Grammar

PCR Lesson 14 Grammar
第十四課：他作什麼工作
  • The verbs 說[shuō], 告訴[gàosù] and 問[wèn]:

    • 說[shuō]:
      The use of the verb 說[shuō] is similar to its English equivalent speak, say, or said.
      Subject + 說 + Something
      你們常說漢語嗎？ : Do you often speak Chinese?
      她說她很想家。 : She said that she is homesick.
      她的男朋友說她現在在宿舍。 : Her boyfriend says she is at the dormitory now.
    • 告訴[gàosù]:
      The verb 告訴[gàosù] on the other hand, also like its English counterpart (tell, told), requires the use of an indirect object.
      Subject + 告訴 + Someone (IO) + Something
      他告訴我他很忙。 : He told me he is busy.
      老師告訴我們多說漢語。 : The teacher told us to speak more Chinese.
      姐姐告訴我她現在在銀行工作。 : My older sister told me she now works at the bank.
    • 問[wèn]:
      With 問[wèn] the indirect object can be omitted if understood in context.
      Subject + 問 + (Someone (IO)) + Something
      我朋友問我住在哪兒。 : My friend asked me where I live.
      老師問學生這是什麼漢字。 : The teacher asked the students what Chinese character is this.
      留學生問他銀行在哪兒。 : He told me he is busy.
  • Homesickness:
    In Chinese being a little melancholy when you are far from home is not an illness. This feeling is expressed by saying you are thinking about, or missing home and family, 想家 [xiǎng jiā].
    你想家嗎？ : Are you homesick?
    我們都想家。 : We are all homesick.
    留學生說他很想家。 : The foreign student said he misses home.
  • 工作 [gōngzuò]: job or work:

    • Asking about jobs or work.:
      工作 [gōngzuò] is job or work, so we can ask about work by using something like the following:
      你有工作嗎？
      你作什麼工作？
      你在哪兒工作？
    • Answering 工作 Questions:
      To answer one of these questions use something like the following:
      我是大夫。
      我沒有工作。我是學生。
      我在商店工作。
  • The verb 有[yǒu] to have:

    • 有[yǒu] :
      We finally learn the verb 有[yǒu], to have. Unlike other Chinese verbs to negate 有 use 沒有 [méiyǒu] instead of using 不.
      我有哥哥，弟弟和姐姐，沒有妹妹。
      學生都有漢語書。
      誰有中國地圖？
    • The Interrogative Form:
      The interrogative of a 有 sentence can be a statement using 嗎, or the affirmative-negative 有沒有.
      你有工作嗎？
      他姐姐有孩子嗎？
      你有沒有筆？
  • 愛人[àirén] spouse:
    In our text 愛人 is used as spouse. In contemporary China this term is not often used. Outside of China 愛人 is generally used as a term for lover. Often indicating an illicit relationship.
  • More on 常 [cháng]:
    常常 is often used colloquially instead of 常 without changing the meaning of a statement. The negative is still 不常.
    他常常來宿舍看他的朋友。
    我的好朋友常常說漢語。
    爸爸不常給我寫信。
  • The verb 給 [gěi]:

    • 給 [gěi]:
      給 has multiple uses in Mandarin. The basic term is an equivalent to give in English, so 他給我漢語書 is "He gave me the Chinese book." The negative is 不給.
      老師給學生中國地圖。
      媽媽給孩子筆。
      我朋友不給我紙。
    • 給 [gěi] as a preposition to/for:
      Additionally, 給 is used as a preposition to/for. When expressing an action done for or to someone use 給 to indicate the benefactor of the action. The benefactor statement always precedes the action, so "He bought a pen for me" becomes "He for me buy pen" (他給我買筆) in standard Mandarin.
      Subject + Benefactor (給-O) + Action (V-O)
      他的好朋友給她買報紙。
      爸爸媽媽不給孩子買車。
      他的好朋友給她買報紙。
    • Note:
      This structure is used commonly with, but not limited to, the following verbs:
      買 [mǎi] buy something for someone: 姐姐給她買法語書和畫報。
      寫信 [xiě xìn] write a letter to someone: 爸爸常給孩子寫信。
      介紹 [jièshào] introduce someone (to something, or another someone): 老師給我們介紹中國地圖。
    • More about 給:
      When the 給 construct is used in more complex sentences the following order applies:
      Subject + Time + Place (Verb-Object) + Benefactor (給-Object) + Purpose/Action (Verb-Object)
      他不常給姐姐寫信。
      我妹妹現在去書店給我們買筆和紙。
      她先生來學院給她還書。
      Time words must be positioned before the verb in a sentence. Most can come before or after the subject. An exception is 常, which never is used before the subject.
  • Send Regards, wish someone the best:
    A polite expression used to convey concern for a third party is to 問...好.
    Subject + 問 + Person + 好
    問他們好。
    他問你好。
    請問謝老師好。