Questions about verbs, their characteristics and their specific use.
Questions tagged [verbs]
125 questions
48
votes
7 answers
Why is 有 (yǒu) the only verb that requires 没 while other verbs can use 不?
To negate something, we use 不 (bù) before the verb, such as in this short dialogue:
A: 你是老师吗？= Are you a teacher?
B: 不是。= I'm not.
However, the verb 有 (yǒu) is the only one that requires 没 (méi) = 不是，不来，不忙, etc. vs 没有.
First of all, is this…
Alenanno
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26
votes
8 answers
What's the difference between 学 and 学习?
I know both mean "to study" and I also know that while 学 (xué) is transitive, 学习 (xué xí) can be both intransitive and transitive, for example:
我学中文。 (I study «what?» Chinese) = transitive;
我在大学学习。 (I study at the university) = intransitive;
我学习中文。…
Alenanno
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19
votes
7 answers
Stative verbs in Chinese: only for adjectives?
I've recently discovered that in Chinese, adjectives can function as verbs. An answer on this site stated that "all adjectives in Chinese can function as verbs".
This was obviously an interesting discovery for a Chinese learner like me, and I…
Alenanno
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17
votes
6 answers
Why isn't 到 (dào) used in 某天我去北京?
Earlier while chatting, I wrote a sentence and a native speaker told me it was correct. The sentence was:
某天我去北京。= Someday I'll go to Beijing.
(mǒu tiān wǒ qù Běi jīng)
I noticed that no prepositions are used here. It's probably because I'm still…
Alenanno
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11
votes
3 answers
Is there a significant difference in meaning between "欢迎你到中国来" and "欢迎你来到中国"?
I've asked quite a lot of native speakers about this and the general consensus seems to be that there is no significant difference in meaning between "欢迎你到中国来" and "欢迎你来到中国" (and similar sentences), but "欢迎你到中国来" seems to be the more common and…
MHG
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11
votes
3 answers
Are these two form of "I live in..." both correct? 我在意大利住 and 我住在意大利
While studying I came across a useful expression to say "I live in..." which is "...在...住" such as in this sentence:
我在意大利住。= I live in Italy.
Wǒ zài Yìdàlì zhù.
But then I saw a different one which is:
我住在意大利。
Wǒ zhù zài Yìdàlì.
My questions…
Alenanno
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10
votes
5 answers
When can 把 be used？
I know it switches the order of the verb and object and can be used to place emphasis on the object.
我把东西放在椅子上
And 把 should be used to indicate some kind of change is happening to the object. In the example above the change is in position.
Under…
tao
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8
votes
1 answer
How can I express 'having' in an intimate sense?
In English, given a conversation between P1 and P2, it's possible to say:
P1: My wife died. Now I feel like I've got nothing. I'm so sad.
P2: Don't say that. You've still got your son. You have your daughter.
So, it's possible to use the word…
magnetar
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6
votes
11 answers
What is the purpose of 是 in "我应该是感冒了"?
I came across the following translated example:
我应该是感冒了，耳朵也有点儿疼，不过没发烧。
Wǒ yīnɡɡāi shì ɡǎnmào le，ěrduo yě yǒudiǎnr ténɡ，búɡuò méi fāshāo 。
I think I caught a cold, and my ears are a little painful, but I don’t have a fever.
What is 是 doing here? I…
Puco4
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6
votes
3 answers
Why does 他没看书 use 没 and not 不 in this dialogue?
I was reviewing some old Anki cards that I created from HSK Standard Course 1 by Jiang Liping and I came across this dialogue:
A: 喂你在做什么呢
B: 我在看书呢
A: 大卫也在看书吗
B: 他没看书。他在学做中国菜呢
A: Hello, what are you doing?
B: I'm reading
A: Is David also reading?
B:…
JBentley
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6
votes
4 answers
How to use 弄 in a sentence?
On some of my Chinese school worksheets, we're supposed to use "弄" in the following sentences:
Don't make the child cry.
Loosen the belt.
There is one more problem that has yet to be clarified.
I've researched it and I understand it means 做, but I…
米凯乐
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5
votes
3 answers
Is it 說 /说 / shuō or 講 / 讲 / jiǎng for "to speak a language"?
I've realized that I still don't know the way to talk about "speaking a language", for instance the Chinese equivalents to sentences like these:
Do you speak English?
I can speak a little Chinese.
Of course there are other senses of "to speak" as…
hippietrail
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5
votes
4 answers
What are the parts of speech of the words in 车外的阳光格外的刺眼, and why is this 的 correct?
车外的阳光格外的刺眼.
That's a complete sentence. I've got troubles understanding what parts of speech are. According to my dictionaries:
阳光 - sunshine,
格外 - especially,
刺眼 - to dazzle.
So the sentence would mean "The sunshine outside the bus was…
musialmi
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5
votes
2 answers
In classical Chinese, does 從 always imply the follower is lower in rank?
When 從 in Classical Chinese means "to follow", literally as in "John followed Peter to the park," does the subject (the follower) necessarily refer to someone who is lower in rank than whoever the object (the followed) refers to?
Do you know of any…
Apollyon
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5
votes
3 answers
Answering yes/no questions
I was a bit surprised at first when I discovered that Chinese doesn't have single words or expressions for "yes" or "no", and that instead we must use the verb from the question to either confirm or deny. The difficulty is not insurmountable if we…
Alenanno
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