Rules for constructing sentences in Chinese. Chinese offers
China is one of the most visited countries in the world by tourists. It attracts mostly with its diversity of landscape, virgin villages with their own traditions and fascinating legends, and huge cities with vibrant nightlife. In China, everyone will find something new and unusual for themselves. China is one of the oldest civilizations; in this republic, architectural monuments that are tens of thousands of years old have been preserved to this day. Every attraction in China carries a secret and a centuries-old legend.
Traveling through the expanses of this extraordinary state, nothing will prevent you from enjoying its beauty, except perhaps ignorance of the Chinese language, but you can cope with this problem thanks to our Russian-Chinese phrasebook, which you can download or print directly from the site. It contains topics that you may need while traveling.
Appeals
Common phrases
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 是 | shi |
| No | 没有 | boo shi |
| Thank you! | 谢谢！ | Sese! |
| Please! | 不客气！ | Bukhatsi! |
| Sorry! | 对不起！ | Duybutsi! |
| It's OK. | 没关系。 | Meiguanxi |
| I don't understand | 我不明白。 | Wo bu mingbai |
| Please repeat what you said | 请您再说一遍 | Tsing ning zai shuo and bien |
| Do you speak Russian? | 你会说俄语吗? | No fucking way, hey ma? |
| Does anyone here speak Russian? | 这里有人会说俄语吗？ | Zheli yuuzhen huisho eyyu ma? |
| Do you speak English? | 你会说英语吗？ | No fucking way? |
| Does anyone here speak English? | 这里有人会说英语吗？ | Zheli yuzhen huisho yinyu ma? |
| What is your name? | 你叫什么名字 | ni yiao shen mi ming zi |
| How are you? | 你怎么 | neither here nor there |
| Fine | 玉 | yu |
| So-so | 马马虎虎 | may may hyu hyu |
| Bon Voyage! | 一路平安! | Yi lu phing an! |
At customs
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| baggage | sinli | |
| currency | waihui | |
| import | daiju | |
| export | daichu | |
| declaration | baoguandan | |
| receipt | fapiao | |
| control (passport, customs) | chayanchu (bian jian, haiguan) | |
| medicine | yao | |
| drugs | mazuiping | |
| weapon | udzi | |
| passport | Huzhao | |
| duty | guanshui | |
| cigarettes | yang | |
| souvenirs | Jinyanping | |
| bag | bao | |
| suitcase | pussy | |
| Tell me, please, where is passport (customs) control? | Qing wen, huzhao (haiguan) chayanchu zai nali? | |
| I need a customs declaration form | Wo Xuyao and Zhang Baoguandan | |
| Please explain how to fill out a customs declaration | Qing Jieshi Yixia, Zenme Tian Baoguandan | |
| Help me fill out this form | Qing Banzhu Wo Tian Yixia Zhege Biaoge | |
| Where is your declaration? | Nide baoguandan? | |
| Here is my declaration | Zhe jiu shi wode baoguandan | |
| I do not have items that need to be included in the declaration | Wo meiyu xuyao baoguande uping | |
| Your passport? | Nide Huzhao? | |
| Here's my passport | Zhe shi wode huzhao | |
| These are my personal things | Zhe shi wode sirhen xinli | |
| I have foreign currency worth... | In yu waihui, shi shu... | |
| Where should I sign? | Zai naer qian zi? | |
| I want to call the Embassy (Consulate) | Wo xiang da dianhua gay dashiguan (lingshiguan) |
At the station
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much does the ticket cost? | Phyao doshao tien? | |
| When does the train arrive/depart? | Hoche shemme shihou daoda? | |
| Porter! | Banyungong! | |
| Where is the taxi stand? | Chuzu zhezhan zai naer? | |
| I need one/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight tickets. | 我要一张/两张/三张/四张/五张/六张/七张/八张票。 | Wo yao yi zhang/liang zhang/san zhang/si zhang/wu zhang/liu zhang/tsi zhang/ba zhang phiao. |
| Which track is our train arriving at? | Womende che ting zai di ji dao? | |
| Where is the exit…? | ...chukou zai naer? | |
| -in town | Qu Chengshi | |
| -on the platform | Shan | |
| Where is the storage room? | Zsunchu zai naer? | |
| Where is the ticket window? | Shoupiao chu zai naer? | |
| Where is platform no..? | ...hao yuetai zai naer? | |
| Where is carriage No..? | hao chesiang zai naer? | |
| One ticket to... please | Qing Mai and Zhang Qu...de Piao | |
| Railway carriage… | ...chexiang | |
| …soft | Ruan Wo | |
