Structure Pinyin English Equivalent Example Example Pinyin Example Translation

fàn hái méi zuò hǎo， qǐng nǐděng The food is not cooked yet, please
V好 V hǎo done V-ing 饭还没做好，请你等一会儿。
yīhuìr。 wait awhile.
⼀ + M + N + 也／都 yī + M + N + yě/ I’m not eating any apples. (Lit. I
not V even one N 我一个苹果也不吃。 wǒ yī gè píngguǒ yě bù chī。
+不+V dōu + bù + V don’t eat even one apple.)
[If] you don’t go, then I won’t go
那 nà so then 你不去， 那我也不去了。 nǐ bù qù , nà wǒ yě bù qù le。
either.
A: I’ve done my reviewed a long
A: 我早就复习好了。B: 那也不能一 A: wǒ zǎojiù fùxí hǎole 。B: nà yě time ago already.
那也 nà yě but still
直玩儿啊。 bùnéng yīzhí wánr ā。 B: But still [you] shouldn’t be
playing all the time.
V1 了就 V2 爸爸回来了我们就吃饭。 bàba huílai le wǒmen jiù chīfàn。 We’ll eat when dad comes back.

ne
V1 le jiù V2 V2 as soon as V1
(complements of wǒmen zài lóushàng děng nǐ ne， We are upstairs waiting, please
V 来／去 V lái／ qù 我们在楼上等你呢，你上来吧。
direction) nǐ shànglái ba。 come up.
V somewhere 来/ V somewhere lái/ (complements of
朋友回家去了。 péngyou huíjiā qù le。 [My] friend went back home.

Zo
去 qù direction)
(complements of You need to bring [your] homework
V O 来／去 V O lái／ qù 明天要带作业来。 míngtiān yào dài zuòyè lái。
direction) tomorrow.
(complements of
V 来／去 O V lái／ qù O 明天要带来作业。 míngtiān yào dàilái zuòyè。 Bring [your] homework tomorrow.
direction)
你不做作业，也不练习， 能学好汉 You don't do [your] homework, don't
nǐ bù zuò zuòyè , yě bù liànxí ,
能 …… 吗？ néng … … ma？ how can you…? 语 practice, how can you [possibly]
néng xuéhǎo Hànyǔ ma？
吗？ learn Chinese well?
N1 还是 N2 ? 你要喝咖啡还是喝茶？ nǐ yào hē kāfēi háishi hē chá? Do you want coffee or tea?

in
N1 háishi N2 ? N1 or N2 ?
When the weather is cold or when
天冷了或者工作累了的时候，喝杯热 tiānlěng le huòzhě gōngzuò lèi le de you’re tired from work, it is very
N1 或者 N2 N1 huòzhě N2 either N1 or N21
茶很舒服。 shíhou， hē bēi rèchá hěn shūfu。 comfortable to drink a cup of hot
tea.

ar
N1 or N2 (in question- wǒ hái méi xiǎng hǎoqù páshān I haven't decided whether to go
N1 还是 N2 N1 háishi N2 我还没想好去爬山还是去看电影。
like clauses) háishi qù kàn diànyǐng。 hiking or to go to the movies.
PLACE + V + zhe + There is N V’ed in There is a cup of coffee placed on
PLACE + V + 着 + N 桌子上放着一杯咖啡。 zhuōzi shàngfàng zhe yī bēi kāfēi。
N PLACE. the table.
nd
PLACE + 没 + V + PLACE + méi + V + There is not N V’ed in There was no coffee placed on the
桌子上没放着咖啡。 zhuōzi shàng méi fàng zhe kāfēi。
着+N zhe + N PLACE. table.
nǐ chuān dé nàme shǎo， huì You wear so little, you will catch a
会 + V / A + (的） huì + V / A + ( de） will V, will be A 你穿得那么少， 会感冒的。
gǎnmào de。 cold.
Ma

