Simple Sentence Structure

Here I would like to introduce simple sentence structure.

When a Subject "meets" a VERB
(+) S + Verb
(-) S + Bù  + Verb
(?) Positive Sentence + ma?    OR
      Negative Sentence + ma?

Example:
(+) Tā xiězì               他写字               He writes

(-) Tā bù xiězì           他不写字           He doesn't write

(?) Tā xiězì ma?       他写字吗？       Does he write?

     Tā bù xiězì ma?   他不写字吗？   Doesn't he write?

In Short, in negative sentence, we have to include 不 Bù in front of the Verb. As for the interrogative sentence, we have to add 吗 "ma" at the end of the sentence. By doing that it forms a closed ended question that can only be answered with a YES or a NO! Again, CLOSE ENDED QUESTION.

Moving on, when a Subject "meets" an ADJECTIVE, the formula is the same as the above:
(+) S + Adj
(-) S + Bù  + Adj
(?) Positive Sentence + ma?    OR
      Negative Sentence + ma?

Example:
(+) Wǒ māma piàoliang                  我妈妈 漂亮               My mom is beautiful

(-) Wǒ māma bù piàoliang              我妈妈不漂亮            My mom isn't beautiful

(?) Nǐ māma piàoliang ma?            你妈妈 漂亮 吗？      Is your mom beautiful?

      Nǐ māma bù piàoliang ma?      你妈妈 不漂亮 吗？   Isn't your mom beautiful?  

The last one is when a Subject "meets" with a NOUN, follow the following pattern:

(+) S + Shì + Noun

(-)  S + Bùshì + Noun

(?)  Positive Sentence + ma?

      Negative Sentence + ma?

Example:

(+) Tājiějie shì lǎoshi                她姐姐 是 老师                Her elder sister is teacher

(-) Tājiějie bùshì lǎoshi             她姐姐 不是 老师            Her elder sister is not teacher

(?) Tājiějie shì lǎoshi ma?         她姐姐 是 老师 吗？       Is her elder sister teacher?

Tājiějie bùshì lǎoshi ma?           她姐姐 不是 老师 吗？   Isn't her elder sister teacher?

In summary, when a subject is followed by a NOUN (I.e. things, people, places, animals), you have to add 是 "shì" before the noun. The negative is 不是 "bùshì" in which its meaning in Bahasa Indonesia becomes "bukan", in English, there is no difference, it is still a "NOT" XD

Try translating a few of the following sentence:

1. My car is broken

2. My teacher is tall

3. She eats hamburger

4. That is my school.

5. My dad scolds me.

After translating them, then turns all the above sentence into the (-) and (?) forms.

By knowing these sentence structures, you should be able to say simple sentences. Again, in enriching your vocabularies, no one can helps you much. You have to be discipline, play around with Pleco, watch Chinese movie, listen to Chinese song, and use it often!

Next post, I will reveal the answer for the above 5 sentences. Let's see how much you get them right. :)

Happy Week ahead,

Linda Tan