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Mandarin Sentence constructions > Sentence Structures > Flashcards

Sentence Structures Flashcards

1
Q

How to make an invitation.

A

我请（sentence）
我请你吃饭。

请 can be used as an invitation.

In this particular scenario, the expectation is that the speaker pays the bill.

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2
Q

Are you thinking of eating dinner; Another way to phrase “yes/no” questions.

A

你想不想吃饭？

A verb repeated with a 不 in between each repeat. Use a 没 for 有没有.

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3
Q

How to politely ask for a favor or politely ask for permission

A

你可以接我吗？”Can you please pick me up?”
你可以拿我的电脑吗？”Can you please get my phone?”
我可以请你吃饭吗？”May I invite you to dinner?”

可以 literally means “the ability to do something” but can be used in politeness

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4
Q

How to make a suggestion.

A

我们明天吃饭吧。

吧 is the model particle for suggestions.

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5
Q

A “then” statement.

A

那（sentence)
那我明天晚上接你。

Put 那 first.

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6
Q

What a coincidence; How to express surprise that something is so much.

A

太 (noun or adjective) 了
太巧了 “What a coincidence!”

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7
Q

The order titles are in.
“Miss Wang.”

A

“王小姐。”
(Last) (title)
Title after the last name.

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8
Q

When to duplicate verbs
“Come take a look!”

A

来看看吧！

Almost all verb duplications are used when it would be incorrect to use only a single verb. Words that have very similar meanings, like 看 and 瞧, share duplication appropriateness.
There are many ways to make a sentence, this one sounds more casual/humble/polite

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9
Q

What does doubling a noun mean?
狗狗

A

“Doggy”
Affectionate, cute

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10
Q

Amount of yuan and Jiao.
For example, five Yuan and two Jiao.

A

无块儿
(Amount of Yuan)+(块)+(amount of Jiao)

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11
Q

Comparison of something a little more.
1. How to point out a cheaper dress.
2. How to ask someone to hurry up.

A

1。那个便宜一点儿 “That cheap a little” literally
2。 请块一点儿 “Please fast a little” literally

一点儿 after an adjective.

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12
Q

How to say “a little”.
1. I want to drink a little coffee.
2. I want to buy a few apples.

A

1。我想喝一点儿咖啡 “I think drink a little coffee”
2。我想买一点儿苹果 “I think buy a little apple”
一点儿 is before the noun here.
It often has negative connotations.

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13
Q

Difference between 狗很可爱 and 狗很可爱的

A

狗很可爱的 is emphasizing the statement.

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14
Q

How to say “only”
Like only one apple

A

只有一个苹果
“Only” have one apple

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15
Q

How to respectfully ask someone’s last name

A

你贵姓？

贵 is same 贵 as “expensive” lol, calling them rich politeness inflation

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16
Q

How to say the time?

A

(Hour)点(minute)分

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17
Q

A certain number of time, for example “six months

A

六个月
(Number)个(time)

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18
Q

Order of date in Mandarin

A

几年几月几号星期几

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19
Q

How to say an action that hasn’t been completed, or a negative that might change in the future

A

没
Unlike 不, which is “I am not the sort of person who eats fish at all”
没 is more like “I have not eaten fish yet” or “I don’t have cats yet”

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20
Q

How to say I’ve done this before

A

Verb + 过
For example, maybe 我吃过小笼包
The negative form is 没 + verb + 过

21
Q

How to ask someone how they feel about something

A

觉得 + something 怎么样
For example: 你觉得上海怎么样

22
Q

How to say that you are currently doing something

A

Subject +在+ object

23
Q

Should you add 了 to a sentence with 没?

A

No. 没 implies the past tense in its own.

For example:
昨天Mark吃了上海菜 is the exact opposite of 昨天Mark没吃上海菜。

24
Q

How to ask a “yes or no” question about something that happened in the past

A

Usual sentence structure + 了吗

了is always at the end with the 吗!

25
Q

How to wish a happy festival

A

Festival name + 快乐

26
Q

Do you need to add 很 to a question about an adjective?

A

No. You can just say subject + object + 吗 without adding the 很.

So, 你忙吗 is grammatical. If you said 你很忙吗 it would be like asking “are you very busy” instead of “are you busy.”

27
Q

How to connect a verb and an adverb

A

Verb + 得+ Adverb

Example: 你画得很好

28
Q

How to say that something is happening right now

A

在

Example: 他在听音乐

29
Q

How to say how many years old something is

A

Age + 岁

30
Q

How to tell someone to not do something

A

别 or 不要 + verb

31
Q

Ordering of events

A

先，然后，最后
Firstly, later, lastly

先，再
First, then (cannot be used for events that have already happened)

32
Q

How to emphasize the time, location, or manner of a an action that happened in the past

A

是。。。的
是 is optional

“你是什么时候来的“
”我是昨天来的“

”你是从哪里来的“
”我是从美国来的“

33
Q

How to say something did something to something else

A

Object + 被 + subject (the thing that did it) + verb

被 = Bei

34
Q

How to say that you are allergic to something

A

我对 + something + 过敏
过敏 = Guo min

35
Q

This thing is something, but…

A

Noun+ Adverb/verb + 是 adverb/verb, 可是/但是 adverb/verb

Example 1: 四川菜好吃是好吃，可是太辣了。
Example 2: 这里的衣服好看是好看，可是太贵了。

36
Q

As long as… then…

A

只要 + something + 就 + something else

example 1: 只要时间，我就学中文

37
Q

How to say there’s been a change in a situation

A

了

我下班了 I was at work recently but now I am off

38
Q

How to compare two things

A

(Thing 1) + 比 + Thing 2 + adjective

Example 1: 这条裤子比那条大

39
Q

How to state how long an action was being taken

A

Verb + 了 + duration of time

example 1: 我只学了一年多
example 2: 我学了一年多中文

40
Q

How to talk about finishing something

A

Verb + 完
This does not imply the past tense on its own. You say that you’ve already finished something, you must add 了.
我读完了。

41
Q

How to compare the distances of two places

A

Place + 离 + place

Example: 饭馆离医院很远

42
Q

Not only, but also

A

不但。。。而且

43
Q

Order of address

A

From big to small, just like date

44
Q

How to indicate that a verb has already happened and is happening again

A

又 + verb
又下雨 // It’s raining again

45
Q

How to indicate that something will happen again in the future

A

再 + verb
我想再去北京 // I want to go to Beijing again

46
Q

How to say that something is everywhere

A

到处都是

47
Q

How to compare similarities

A

（noun 1）+ 和/跟 +（noun 2）+一样/不一样 + (optional adjective)

他的头发和我的不一样长： “His hair is not as long as mine.”

48
Q

比 comparison
“This is a bit more”

A

Adjective + 一点儿/一些

1: 今年比去年热一点儿
2: 他家比我家大一些

49
Q

比 comparison
“This thing is much more than that thing”

A

更 + adjective
or
adjective + 得多/多了

1: 今年比去年热得多。
2: 去年很热，今年比去年更热。

Mandarin Sentence constructions (4 decks)

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