⼜ ……⼜ …… yòu … … yòu … … not only … but also … 这个西瓜又大又甜。 zhège xīguā yòu dà yòu tián。 This watermelon is big and sweet.
The younger brother is doing
V1 + 着 + V2 V1 + zhe + V2 V1-ing while V2-ing 弟弟吃着苹果写作业。 dìdi chī zhe píngguǒ xiě zuòyè。
homework while eating [an] apple.
zuótiān chī le gǎnmàoyào， xiànzài I took flu medicine yesterday, and
A了 A le become A 昨天吃了感冒药，现在好一些了。
hǎo yīxiē le。 I’m better now.
xiànzài wǒ kěyǐ chuān piàoliang de
V了 V le (didn’t V but) now V 现在我可以穿漂亮的裙子了。 Now I can wear a beautiful dress.
qúnzi le。
You’re more and more handsome
越来越 + A + (了) yuèláiyuè + A + ( le) more and more A 你最近越来越帅了。 nǐ zuìjìnyuèláiyuè shuài le。
these days.
 I can see the Chinese character
V + 得 + RESULT V + dé + RESULT can V to RESULT 我看得清楚那个汉字。 wǒ kàn dé qīngchu nàge hànzì。
clearly.
V+得+ V + dé + lóu zhème gāo， nǐ shàng dé lái The building is so high, are you able
can V to DIRECTION 楼这么高，你上得来吗？
DIRECTION DIRECTION ma？ to come up?
V + 不 + result V + bù + result cannot V to RESULT 我找不到好饭馆。 wǒ zhǎobudào hǎo fànguǎn。 I can't seek out a good restaurant.
cannot V to The building is too high, I can't go
V + 不 + direction V + bù + direction 楼太高了，我上不去。 lóu tài gāo le， wǒ shàng bù qù。
DIRECTION up.
N 呢? N ne? where is N? 你的书呢？ nǐ de shū ne？ Where is your book?
刚V gāng V just V 儿子刚做完作业。 érzi gāng zuòwán zuòyè。 The son just finished his homework.
My son is doing homework
刚才 gāngcái moments ago 刚才儿子在做作业。 gāngcái érzi zài zuò zuòyè。
moments ago.

ne
V + 了 + DURATION V + le + DURATION V’ed O for wǒmen zuò le yī gè xiǎoshí
我们坐了一个小时公共汽车 。 We took a bus for an hour.
+O + O DURATION gōnggòngqìchē。
V + 了 + DURATION V + le + DURATION have been V-ing O
我学习了一年 汉语了。 wǒ xuéxí le yī nián Hànyǔ le。 I have studied Chinese for a year.
+O+了 + O + le for DURATION

Zo
duì N gǎnxìngqù/ tāmen duì Zhōngguó diànyǐng
对 N 感兴趣/有兴趣 interested in N 他们对中国电影感兴趣。 They are interested in Chinese movies.
yǒuxìngqù gǎnxìngqù。
tāmen duì Zhōngguó diànyǐng méi They are not interested in Chinese
对 N 没兴趣 duì N méi xìngqù not interested in N 他们对中国电影没兴趣。
xìngqù。 movies.
半 bàn half hour 现在七点半。 xiànzài qī diǎn bàn。 It’s half past seven.
quarter hour (when
一刻 yī kè 现在七点一刻 。 xiànzài qī diǎn yī kè。 Now it’s quarter past seven.
telling time)
quarter hour
一刻钟 yī kè zhōng 你迟到了一刻钟。 nǐ chí dàoliǎo yī kè zhōng。 You are late for 15 minutes.

in
(duration)
差 (chà) chà (chà) to (when telling time) 已经差一刻八点了！ yǐjīng chà yī kè bā diǎn le！ It’s already a quarter to eight!
wǒ míngtiān hái yào zài qù
再V zài V again (later) 我明天还要再去看看。 I will go see it again tomorrow.
kànkan。

ar
nǐ jīntiān zěnme yòu chí
⼜V yòu V (did) again 你今天怎么又迟到了? Why are you late again today?
dàoliǎo?
(S acts in a way so
that the answer to wǒ xiǎng hē shénme jiù hē
S + Q1 + 就 + Q2 S + Q1 + jiù + Q2 我想喝什么就喝什么。 I drink whatever I want to drink.
shénme。
nd
Q1 is the same as
the answer to Q2.)
(S2 acts in a way that
S1 + Q + S2 + jiù + the answer to Q is
S1 + Q + S2 + 就 + Q 你喝什么我就喝什么。 nǐ hē shénme wǒ jiù hē shénme。 I drink whatever you drink.
Q true for both S1 and
Ma

