Vocabulary Lists ▶ Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners

Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners

12 Entries • 5 Comments

Chinese: 初学者的10个入门句型
English: Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners

In this lesson, you will learn the Top 10 Chinese Sentence Patterns for Beginners. Even though you may already know some Chinese vocabulary, perhaps you’re finding it difficult to string together coherent sentences. This lesson will break down the key components of 10 basic Chinese sentence patterns, while also giving you an example of each one. Take your Chinese to the next level by formulating clear, well-organized Chinese sentences!

P.S. Be sure to click on the links below to take relevant lessons to learn even more about each sentence pattern!

[A](pronoun) 叫什么名字？

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 叫什么名字？
- Romanization: [A] jiào shénme míngzi?
- Traditional: [A] 叫甚麼名字?
- English: What is [A]'s name?

■ Example

- Entry: 他叫什么名字？
- Romanization: tā jiào shénme míngzi ?
- Traditional: 他叫甚麼名字？
- English: What's his name？

[A](pronoun) 叫 [B](proper noun).

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 叫 [B](proper noun).
- Romanization: [A] jiào [B].
- Traditional: [A] 叫 [B].
- English: [A]'s name is [B].

■ Example

- Entry: 我叫张玲。
- Romanization: Wǒ jiào Zhāng Líng .
- Traditional: 我叫張玲。
- English: My name is WangLing.

[A](pronoun) 是哪国人？

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 是哪国人？
- Romanization: [A] shì nǎ guó rén ?
- Traditional: [A]是哪國人？
- English: Which country is/are [A] from.

■ Example

- Entry: 你是哪国人？
- Romanization: nǐ shì nǎ guó rén ?
- Traditional: 你是哪國人？
- English: Which country are you from?

[A](pronoun) 是 [B](country) 人。

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 是 [B](country) 人。
- Romanization: [A] shì [B] rén .
- Traditional: [A] 是 [B] 人。
- English: [A] is/are from [B].

■ Example

- Entry: 我是美国人。
- Romanization: Wǒ shì Měiguórén .
- Traditional: 我是美國人。
- English: I'm from America.

[A](pronoun) 喜欢 [A](noun) 吗？

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 喜欢 [A](noun) 吗？
- Romanization: [A] xǐhuān [A] ma ?
- Traditional: [A]喜歡 [A] 嗎？
- English: Do [A] like/likes [A]?

■ Example

- Entry: 你喜欢中国菜吗？
- Romanization: nǐ xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài ma ?
- Traditional: 你喜歡中國菜嗎？
- English: Do you like Chinese food?

[A](proper noun) 喜欢 [B](noun)。

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](proper noun) 喜欢 [B](noun)。
- Romanization: [A](proper noun) xǐhuān [B](noun).
- Traditional: [A]喜歡 [B]。
- English: [A] like/likes [B].

■ Example

- Entry: 我喜欢中国。
- Romanization: Wǒ xǐhuān Zhōngguó .
- Traditional: 我喜歡中國。
- English: I like China.

[A](pronoun) 也／不喜欢。

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 也／不喜欢。
- Romanization: [A] yě ／bù xǐhuān .
- Traditional: [A](pronoun) 也／不喜歡。
- English: [A] also/doesn't like.

■ Example

- Entry: 我也喜欢中国。
- Romanization: Wǒ yě xǐhuān Zhōngguó .
- Traditional: 我也喜歡中國。
- English: I like China, too.

[A](pronoun) 是 [B](noun).

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: [A](pronoun) 是 [B](noun).
- Romanization: [A] shì [B].
- Traditional: [A] 是 [B].
- English: [A] is/are a/an [B].

■ Example

- Entry: 他是学生。
- Romanization: tā shì xuésheng .
- Traditional: 他是學生。
- English: He is a student.

我要去[A](some place) or [B](to do something) 了。

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: 我要去[A](some place) or [B](to do something) 了。
- Romanization: Wǒ yào qù [A] or [B] le.
- Traditional: 我要去[A] or [B] 了.
- English: I'm about to go to ( [A] / [B] ).

■ Example

- Entry: 我要去学校。
- Romanization: Wǒ yào qù xuéxiào.
- Traditional: 我要去學校。
- English: I'm about to go to school.

我 [A](adjective) 了。

■ Target Pattern

- Entry: 我 [A](adjective) 了。
- Romanization: Wǒ [A]le .
- Traditional: 我[A]了。
- English: I feel [A].

■ Example

- Entry: 我饿了。
- Romanization: Wǒ è le .
- Traditional: 我餓了。
- English: I'm hungry.

None of our words match your filter

7 Comments

Please to leave a comment.

😄 😞 😳 😁 😒 😎 😠 😆 😅 😜 😉 😭 😇 😴 😮 😈 ❤️️ 👍

textarea-hidden Leave a comment...

Enter your name

Sorry, please keep your comment under 800 characters. Got a complicated question? Try asking your teacher using My Teacher Messenger.

The name field will appear publicly next to your comment. Please do not enter your email address there.

ChineseClass101.com

Tuesday at 09:53 AM

Pinned Comment

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Can you make sample sentences using these patterns?

ChineseClass101.com

Tuesday at 01:53 AM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

你好 robert groulx！

谢谢 for commenting. We are very happy to have you here. Let us know if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

雷文特 (Levente)

Team ChineseClass101.com

robert groulx

Saturday at 12:02 AM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

thank you for the vocabulay list

favorite sentence is : 我喜欢中国。

robert

ChineseClass101.com

Sunday at 11:38 PM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Hi, Azizjon,

Thank you for your posting.

Yes, the Chinese Characters are difficult to learn.

The most origion of the characters were from the draw of things.

Like 田 is from from the shape of farmland/cropland.

Also, parts of each character have meanings. You can try to learn them separately.

And it really takes time to learn at the very begining.

Try to enjoy while learning.

Cho

Team ChineseClass101.com

Azizjon

Sunday at 11:37 PM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Hi. Please help me. I've started learning chinese language for nearly 3 months. But right now I have trouble in learning how to write and memorizing ieroglifs themselves (actually if there is any books) . Can you suggest any actual way to do that?

Thank you very much!

ChineseClass101.com

Sunday at 11:07 PM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Hi, Bernard Davies,

Thank you for your suggestion.

We'd like to but the Chinese sentence structure is very complicated.

Even sometimes, the word order can be completely opposite.

So in this lesson, we are trying to explain the structure each by each.

It is considered as small grammar. They are the basic of long sentences.

If you have any further question, please let us know.

Cho

Team ChineseClass101.com

Bernard Davies

Sunday at 02:29 AM

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

As usual very useful. Why not string a long sentence as an indicator of chinese sentence formation from non specific to specific.

Name, subject, then time in descending order Year, perhaps season, year ,month date,day, part of the dy, time, situation (with) condition, finally verb (action statement.

I'm sure you could explain it better than me. It is important. Best wishes to you all .:smile::smile: