Chinese grammar for HSK 1–5

Question particle 吗: turns a statement into a yes/no question

Statement + 吗？

Particle 呢: 'what about…?', 'where is…?', softening questions, ongoing action

Noun/Pronoun + 呢？ | Sentence with a question word + 呢？ | 在 + V + 呢

Two negators: 不 negates will, habit or quality; 没 negates past events and 有

不 + V/Adj (present, future, habit, wish) | 没(有) + V (action that did not happen / has not happened yet)

Structural particle 的: links a modifier to a noun ('s, of, that…)

Attributive (noun/pronoun/adjective/verb phrase) + 的 + Noun

Three modal verbs: 会 (learned skill; will likely), 能 (able, circumstances allow), 可以 (may, permitted)

S + 会/能/可以 + V (+ O)

Progressive: an action in progress

S + (正)在 + V (+ O) (+ 呢)

Emphasizes the circumstances (when, where, how, with whom) of a past event

S + (是) + time/place/manner/doer + V + 的 (+ O)

Verb-了: completion of an action

S + V + 了 + (quantity/attributive) + O

Sentence-final 了: a new situation or change ('now', 'no longer', 'about to')

Sentence + 了 | 不 + V + 了 | (快)要 + V + 了

Experiential 过: have (ever) done something

S + (没) + V + 过 + O

着: a continuing state; the manner accompanying another action

S + V + 着 (+ O) | V1 + 着 + V2

Comparative: A is more … than B

A + 比 + B + (更/还) + Adj (+ 一点儿/多了/得多/quantity)

Complement of degree/state: how well/how an action is done

S + (V) + O + V + 得 + (很/不) + Adj

Because…, therefore…

因为 + cause，所以 + result

Although…, (but)…

(S +) 虽然 + A，但是/可是 + (S +) (还是/也) + B

Asks to confirm an assumption: isn't it…? / is it that…?

S + 是不是 + VP？ | 是不是 + sentence？ | Sentence，是不是？

The 把 construction: what is done to the object and with what result

S + (没/不/能…) + 把 + O (definite) + V + 了/补语/在…/给…

Passive with 被: the subject undergoes the action

S (receiver of the action) + (没/不) + 被/叫/让 + (agent) + V + 了/补语

A is not as … as B

A + 没有 + B + (那么/这么) + Adj

A is the same as B; A is as … as B

A + 跟/和 + B + (不)一样 (+ Adj) | 跟 + B + 一样 + 的 + N

Result complement: the outcome of an action

V + 完/好/到/见/懂/错/对/会/住/走/掉 + (了) + O

Simple direction complement: direction relative to the speaker

V + 来/去 | V + place + 来/去 | V + 来/去 + object / V + object + 来/去

Compound direction complement: specific direction + relation to the speaker

V + 上/下/进/出/回/过/起 + 来/去 | V + 上/下/进… + place + 来/去

Potential complement: can/cannot achieve a result

V + 得 + C (can) | V + 不 + C (cannot)

Verbal measure complement: how many times an action is done

V + (了/过) + number + 次/遍/下/趟 + N | V + (了/过) + pronoun + number + 次

Duration complement: how long an action lasts or how long since it happened

V + 了 + duration + (的) + O | V + O + V + 了 + duration | V(non-durative) + O + duration + 了

Doing two actions at the same time

S + 一边 + V1，一边 + V2

More and more…

S + 越来越 + Adj / psychological verb (+ 了)

The more…, the more…

(S1) + 越 + A，(S2) + 越 + B

As soon as…; whenever…

(S1) + 一 + V1，(S2) + 就 + V2

First…, then…

S + 先 + V1，然后/再 + V2 (，最后 + V3)

Except…; besides…, also…

除了 + A (以外)，S + 都… (except A) | 除了 + A (以外)，S + 还/也… (besides A, also)

就: early/quick/easy; 才: late/slow/difficult

Time/condition + 就 + V (+ 了) | Time/condition + 才 + V

又: again (already happened); 再: again (future); 还: still, also, more

又 + V (+ 了) (repetition that has already happened) | 再 + V (repetition that will happen) | 还 + V (still; also; more)

Three particles pronounced 'de': 的 before nouns, 地 before verbs, 得 after verbs

Attributive + 的 + N | Adverbial + 地 + V | V/Adj + 得 + complement

Separable verbs: verb–object compounds that can be split

V + 了/过/着/complement/quantity + O (见了面, 睡了八个小时觉, 帮我一个忙)

Pivotal sentence: make/let/ask someone do something or feel some way

S + 让/叫/使/请 + person + V/Adj

Not only…, but also…

S + 不但 + A，而且 + (还/也) + B | 不但 + S1 + A，而且 + S2 + 也 + B

If…, then…

如果/要是 + condition (+ 的话)，S + 就 + result

Or (in questions) / or (in statements)

