How to Describe Something in Chinese - Exercises

Practice affirmative and negative sentences with adjectives

Lesson Transcript

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

Which intensifier is used here to mean "very?"

这个手机(pause with a tap of the finger)轻。

很

这个手机很轻。

"This phone is very light."

We use 很 in this sentence because 很 is the most common intensifier used to link a subject with an adjective. It often just means "is," but here it also softens the tone and expresses a neutral degree of quality.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

What word combination softens the negative adjective?

那个电脑(pause with a tap of the finger)快。

不太

那个电脑不太快。

"That computer is not very fast."

We use 不太 in this sentence because 不 negates the adjective, together with 太 it softens the tone. 不太 means "not very," which makes the statement polite and indirect — a common style in spoken Chinese.

不贵 and 没有 are grammatically incorrect here.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

Which intensifier means "extremely?"

这辆车(pause with a tap of the finger)贵。

非常

这辆车非常贵。

"This car is extremely expensive."

We use 非常 in this sentence because it's a strong intensifier meaning "extremely" or "very much." It emphasizes the high degree of the adjective and is used for clear, emphatic opinions.

Unscramble the words to make a sentence.

Ready?

那 (nà)

那双 (nà shuāng)

那双鞋子 (nà shuāng xiézi)

那双鞋子不 (nà shuāng xiézi bù)

那双鞋子不太 (nà shuāng xiézi bù tài)

那双鞋子不太大。 (Nà shuāng xiézi bù tài dà.)

"Those shoes are not very big."

那双鞋子不太大。 (Nà shuāng xiézi bù tài dà.)

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

Here's a hint: Use the most common intensifier for making a natural or neutral statement in Chinese.

这本杂志(很 or 太)有意思。(Zhè běn zázhì (hěn or tài) yǒuyìsi.)

很 (hěn)

这本杂志很有意思。(Zhè běn zázhì hěn yǒuyìsi.)

"This magazine is very interesting."

We use 很 in this sentence because 很 is the most common intensifier used in Chinese to link a subject to an adjective. It often means "very," but sometimes just acts as a neutral connector, kind of like saying "is interesting" in English.

太 (tài) means "too" — as in "too interesting" — and it often comes with 了 (le) at the end to show a strong feeling or reaction. It sounds a little dramatic or emotional, not neutral.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence. Ready?

Here's a hint: Use the word combination that softens the negative adjective politely.

那些菜(不太 or 很)辣。(Nàxiē cài (bù tài or hěn) là.)

不太 (bù tài)

那些菜不太辣。(Nàxiē cài bù tài là.)

"Those dishes are not very spicy."

We use 不太 here because it's a polite and natural way to soften the negative meaning of the adjective. 不 means "not," and 太 means "too." Together, 不太 means "not very," which is a common and polite structure in spoken Chinese.

Let's translate some sentences into Chinese.

Translate "This cup is too small." into Chinese.

这个 (zhè gè) — the demonstrative "this" plus the general measure word 个,

followed by

杯子 (bēizi) — the noun meaning "cup,"

太 (tài) — an intensifier meaning "too,"

followed by

小 (xiǎo) — the adjective "small,"

and finally

了 (le) — a particle that marks a change or new state.

The intensifier 太 (tài) expresses excess — "too [adjective]" — and is always followed by 了 (le) when describing a state or evaluation.

这个杯子太小了。 (Zhè gè bēizi tài xiǎo le.)

"This cup is too small."

Translate "That piece of clothing is extremely expensive." into Chinese.

那件 (nà jiàn) — the demonstrative "that" + 件, the measure word used for clothing,

followed by

衣服 (yīfu) — the noun meaning "clothing,"

非常 (fēicháng) — an intensifier meaning "extremely,"

followed by

贵 (guì) — the adjective "expensive."

非常 (fēicháng) strongly intensifies an adjective — stronger than 很 (hěn), and works well for opinions or emphasis.

那件衣服非常贵。 (Nà jiàn yīfu fēicháng guì.)

"That piece of clothing is extremely expensive."

Translate "These hats are very good-looking." into Chinese.

这些 (zhèxiē) — the plural demonstrative meaning "these,"

followed by

帽子 (màozi) — the noun meaning "hats,"

很 (hěn) — a common intensifier meaning "very," or a neutral connector before adjectives,

followed by

好看 (hǎokàn) — the adjective meaning "good-looking" or "nice."

很 (hěn) is used to naturally link the noun to an adjective, sometimes meaning "very," and sometimes acting as a neutral bridge.

这些帽子很好看。 (Zhèxiē màozi hěn hǎokàn.)

"These hats are very good-looking."

Listen to me as I speak. Which intensifier is used with the adjective in the sentence?

这个手机很轻。 (Zhè gè shǒujī hěn qīng.)

Let's listen one more time.

这个手机很轻。 (Zhè gè shǒujī hěn qīng.)

Did you hear 很?

很 (hěn) is the most common intensifier. It often means "very," but sometimes just links the subject and adjective in a neutral way.

How about...?

那双鞋子不太大。 (Nà shuāng xiézi bù tài dà.)

Let's listen one more time.

那双鞋子不太大。 (Nà shuāng xiézi bù tài dà.)

Did you hear 不太?

不太 (bù tài) is used to soften the negative — it means "not too" or "not very." It's common in polite or careful descriptions.

Next…

这辆车非常贵。 (Zhè liàng chē fēicháng guì.)

One more time.

这辆车非常贵。 (Zhè liàng chē fēicháng guì.)

Did you hear 非常?

非常 (fēicháng) is a strong intensifier meaning "extremely" — it emphasizes the adjective more than 很 (hěn).

And...

这个杯子太小了。 (Zhè gè bēizi tài xiǎo le.)

One more time.

这个杯子太小了。 (Zhè gè bēizi tài xiǎo le.)

Did you hear 太?

太 (tài) means "too [adjective]" and is often followed by 了 (le) to express a strong opinion or reaction.

Thank you for watching.

Now you know how to describe something as good or bad in Chinese.

...and now you can move on to the next lesson in the pathway.

再见。(Zàijiàn.)

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