Sentence Patterns Flashcards
Because of X…. （normally quite generic)
因为 。。。的关系
Used with a reason in the middle to explain something, e.g.
因为天气的关系我不能去看你(because of the weather, I can’t come to see you)
Must…otherwise…
And
Fortunately…otherwise….
一定得。。。不然。。。
Or
幸亏/好在。。。不然。。。(xing kui/haozai…bu ran….)
The specific result of treatment received from someone. I received your criticism (what is the sentence structure?)
Sub + 收到 + someone/something (giver of the action) + 的 + object
我收到了你的批评 (I received your criticism/I was criticised by you)
我收到领导的表扬 (I received praise from the leader)
他在中国受到了好的待遇
I can even….
I can’t even….
连 + Subj. + 都 (+ 不 / 没) + Verb
连is “even” so this structure is can/can’t even. 也will carry the meaning of “not even one”.
连 + Subj/activity/noun. + 都 (+ 不 / 没) + action/Verb
(note: you always need to use the dou/ye)
这个 问题 太 简单 了 ，连 三岁 小孩 都 知道
他 很可怜 ，连 他 妈妈 都 不 管 他 。
我当然会，我连汽车都会开 of course I can, I can even drive a car
我连一个中国朋友都没有. I don’t even have one Chinese friend
【N.B. If you want to use even in a more normal sense - I even forgot to eat - use 甚至】
not only…. but also/furthermore/in addition….
不但 /不仅。。。而且/也/还(with 不但only)。。。
bu dan/bu jin… er qie…
不但新冠病毒对身体不好，而且这对生活也不好
(use 也 if the subjects are very similar - not eaten or slept - not if they are quite different - not slept and also have an exam)
N.B. This sentence structure can also be used for wto different subjects (Not only did I do this, she also did this)
【N.B. 再说 carries a similar meaning to 而且 of besides】
As long as…. then….
只要。。。就 / 一定。。。
(the jiu always comes after the subject)
只要天气好，我们就可以去公园玩儿。
、
N.B. See this as so long as A happens, then B follows. So long as it’s sunny, we go outside. Whereas 只有。。。才 means ‘only if’, but without the outcome being inevitable
If only…. then…
Although it better translates as only if…. then….
只有。。。才【能/会】。。。
只有学好中文，才会去中国。
Doing… while doing….
Although actually this better translates as a version of, as we finish this, we’ll do this etc
V1 了。。。就 V2。。。
Indicates two actions which occur successively, with the second immediately following the first. If the second action has a different subject that goes immediately before the 就.
妈妈起了床就做饭
你下了课我们就去书店
Both …. and ….
two qualities existing in the same place at the same time
又。。。又。。。
她又漂亮又高
In the situation of…. （not with 在。。。下）
处于。。。状态
chu yu…zhuang tai
e.g. 现在的上班族都处于亚健康状态 (now lots of office works have substandard health)
Because… so…
因为。。。所以。。。
因为他奶奶生病了，所以他每天都去医院
Since/as…
既然。。。便 / 就。。
(the second part of this is not always needed)
既然我今天有考试，我就不想课了。
既然你【不】喜欢吃中国饭，我就【不】做了。
A is very (un)familiar to B
A 对 B 很陌生 / 很熟悉
mo sheng)/familiar (shu xi
我对斯里兰卡很陌生
你对斯里兰卡很熟悉
Leave an impression
v
Have an influence
留下。。。印象。。。
v
被 / 收到 。。。影响
(yin xiang is a noun - so you leave the impression - N.B. it is a more suggestive tone, if something has a genuine impact then use yingxiang as a noun)
对欧洲国家来说，脱欧留下不好的印象；
(ying xiang is a verb or a noun, so you make the effect, or a noun)
英国的经济被新冠病毒影响了
Although …. but …
虽然。。。但是 / 却
虽然我喜欢这件衣服，但是太贵了我没买。
Although….still….
尽管。。。还。。。
尽管我今天很累，我还要上班
First… then….
先。。。【然】后。。。
for two actions - always remember to include xian!
我先洗手【然】后吃饭。
As soon as…I just….
This structure can also mean:
if…. then….
一。。。就。。。
我一回家，我就吃饭 (as soon as I get home, I eat)
Or, if meaning if..A.. then..B..: The A is a condition under which something happens and the B is a situation that would occur under that condition. For example:
儿子小时候一说话就脸红。
Create an imperative sentence to not do something
不要。。。。了
or
别。。。了
不要唱歌了
别坐下了
Rhetorical question. Used to remind people of something, or to show confusion.
不是。。。吗？
你不是很累吗？
你不是北京人马？怎么不会说北京话？
Suggest an action in progress using zai
在。。。呢？
妈妈在跑步呢？
Sometimes the 呢 is omitted:
你在干什么？(what are you doing?)
A left a certain impression on B
A 给 B 留下了 C 的印象
斯里兰卡给我留下了美好的印象
Regardless/no matter…still….
不管/无论/不论……，……都/也……
不管+affirmative+negative options：whether：不管你喜欢不喜欢，你都得戴口罩。
不管+question word:no matter+what/how…:不管你是谁，要是你想去中国工资，都得dei学汉语。
无论 is the more formal version of 不管
… it’s just ….
。。。就是。。。
Implies a caveat on the previous statement (all is good, it’s just I’m bored)
英国现在的经济情况越来越好了，就是我们还不清楚冬天会出现什么样的情况。
On the one hand…. on the other hand….
一方面。。。。另一方面。。。
To attract something
A attracts B
B 被 A 吸引
他 深深 地被 她 的 美 所 吸引 了。
Even if…. still….
即使。。。也/都。。。
即使现在已经可以去餐馆里面吃饭了，我们也应该小心一点。
N.B. You can also use 就算 in replacement for 即使 (I think more formal?)
Use。。。to。。。
用。。。来。。。
我不喜欢用我父母的钱来买我自己的东西
So we use something 来 in order to do something
Isn’t it the case that….?
不是。。。吗？
那本书不是你的吗？为什么他把书拿走了？
First…. second… then… at the end….
首先。。。其次。。。那么 / 然后 / 再。。。最后。。。
All…. except….
什么都。。。就是。。。
他什么书都喜欢看，就是不喜欢这本书
Compared with….
比起。。。来
This is a verb complement (比起来）, but the thing that is being compared to should be inserted in the middle. It is not a complete phrase and requires another clause after it.
比起他来，我的中文水平并不高
Is not A but B
不是 A 而是 B
First this then that
As in hot then cold with a fever
时+adjective 1 + 时+adjective 2
时冷时热
时高时低 （as in, up and down mood)
Don’t wait until it’s too late (lit. don’t wait until you have the regret)
别等……的时候，才+verb e.g. 别等你健康有问题的时候，才看大夫。 别等你不喜欢中文，才去学习。 别等你的健康没有，才不喝酒。 别等圣诞节到来，才准备礼物【请现在准备礼物，别等圣诞节到的时候】
To do X every Y (e.g. to have class every three days)
每过。。。就。。。
每过一小时就休息一下
我们每过三天就上一次课
Both…and….
既。。。又/也/还。。。
ji…you/ye/hai
To treat as….
(our teacher treats us as friends)
把。。。当。。。看待
ba. ..dang…kandai
e. g. 我的老师把我们当朋友看待
