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HSK Guide/HSK 2 Grammar

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Parts of Speech

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These following grammar points fit pretty neatly into one part of speech category.

Adverbs

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Continuation with "hai" Subj. + 还 + Verb Phrase / Adj. 你 还在 看 书 ?

You are still reading?

Emphasis with "jiushi" 就是 + Verb 我 父母 就是 不 让 我 一个人 去 。

My parents wouldn't let me go alone.

Emphasizing quantity with "dou" 大家 / 很多人 + 都⋯⋯ 很 多 地方 都 有 wifi。

There are internet in lots of places.

Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao" 还有 + Time Period + 就要 + Verb Phrase + 了 还有 五 天 就要 放假 了 。

Holidays are going to start in 5 more days.

Expressing "again" in the future with "zai" 再 + Verb 我 下 次 再 来。

I'll come next time.

Expressing "already" with "dou" 都 + Time + 了 都 九点 ,快点 起床 !

It's already 9 o'clock, quickly wake up!

Expressing "already" with "yijing" 已经⋯⋯了 他 已经 走 了 。

He left.

Expressing "and also" with "hai" 还 + Verb 她 有 一个 弟弟,还 有 一个 妹妹。

She has a younger brother and a younger sister.

Expressing earliness with "jiu" Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了 我 昨晚 八 点 半 就 睡觉

I slept at half past 8 yesterday.

Expressing "then" with "jiu" 就 + Verb Phrase 我们 现在 有 时间,就 去吧。

We have the time now, so let's go.

Negative commands with "bie" 别 + Verb 别走。

Don't leave.

Adverbs with Adjectives

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Asking about degree with "duo" Subj. + 多 + Adj. ? 他 多 高?

How tall is he?

Expressing "a little too" with "you dian" 有点(儿) + Adj. 我 有点 饿 。

I'm a little hungry.

Expressing distance with "li" Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + Adv. + 近 / 远 我 家 离 大学 很 近。

My home is quite close to a university.

Expressing "even more" with "geng" 更 + Adj. 我 想 找 一个 更 有钱 的 男朋友。

I want to find a richer boyfriend.

Expressing "really" with "zhen" 真 + Adj. 你 女朋友 真 漂亮 。

Your girlfriend is very pretty.

Moderating positive adjectives with "hai" 还 + Adj. 还 可以。还 好。

Still allowed. Still good.

Modifying nouns with phrase + "de" Phrase + 的 + Noun 去 北京 的 火车。今天 来 的 人。

The train to Beijing. The person who came today.

Superlative "zui" 最 + Adj. (+ 了) 谁 最 有钱 ?

Who is the richest?

Conjunctions

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
The filler word "neige" ⋯⋯那个⋯⋯ 那个⋯⋯你 可以 做 我 的 女 朋友 吗?

Um... Can you be my girlfriend?

Measure Words

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Reduplication of measure words MW + MW 个 个 都 很 好。

Everyone of them is good.

Nouns

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "when" with "de shihou" ⋯⋯的时候 你 不在 的 时候,我 会 想 你。

I will miss you when you are not here.

Numbers

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Indicating a number in excess Number + 多 三 十 多 岁

around 30 years old

Numbers and Measure Words

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Using "ji" to mean "several" 几 + Measure Word + Noun 桌子 上 有 几 本 书。

There are a few books on the table.

Particles

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Aspect particle "zhe" Verb + 着 我 读 ,你 听 着 。

I'm reading, you listen.

Conceding with "ba" ⋯⋯吧 那 好 吧。

Fine then.

Expressing "already" with just "le" Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 你 应该 问 老师 。我 问 了 。

I should ask the teacher. I already asked.

Expressing experiences with "guo" Verb + 过 我 去 过 中国 。

I went to China before.

Modal particle "ne" ⋯⋯呢 ? 我 不 要 回家 。还 早 呢 !

I don't want to return home, it's still early!

Using "guo" with "le" Verb + 过 + 了 她 吃 过 了 。

She ate that before.

Prepositions

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Basic comparisons with "bi" Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. 你 比 我 胖 。

You are fatter than me.

Expressing "for" with "gei" Subj. + 给 + Recipient + Verb Phrase 妈妈 在 给 孩子 们 做饭 。

The mother is cooking for her children.

Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…" 从⋯⋯到⋯⋯ 从1 号 到 5 号 我 在 上海。

I'll be at Shanghai from the 1st to the 5th day.

Expressing "toward" with "wang" 往 + Direction Word 往 右 转。

Turn towards the right.

Using "dui" with verbs Subj. + 对 + Person + Verb 宝宝 对 我 笑 了。

The baby laughed at me.

Verbs

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Using the verb "xing" 姓 + Surname 你 姓 什么 ?

What's your surname?

Auxiliary verbs

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings 要 + Noun / 要 + Verb 我 要 一 杯 水。

I want a glass of water.

Expressing "be going to" with "yao" Subj. + 要 + Verb (+ 了) 我 要 去 吃饭,你 去 吗?

I'm going to eat rice, are you coming along?

Expressing permission with "keyi" 可以 + Verb 这里 可以 吸烟 吗?

Can I smoke here?

Wanting to do something with "yao" 要 + Verb 我 要 吃饭 。

I want to eat rice.