| …sleeping | In | |
| …hard | Ying zuo | |
| One way | Qu Wang Yige Fanxiang | |
| Roundtrip | Wangfan | |
| Is it possible...? | ...kei ma? | |
| ...hand over this ticket | Tui Yixia Zhe Zhang Piao | |
| ...change | Huan |
In transport
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | 巴士 | kkazhi |
| Car | 汽车 | gojang |
| Taxi | 的士 | taxi |
| Parking | 停车 | posu tominol |
| Stop | 停止 | jongnyujang |
| Take me here (indicate the location written on the business card). | 请把我送到这里。 | Tsin ba wo sundao zheli. |
| Open the trunk. | 请打开行李舱吧。 | Tsin dakhai xinli tshan ba. |
| Turn left here | 这里往左拐。 | Zheli Wang Zuo Guai. |
| Here turn right. | 这里往右拐。 | Zheli wan you guai. |
| How much does it cost to travel by bus/metro? | 公车/地铁票多少钱？ | Gunche/dithe pyao duoshao tsien? |
| Where is the nearest bus stop? | 附近的公交车站在哪儿？ | Fujin de gongjiaochhezhan zai nar? |
| Where is the nearest subway station? | 附近的地铁站在哪儿？ | Fujin de dithezhan zai nar? |
| What's the next stop (station)? | 下一站是什么站？ | Xia yi zhan shi shenme zhan? |
| How many stops is it to (…)? | 到 (…) 有多少站？ | Dao (...) duoshao zhan? |
| What bus goes to (...)? | 去 (…) 乘哪趟公交车？ | Tsyu (...) cheng na tang gongjiaochhe? |
| Which metro line goes to (…)? | 去 (…) 乘几号线地铁？ | Tsu (...) cheng zihao xien dithe? |
| Please tell me how to get to (...)? | 请问，到 (…) 怎么走? | Tsingwen, dao (...) zenme zou? |
| Please take me to (...) | 请带我去 (…) | Tsing dao wo tsu (…)… airport. 飞机场。 fei ji chang. |
| ... railway station. | 火车站。 | Huo Che Zhan. |
| …the nearest hotel | 最近的酒店。 | Zui jin de jiudien. |
| ...the nearest restaurant. | 最近的饭馆。 | Zui jin de fanguan. |
| ... the nearest beach. | 最近的海滨。 | Zui jin de haibin. |
| ... the nearest shopping center. | 最近的购物中心。 | zui jin de gou wu zhong xin. |
| …the nearest supermarket | 最近的超级市场。 | Zui jin de chhao ji shi chang. |
| ... the nearest park. | 最近的公园。 | Zui jin de gong yuan. |
| ...the nearest pharmacy. | 最近的药店。 | Zui jin de yaodien. |
At the hotel
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I need to order a room | 我需要储备 | wo hyu yao chu bei |
| I want to order a room | 我想储备 | in hyang chu bey |
| What is the price? | 要多少钱 | duo shao chien? |
| Room with bath | 带浴室的房间 | give yu cabbage soup di fang jian |
| We booked a room for two, here are our passports. | 我们预定了双人房间。 这是我们的护照。 | Women yudinle shuangren fanjien. Zhe shi women de huzhao. |
| Do you have rooms available? | 有没有空的房间？ | You meiyou khun de fanjien? |
| Is there a cheaper room? | 有没有便宜点儿的房间？ | Yo meiyou pienyidiar de fanjien? |
| I need a single room. | 我需要单间。 | Wo xuyao danjien. |
| I need a double room. | 我需要双人间。 | Wo xuyao shuangzhenjien. |
| I need a double room with sea view. | 我需要一个海景的双人房间。 | Wo xuyao ige haijing de shuangren fanjien. |
| Does the room have a telephone/TV/refrigerator/air conditioning? | 房间里有电话/电视/冰箱/空调吗？ | Fangjien li you dienhua/dienshi/binxiang/khuntxiao ma? |
| What floor is the room on? | 我的房间在几楼？ | Wo de fanjien zai ji lo? |
| Is breakfast included? | 价格包括早餐吗？ | Jiage baokhuo zaotshan ma? |
| What time breakfast? | 早餐几点开始? | Zaotshan ji dien khaishi? |
| My room is not cleaned. | 我的房间没有打扫。 | Wo de fanjien meiyou dasao. |
| I want to change my number. | 我想换个房间。 | Wo xiang huangge fanjien. |
| We ran out of toilet paper in our room. | 我们房间没有手纸了。 | Women fanjien meiyou shouzhi le. |
| Tips | 秘诀 | mi jue |
| Room | 室 | cabbage soup |
| We're leaving today. | 我们今天走。 | Women jinthien zou. |
| We are leaving on August 5th. | 我们八月五号走。 | Women ba yue wu hao zou. |
| We want to rent out the room. | 我们想退房。 | Women xiang thui fan. |
| The minibar was already empty before I even checked into this room. | 我进房间的时候迷你吧就是空的。 | Wo jiu fanjien de shihou miniba jiu shi khun de. |
Emergencies
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Department | 消防队 | hiao fang dui |
| Police | 警察 | ying cha |
| Fire | 火灾 | Huo Zai |
| Fight | 扭打 | oh yeah |
| Ambulance | 救护车 | yuy hu che |
| Hospital | 医院 | Yui Yuan |
| I have… | 我已经… | in yui ying |
| Stretching | 实力 | shi li |
| Pharmacy | 药房 | Yao Fang |
| Doctor | 医生 | yi sheng |
| I got sick) | In Bingle | |
| I feel bad | Wo ganjue zici buhao | |
| Please call... | Qing Jiao Yixia... | |
