Grammar

Don't use 是 with descriptive adjectives. 我很高兴 (I am very happy), not 我是很高兴. Use 是 only for identification: 我是学生 (I am a student).

比 expresses comparison: A 比 B + adjective/verb + degree. 他比我高 (He is taller than me), 这本书比那本书有趣 (This book is more interesting than that one). Pattern: person/thing 1 + 比 + person/thing 2 + adjective.

Adverbs must come before the verb in Chinese. 我很快吃饭 (I eat rice quickly), not 我吃饭很快. Word order: subject + adverb + verb + object.

A measure word (classifier) is required between a number and a noun in Chinese: 一个人 (one person), 三个苹果 (three apples), 五只猫 (five cats). Each noun has its own measure word.

了 after a verb shows the action is finished. 我看了电影 (I watched a movie [and finished]). Don't use 了 for habitual actions: 我每天看电影 (I watch movies every day).

Mark actions as experienced or completed:

• 我去过中国 (Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó) = "I have been to China" (experience)
• 我已经吃了 (Wǒ yǐjīng chīle) = "I've already eaten" (just finished)

Mark actions completed or done multiple times:

• 我去过中国 (Wǒ qùguò Zhōngguó) = "I have been to China" (experience)
• 我已经吃了 (Wǒ yǐjīng chīle) = "I've already eaten" (just finished)

Measure words depend on noun type:

• 张 (zhāng): paper, photos, tables, chairs → 一张照片 (one photo)
• 只 (zhī): animals → 一只鸟 (one bird), 一只蝴蝶 (one butterfly)

Result complements sit right after the verb.

Example: 门打开了 (mén dǎkāi le) = "the door opened" (开 is the result of 打) 我把房间整理干净了 (wǒ bǎ fángjiān zhěnglǐ gānjìng le) = "I tidied the room clean"

List locations from largest to smallest scope: country → province → city → specific place.

Example: 在中国北京朝阳区 (zài Zhōngguó Běijīng Cháoyáng Qū) = "in Chaoyang District, Beijing, China"

Use 没有 (méiyǒu) or 没 (méi) to negate past actions, not 不.

Correct: 我没有去 (Wǒ méiyǒu qù) = "I didn't go" Incorrect: 不 is for present/future only

Place 在 (zài) before a verb to show the action is in progress.

Example: 我在看书 (Wǒ zài kàn shū) = "I am reading" 他们在开会 (Tāmen zài kāihuì) = "They are in a meeting"

比 states one thing/person is more than another.

Example: 他比我高 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo) = "He is taller than me" 他比我高5厘米 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ límǐ) = "He is 5cm taller than me"

Adverbs always come before the verb, never after.

Correct: 我很喜欢他 (Wǒ hěn xǐhuān tā) = "I very much like him" Incorrect: 我喜欢很他

个 (gè) works for most common nouns, especially people and non-specific things.

Don't use 个: 一杯水 (one glass of water), 一张纸 (one sheet of paper), 一条狗 (one dog)

Measure words go between number and noun: Number + Measure word + Noun.

• 一个人 (yī ge rén) = one person
• 一只猫 (yī zhī māo) = one cat
• 一本书 (yī běn shū) = one book

了 at sentence end = action is complete or new state emerges. 了 after verb = emphasizes completed action.

Example: 我吃了 (Wǒ chīle) = "I've eaten" vs 吃了饭 (chīle fàn) = "having eaten"

把 marks that the subject actively handles or affects the object. Pattern: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Result.

Example: 我把书放在桌子上 (Wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài zhuōzi shang) = "I put the book on the table"

了 at the sentence end (not after the verb) indicates a change of state: 现在下雨了 (It's raining now [a new situation]). Compare with 现在下雨 (it rains), the 了 version emphasizes a recent shift.

Use 双 for things that come in pairs: 一双鞋 (one pair of shoes), 两双袜子 (two pairs of socks). It emphasizes that the items naturally go together as a set of two.

Use 只 for animals: 一只鸟 (one bird), 两只猫 (two cats), 五只狗 (five dogs). This is the standard way to count creatures in Mandarin.

Use 张 for paper, tables, beds, tickets, and other flat things: 一张纸 (one sheet of paper), 三张票 (three tickets). It's one of the most common measure words.

Time adverbs come before manner adverbs. Example: 我昨天快速地读了这本书 (Yesterday I quickly read this book). Never reverse this sequence.

For saying things are equal, use 一样, not 比: 我的书包和你的一样大 (My backpack is as big as yours). Never say *我的书包比你的一样大.

Pattern: Subject A + 比 + Subject B + adjective. Example: 我的书包比你的大 (My backpack is bigger than yours). 比 is used specifically for showing that one thing exceeds another in a quality.

Never place an adverb after the verb. Correct: 我很喜欢这本书 (I like this book very much). Wrong: *我喜欢很这本书. Common adverbs: 很 (very), 快 (quickly), 认真地 (conscientiously).

个 works for people, objects, and abstract things: 一个学生 (one student), 五个问题 (five questions). When you're unsure which measure word fits, 个 is usually the safe default.

Structure: number + measure word + noun. Examples: 三个人 (three people), 两张纸 (two sheets of paper), 五只猫 (five cats). Every countable noun requires its specific measure word, you cannot skip it.

Add 了 after a verb to show the action is completed: 我吃了饭 (I ate / finished eating). 了 indicates a completed state, not necessarily the past, it works with the future too: 明天我就到了 (I'll arrive tomorrow).

Use 把 when the action directly affects an object. Example: 我把书放在桌子上 (I placed the book on the table). The 把 structure emphasizes that the action was completed with a definite result.