Grammar

PCR Lesson 3 Grammar
第三課:你忙嗎
  • Negative Sentences:
    Subject + 不 + Verb

    Negative sentences are made by placing the negative 不 [bù] before the verb.

    不忙 [bù máng] not busy
    不好 [bù hǎo] not good
  • Tone Changes with 不:

    The negative 不 [bù] is pronounced with a fourth tone when it stands alone, before a pause, or before any first, second, or third tones. Before another fourth tone, however, 不 is pronounced with a second tone. In this case pinyin rules dictate that the tone mark is also changed to a second tone.

    不 [bù] + first tone
    不高 [bù gāo] ➔ [bù gāo] not tall
    不 [bù] + second tone
    不忙 [bù máng] ➔ [bù máng] not busy
    不 [bù] + third tone
    不好 [bù hǎo] ➔ [bù hǎo] not good
    不小 [bù xiǎo] ➔ [bù xiǎo] not small; little
    不 [bú] + fourth tone
    不貴 [bù guì] ➔ [bú guì] not expensive
    不大 [bù dà] ➔ [bú dà] not big
    不胖 [bù pàng] ➔ [bú pàng] not fat
    不瘦 [bù shòu] ➔ [bú shòu] not skinny
    不累 [bù lèi] ➔ [bú lèi] not tired
    不快 [bù kuài] ➔ [bú kuài] not fast
  • Plural Pronouns:

    Generally Chinese does not use plurals, with the exception of personal pronouns. In the case of personal pronouns (我,你, and 他) a plural marker is always used.

    我 + 們 ➔ 我們 [wǒmen] we, us
    你 + 們 ➔ 你們 [nǐmen] you
    他 + 們 ➔ 他們 [tāmen] they, them
  • The Adverb 都:

    • 都 All or Both:
      Subject + 都 + Verb

      The adverb 都 [dōu] always comes after the subject and before the verb. Use 都 to indicate that the verb is true for all the subject. Since 都 is a modifier, when used with a single syllable stative verb like 好 or 忙, it is not necessary to use another modifier like 很.

      他們都很忙。 (They are all very busy.)
      我哥哥都好。 (My older brothers are both well.)
      你弟弟都高嗎？ (Are your younger brothers all tall?)
    • 都 and Negation:
      Subject + 都 + 不 + Verb
      Subject + 不 + 都 + Verb

      The adverb 都 [dōu] can appear before or after a negation. The position of 都 changes the meaning of the statement. When 都 precedes the negative (都不) it indicates that the entire subject is not the verb. If 都 follows the negative (不都) it means that the verb is not the case for the entire subject.

      我們都不好。 (We are all not well.)
      我們不都好。 (Some of us are well.)
      你們都不很忙嗎？ (Are you both not very busy?)
      你們不都很忙嗎？ (You are not both very busy?)
      他哥哥，弟弟都不累。 (His older brother and younger brother are both not tired.)
      他哥哥，弟弟，不都累。 (Not all of his older brothers and younger brothers are tired.)
  • Basic Possessive Statements:
    Pronoun + Person Noun

    Mandarin has a possessive particle we will learn about in lesson 6, but in this lesson possession is indicated by placing a personal noun directly after a pronoun. To say my older brother just use the pronoun 我 [wǒ] followed by the person noun 哥哥 [gēge].

    你哥哥 [nǐmen gēge] your older brother
    他弟弟 [tā dìdi] his little brother
    我們 lǎoshī [wǒmen lǎoshī] our teacher