| ...doctor | Yisheng | |
| ...ambulance | jijiu | |
| I have… | In… | |
| …cough | ...kasou | |
| …runny nose | ...shangfeng | |
| …stomach upset | ...fuse |
Dates and times
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Xingqi and | |
| Tuesday | xingqi er | |
| Wednesday | sinqi say | |
| Thursday | xingqi sy | |
| Friday | Xingqi Wu | |
| Saturday | xingqi liu | |
| Sunday | xingqi tian | |
| Today | Jintian | |
| Yesterday | Zuotian | |
| Tomorrow | Mingtian | |
| Day before yesterday | Qiantian | |
| Day after tomorrow | Houtian | |
| in the morning | zai zaoshan | |
| during the day | zai bai tian | |
| In the evening | zai wanshan | |
| every day | meitian | |
| winter | dongtian | |
| spring | chuntian | |
| summer | xiatian | |
| autumn | Qiutian | |
| in winter | zai dongtian | |
| in the spring | Tsai Chuntian | |
| in summer | Tsai Xiantian | |
| in autumn | Tsai Qiutian | |
| January | and Yue | |
| February | er yue | |
| March | San Yue | |
| April | si yue | |
| May | wu yue | |
| June | Liu Yue | |
| July | qi yue | |
| August | ba yue | |
| September | Jiu Yue | |
| October | shi yue | |
| november | Shii Yue | |
| December | shier yue | |
| What time is it now? | Ji dian zhong? | |
| Now… | Xianzai shi... | |
| …noon | shier dian | |
| …midnight | Ling Dian | |
| Now… | Xianzai shi... | |
| 1 hour 5 min. (morning) | and dian wu fen (zaoshan) | |
| 5 hours 43 min. (evenings) | wu dian syshi san fen (wanshan) |
Numerals
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一 | And |
| 2 | 二 | [èr] er |
| 3 | 三 | san |
| 4 | 四 | sy |
| 5 | 五 | at |
| 6 | 六 | Liu |
| 7 | 七 | tsi |
| 8 | 八 | ba |
| 9 | 九 | jiu |
| 10 | 十 | shi |
| 11 | 一十一 | yī shí yī] and shi and |
| 12 | 一十二 | and shi er |
| 20 | 二十 | [èr shí] er shi |
| 30 | 三十 | san shi |
| 40 | 四十 | sy shi |
| 50 | 五十 | ears |
| 51 | 五十一 | wu shi and |
| 52 | 五十二 | w shi er |
| 53 | 五十三 | wu shi san |
| 100 | 一百 | and bye |
| 101 | 一百零一 | and bai ling and |
| 110 | 一百一十 | and bai and shi |
| 115 | 一百一十五 | and bai and shi wu |
| 200 | 二百 | [èr bǎi] er bai |
| 1 000 | 一千 | and tsien |
| 10 000 | 一万 | and Van |
| 1 000 000 | 一百万 | and Bai Wan |
In the shop
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| What is the price | 要多少钱 | yao duo shao quan |
| Cash | 现金 | hbyan jiya |
| Cashless | 对于非现金 | dew dick fairies hyan ji |
| By check | 检查 | hyan ji |
| What payment method | 什么付款方式 | shen mi fu qiang fang shi |
| Cigarettes | 香烟 | hyang yang |
| Bread | 面包 | mian bao |
| Products | 产品 | Chan Ping |
| To wrap up | 包 | bao |
| No change | 无日期 | woo ri kwi |
| Tips | 秘诀 | mujie |
| Water | 水 | shewy |
| Fresh squeezed juice | 新鲜果汁挤压 | hin hyan guo cabbage soup yi ya |
| Sugar/salt | 糖/盐 | tang/yang |
| Milk | 牛奶 | newi nai |
| Fish | 鱼 | yuy |
| Meat | 肉类 | swarm of lei |
| Chicken | 鸡 | yay |
| Mutton | 羊肉 | young roy |
| Beef | 牛肉 | new swarm |
| Pepper/seasonings | 辣椒 / 香料 | ia iao/hyang liao |
| Potato | 土豆 | that's it |
| Rice | 大米 | yes myi |
| Lentils | 扁豆 | bian doy |
| Onion | 洋葱 | yang kong |
| Garlic | 大蒜 | yes xuan |
| Sweets | 甜点 | tian dian |
| Fruits | 水果 | Shui Guo |
| Apples | 苹果 | ping guo |
| Grape | 葡萄 | pu tao |
| Strawberry | 草莓 | khao mei |
| Oranges | 桔子 | ju zi |
| Mandarin | 柠檬 | pu tong hua |
| Lemon | 石榴石 | ning meng |
| Pomegranate | 香蕉 | I pour cabbage soup |
| Bananas | 桃 | xiang zhdiao |
| Peaches | 杏 | tao |
| Apricot | 芒果 | skinning |
| Mango | 开放 | mang guo |
| Open | 关闭 | kai |
| Closed | 折扣 | kuan |
| Discount | 关闭 | later |
| Very expensive | 非常昂贵 | tai gui le |
| Cheap | 便宜 | drunk yi |
| Where can I buy baby products? | 哪里能买到儿童产品？ | Nali nen maidao erthong chhanphin? |
| Where can I buy shoes? | 哪里能买到鞋子？ | Nali nen maidao sezi? |
| Where can you buy women's clothing? | 哪里能买到女的衣服？ | Nali nen maidao nyu de ifu? |
| Where can you buy men's clothing? | 哪里能买到男的衣服？ | Nali nen maidao nan de yifu? |
| Where can you buy cosmetics? | 哪里能买到美容？ | Nali nen maidao meizhong? |
| Where can you buy household goods? | 哪里能买到日用品？ | Nali nen maidao zhiyongphin? |
| On which floor is the grocery supermarket? | 超级市场在哪一层？ | Zhaoji shichang zai na yi zhen? |
| Where's the exit here? | 出口在哪儿？ | Chhukhou zainar? |
