语法GRAMMAR

Subject + 把 + Object (definite) + Verb + Complement/other element

The 把 sentence emphasizes the specific action the subject exerts upon a definite object.

Subject (affected) + 被 + (Agent) + Verb + Other element

The 被 sentence is used to express an action in which the subject is the recipient of the action, similar to the passive voice structure in Vietnamese.

Affected object + 叫 + Agent + Verb + Other element

叫 is used in colloquial passive sentences, similar to 被, to indicate the recipient of an undesirable action.

Subject (acted upon) + 让 + Agent + Verb + Other element

Sentences using 让 to express passive actions, typically carrying an undesirable connotation and commonly used in spoken language.

Subject 1 + 让 + Subject 2 + Verb (+ Object)

让 is used to express causing or allowing someone to do something.

Subject 1 + 叫 + Subject 2 + Verb (+ Object)

Use 叫 to express ordering, requesting, or causing someone to do something.

Cause (Subject 1) + 使 + Object (Subject 2) + Result (Predicate)

The verb 使 is used to indicate a cause that brings about a result or state, carrying a more formal register than 'làm cho'.

Subject + 请 + Person performing the action + Verb + (Object)

Use `请` to politely and formally invite or ask someone to do something.

Subject 1 + Verb 1 (causative) + Object 1 / Subject 2 + Verb 2 + (Object 2)

Pivotal sentences are used to express that someone causes, tells, or invites another person to do something.

A + 比 + B + Adjective + 一点儿

Used to compare two objects, indicating that one side surpasses the other by a small degree in some quality.

A + 比 + B + Adjective + 得多

Used for comparative purposes, emphasizing a large difference between two subjects.

Subject + 越来越 + Adjective / Psych verb (+ 了)

越来越 is used to express a progressive change over time, meaning 'more and more...' or 'increasingly...'.

Subject + 越 + Verb/Adjective 1 + 越 + Verb/Adjective 2

The structure 越…越… is used to express a proportional change, carrying the meaning "the more… the more…".

Subject A + 没有 + Compared object B + 那么/这么 + Adjective

Used to make an inferior comparison, expressing the meaning "A is not ... (to the extent) as B".

A + 不如 + B + (Adjective/Verb)

不如 used for comparison, indicating that object A is not as good as object B, or to suggest "it would be better to…" / "rather… than…".

Object A + 跟 + Object B + 差不多 (+ Adjective/Verb)

The structure A 跟 B 差不多 is used to compare two things or situations that are roughly equivalent or nearly the same in degree.

Subject + 先 + Verb 1, 再 + Verb 2

Used to express the sequence of actions: doing one thing first before then doing another.

Subject + 先 + Verb 1, 然后 + Verb 2

Used to express the sequence of actions: do action A first, then do action B.

Subject + 又 + Adjective/Verb 1 + 又 + Adjective/Verb 2

The structure 又…又… is used to express two characteristics or states that coexist in the same subject, meaning "both… and…" or "at once… and…".

一 + Measure word + Noun + 也/都 + 不/没 + Verb

The structure '一…也/都 不…' is used to emphasize total negation, meaning 'not even a little' or 'not at all'.

如果 + Conditional clause, (Subject) + 就 + Result clause

The structure 如果…就… is used to express a hypothesis and its result, meaning 'if…then…'.

如果 + Conditional clause + 的话, (就) + Result clause

The structure 如果…的话 is used to express the hypothetical "if…", with 的话 making the sentence softer and more natural.

要是 + Conditional clause, (Subject) + 就 + Result clause

Used to express an "if... then..." conditional supposition, commonly used in informal spoken language.

只要 + Condition, (Subject) + 就 + Result

只要…就… is used to express a sufficient condition, meaning "as long as the first clause holds, the second clause will follow."

Subject + 不但 + Clause 1, 而且 + Clause 2

The structure 不但…而且… is used to express a progressive or additive meaning, equivalent to 'not only… but also…'.

除了 + Object A + 以外, (Subject) + 都/也/还 + Verb/Adjective

The structure 除了…以外 is used to express the meaning of "besides…" or "except…", and can either include or exclude the object in question.

除了 + Noun/Phrase + (以外), Subject + 还/也 + Verb + …

The structure 除了…还 is used to express 'apart from A, there is also B', including both A and B.

除了 + Excepted object + (以外), Subject + 都 + Predicate

The structure 除了…都 is used to exclude one subject, affirming that all remaining subjects share a common characteristic.

Subject + Verb + 得 + Complement of degree (usually Adjective)

Uses the particle 得 to connect a verb with a complement, in order to describe or evaluate how an action is performed.

Verb + 得 + Complement (result/direction)

The structure 'verb + 得' is used to express the possibility of performing an action or achieving its result.

Verb + 不 + Complement (Result/Tendency)

Used to express the lack of ability or conditions to carry out and achieve the result of an action.

Verb + 得懂 / Verb + 不懂

Used to express the ability to understand (or not understand) the content of something through reading or viewing.

Subject + 听得见 / 听不见 + (Object)

Used to express whether a sound can be heard (听得见) or cannot be heard (听不见).

Verb + 上

Resultative complement 上 indicates an action directed upward, adhering/attaching to something, or achieving a goal.

Verb + 下

Resultative complement 下 indicates movement downward or the capacity to contain/accommodate.

Verb + 起 (+ 来)

Resultative complement 起 is used after a verb to indicate that an action is beginning or a new state is emerging.