S2.)
yuè V1/A1 yuè V2/ the more V1/A1 the The more we chat, the more joyous
越 V1/A1 越 V2/A2 我们越聊越开心。 wǒmen yuè liáo yuè kāixīn。
A2 more V2/A2 we are.
nǐ de yǎnjing gēn dàxióngmāo
N1 跟 N2 一样 N1 gēn N2 yīyàng N1 is like N2 你的眼睛跟大熊猫一样。 Your eyes are like pandas’ [eyes].
yīyàng。
N1 跟 N2 一样 A N1 gēn N2 yīyàng A N1 is as A as N2 儿子跟爸爸一样高。 érzi gēn bàba yīyàng gāo。 The son is as tall as his father.
没有 N (这么/那么) méiyǒu N ( zhème/
not as A as N 我的汉语没有他那么好。 wǒ de Hànyǔ méiyǒu tā nàme hǎo。 My Chinese is not as good as his.
A nàme) A
Dashan is a little shorter than
A 一点儿/一些 A yīdiǎnr/ yīxiē A little more A 大山比大卫矮一点儿。 Dàshān bǐ Dàwèi ǎi yīdiǎnr。
David.
 jīntiān de zuòyè bǐ zuótiān duō dé Today's homework is much more
A 得多/多了 A dé duō/ duō le much more A 今天的作业比昨天多得多。
duō。 than yesterday’s.
wǒ měitiān xuéxí yī liǎng gè xiǎoshí I study Chinese for one or two
# #+1 # #+1 # or #+1 我每天学习一两个小时汉语。
Hànyǔ。 hours a day.
把+ O +V+了 bǎ + O + V + le V’ed the O 我把钱包忘了。 wǒ bǎ qiánbāo wàng le。 I forgot my/the wallet.
不要/别/没把 + O + bùyào/ bié/ méi bǎ don’t/don’t/haven’t
别把手机忘了。 bié bǎshǒu jī wàng le。 Don't forget your/the phone.
V+了 + O + V + le V’ed the O
zhōumò wǒ yībān shí diǎn zuǒyòu I usually get up at around 10
# 左右 # zuǒyòu approximately # 周末我一般十点左右起床。
qǐchuáng。 o'clock on weekends.
just (better than It takes only an hour to get there by
就 V/A jiù V/A 坐飞机一个小时就到了。 zuòfēijī yī gè xiǎoshí jiù dàoliǎo。
expected) plane.

ne
just (worse than How come you only came just
才 V/A cái V/A 你怎么才来？ nǐ zěnme cái lái？
expected) now? (Why are you so late?)
把 + O + V + 在/到 + bǎ + O + V + zài/ wǒ bǎ zhàopiànfàng zài nǐ bāo lǐ
V’d the O to PLACE 我把照片放在你包里 了。 I put the photo in your bag.
PLACE dào + PLACE le。

Zo
V + motion V + 来/ (compound míngtiān wǒmen yīqǐ bǎ lǐwù sòng
V + motion V + lái/ Let's send the gift over together
complements of 明天我们一起把礼物送过去。
去 qù guòqu。 tomorrow.
direction)
一边 + V1 + 一边 + yībiān + V1 + yībiān
V1 while V2 他一边唱歌一边跳舞。 tā yībiān chànggē yībiān tiàowǔ。 He sang while he danced.
V2 + V2
把 + O + V + result bǎ + O + V + result V the O until RESULT 我把衣服洗干净 了。 wǒ bǎ yīfu xǐ gānjìng le。 I washed my clothes clean.
把+O+V+ bǎ + O + V + V the O to
他把水果拿过来 了。 tā bǎ shuǐguǒ ná guòlái le。 He took the fruit over.
direction direction DIRECTION

in
wǒ xiān zuò le gōnggòngqìchē , I first took the bus, then took the
先 ……再/⼜ ……然 xiān … … zài/ 我先坐了公共汽车，又坐了地铁，然
First, then, then, … yòu zuò le dìtiě , ránhòu cái dào subway, and then went to
后 …… yòu … … ránhòu … … 后才到小刚家。
Xiaogang's house.
xiǎo gāng jiā。
chúle zhège hànzì yǐwài， biéde wǒ Except for this Chinese character, I
除了 N 以外