| Can I try it? | 我把这个试一下，好吗? | Wo ba jege shi isia, hao ma? |
| Where is the fitting room? | 试衣间在哪里？ | Shi and jien tsai nali? |
| I need a larger size. | 我需要大一点儿. | In xuyao ta idiar. |
| I need a smaller size. | 我需要小一点儿. | Wo xuyao xiao idiar. |
| I need 1 size larger. | 我要大一号. | Wo yao ta ihao. |
| I need 1 size smaller. | 我要小一号. | Wo yao xiao yihao. |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？ | Khei shua kha ma? |
| What is the price? | 多少钱？ | Tuo shao tsien? |
| Very expensive! Let's go a little cheaper. | 太贵了！ 来便宜点儿。 | Thai gui le! Lai phienyi diar. |
| We are poor students, we can’t afford it. | 我们是穷学生， 这个我们买不起。 | Women shi qiong xueshen, zhege women mai butsi. |
| Is this price for 1 jin? (1 jin = 0.5 kg, in China the price is usually indicated for 1 jin) | 这是一斤的价格吗？ | Zhe shi and jin de jiage ma? |
| Where can you buy fruit? | 哪里能买到水果？ | Nali nen maidao shuiguo? |
| Where can you buy vegetables? | 哪里能买到蔬菜？ | Nali nen maidao shutzhai? |
| Where can you buy meat? | 哪里能买到肉类？ | Nali nen maidao zhoulei? |
| Where can you buy alcoholic beverages? | 哪里能买到酒类？ | Nali nen maidao jiulei? |
| Where can you buy dairy products? | 哪里能买到奶制品？ | Nali nen maidao naizhiphin? |
| Where can you buy confectionery? | 哪里能买到糖果点心？ | Nali neng maidao tangguo dienxin? |
| Where can you buy tea? | 哪里能买到茶叶？ | Nali nen maidao chhae? |
| Need 1 large package. | 我要大的袋子。 | Wo yao tade daizi. |
| Need one small package. | 我要小的袋子。 | Wo yao xiaode daizi. |
| I'll pay with a card. | 我刷卡。 | Wo shua kha. |
In a restaurant and cafe
| Phrase in Russian | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter | 服务员 | woo woo one |
| Do you have any tables available | 你有自由表 | ni woy zi woy biao |
| I want to book a table | 我想预订一张桌子 | wo hyang ding ui zang zuo zi |
| Check please (bill) | 请检查（帐户） | qing yian cha |
| Accept my order | 请接受我的命令 | qing yie shou wo de ming ling |
| What year is the wine | 今年葡萄酒 | yin nian puo tao yi |
| Your signature dish | 您的特色菜 | nin di te se kai |
| Tea coffee | 茶/咖啡 | cha/ka fairies |
| Instant coffee | 速溶咖啡 | su rong ka fairies |
| Soup | 汤 | tang |
| Olives | 橄榄树 | gan lan shu |
| Salad | 沙拉 | sha la |
| Grilled | 烤 | kao |
| Fried | 烤 | kao |
| Boiled | 煮 | zhu |
| I do not eat meat! | 我不吃肉！ | wo bu yi roi |
| Vermicelli | 挂面 | gia mian |
| Pasta | 面食 | mian si |
| Stuffed pepper | 酿三宝 | niang san bao |
| Sandwich | 三明治 | san ming zhi |
| Cheese / sour cream (sour) | 奶酪/酸奶（酸奶） | nai lao / suan nai |
| Beer | 啤酒 | Phi Chiu |
| Wine | 葡萄酒 | pu tao yiy |
| Please bring the menu. | 请给我菜谱。 | Tsin gey vo tskhaiphu. |
| I want to order this... this... and this. (showing in menu) | 我要这个… 这个…和这个…。 | Wo yao jege... jege... he jege. |
| Is it spicy? | 这个辣不辣？ | Jege la bu la? |
| Please bring spoons/forks/napkins/sticks/plates | 请，给我匙子/叉子/餐巾/筷子/盘子。 | Tsin, gey vo chshi tzu/chha tzu/tshan jin/khuai tzu/phan tzu. |
| Bring the bill, please. | 买单。 | May tribute. |
| Delicious! | 很好吃！ | Hen hao chshi! |
| Squid | 鱿鱼 | yo yu |
| Shrimp | 虾 | Xia |
| Fish | 鱼 | yu |
| Pork | 猪肉 | Zhu Zhou |
| Beef | 牛肉 | niu zhou |
| Mutton | 羊肉 | Yan Zhou |
| Chicken | 鸡 | ji |
| Duck | 鸭 | I |
| Tofu | 豆腐 | dofu |
| Eggplant | 茄子 | Tse Tzu |
| Potato | 土豆 | thu dou |
| Noodles | 面 | Myen |
| Egg | 鸡蛋 | ji dan |
| Orange juice | 橙汁 | cheng zhi |
| Apple juice | 苹果汁 | Phing Guo Zhi |
| Tomato juice | 蕃茄汁 | Fan Tse Zhi |
| Grape juice | 葡萄汁 | phu thao zhi |
| Peach juice | 桃汁 | thao zhi |
| Coffee | 咖啡 | Kha Faye |
| Black tea | 红茶 | hun cha |
| Green tea | 绿茶 | Liu Cha |
| Eggplants with peppers and potatoes | 地三鲜 | Disanxian. |
| Meat in sweet and sour sauce | 锅包肉 | Guobaozhou. |
| Fried squid with cumin | 孜然鱿鱼 | Zizhan youyuy. |
| Dumplings | 饺子 | Jiaozi. |
| Dumplings with meat filling | 肉馅的饺子 | Zhou xien de jiaozi. |
| Steamed pies with filling | 包子 | Baozi. |
| Peking duck | 北京烤鸭 | Bei jing kao ya. |
| Fried strips of pork in spicy sauce | 鱼香肉丝 | Yu Xiang Rou Si. |
| Chicken with crispy peanuts | 碎米鸡丁 | Sui mi ji ding. |
| Spicy tofu | 麻辣豆腐 | Ma la doufu. |
General phrases are words on which you can start a conversation and continue it in the future. Here are the phrases that are most often used in the lexicon.
