Chinese Grammar│Chinese Auxiliary Verbs (1)



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IntroduceChinese Auxiliary Verbs
There are many kinds of auxiliary verbs that indicate possibility or willingness in Chinese.
I'll list out and explain one by one below.

Usage 1:To express willingness.
want;想要 xiǎng yào + Noun
e.g. I want a peach
       我想要一個[]桃子
       xiǎng yào yīgè táozi

want;想要 xiǎng yào + Verb + ...
e.g. I want to go travel to United States
       我想要去美國[]旅行
       wǒ xiǎng yào qù měiguó lǚxíng

want;想 xiǎng + Verb + ...

e.g. I want to give up
       我放棄[]
       wǒ xiǎng fàngqì

「想 xiǎng 」can be regarded as "missing", do not to confuse it.

e.g. I miss you;我想你;wǒ xiǎng nǐ

want;要 yào + Noun

e.g. I want an apple.
       他一個蘋[]果。
       yào yīgè píngguǒ.

want;要 yào + Verb + ...
e.g. I want to to Taiwan.
      我去台灣[]。
       yào qù táiwān.

「要 yào、想 xiǎng」have subtle difference.
    「要 yào」indicates that "it's already decided to do."
     But,「想 xiǎng」is still the stage of "consideration"

dare敢 gǎn+ Verb + ...
e.g. He dares to challenge authority.
       他挑戰權威[战权威]。
       gǎn tiǎozhàn quánwēi.

will do ...;會 huì + Verb + ...
e.g. I will go to Europe.
       我會[会]去歐[]洲。
       huì qù ōuzhōu.

be willing to;肯 kěn + Verb + ...
e.g. He is willing to study hard.
       他努力學習[学习]。
       kěn nǔlì xuéxí.

be willing to願意 yuàn yì + Verb + ...
e.g. I am willing to spend whole my life with you.
       我願[]意與你度過[]一生。
       yuànyì yǔ nǐ dùguò yīshēng
「肯 kěn」indicates the situation that "though it's hard, but someone is still willing to..."
      It's different with「願意 yuàn yì

wish;願 yuàn + Clause
e.g. I wish world peace.
       我世界和平。
       yuàn shìjiè hépíng.

hope;希望 xī wàng + Clause/ Verb + ...
e.g. I hope to be a scientist.
       我希望成為[]一個科學家
       xīwàng chéngwéi yīgè kēxuéjiā.

Usage 2:To express judgement on reason or affairs.
should應該 yīng gāi + Verb + ...
e.g. You should practice Chinese.
       你應該去練習中文
          应该    
       yīnggāi qù liànxí zhōngwén.

should應當 yīng dāng + Verb + ...
e.g. You should get up early.
       你應當早點起床
              当    
       yīngdāng zǎodiǎn qǐchuáng.
 The use of this word is formal and to reprimand someone
    So, it needs to be used with caution.

should;應 yīng + Verb + ...

e.g. You should follow the rules.
       你遵守規則[规则]
       nǐ yīng zūnshǒu guīzé.
 This word is formal, and it is monosyllable.
     So it is only used in written ,speeches generally.

have to; děi + Verb + ...

e.g. You have to go to the hospital
       你去醫[医]
       nǐ qù yīyuàn
「得 děi 」indicates the situation that "you have to do ...,otherwise something bad thing would happen".
* Pay attention on pinyin, it's different with the normal.

need;需要 xū yào + Noun + ...
e.g. Humans need water
       人類[类]需要
       rénlèi xūyào shuǐ

must;
[须]要 xū yào + Verb + ...
e.g. Humans must drink water
       人類喝水
       rénlèi xūyào shuǐ

* Pay attention that 「須 xū 」跟「需 xū」are subtle different. 
     One is used with noun; the other is used with verb.

must;必須 bì xū + Verb + ...
e.g. You have to go to school
       必須上學
       nǐ bìxū shàngxué

must;須 xū + Verb + ...
e.g. You must wear a helmet.
       你戴上安全帽
       nǐ dài shàng ānquán mào.

「須 xū」is seldom used in spoken because it's monosyllable

     People usually use in written.

have to;要 yào + Verb + ...

e.g. You have to obey me
       聽[听]我的話[话]
       yào tīng wǒ dehuà

Usage 3:T
o be able to

can, have ability to;能 néng + Verb + ...
e.g. I can finish the homework by myself.
      我自己完成作業[业]
      wǒ néng zìjǐ wánchéng zuòyè.

can, have ability to能夠 néng gòu + Verb + ...
e.g. I can touch the ceiling.
      我能夠摸到天花板
      wǒ nénggòu mō dào tiānhuābǎn.

canhave ability to可以 kěyǐ + Verb + ...
e.g. Our products can meet this standard.
       我們的產可以到這個標準
                  产            达    这个标准
       wǒmen de chǎnpǐn kěyǐ dádào zhège biāozhǔn.

can
have ability to會 huì + Verb + ...
e.g. I can swim.
      我游泳
      huì yóuyǒng.