ar
chúle N yǐwài except N 除了这个汉字以外，别的我都认识。
dōu rènshi。 know everything else.
shàngwǎng chúle kàn
除了 ……(以外)， chúle……( yǐwài)， not only … , but 上网除了看新闻(以外) ，还可以听音 In addition to watching the news,
xīnwén( yǐwài)， hái kěyǐ tīng
还 …… hái … … also … 乐。 you can listen to music too.
yīnyuè。
nd
Do you have any plans for the
什么 shénme any 周末你有什么打算吗? zhōumò nǐ yǒu shénme dǎsuàn ma?
weekend?
The weather is extremely cold
A 极了 A jíle extremely A 今天天气冷极了。 jīntiān tiānqì lěng jíle。
today.
Ma

如果 ……(的话), rúguǒ ……( dehuà), rúguǒ nǐ tài lèi dehuà , jiù xiūxi
if … , then … 如果你太累的话 ，就休息一会儿。 If you are too tired, take a break.
就 …… jiù … … yīhuìr。
The son was so tired that he went
A + 得 + CLAUSE A + dé + CLAUSE so A that + CLAUSE 儿子累得下了班就睡觉了。 érzi lèi dé xià le bān jiù shuìjiào le。
to sleep as soon as he got off work.
A (with tā bízi xiǎoxiǎo de， tóufa hēi Her nose is teeny tiny and her hair
A+A+的 A + A + de 她鼻子小小的，头发黑黑的 。
characteristics) hēi is black.
de。
wǒ dài nǐ qù yīyuànjiǎnchá jiǎnchá
Let me take you to the hospital for
V+V V + V V for a bit 我带你去医院检查检查吧。
ba。 to check up a bit.
Xiao Gang likes to eat anything (lit.
Q+都 Q + dōu Q-ever 小刚什么都喜欢吃。 xiǎo gāng shénme dōu xǐhuan chī。
whatever).
 zhǐyào wǒ yǒu shíjiān， jiù yīdìng As long as I have time, I will
只要 ……就 …… zhǐyào … … jiù … … as long as 只要我有时间，就一定跟你去旅游。
gēn nǐ qù lǚyóu。 definitely travel with you.
guānyú zhè jiàn shì , wǒmen hái We have not decided on this matter
关于 guānyú about 关于这件事，我们还没有决定呢。
méiyǒu juédìng ne。 yet.
V and produce an
V + 出来 V + chūlái 这个字你能写出来吗? zhège zì nǐ néng xiě chūlái ma? Can you write (out) this word?
outcome
nǐ tīng chūlái le ma？ zhè shì shéi After listening, did you recognize
V + 出来 V + chūlái V and recognize 你听出来了吗？这是谁的声音？
de shēngyīn？ [it]? Whose voice is this?
wǒ zhēn xīwàng shíjiān néng màn I really hope that time can slow
V + 下来 V + xiàlai V down 我真希望时间能慢下来。
xiàlai。 down.
I can't think of (lit. think up) his
我想不起来他的名字了。 wǒ xiǎng bù qilai tā de míngzi le。

ne
想起来 xiǎngqilai to recall
name.
kànqǐlái/ tā kànshangqu/ kànqǐlái xiàng40
看起来/看上去 to seem 他看上去/看起来像40多岁。 He looks like he is in his 40s.
kànshangqu duō suì。
shǐ/ jiào/ ràng + O +
使/叫/让 + O + A/V make O A/V 读书使/叫/让我快乐。 dúshū shǐ/ jiào/ ràng wǒ kuàilè。 Reading makes me happy.

Zo
A/V
wǒ de zhàoxiàngjī bèi/ jiào/
O + 被/叫/让 + S + O + bèi/ jiào/ ràng +
O is V’ed by S 我的照相机被/叫/让谁拿走了? ràng My camera was taken by who?
V S + V
shéi názǒu le?
O + 不/没 + 被/叫/让 O + bù/ méi + bèi/ The problem has not been solved
O is not V’ed by S 问题还没有被解决呢。 wèntí hái méiyǒu bèijiějué ne。
+S+V jiào/ ràng + S + V yet.

in
www.mandarinzone.com nd
ar
Ma