Airport – in order not to get confused at the Chinese airport, find ticket offices, access to terminals, parking, bus stops, etc., this theme is perfect for you.
Transport - by opening this topic you will find translations of words and phrases that can be used to explain to a taxi driver where you need to go, or to find out which bus route is suitable for you, to clarify the price of travel, to find out how to get to the station. metro, bus stop, etc.
A restaurant is a place that every tourist visits. However, the Chinese language is very different from Russian, as is the cuisine. Therefore, without knowing the translation of certain dishes, as well as their components, you will not be able to order what you want. To solve this problem, just open this topic and find the name of the dish that you like.
Hotel – when checking into a hotel you need to fill out some paperwork, choose the room you like, etc. In order to explain what you want from a hotel and to clarify the nuances of your stay, just open this section and find the appropriate phrases.
Mall - a list of common phrases that you will undoubtedly need while shopping at the mall.
Grocery supermarket - a list of words and phrases that will help you purchase the products you are interested in.
Pharmacy - if you have health problems, but everything in the pharmacy is written in Chinese, and the pharmacist himself does not understand what you need, use this topic and you will buy the medicine that you need.
Cashier - words and phrases that will help you in conversation with the cashier.
Chinese counting - translation and sound of numbers in Chinese, from zero to million.
Pronouns - pronunciation and translation of pronouns in Chinese.
Question words – frequently asked and important questions for tourists, their pronunciation and spelling.
Name of colors - here you will find translations of many colors and shades, as well as their correct pronunciation.
The Chinese language is one of the interesting and at the same time complex grammatically speaking languages. To master it successfully, you need systematic and disciplined work. It will be nice if, in addition to textbooks, support is provided by a native speaker from China.
Basics of Chinese
Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family and is spoken by more than 1.3 billion people. Since there are a considerable number of dialects that differ from each other within Chinese, linguists speak of it as an independent language branch. The essential feature of Chinese is that it is a consistent and logical language. Already in the early stages of language courses, this feature is striking.
One of the characteristic features of the Russian language is the changing sequence of words in sentences. Even in classical Chinese, there is a strictness in terms of the arrangement of words - adjectives come before nouns, adverbs before verbs, etc. This feature allows you to quickly understand the principle of constructing any sentences, which greatly simplifies the first steps of getting to know the basics of the language.
Another remarkable feature is the invariance of the word form. When constructing sentences, there is no need to coordinate the adjective with the noun or conjugate the verb. Gender and number as categories are unfamiliar to Chinese grammar. But there is an indication of the appearance.
Chinese grammar is difficult to master, but you can achieve good results in a fairly short period of time. Immersion in Mandarin (the official language of the People's Republic of China) is a fascinating undertaking that requires persistence and patience.
Plural of nouns
Despite the absence of a number category in Mandarin, the problem of moving from one number to another can be solved with the help of a special pronoun 些 xiē. If zhèběn shū is a book, then zhèxiē shū is books (several books in a literal translation). By adding the suffix 们 men to a noun or pronoun, you can also create a plural form. Another option is to use numbers (then there is no need to use the men suffix).
Difference between er and liang
The Chinese get the number "two" by using two words er 二 and liang 两. Understanding the correct use of them is one of the tasks for beginning Chinese language learners. There are 4 rules for using these words:
- If we are talking about mathematical counting and you need to designate the number 2, then er is used.
- If something or someone specific is being counted, liang is used.
- When using numerals up to 100, only er should be used.
- If hundreds, thousands, number of years or money are denoted, both words can be used.
When repeating the two several times (5222), you first need to say (write) liang, then er. The exception would be 22. In Chinese it looks like this: 二十二.
Suffix and modal particle le
The suffix le 了, which must be placed after the verb, is intended to show the completion of an action. The particle is placed exclusively at the end of the sentence in order to show a change, to indicate a change in quality. The placement of the suffix le after the verb is inappropriate if we are talking about feelings (the verbs “to love”, “to hate”). It is also not placed after verbs that do not mean actual action (to be like, to be) and in the case when they are preceded by a modal word.
