1.1.3 - Grammar Points
1. 我们已经到了。
Wǒmen yǐjīng dào le.
We arrived already.
已经[yǐjīng] means already. It's usually used after the subject and before the predicate to indicate that an action was completed or something reached a certain degree. It’s usually used with the particle 了[le].
The structure is:
Subject + 已经[yǐjīng] + Predicate +了[le]
For example:
Subject |
已经 yǐjīng already |
Predicate |
了 le |
我 wǒ I |
回家 huí jiā go home |
||
张老师 Zhāng lǎoshī Teacher Zhang |
到学校 dào xuéxiào arrive at school |
||
马丁 Mǎdīng Martin |
三十岁 sānshí suì 30 years old |
2. 你穿着红色的衣服,是不是?
Nǐ chuānzhe hóngsè de yīfu, shì bu shì?
Are you wearing a red dress?
着[zhe] is an aspect particle, which is usually used after a verb to indicate the continuation of a certain state.
For example:
Subject |
Verb |
着 zhe |
Object |
我 wǒ I |
穿 chuān am wearing |
红色的衣服 hóngsè de yīfu red dress |
|
老师 lǎoshī teacher |
看 kàn is looking at |
小明 Xiǎomíng Xiaoming |
|
妈妈 māma mother |
坐 zuò is sitting |
—— |
The negative form of “verb + 着[zhe]” is adding a “没[méi]” before the verb. For example:
Subject |
没 méi not |
Verb |
着 zhe |
Object |
我 wǒ I |
穿 chuān wearing |
红色的衣服 hóngsè de yīfu red dress |
||
老师 lǎoshī teacher |
看 kàn looking at |
小明 Xiǎomíng Xiaoming |
||
妈妈 māma mother |
坐 zuò sitting |
—— |
In the interrogative form, 没有[méiyǒu] is added at the end of the sentence.
For example:
Subject |
Verb |
着 zhe |
Object |
没有 méiyǒu or not |
他 tā he |
穿 chuān is wearing |
红色的衣服 hóngsè de yīfu red dress |
||
老师 lǎoshī teacher |
看 kàn is looking at |
小明 Xiǎomíng Xiaoming |
||
电视 diànshì television |
开 kāi is on |
—— |
3. 你穿着红色的衣服,是不是?
Nǐ chuānzhe hóngsè de yīfu, shì bu shì?
Are you wearing a red dress?
是不是[shì bu shì] literally means “yes or no”. If you are not sure about something, but you are somewhat certain about it, you can use 是不是[shì bu shì] to ask for confirmation. It usually comes after the subject or at the beginning or the end of a sentence.
For example:
To ask for confirmation about something:
你是不是穿着红色的衣服? Nǐ shì bu shì chuānzhe hóngsè de yīfu? Are you wearing a red dress? |
= |
你穿着红色的衣服,是不是? Nǐ chuānzhe hóngsè de yīfu, shì bu shì? You are wearing a red dress, aren’t you? |
儿子是不是去学校了? Érzi shì bu shì qù xuéxiào le?
Did my son go to school? |
= |
儿子去学校了,是不是? Érzi qù xuéxiào le, shì bu shì? My son went to school, didn’t he? |
这个菜是不是很好吃? Zhè ge cài shì bu shì hěn hǎochī? Isn't this dish delicious? |
= |
这个菜很好吃,是不是? Zhè ge cài hěn hǎochī, shì bu shì? This dish is delicious, isn’t it? |
To ask for confirmation about somebody:
是不是大卫在打电话?
Shì bu shì Dàwèi zài dǎ diànhuà?
Is David on the phone?
是不是爸爸回来了?
Shì bu shì bàba huílai le?
Is daddy coming back?
是不是你看见他走了?
Shì bu shì nǐ kànjiàn tā zǒu le?
Did you see him leave?
4. 我给你们介绍一下。
Wǒ gěi nǐmen jièshào yíxià.
Let me make the introductions.
一下[yíxià] is a quantitative phrase. It is often used after a verb to express a brief action. It can also soften the tone, so to sound more polite, you can use the structure:
Verb + 一下 [yíxià]
For example:
安娜,请你读一下这个句子。
Ānnà, qǐng nǐ dú yíxià zhège jùzi.
Anna, please read this sentence.
请等一下我。
Qǐng děng yíxià wǒ.
Please wait for me (for a moment).
我们休息一下。
Wǒmen xiūxi yíxià.
Let’s have a rest.
6 comments