A 还是 B？(choice question) | A 或者 B (statement)

In order to…; for the sake of…

为了 + purpose，S + V… | S + V…，是为了 + purpose

As long as…, then…

只要 + (sufficient) condition，(S) + 就 + result

Only if/only…, (then)…

只有 + condition (the only one)，(S) + 才 + result

Even if…, (still)…

即使 + hypothesis，(S) + 也 + unchanged result

No matter (what/how/whether)…, (always)…

无论/不管 + question word / A还是B / A不A / 多么 + Adj，S + 都/也 + V

Both… and…; … as well as…

S + 既 + A，又/也 + B (A, B same part of speech)

Even…

(S) + 连 + N/V/一 + measure word + N + 都/也 + (不/没) + V

For… / as far as … is concerned

对 + person/group + 来说，…

Rhetorical question: surely not…? / do you mean to say…?

(S) + 难道 + (S) + (不/没) + V… + 吗？

Rhetorical question: isn't it (the case that)…?

S + 不是 + V/N… + 吗？

Question words meaning 'any-': everyone, anything, anywhere

谁/什么/哪儿/怎么/什么时候 + 都/也 + (不/没) + V

Correlative question words: whatever…, that…; whoever…, they…

(S) + V + interrogative pronoun, (S) + 就 + V + the same interrogative pronoun

Existential sentence: something exists, appears or disappears somewhere

Place/time + V + 着/了/complement + quantity + N (indefinite)

Extended 起来: start to; when it comes to…/seems; recall, gather

V/Adj + 起来 (start) | V + 起 + O + 来 | V起来 + evaluation | 想起来 (recall)

下去: keep on doing; 出来: recognize, come up with, produce

V + 下去 (continue) | V + 出(+O)+来 (recognize; produce; reveal)

Not…, but (rather)…

(S) + 不是 + A，而是 + B

Since (given that)…, then…

既然 + known fact，(S) + 就/也/还 + suggestion/conclusion

Although/despite…, still…; (尽管 + V) feel free to

尽管 + fact，(S) + 还是/仍然/可是/却 + … | 尽管 + V (feel free to)

Due to…, therefore… (formal)

由于 + cause，(因此/所以) + result

Otherwise; or else

A (what should be done/condition)，否则 + (S) + (就/会) + B (consequence)

Even; so much so that

…，甚至 + (连) + extreme element + (都/也) + V

关于: about/regarding (topic); 对于/对: towards/regarding (target of attitude)

关于 + topic，S + V | 关于 + topic + 的 + N | (S) + 对于/对 + target + V/Adj

Along with; as (something changes)

随着 + N/phrase expressing change，S + V/Adj (changes accordingly)

On earth / after all; finally

S + 到底 + question (question word / A不A) | 到底 + 谁/什么… | 到底 + V了 (finally)

Emphatic negation: actually not (contrary to what one might think)

S + 并 + 不/没(有) + V/Adj

Have no choice but to

S + 不得不 + V

Rather than A, (it's better to) B

与其 + A，(还)不如 + B

Would rather… than…; would rather… in order to…

S + 宁可 + A，也不 + B | S + 宁可 + A，也要 + B

Let alone; much less; besides

(连) A + 都/也 + …，何况 + B + (呢)？ | …，何况 + additional reason

So that; in order to (make it easier to)

A (action)，以便 + (S) + B (purpose, often with 能/可以)

As for…; (不至于) not to the point of

…，至于 + related topic，… | 不至于 + V | …，至于吗？

In short; in a word; anyway

A，B，C…，总之，+ conclusion

After all

(S) + 毕竟 + (是) + basic fact

As expected; sure enough

(S) + 果然 + V/Adj

Unexpectedly; to one's surprise

S + 居然 + V/Adj

Hard to avoid; bound to

(S) + 难免 + (会/有/要) + V/Adj (undesirable outcome)

Once…, (then)…

一旦 + condition/event，(S) + 就 + result

Either… or… (choose one)

要么 + A，要么 + B

Take A as B; regard A as B

以 + A + 为 + B (以…为主/为例/为荣/为中心/为目标)

Under (the help/influence/conditions of)…

在 + (person/thing) + 的 + 帮助/影响/支持/指导/情况/条件/压力 + 下，…

Whether (or not) (formal)

(S) + 是否 + V/Adj | 不知道/决定/取决于 + S + 是否 + V

Even if…, (still)…

就算 + hypothesis，(S) + 也 + unchanged result

Doing something back and forth / over and over

V + 来 + V + 去 (+ 也/都/还是…)

Anyway; in any case

(无论/不管…)，反正 + unchanged conclusion | 反正 + reason，…

Fortunately; luckily

幸亏 + fortunate circumstance，(S) + 才 + good result | 幸亏…，否则/不然 + bad consequence

Not necessarily

S + 未必 + V/Adj | (那)也未必