[Learn beginner Chinese with grammar] Basic Chinese Grammar Rules

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What are basic Chinese grammar rules?

Chinese grammar is different from English grammar in many ways.

English often changes word forms, uses tense endings, and changes word order in questions. Chinese usually depends more on word order, context, particles, adverbs, and time words.

For beginners, the most important idea is:

• Chinese word order is very important.
• Chinese usually does not change verbs for tense.
• Chinese adjectives can often work like state verbs.
• Chinese questions usually do not need English-style inversion.

This lesson introduces four useful beginner sentence patterns:

Pattern type	Chinese name	Main use
Action sentence	敘事句 ♬	describe an action or event
有 sentence	有無句 ♬	describe possession or existence
Adjective sentence	表態句 ♬	describe a state or quality
是 sentence	判斷句 ♬	identify or explain what something is

These four patterns do not explain every Chinese sentence, but they are very useful for beginners.

1. Basic Chinese word order

The most basic Chinese word order is similar to English:

Pattern	Meaning
Subject + Verb + Object	Someone does something.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
我喝水。 ♬	wǒ hē shuǐ	I drink water.
他學中文。 ♬	tā xué Zhōngwén	He learns Chinese.
妹妹吃飯。 ♬	mèimei chī fàn	Younger sister eats a meal.

Chinese does not add “-s,” “-ed,” or “-ing” to the verb. Time and aspect are usually shown by time words, context, or particles like「了」.

2. Pattern 1: 敘事句 xùshìjù

「敘事句」means an action or event sentence. It describes what someone does, wants to do, can do, or will do.

Pattern	Use
Subject + Verb + Object	describe an action
Subject + Auxiliary verb + Verb phrase	describe want, can, should, will, etc.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
他去跳舞。 ♬	tā qù tiàowǔ	He goes dancing.
我想學中文。 ♬	wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén	I want to learn Chinese.
她會說中文。 ♬	tā huì shuō Zhōngwén	She can speak Chinese.

In Chinese, verbs can often appear one after another. For example,「去跳舞」literally means “go dance.” This is natural Chinese.

3. Common note: Chinese may use verbs where English uses other words

Sometimes Chinese and English do not use the same part of speech.

For example, English says “go dancing,” but Chinese says「去跳舞」, which is more like “go dance.”

English idea	Natural Chinese	Literal idea
go dancing	去跳舞 ♬	go dance
go swimming	去游泳 ♬	go swim
learn Chinese	學中文 ♬	learn Chinese

Do not translate every English structure word by word. Learn the Chinese pattern directly.

4. Pattern 2: 有無句 yǒuwújù

「有無句」describes possession, existence, or whether something exists.

The most important word is「有 yǒu」, which means “to have” or “there is / there are.”

Pattern	Meaning
Subject + 有 + Noun	Subject has something.
Place + 有 + Noun	There is / are something in a place.
Subject + 沒有 + Noun	Subject does not have something.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
我有父母。 ♬	wǒ yǒu fùmǔ	I have parents.
我沒有時間。 ♬	wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān	I do not have time.
桌上有一本書。 ♬	zhuō shàng yǒu yì běn shū	There is a book on the table.

「無」is a more formal or written word. In daily speech, use「沒有」for “do not have” or “there is not.”

5. 有 vs 是

Beginners sometimes confuse「有」and「是」because both may translate into English with “is” in some sentences.

Chinese word	Main use	Example
有 ♬	have; exist	桌上有一本書。 ♬
是 ♬	be; identify	他是學生。 ♬

Use「有」to say something exists or someone has something. Use「是」to say A is B.

6. Pattern 3: 表態句 biǎotàijù

「表態句」describes the state, quality, or condition of the subject.

In beginner Chinese, this often means an adjective sentence.

Pattern	Meaning
Subject + Degree adverb + Adjective	Subject is adjective.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
妹妹很漂亮。 ♬	mèimei hěn piàoliang	Younger sister is pretty.
中文很有趣。 ♬	Zhōngwén hěn yǒuqù	Chinese is interesting.
今天有點冷。 ♬	jīntiān yǒudiǎn lěng	Today is a little cold.

Chinese usually does not use「是」before a simple adjective. Do not say「妹妹是漂亮」for “Younger sister is pretty.”

7. Why do we often use 很 before adjectives?

「很」often means “very,” but not always.

In simple adjective sentences,「很」can make the sentence sound complete and natural. In this use, it may be weak and does not always need to be translated as “very.”

Chinese	Better beginner meaning	English
她很漂亮。 ♬	pretty / very pretty	She is pretty.
他很忙。 ♬	busy / very busy	He is busy.
這很難。 ♬	difficult / very difficult	This is difficult.

If you really want to emphasize “very,” use「非常」or「超級」depending on the tone.

Neutral / common	Clearly strong
她很漂亮。 ♬	她非常漂亮。 ♬

8. Chinese adjectives can work like state verbs

In Chinese, many adjectives can work like verbs that describe a state. This is why you do not need「是」before a normal adjective sentence.