Chinese suffixes (outline)
There are quite a lot of suffixes that help in the formation of words. Among the main ones we can note:
- 子 and 儿 – serve to form objects;
- 们 – helps to obtain the plural of nouns (animate);
- 者, 家 and 员 – denotes a participant in any process, an employee (in Russian, an analogue of the suffixes -tel, -ist, -schik);
- 性 – capable of turning verbs into nouns (-ost, -est – correspondences in Russian);
- 主义 – helps to create terms with “isms” at the end of the word (capitalism, communism).
Measures of length and weight
Traditional Chinese measures of length and weight will be introduced first. 寸 (tsun) is 3.33 cm (3.73 cm is the standard of the early last century, preserved in Hong Kong). 尺 (chi) – approximately 30 cm. 里 (li) – half a kilometer.
斤 (Jin) – half a kilo, 分 (Fen) – half a gram.
Modern measures of length in the native language of the Chinese:
- 毫米 (háomǐ) – millimeter;
- 公分 (gōngfēn) – centimeter;
- 米 (mǐ) – meter;
- 公里 (gōnglǐ) – kilometer.
Classical weight measures are represented by the following correspondences:
- 克 (kè) – one gram;
- 公斤 (gōngjīn) – one kilogram;
- 吨 (dūn) – one ton.
Particles de
In Chinese, the particle de is expressed in three characters - 的, 得 and 地. The first is used when it is necessary to express ownership (as a possessive pronoun - my bag). It is also used to connect an object and its description - a beautiful car (there should be a particle de between these words). It also distinguishes verb constructions built according to the scheme “A, which is B” (in writing the construction will be the opposite - B 的 A).
The second use of the particle (得) is needed to denote adverbs (did quickly). It also helps to express the possibility of action (I am able to do this myself).
The third option (地) serves as an adverb suffix and should be placed before the verb (example: look sad).
Time notation
Time can be indicated in Chinese using the following characters:
- 秒 – second;
- 分 – minute;
- 点 – hour;
- 半 – half;
- 刻 – quarter of an hour;
- 上午 – until 12 noon;
- 下午 – after 12 noon.
Conjunctions in Chinese
The main conjunctions include: “moreover” (并且, 再说, 加上 – synonymous), “because” (因为), “therefore” (所以), “thus” (那么), “in order to” ( 为), “despite” (不管). It is possible to achieve a conditional connection without using the corresponding conjunction. The construction “and…, and…” can be obtained by using the character 又 (when written twice, “both handsome and smart”). More will be said about the connecting conjunction “and”.
Modal verbs
A feature of modal verbs in Chinese is their ability to be independent verbs (in Russian and English this picture is not observed). 能 (néng) – to be able, 可以 (kěyǐ) – allowed, 会 (huì) – to be able to. Obligation is indicated using hieroglyphs: 应该 (yīnggāi) – necessary, 要 (yào) – necessary, 必须 (bìxū) – obliged. The expression of desire (want) occurs through the use of: 想 (xiǎng) and 愿意 (yuànyì).
Interjections
There are quite a lot of words expressing an emotional state. Among the main ones are the following:
- 哎哟 – expresses fear or surprise (akin to Oh! and Oh!);
- 阿 – to express annoyance (Eh!);
- 哼 – image of a groan from pain in a letter;
- 噢 – appeal, impatience and surprise in one bottle (Hey! Well?);
- 哈哈 – expresses laughter and joy (Ha-ha!).
Numerals
A small table of numbers from 1 to 10 looks like this:
Arabic numerals correspond to certain hieroglyphs; the last column shows the romanized version of Putonghua.
You can indicate cardinal numbers in writing by listing the digits. If there is a zero in the middle (even several times in a row, 2001), then it is written with the corresponding hieroglyph (once). What is a million? To do this, you need to combine 百 (bǎi, one hundred) and 万 (wàn, 10 thousand), which will result in the desired word.
The character 第 dì placed before cardinal numbers gives ordinal numbers. Decimal numbers can be translated into Chinese using the following scheme: the integer part, then the “dot” (点 diǎn), and then the fractional part.
What are the introductory words?
Thanks to introductory words, you can play with the beginning of a sentence in an interesting way:
- 说实话 (shuō shíhuà) – Honestly speaking;
- 吃亏 (chīkuī) – Unfortunately;
- 幸 (xìng) – Fortunately;
- 我看来 (wǒkànlái) – In my opinion;
- 终于 (zhōngyú) – In the end;
- 一来 (yīlái) – Firstly;
- 二来 (èrlái) – Secondly;
- 三来 (sānlái) – Thirdly.
The last three paragraphs clearly show how easy it is to use numerals at the beginning of enumeration sentences.
Time
Quite often, you can find out what tense is expressed in a sentence only from the context. Good teachers always note this fact in language courses. The past tense marker can be the word yesterday (昨天) or the suffix 过 (this produces an imperfective verb). You can also get the past tense using the construction 是…的 (“I came to visit him”). The already mentioned suffix le 了 (analogue of the English Present Perfect) also helps in the designation.
The adverb 明天 (talking about tomorrow) is sometimes used to denote the future tense. There is an option using the verb 要 to mean planning something. Special constructions like 要…了 or 快要…了 speak of upcoming events (it’s about to snow).
To indicate the present tense, you need to use a verb without suffixes or particles. The construction 在…呢 is used to express the Present Continuous.
