Grammar

Paticle 吧 （ba ）denoting suggestion or request (助词“吧”表示建议或请求）

The particle 吧 is placed at the end of sentence to denote a suggestion or a request. It also makes the tone of speech softer.

（1） 太贵了，便宜一点吧。  tài guì le ，pián yi yī diǎn ba 。  

Too expensive,  can it be cheaper ?

（2） 给我七十五块吧。 gěi wǒ qī shí wǔ kuài ba 。

Give 75 yuan to me.

V + 一下yī xià （动词+“一下yī xià” ）

The structure V + 一下 indicates the briefness of the action . When used in a request, it also makes the 

manner of speaking moderate and more polite. Somtimes the indication of briefness of the action is not very strong .

(1) 等一下 děng yī xià     

Wait a minute. 

(2) 停一下tíng yī xià   

 Stop for a while.      

3）你看一下 nǐ kàn yī xià   

Have a look.

怎么zěn me + V （“怎么” +动词）

The structure "怎么 + V ” means “ how to do something"

("怎么+ 动词”结构表示怎么做某事） e.g.

(1) 饺子 怎么 做？jiǎo zǐ  zěn me  zuò m  

 How to do dumplings? 

（饺子dumplings) 怎么（How ) 做（do/to do  )

(2) 地铁站 怎么走？   dì tiě zhàn  zěn me zǒu 

How to go to subway ?

地铁站( subway station ) 怎么(how ) 走 （ go/walk )

Common Measure Words

Measuer Word            Classification                Examples 

包      bāo                             Packet                             cigarrets 

一包烟yī bāo yān 

One pack of cigaratte

杯    bēi                            cup, glass                       tea, coffee, water

一杯咖啡  one cup of coffee    

yī bēi kā fēi                                    

一杯水 one cup of water

 yī bēi shuǐ 

本  běn                                       volume                             book, magazine 

一本书            (book)

yī běn shū   

三本笔记本电脑 (computer)

sān běn bǐ jì běn diàn nǎo  

部   bù                                                                              movie 

一部电影  yī bù diàn yǐng One Movie

个   gè                              used if you have              person and  a lot of                                    forgotten the correct       other things

                                        one !

一个人  yī gè rén; one person

家    jiā                                                                               Company,    

                                                                                       shop,hospital    

一家公司  One Company  一家医院 One Hospital 一家诊所 One Clinic 

件 jiàn                               Piece, article       clothes,luggage,matter                                                 (Affairs)       

一件行李  xíng li (luggage)

yī jiàn háng lǐ  

一件衣服  (clothes)

yī jiàn yī fú           

棵  kē                                                                                     tree                

一棵书  yī kē shū  (book)

块   kuài                             piece, lump                      soap, cake, land, 

一块手表  (watch) 

yī kuài shǒu biǎo    

一块冰块(ice)

 yī kuài bīng kuài    

一块蛋糕 (cake)

yī kuài dàn gāo    

一块土地 （ Land)

yī kuài tǔ dì 

辆  liàng                                                                              car,bicycle

一辆汽车  yī liàng qì chē (car)  

yī liàng qì chē  

 一辆自行车  yī liàng zì háng chē (bicycle)

 yī liàng zì háng chē 

Singular & Plural(Nouns)

There is no different forms as English in Chinese, instead, measure words can be used in front of nouns to describe the amount.

Common measure words : 

个 gè

三个国家 sān gè guó jiā   ；3 countries

六个鸡蛋  liù gè jī dàn ;  6 eggs

一个人 yī gè rén ;  one person 

几个朋友 jǐ gè péng yǒu ;   few Friends

本 běn 

一本书 yī běn shū  ; one book

片 piàn 

两片面包 liǎng piàn miàn bāo 

几片碎纸 jǐ piàn suì zhǐ 

把bǎ 

一把尺子 

yī bǎ chǐ zǐ  

本běn

四本书  sì běn shū 

4 books

棵kē

一棵树 yī kē shù 

One Tree

杯bēi 

两杯咖啡 two cups of coffees

liǎng bēi kā fēi 

张zhāng 

一张纸  One Paper

yī zhāng zhǐ 

块kuài 

一块蛋糕 One Piece of Cake

yī kuài dàn gāo 

只zhī 

10只动物   10 zhī dòng wù 

 10 animals

条tiáo 

一条狗  yī tiáo gǒu  

  One Dog

Verb Forms

Verbs have only one form.

Hua means draw and it is used in 

I draw a fish 我画鱼 wǒ huà yú 

He draws a fish 他画鱼 tā huà yú

We draw a fish  我们画鱼 wǒ men huà yú 

Verb Tenses

Verbs do not change their forms to indicate present,past, future or continuous in Chinese.

e.g. 例句

我现在正在上课。

我一会去上课

得（de）Usage

得（de）to be placed after a verb followed by a complement which indicate its degree or outcome 

e.g. 例句

1.  他来得太晚了。tā lái dé tài wǎn le. He came too late. 

2.  我吃得太多了。 wǒ chī dé tài duō le .  I ate too much.

3.  你走得慢点。nǐ zǒu dé màn diǎn.  You shall walk slowly.

4.  我跑的很快。wǒ pǎo de hěn kuài. I ran very quickly.