Usage 4:To allow
can, allowed; néng + Verb + ...
e.g. After finishing your homework, you can play the game.       
       做完功課後,你去玩遊戲
                  课后                   游戏
       zuò wán gōngkè hòu, nǐ néng qù wán yóuxì.

can, allowed可以 kě yǐ + Verb + ...
e.g. After dinner, you can play with your mobile phone.
       吃完飯後,你可以玩手機
               饭后                      机
       chī wán fàn hòu, nǐ kěyǐ wán shǒujī.

can, allowed可  + Verb + ...
e.g. You must not enter my room.       
       不可進[进]去我的房間[间]
       bùkě jìnqù wǒ de fángjiān
 It's commonly used as negative usage only due to monosyllable issue with affirmative sentence.

approv
e, allow准許[许] zhǔn xǔ + Verb + ...
e.g. This is permitted.
       這是被准許的。
       zhè shì bèi zhǔnxǔ de.

approv
e, allow;准 zhǔn + Clause + ...
e.g. I approve it.
      
      zhǔnle.

appro
ve, allow;許 xǔ + Clause + ...
e.g. Thank god for giving me this opportunity
       感謝上帝我一個孩子。
       gǎnxiè shàngdì wǒ yīgè jīhuì
 「許 xǔ 」means "approve", but I put "giving" which is more suit in this sentence.
 It's commonly used when extremely-high-status person talks to low-status person. e.g. God to people, Emperor to people

can;得  + Verb + ...

e.g. If  Party A breaches the contract, Party B can demand compensation.
       若甲方違約,乙方要求賠償
                  违约                       赔偿
       ruò jiǎ fāng wéiyuē, yǐfāng yāoqiú péicháng
 It's often used in contracts.

Usage 5:To comment

suit, appropriate 配 pèi + Verb + ...
e.g. Is it appropriate for me to comment on this matter?
      我去評論[评论]這件事嗎[吗]?
       wǒ pèi pínglùn zhè jiàn shì ma?

「配 pèi」is not a common wold to be used. The nature is to question whether someone's status matches with the something.
     Generally, people use「配 pèi」to ask about collocation of colors or clothes only.
e.g. White clothes with black lines are classic.
       白色衣服黑色線條很經典。
                                  线条   经
       báisè yīfú pèi hēisè xiàntiáo hěn jīngdiǎn.

be worth to值 zhí + Noun + ...

e.g. This gem is worth one million dollars.       
       這寶[宝]一百萬[万]
       zhè bǎoshí zhí yībǎi wàn yuán.

deserves ,be worth to值得zhí  + Verb + ...
e.g. He deserves such help
       他值得這樣的幫助。
                  这样    帮
       tā zhídé zhèyàng de bāngzhù.

 "deserve" and "worth" are same words in Chinese.
      But, people use「值得zhí dé」for positive example;「應得yīng dé」for negative example.
      Because「值 zhí」indicates "value", and you're hard to talk value for negative example.

be worth
 to;可 kě + Verb + ...
e.g. There not much part which is worth to watched in this movie.
       Real meaning:This movie is not worthy of being watched
       這電[电]看得不多。
       zhè diànyǐng kàn dé bù duō

 Read more usages about 「可 kě」in another article.(under editing)


Usage 6:To indicates possible.

may 可能 kě néng + Verb + ...
e.g. He may have gone to the bar
       他可能去酒吧了
       tā kěnéng qù jiǔbāle

may 也許 yě xǔ + Verb + ...
e.g. He may cheat me
      他也許騙[骗]了我
      tā yěxǔ piànle wǒ

may 或許 huò xǔ + Verb + ...
e.g. He may be at home
      或許在家
      huòxǔ zàijiā

Can't say for sure說不定 shuō bú dìng + Verb + ...
e.g. He might be drunk
      說不定喝醉了
      shuō bú dìng hē zuìle
「說 shuō 」indicates "talk"; 「不定 bú dìng」indicates "cannot make sure"
    「說不定」means "Can't say for sure"

Characteristics of auxiliary verbs
1. Most of auxiliary verbs can be answered questions alone.

e.g. Will you go to Europe?
       你去歐洲嗎?
       nǐ huì qù ōu zhōu ma?
Ans. Will;huì 

2. Most of auxiliary verbs can express question by "verb + 不 bú + verb".
Exceptions:也許 yě xǔ、或許 huò xǔ、說不定 shuō bú dìng

e.g. Will you go to Europe?
       你會不會去歐洲?
       nǐ huì bú huì qù ōu zhōu?
Ans. Will;huì 
e.g. Do Humans need water?
       人類需不需要
       rénlèi bù xū yào shuǐ ?
Ans. need需要xū yào

3. Some of auxiliary verbs can be modified by adverbs directly.
It's different with English. People can modify auxiliary verbs by adverbs directly, instead of modify the continue verb. 

Exceptions:也許 yě xǔ、或許 huò xǔ、說不定 shuō bú dìng

e.g. I cannot swim well 
      我不太會游泳
      wǒ bú tài huì yóuyǒng

→ In English, it adds negation(not) for auxiliary verb(can) and adds adverb(well) for verb(swim).
    In Chinese, it adds negative+adverb (不太 bú tài, not well) for auxiliary verb(會huì, can) directly.

4. Most of auxiliary verbs cannot only carry a noun behind.
Exceptions:想要 xiǎng yào、要 yào、值 zhí

5.Auxiliary verbs cannot overlap.
e.g. Let me see;我看看;Wǒ kàn kàn

e.g.我會會 wǒ huì huì (Wrong, it doesn't make sense.)
e.g.我要要 wǒ yào yào(Wrong, it doesn't make sense.)

6. Most of auxiliary verbs cannot be used with「了 Le、著 zhe、過 guò」
e.g. I requested for three apples
      我要了三個蘋果
      wǒ yàole sān gè píngguǒ
→ 「要yào」means "request" here, instead of auxiliary verbs.

e.g. I thought of three ways
      我想了三個辦法
      wǒ xiǎngle sān gè bànfǎ
→ 「想 xiǎng」means "think" here, instead of auxiliary verbs.

7. Auxiliary verbs cannot be used with the combination like「起來 qǐlái、下去 xiàqù、出來 chū lái」.

e.g. 很起來(Wrong)
      wǒ hěn qǐ lái (Wrong)


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