Prepositions
All prepositions of the Chinese language can be divided into groups:
- indicate addition – 把, 将;
- meanings “to”, “y”, “in the direction” – 向, 朝, 对;
- meanings “for”, “for” and – 给, 与, 为;
- “along” and “along” – 沿, 顺 (have the same meaning);
- conveys the instrumental case (questions “by whom?” and “with what?”) – 由;
- to denote a time period (“starting from”, “from”) – 凭;
- stable combinations with the verb – 学习 (“to learn from someone”), 观 – (“to watch for”).
Impersonal offers
The peculiarity of impersonal sentences is the absence of a subject. “It’s getting evening”, “It’s getting dark”, “It’s getting cold” - all these are examples of impersonal sentences. There are several ways to obtain such constructions in Chinese. The first is through a verbal-nominal combination of words (要太冷了 - It’s about to get very cold). The second is by creating sentences like “Someone is doing something” (你听, 有人在唱歌儿 - Listen, there is singing). The third is due to the suffix 着 (牌子上写着... – the sign says...).
Money in Chinese
The official yuan is denoted by the character 元 (colloquially used 块 – kuài). A tenth of a yuan is jiao 角. In speech we use máo 毛. The hundredth part of the yuan is fen, used both in official and colloquial speech - 分 (fēn).
The word money itself is denoted by the words 钱 (qián), 币 (bì) and 人民币 (rénmínbì) - meaning people's money. If the word 块 (kuài) is used during a conversation, then in the future the monetary units can be omitted.
The names of foreign currencies are formed according to a simple scheme - the country is named first, then the word “money” (元) comes. American dollar – 美元, where 美 (měi) means America. Euro (欧元), where 欧 (ōu) is Europe.
One of the most common phrases is “how much does it cost...?” in Chinese it looks like 多少钱?
Conjunction "and"
There are several conjunctions “and” in Chinese (unlike the Russian language), it all depends on which parts of speech are connected. Nouns, verbs and pronouns are joined using the conjunction 和 (hé). 与 (yǔ) is used to connect nouns and pronouns in colloquial and formal languages. 又 is used to mean "as well as".
Linking verbs involves the use of characters 也 and 而 (“also”, “and”). Adjectives are joined using the same conjunction 而.
Negation in Chinese table
To form negative phrases, special particles 不, 没 and 未 are used. The first character is used for the present tense, the second for the verb 有 (to have) in the present (example - “I don’t have a car”). The particle 未 is used when it is necessary to show a process that has begun but has not yet ended (“I haven’t had dinner yet”). It also expresses the current state of affairs (without any hint of desire or desire for anything). The table shows several more ways to form a negation.
Approximate quantity
Using two characters 多 and 几 you can get sentences with different meanings. The first one needs to designate the approximate amount in whole units (More than a hundred years... i.e. 102, 132 years, etc.) The hieroglyph is always written before the counting word. The second one is written after, denoting the approximate amount in parts of the whole (100-plus years, i.e. 100 years and a couple of months).
Conclusion
Learning Chinese grammar seems like a difficult process for beginners. But remembering that the language is one of the consistent and logical languages of the world, it has a system, you can count on success in mastering it. In Chinese educational institutions, foreigners are given a year to master the basics of the language. Immersion in the environment plays a significant role, but today, with the development of Internet communication, this is no longer a problem - going to China is not necessary.
If you are going to China, it will not hurt you to learn to speak Chinese, at least a few sentences. Below we have given 5 main structures in constructing sentences, using which you can correctly express your thoughts and desires.
Specify preference
If, while walking down the street, you saw an ice cream kiosk and wanted to buy yourself an ice cream, you need to correctly formulate a sentence to express your desire. It is very easy to compose it in Chinese. So, we will use the phrase 我要….. - wǒ yào – I want…..
If your Chinese friends are trying to persuade you to eat tofu or other exotic food that you don't like, or you just don't like doing something, you can confidently use 我不要…- wǒ bùyào - I don't want to..
我要这个 - wǒ yào zhège - I want it. A universal phrase that fits almost everything, for example, when you have to choose from something.
我要那个 - wǒ yào nàge - I want that. This offer is suitable for choosing something that is located at a distance from you, not nearby. For example, you want to buy cigarettes that are on the rack behind the cash register, this is where you can use this sentence.
我要回家 - wǒ yào huíjiā – I want to go home. , which can be used in a company or while communicating with someone when you want to go home.
Imperative sentence
Now you will learn to give instructions or demand. We will use 给我一个- gěi wǒ yígè – give me….
给我一个机会 - gěi wǒ yígè jīhuì - give me a chance. Do you see some opportunity for yourself or want to improve your situation? This proposal will help you with this.
给我打电话 - gěi wǒ dǎdiànhuà – call me. Standard to ask someone to call you.
Express our disapproval or reluctance
If you don’t like something or don’t love someone, to express these feelings in Chinese it is enough to use the negative particle 不 – bù – no.
我不喜欢星期一 wǒ bù xǐhuan xīngqīyī – I don’t like Mondays
我不喜欢我的老板 - wǒ bù xǐhuan wǒde lǎobǎn – I don’t like my boss
我不喜欢逛街 - wǒ bù xǐhuan guàngjiē – I don’t like shopping
We describe people and give compliments
你很漂亮 - nǐ hěn piàoliang - you are very beautiful. The next time you see a beautiful girl, be sure to compliment her like this.