Verb phrases

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Actions in a row (Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2) 我们 去 咖啡店 喝 咖啡 吧。

Let's go to a café to drink coffee.

Expressing "together" with "yiqi" 一起 + Verb 我们 一起 去 吧!要 不 要 一起 吃饭?

Let's go together! Wanna eat together?

Measure words for verbs Verb + Number + Measure Word 做 三 次。读 两 遍 。

Do it 3 times. Read it 2 times.

Negative commands with "buyao" 不要 + Verb 不要 说 英文!

Don't speak English!

Reduplication of verbs Verb + Verb 你 看看。

Look at this.

Special cases of "zai" following verbs Verb + 在 + Place 我 住 在 北京。放 在 这里。

I live in Beijing. Put it here.

Using "dao" to mean "to go to" 到 + Place 我 到 上海。

I'm going to Shanghai.

Using "hao" to mean "easy" 好 + Verb 好 做。好 买。

Easy to do. Easy to buy.

Verbing briefly with "yixia" Verb + 一下 你 看 一下 。

You look at this for a moment.

Verbs followed by "gei" Subj. + Verb + 给 + Recipient + Obj. 他 送给 我 一 束 花 。

He sent me a bouquet of flowers.

Verbs preceded by "gei" Subj. + 给 + Target + Verb + Obj. 现在 不要 给 他 打 电话 。

Don't call him now.

Verbs that take double objects Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj. 我 问 了 老师 一 个 问题。

I asked the teacher a question.

Grammatical Structures

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These are grammatical structures that do not correspond to one particular part of speech.

Complements

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Degree complement Verb + 得⋯⋯ 你 做 得 不错 。

You did great.

Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding Verb + 不懂 我 听不懂 。

I don't understand.

Result complements Verb + 好 / 完 / 错 我们 吃 好 了 。

We're finished eating.

Result complements "-dao" and "-jian" Verb + 到 / 见 听 到 了 吗 ?

Heard that?

Result complement "-wan" for finishing Verb + 完 (+ 了) 我 说 完 了。

I finished talking.

Numbers and Measure Words

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "every" with "mei" 每 + Measure Word (+ Noun) 每 个 人。每 天。

Everybody. Everyday.

Measure words for counting Number + Measure Word + Noun 一 个 人。一 杯 水。

1 person. 1 cup of water.

Measure words with "this" and "that" 这 / 那 + Measure Word (+ Noun) 那 个 人。这 杯 水。

That person. This cup of water.

Ordinal numbers with "di" 第 + Number (+ Measure Word) 你 是 我 的 第 一 朋友。

You are my first friend.

Question Forms

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Affirmative-negative question Verb + 不 + Verb / Adj. + 不 + Adj. 去 不 去?好 不 好 ?

Should I go? Is that good?

Asking why with "zenme" 怎么⋯⋯? 你 怎么 没 来?

You haven't came yet?

Simple rhetorical questions 不 是…… 吗 ? 不 是 说好 了 吗 ?怎么 会 这样 ?

Didn't we discuss about this? How did it happen?

Tag questions with "bu" ⋯⋯是不是 / 对不对 / 好不好 ? 你们 明天 来,好 不 好 ?

You guys come tomorrow, OK?

Tag questions with "ma" ⋯⋯是吗 / 对吗 / 好吗 ? 这样 做, 对 吗 ?

Is it right to do like this?

Sentence Patterns

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Cause and effect with "yinwei" and "suoyi" 因为⋯⋯ 所以⋯⋯ 因为 饿 了,所以 吃饭。

Because I'm hungry, so I ate rice.

Expressing "about to happen" with "le" 快 + Verb / Adj. + 了 快 下雨 了 。

It's going to rain.

Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou" 什么 + 都 / 也⋯⋯ 爸爸 什么 都 知道。

Dad knows everything.

Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le" 别 + Verb + 了 别 哭 了,烦 死了 。

Don't cry, it's annoying.

The "shi... de" construction for indicating purpose 是⋯⋯ 的 我 是 来 上海 旅游 的 。

I came to Shanghai to travel.

The "shi... de" patterns: an overview 是⋯⋯ 的 你 是 哪个 学校 的 ?

Which school are you from?

Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou" 每次 + Event 1 + 都 + Event 2 为什么 每 次 我 来 他 都 不 在。

Why he isn't here every time I come?

Comparison Patterns

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "much more" in comparisons Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了 拼音 比 汉字 容易 多了 。

Pinyin is easier than Chinese characters.

Complex Sentence Patterns

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "although" with "suiran" and "danshi" 虽然⋯⋯ ,但是 / 可是⋯⋯ 虽然 渴 了,但是 不 想 喝 啤酒。

Although I'm thirsty, but I don't want to drink beer.

Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points

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What's the difference between this grammar point and that grammar point? Check here.

Auxiliary verbs

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Comparing "yao" and "xiang" 要 vs 想 我 要 一 杯 水 。 我 想 你 。

I want a cup of water. I miss you.

Auxiliary Verbs

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Comparing "hui," "neng," "keyi" 会 vs. 能 vs. 可以 我 会 跳舞 。这里 不 能 跳舞 。我 可以 请 你 跳舞 吗 ?

I can dance. You can't dance here. Shall we dance together?

Numbers

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Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Comparing "er" and "liang" 二 vs 两 两 个 人。二 十 二。

2 people. 22.