Do not say	Say this	English
妹妹是漂亮。	妹妹很漂亮。 ♬	Younger sister is pretty.
今天是冷。	今天很冷。 ♬	Today is cold.
這個是貴。	這個很貴。 ♬	This one is expensive.

However,「是」can appear before adjective-like phrases in special contrast or emphasis structures. Beginners should first learn the simple rule: do not use「是」before a basic adjective sentence.

9. Pattern 4: 判斷句 pànduànjù

「判斷句」identifies or explains what something is. The most important word is「是 shì」.

Pattern	Meaning
Subject + 是 + Noun / Noun phrase	Subject is a noun / noun phrase.
Subject + 不是 + Noun / Noun phrase	Subject is not a noun / noun phrase.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
他是學生。 ♬	tā shì xuéshēng	He is a student.
我是老師。 ♬	wǒ shì lǎoshī	I am a teacher.
這不是我的書。 ♬	zhè bú shì wǒ de shū	This is not my book.

Use「是」mainly before nouns or noun phrases, not before simple adjectives.

10. 是 vs adjective sentences

This is one of the most important beginner differences.

Use 是 with nouns	Use 很 / 非常 / 有點 with adjectives
他是學生。 ♬ He is a student.	他很聰明。 ♬ He is smart.
這是咖啡。 ♬ This is coffee.	咖啡很貴。 ♬ Coffee is expensive.

English uses “is” in both sentences, but Chinese uses different structures.

11. Time words usually come before the verb

In Chinese, time words often come before the verb phrase. They can appear before or after the subject.

Pattern	Example
Subject + Time + Verb phrase	我明天去台北。 ♬
Time + Subject + Verb phrase	明天我去台北。 ♬

Both can be correct. Putting the time word first often makes it the topic or focus.

12. Chinese questions usually keep the same word order

Chinese questions usually do not use English-style inversion.

Statement	Question
你想去。 ♬	你想去嗎？ ♬
你在台北。 ♬	你在哪裡？ ♬

In the second example,「哪裡」stays where the answer「台北」would appear.

13. Common beginner mistakes

Mistake	Better Chinese	Why
妹妹是漂亮。	妹妹很漂亮。 ♬	Do not use 是 before a simple adjective.
你去哪裡嗎？	你去哪裡？ ♬	Question-word questions usually do not need 嗎.
我明天會去嗎？	你明天會去嗎？ ♬	Check the subject. 我 means I; 你 means you.
他是有一本書。	他有一本書。 ♬	Use 有 for possession.

14. Four basic patterns together

Type	Pattern	Example
敘事句	Subject + Verb + Object	他去跳舞。 ♬
有無句	Subject / Place + 有 + Noun	我有父母。 ♬
表態句	Subject + Degree adverb + Adjective	妹妹很漂亮。 ♬
判斷句	Subject + 是 + Noun	他是學生。 ♬

Quick review

Grammar point	Meaning	Example
Basic word order	Subject + Verb + Object	我喝水。 ♬
Action sentence	describe an action or event	他去跳舞。 ♬
有 sentence	possession or existence	我有父母。 ♬
Adjective sentence	describe a state or quality	妹妹很漂亮。 ♬
是 sentence	identify a noun or noun phrase	他是學生。 ♬
很	often makes adjective sentences natural	他很忙。 ♬
Question word position	question word stays in the answer position	你在哪裡？ ♬

Useful vocabulary

Chinese	Pinyin	English
文法 ♬	wénfǎ	grammar
句型 ♬	jùxíng	sentence pattern
句子 ♬	jùzi	sentence
主詞 ♬	zhǔcí	subject
動詞 ♬	dòngcí	verb
受詞 ♬	shòucí	object
名詞 ♬	míngcí	noun
形容詞 ♬	xíngróngcí	adjective
副詞 ♬	fùcí	adverb
程度副詞 ♬	chéngdù fùcí	adverb of degree
敘事句 ♬	xùshìjù	action sentence; narrative sentence
有無句 ♬	yǒuwújù	有 sentence; possession or existence sentence
表態句 ♬	biǎotàijù	state sentence; adjective sentence
判斷句 ♬	pànduànjù	judgment sentence; 是 sentence
有 ♬	yǒu	to have; there is / there are
沒有 ♬	méiyǒu	do not have; there is not
是 ♬	shì	to be; is / am / are
不是 ♬	bú shì	is not; am not; are not
很 ♬	hěn	very; common degree word
非常 ♬	fēicháng	very; extremely
有點 ♬	yǒudiǎn	a little; somewhat
跳舞 ♬	tiàowǔ	to dance
父母 ♬	fùmǔ	parents
妹妹 ♬	mèimei	younger sister
漂亮 ♬	piàoliang	pretty; beautiful
學生 ♬	xuéshēng	student
老師 ♬	lǎoshī	teacher