Verb / Adjective + 起来

The complement 起来 is used after a verb or adjective to indicate that an action is beginning or a new state is emerging.

Verb + 下去

Used after a verb to express an action that continues from the present into the future.

Verb + 下来

Complement 下来 is used after a verb to indicate movement from a higher position to a lower one, or a state gradually settling/stabilizing.

Subject + Verb + 出来 + (Object)

Complement 出来 expresses an action moving from inside to outside, or the recognition/discovery of something.

Verb + 过来 / 过去

Directional complement 过来/过去 indicates the direction of an action — either moving toward the speaker (over here) or away from the speaker (over there).

Verb + 上来 / 上去

Used after a verb to indicate an action directed upward, toward the speaker (上来) or away from the speaker (上去).

Verb + 回来 / 回去 (+ Object)

Used to indicate the action of returning to the speaker's location (回来) or returning to another place (回去).

Verb + 上/下/进/出/回/过/起 + 来/去

Compound directional complement (V + direction 1 + 来/去) used to describe the complex movement direction of an action.

Completion: Verb + 了 + Time period. In progress: Verb + 了 + Time period + 了.

Use '了' with a duration of time to express how long an action has lasted, which may still be ongoing.

Subject + Verb + 了 + Time span + 了

The structure V + 了 + time duration + 了 expresses an action that has lasted for a period of time and is still ongoing at the present moment.

Subject + Adjective + 极了

The structure 'adjective + 极了' is used to express the highest degree, meaning 'extremely' or 'incredibly'.

Adjective / Psych verb + 死了

The structure '死了' is placed after an adjective or psychological verb to emphasize a high degree, carrying the meaning of 'extremely' (lit. "could die").

Place + Verb + 着 + Object (thing/person)

Used after a verb to describe the existing state of an object at a certain place.

Subject + 对 + Object + 感兴趣

The structure 对…感兴趣 is used to express interest in or enthusiasm for a person, thing, or activity.

对 + Object + 来说, + Clause (perspective/evaluation)

The structure 对…来说 is used to express an opinion or evaluation from someone's point of view.

Subject + 看起来 + (很) + Adjective/Verb phrase

看起来 is used to express a judgment or impression based on outward appearance, meaning "looks like" or "seems."

Subject + 好像 + Verb/Adjective/Noun Phrase

好像 is used to express conjecture or comparison, carrying the meaning of "it seems like" or "it looks as if."

Subject + 像 + Compared object + 一样 + (Adjective/Verb)

The structure 像…一样 is used to compare two things or events that share a similarity, meaning "just like" or "as … as".

Subject + 不是 + A + 而是 + B

Used to negate the first clause and affirm the second, meaning "it is not... but rather...".

Subject + 终于 + Verb/Verb phrase

The adverb 终于 expresses a long-awaited or hard-won result that has finally come to pass after a prolonged period of waiting or effort.

Subject + 以为 + Clause (mistaken thought)

以为 used to express a mistaken thought or judgment that differs from reality; often translated as "thought that," "assumed that," or "mistakenly believed that."

1. (It turns out): 原来 + Clause. 2. (Originally): Subject + 原来 + Predicate.

原来 expresses surprise upon discovering the truth (it turns out that), or indicates a past state (originally/used to be).

Subject + 差不多 + (Verb / Adjective / Quantity phrase)

差不多 is used to express approximation, indicating that two things are close or nearly the same in degree, quantity, or time.

Subject + 差一点儿 + (就) + Verb + (Object/了)

差一点儿 expresses that something almost happened but ultimately did not occur.

Subject + 一点也不 + Adjective / Psych verb

The structure 一点也不 is used to emphasize complete negation, meaning "not... at all."

为了 + Purpose, Subject + Action

Preposition 为了 is used to indicate the purpose of an action, usually translated as 'in order to', 'for'.

Subject + 是 + Agent/Means + Verb + (Object) + 的

The structure 是…的 is used to emphasize the doer or the means/manner of an action that has already occurred.

Subject + Verb + (了) + 多长时间 + (Object)?

多长时间 is used to ask about the duration of an action — how long it lasts.

Clause 1, 不过 + Clause 2

Conjunction 不过 expresses a mild shift in meaning, equivalent to "but" or "however," and is commonly used in spoken language.

Question: ... A 还是 B? / Statement: ... A 或者 B.

Use 还是 in choice questions and 或者 in declarative sentences to express "or".

Subject (A) + 有 + Object of comparison (B) + 那么/这么 + Adjective

Used to ask or affirm whether object A reaches the same degree (in terms of quality/property) as object B.

听说 + Clause (information heard)

听说 is used to introduce information you heard from someone else, similar to "I heard that" in English.

Subject + 看上去 + Adjective / Phrase

The structure 看上去 is used to make judgments or impressions based on outward appearance, meaning "looks like" or "seems."

Adjective monosyllabic: AA(的) + (Noun). Adjective disyllabic: AABB(的) + (Noun).

Reduplicate adjectives (AA/AABB) to describe things and events in a more vivid and imagery-rich manner.

Subject + 多 + Adjective + 啊!

The structure '多...啊!' is used as an exclamation to emphasize the degree of a quality, equivalent to 'how...!', 'so...!'.

真 + Adjective + 啊!

The structure '真...啊!' is used as an exclamation to sincerely emphasize a high degree of some quality.

Verb (V) + Object (O). When transformed: Verb (V) + [other component] + Object (O).

Separable verbs are words that can be split apart to insert other elements in between, for example 见面 (to meet) or 睡觉 (to sleep).