HSK Guide/HSK 1 Grammar
Parts of Speech
[edit | edit source]These following grammar points fit pretty neatly into one part of speech category.
Adverbs
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing actions in progress with "zai" | (正) 在 + Verb | 我们 正在 吃饭。
We are eating rice now. |
| Negation of "you" with "mei" | 没 + 有 | 我 没有 钱 。
I don't have money. |
| Standard negation with "bu" | 不 + Verb / Adj. | 他们 不 是 坏 孩子。
They are not bad children. |
| The "all" adverb "dou" | 都 + Verb / Adj. | 我们 都 住 在 上海。
We all live in Shanghai. |
| The "also" adverb "ye" | 也 + Verb / Adj. | 昨天 很 冷，今天 也 很 冷。
Yesterday was cold, and today is also cold. |
Adverbs with Adjectives
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Asking about degree with "duo" | Subj. + 多 + Adj. ? | 他 多 高？
How tall is he? |
| Expressing "not very" with "bu tai" | 不太 + Adj. | 他 不太 高兴 。我 不太 喜欢。
He isn't very happy. I don't quite like it. |
Conjunctions
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "and" with "he" | Noun 1 + 和 + Noun 2 | 我 和 他 都 不 去。
I and him didn't go. |
Nouns
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| After a specific time with "yihou" | Time / Verb + 以后 | 10点 以后 ，我 不 在 家。
I won't be at home after 10 o' clock. |
| Before a specific time with "yiqian" | Time / Verb + 以前 | 十 点 以前，我 在 家。
I will be at home before 10 o' clock. |
| Time words and word order | Subj. + Time⋯⋯ / Time + Subj.⋯⋯ | 我 明天 有 空。/ 明天 我 有 空。
I will be free tomorrow. |
Numbers
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Age with "sui" | Subj. + Number + 岁 | 我 20 岁 。
I'm 20 years old. |
| Measure word "ge" | Number + 个 + Noun | 一 个 人 。
A person. |
| Structure of dates | Number + 年 + Number + 月 + Number + 日 | 今天 是 2011年 11月 11日/号 。
Today is 11th November 2011. |
| Structure of days of the week | 星期 + Number | 今天 星期三 。
Today is Wednesday. |
| Structure of numbers | Number + Unit | 三 百 五 十 九。
359. |
| Structure of times (advanced) | Number 1 + 点(钟) + Number 2 + 分 | 现在 十一点十八分 。
It's 11:18 now. |
| Structure of times (basic) | Number + 点(钟) | 现在 十一点 。
It's 11 o' clock now. |
Particles
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing close possession without "de" | Pronoun + Noun | 我 女朋友
my girlfriend |
| Expressing completion with "le" | Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj. | 我 吃 了 两 个 苹果。
I ate 2 apples. |
| Expressing "not anymore" with "le" | 不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了 | 我 不 想 吃 了 。
I don't want to eat anymore. |
| Expressing "now" with "le" | New Situation + 了 | 吃饭 了！
Time to eat! |
| Expressing possession with "de" | Noun 1 + 的 + Noun 2 | 我 的 老师
my teacher |
| Questions with "ne" | ⋯⋯呢 ? | 我 很 好。你 呢 ?
I'm fine. And you? |
| Sentence-final interjection "a" | ⋯⋯啊 | 是 啊！谁 啊？
Yep! Who? |
| Softening speech with "ba" | ⋯⋯吧 | 这样 不 太 好 吧。
This ain't that good. |
| Suggestions with "ba" | Command + 吧 | 我们 走 吧 。
Let's go. |
Verbs
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Directional verbs "lai" and "qu" | 来 / 去 + Place | 我 来 上海 一 年 了。
It's been 1 year I came to Shanghai. |
| Expressing existence in a place with "zai" | 在 + Place | 老师 在 上海 。
The teacher is at Shanghai. |
| Expressing existence with "you" | Place + 有 + Obj. | 我们 学校 有 很 多 学生。
Our school has lots of students. |
| Expressing possession with "you" | Subj. + 有 + Obj. | 我 有 钱。
I have money. |
| Polite requests with "qing" | 请 + Verb | 请 坐 。
Please sit. |
| Using the verb "jiao" | 叫 + Name | 你 叫 什么 名字 ？
What's your name? |
| Using the verb "qu" | 去 + Place | 我 去 学校。
I go to school. |
Auxiliary verbs
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing ability or possibility with "neng" | 能 + Verb | 中文 这么 难，你 能 学 好 吗？
Chinese is tough, can you master it? |
| Expressing a learned skill with "hui" | 会 + Verb | 他 会 说 中文 。
He can speak Chinese. |
| Expressing "will" with "hui" | 会 + Verb | 明天 你 会 来 吗？
Are you going to come tomorrow? |
| Expressing "would like to" with "xiang" | 想 + Verb | 我 想 去。
I want to go. |
Verb phrases
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| How to do something with "zenme" | 怎么 + Verb ? | 怎么 走?
How do I reach there? |
| Indicating location with "zai" before verbs | Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb | 我 在 上海 工作。
I work at Shanghai. |
| Negation of past actions with "meiyou" | 没有 + Verb | 我 没有 去 酒吧。
I didn't go to the pub. |
Grammatical Structures
[edit | edit source]These are grammatical structures that do not correspond to one particular part of speech.
Basics
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Basic sentence order | Subj. + Verb (+ Obj.) | 我 爱 你 。
I love you. |
| Connecting nouns with "shi" | A + 是 + B | 我 是 学生 。
I'm a student. |
| Expressing "excessively" with "tai" | 太 + Adj. + 了 | 太 好 了 !
That's great! |
| Simple "noun + adjective" sentences | Noun + 很 + Adj. | 我 很 好。
I'm fine. |
Noun Phrases
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Expressing "some" with "yixie" | 一些 + Noun | 这里 有 一些 咖啡。
There are some coffee here. |
Numbers and Measure Words
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Counting money | Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱) | 给 你 五 块 三 毛。
Here's 5 dollars and 3 pennies. |
| Measure words in quantity questions | 几 + Measure Word (+ Noun) ? | 几 个 人？
How many people? |
Question Forms
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Asking how something is with "zenmeyang" | ⋯⋯怎么样？ | 你 最近 怎么样 ？
How are you recently? |
| Placement of question words | 什么 / 什么时候 / 谁 / 哪儿 / 为什么 / 怎么 | 你 是 谁 ？你 在 哪儿 ？
Who are you? Where are you? |
| Questions with "le ma" | Verb + 了 + 吗？ | 你 吃饭 了 吗 ？
Have you ate yet? |
| Yes-no questions with "ma" | ⋯⋯吗？ | 他 是 老板 吗 ?
Is he a boss? |
Sentence Patterns
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details | 是⋯⋯ 的 | 你 是 怎么 来 的？
How did you came here? |
Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points
[edit | edit source]What's the difference between this grammar point and that grammar point? Check here.
Adverbs
[edit | edit source]| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing "bu" and "mei" | 不 vs 没 | 我 今天 晚上 不 吃饭。昨天 晚上 我 没 吃饭。
I won't eat dinner today. I didn't eat dinner yesterday. |