū) = "I bought a book." It marks completion, not necessarily past tense.

How do you negate a completed action that used 了? What replaces both?

Use 没(有) (méi yǒu) before the verb and DROP 了. Affirmative: 我吃了 (I ate). Negative: 我没吃 (wǒ méi chī) = "I didn't eat" — never 没吃了.

What is the difference between sentence-final 了 and verb-suffix 了?

Verb + 了 marks completion of that action. Sentence-final 了 marks a change of state or new situation ("now"). Example: 下雨了 (xià yǔ le) = "It's (started) raining now."

What does the aspect particle 过 (guò) express, and how is it positioned?

Verb + 过 marks experiential aspect — having done something at least once in the past ("have ever..."). Example: 我去过中国 (wǒ qù guo zhōngguó) = "I have been to China (before)."

How do you negate an experiential 过 sentence?

Use 没(有) before the verb, keeping 过. Example: 我没去过日本 (wǒ méi qù guo rìběn) = "I have never been to Japan."

Contrast the meaning of 了 vs 过: 我看了那部电影 vs 我看过那部电影.

我看了那部电影 = "I watched that movie" (a specific completed event). 我看过那部电影 = "I have seen that movie (before)" (life experience, at least once). 了 = completion, 过 = experience.

How is ongoing/progressive action ("be doing") marked with 在 (zài)?

Place 在 (or 正在, 正) before the verb: (正)在 + Verb. Example: 我在看书 (wǒ zài kàn shū) = "I am reading a book." Often reinforced by final 呢 (ne).

What does the particle 着 (zhe) express, and how does it differ from 在 (zài)?

Verb + 着 marks a continuous/persisting state resulting from an action (durative aspect), whereas 在 marks a progressive action in process. 门开着 (mén kāi zhe) = "The door is (standing) open."

How does 着 (zhe) express two simultaneous actions? Give the structure.

Verb1 + 着 + Verb2 = doing V2 while V1 continues. Example: 他站着说话 (tā zhàn zhe shuō huà) = "He talks while standing / He stands talking."

What is the meaning and use of the modal verb 会 (huì)?

会 (huì) expresses a learned ability/skill or future likelihood. Ability: 我会说中文 (wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén) = "I can speak Chinese." Likelihood: 明天会下雨 = "It will rain tomorrow."

Distinguish 能 (néng), 会 (huì), and 可以 (kěyǐ) for expressing "can."

会 = acquired skill/knowing how; 能 = physical capability or circumstantial possibility; 可以 = permission or possibility. E.g. 我会开车 (I know how to drive) vs 我今天不能开车 (I can't drive today) vs 你可以走了 (you may go).

What do the auxiliary verbs 想 (xiǎng), 要 (yào), and 应该 (yīnggāi) express?

想 = want to / would like to (desire); 要 = want to / will / must (stronger intention or need); 应该 = should / ought to. Example: 我想去 (I want to go); 我要走 (I'm going to leave); 你应该休息 (you should rest).

How is a plain adjectival predicate sentence structured, and how is it negated?

Subject + 很 (or other degree adverb) + Adjective; no 是 needed. Negation: replace 很 with 不 before the adjective. 他很累 (tā hěn lèi) = "He is tired"; 他不累 (tā bú lèi) = "He is not tired."

Why does an adjective in a bare sentence like 她漂亮 (without 很) often sound incomplete or comparative?

An unmodified adjective predicate implies contrast/comparison ("She is pretty [but...]"). Adding 很 or another degree adverb neutralizes it into a simple statement: 她很漂亮 = "She is pretty."

What is the basic structure for a comparison using 比 (bǐ)?

A + 比 + B + Adjective. Example: 我比你高 (wǒ bǐ nǐ gāo) = "I am taller than you." Do NOT add 很 before the adjective in a 比 sentence.

How do you express the degree of difference in a 比 comparison (e.g. "a little taller," "three years older")?

Put the amount AFTER the adjective: A 比 B + Adj + amount. Example: 我比你高一点儿 (gāo yìdiǎnr) = "a little taller"; 他比我大三岁 (dà sān suì) = "three years older."

How do you negate a comparison and say "A is not as ... as B"?

Use 没有 (méiyǒu) instead of 比: A + 没有 + B + (那么/这么) + Adj. Example: 我没有你高 (wǒ méiyǒu nǐ gāo) = "I am not as tall as you."

How do you say two things are equal/the same in a comparison?

Use A 跟/和 B 一样 + Adj. Example: 我跟你一样高 (wǒ gēn nǐ yíyàng gāo) = "I am as tall as you." Negation: A 跟 B 不一样.

What is a degree complement, and what particle connects the verb/adjective to it?

A degree complement describes the extent or result of an action/state, connected by 得 (de). Structure: Verb + 得 + complement. Example: 他跑得很快 (tā pǎo de hěn kuài) = "He runs fast."

How do you form a degree-complement sentence when the verb takes an object (e.g. "He speaks Chinese well")?

Repeat the verb: Verb + Object + Verb + 得 + complement. Example: 他说中文说得很好 (tā shuō zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo) = "He speaks Chinese well." The object can also be topicalized: 他中文说得很好.

What is a coverb, and give a common example with 在 (zài) for location.

A coverb is a verb-like preposition that introduces a phrase before the main verb. 在 as coverb marks location of the action: Subject + 在 + Place + Verb. Example: 我在图书馆学习 (wǒ zài túshūguǎn xuéxí) = "I study in the library."

Explain the coverbs 给 (gěi), 跟 (gēn), and 用 (yòng) and their word order.

They form a prepositional phrase before the main verb. 给 = to/for (recipient): 我给你打电话 (I call you). 跟 = with: 我跟他说话 (I talk with him). 用 = using (instrument): 我用筷子吃饭 (I eat with chopsticks).

How does the coverb 从 (cóng) work, and how does it combine with 到 (dào)?

从 = "from" (starting point), placed before the main verb. 从...到... = "from...to...". Example: 从北京到上海 (cóng Běijīng dào Shànghǎi) = "from Beijing to Shanghai"; 从九点到五点 = "from 9 to 5."

How is existence/possession expressed with 有 (yǒu), and how is it negated?

有 = "to have" / "there is/are." Example: 桌子上有书 (zhuōzi shàng yǒu shū) = "There are books on the table." Negation is ALWAYS 没有 (méiyǒu), never 不有.

Contrast existential 有 (yǒu) and locational 在 (zài): 桌子上有书 vs 书在桌子上.

Place + 有 + Thing introduces something new/indefinite at a location ("There are books on the table"). Thing + 在 + Place tells where a known/definite thing is located ("The books are on the table").

What is the word order for a location sentence using 在 (zài) as the main verb?

Subject (definite thing) + 在 + Place. Example: 我在家 (wǒ zài jiā) = "I am at home"; 猫在椅子下面 (māo zài yǐzi xiàmiàn) = "The cat is under the chair."

List the basic Mandarin directional/localizer words for on, under, inside, outside, front, and behind.

上面 (shàngmiàn) on/above; 下面 (xiàmiàn) under/below; 里面 (lǐmiàn) inside; 外面 (wàimiàn) outside; 前面 (qiánmiàn) in front; 后面 (hòumiàn) behind. Placed AFTER the noun: 桌子上面 = "on the table."

What are simple directional complements 来 (lái) and 去 (qù) after a verb, and what do they indicate?

Verb + 来/去 shows motion relative to the speaker: 来 = toward the speaker, 去 = away from the speaker. Example: 进来 (jìn lái) = "come in" (toward me); 出去 (chū qù) = "go out" (away from me).