你很帅 - nǐ hěn shuài – you are very beautiful. This compliment is suitable for men.
你很幽默 - nǐ hěn yōumò - you are very funny. If someone made a joke, then you can use this compliment.
你很聪明 - nǐ hěn cōngmíng – you are very smart
他很高 - tā hěn gāo – he is very tall
Let's make an appointment
To schedule an appointment, you first need to select a location.
在我家 - zài wǒ jiā – at my home.
在二零六公交车站 - bus stop 206
在学校正门前 - zài xuéxiào zhèngmén qián – at the main entrance to the school
明天晚上 - míngtiān wǎnshang – tomorrow evening
昨晚 - zuówǎn – last night
上午十一点 shàngwǔ shíyī diǎn – at 11 a.m.
下个星期三 - xià gè xīngqīsān – next Wednesday
Dmitry Sakharov
Hello dear reader! Word order in Chinese is a very important grammatical aspect, and the simplest sentences with an object are the basis on which more complex sentences are built. This grammar is designed for those who are just starting to learn Chinese.
It is, one might say, a kind of basis for any Chinese proposal. This is like a frame to which we will attach other words in the future.
You've probably already heard that when composing sentences in Chinese, you need to follow certain rules. We cannot arrange words the way we want. You will either be misunderstood or not understood at all. There is a certain word order that every Chinese sentence follows.
And if in Russian words in many cases can be swapped, but the meaning still remains clear, then in Chinese this will not work.
So, let's move on to composing the simplest sentences, consisting of only three words with an addition.
Let's start with perhaps the most popular phrase. Let's make a sentence of three words:
I + love + you = 我爱你
If you noticed, then at the very beginning there is a subject, followed by a predicate, and then an object - and in that order, and not in any other.
And if in Russian we can say not only I love you, but also I love you or I love you, then in Chinese the order will be the same, and if you change it, the meaning will be lost or changed:
- 你爱我 you love me (different meaning).
- 爱我你 makes no sense.
- 你我爱 makes no sense.
Thus we got the formula for a simple sentence with an addition:
SUBJECT + PREDICATE + OBJECT
Here are a few more examples:
In general, it's that simple!
Now let’s consolidate the material we’ve covered! Put the words of each line in the correct order, thus making a simple sentence with an object:
- 电脑 - computer, 弟弟 - younger brother, 玩儿 - play.
- 作业 - homework, 写 - write, 儿子 [ér zi] - son.
- 看 [kàn] - watch/read, 爷爷 - grandfather, 报纸 [bào zhǐ] - newspaper.
- 巧克力 - chocolate, 我 - I, 吃 - eat.
Write your answers, as well as your suggestions, in the comments. You can read about composing more complex sentences in
Video on the topic “How to write a simple sentence in Chinese”
Is Mandarin really as difficult as everyone says? For those who are just starting out, and for whom Russian is their native language, Chinese is not just difficult, but, as they say, hellishly difficult.
The main difficulty lies in the need to master a lot of new knowledge and skills at the same time, in particular, master pinyin, get used to pronunciation, get used to an unfamiliar writing system and come to terms with a completely different approach to grammar.
The way to overcome this complexity is to break it down into stages and components and consider each separately. Once you do this, everything will become much simpler and even more logical.
Familiarity with the structure of the Chinese sentence can be a good starting point on this path, because:
- it is a fundamental part of the Chinese language
- it is relatively simple, so it will help you feel confident in your abilities
- on its basis you can understand the key features of Chinese grammar
Let's take a closer look at the last statement. One thing about learning Chinese grammar that completely disorients “newbies” is the feeling that you are driving a car without a steering wheel. Unlike Russian, Chinese grammar does not have the familiar concepts of tense or conjugation. Not sure what exactly I mean? Read on.
Let's start with 5 simple sentence structures:
- Subject + verb: “nĭ chī”
“Nĭ” means you, and “chī” means “there is”. So the sentence means "You eat."
- Subject + verb + object: “nĭ chī fàn”
“Nĭ” means you, “chī” means “to eat”, “fàn” means “food” or “rice”. So, all together it means “You eat” or “You eat rice.”
But if it is not clear from the phrase, when someone is this very chī, how do the Chinese communicate?
The answer is that time is determined by context. When the Chinese want to be clearer, they provide more details, as in the following example.
- Subject + adverb of time + verb + object: “nĭ jīn tiān chī fàn”
“Jīn tiān” means “today”, so the whole thing means “Today I eat rice (food).”
If the speaker wants to make the phrase clearer, then instead of changing the verb “chī”, which means “to eat”, he adds an indication of tense. That's what we were talking about. The verb “chī” has a “timeless” essence, like a chemical element.
- Subject + verb + object + ma: “nĭ jīn tiān chī fàn ma”
Adding “ma” at the end turns the sentence into an interrogative. So now this sentence is translated as “Are you eating rice today?”
You can use this for any question that has a yes/no answer. (That is, not in questions like “What would you like to eat?”).
Isn’t it so much easier than English? Try to explain to an English student as simply as asking a question.
- Subject + adverb of time + verb: “nĭ jīn tiān chī”
It means "You eat today." We have removed the word “fan” which is implied.
The Chinese love to be concise, so if they can get by with fewer words, they do so.
We hope you find this post helpful in getting started with Chinese grammar and sentence structure. If you want more information, we recommend talking to one of our teachers.
