Grammar
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How to use 了
Let’s dive into how to use the particle 了 (le) as an aspect particle to express completion and as a modal particle to show a change of state. Supplementary vocabulary (1) 了 as an aspect particle to express completion Firstly, we can […]
Chinese question words
Let’s dive into how to use the Chinese words for who, what, why, where, which, when and how. In English, question words are typically placed at the beginning of a question but Chinese question words can also appear in different positions within […]
How to use 过
The particle 过 (guò) is used to show if an action happened before and to inquire about past experiences. You’ll remember from previous lessons that there are no tenses in Chinese (the verbs stay unchanged). Instead time expressions and particles indicate when […]
How to use 都
The Chinese word “都” (dōu) is used most often to mean “all”, ‘both” or “entirely”. It can also be used for emphasis and to mean “already”. When used with the negator “不” it is necessary to pay attention to where “都” appears […]
想 vs 要 vs 想要
If you wish to convey a sense of desire in Chinese, you have three options in your toolbox: 想 (xiǎng), 要 (yào), and 想要 (xiǎngyào), all of which can be translated as “to want.” The choice among them hinges on the context […]
Adverbs of Degree
Seven common adverbs of degree in Chinese 1. 真 (zhēn) – really, truly We use this adverb to emphasize the degree of something, indicating that the speaker truly believes in what they’re saying. It can be used in a positive or negative […]
How to use 很
很 (hěn) is a Chinese adverb that can either simply mean “to be” or could indicate a degree. Let’s explore both uses and learn the difference. (1) In simple “noun” + “adjective” sentences When 很 is attached to an adjective, it serves […]