ni wang

Every language has its own sound system. Chinese is a tonal language, which means the same syllable with different tones can distinguish between words’ meaning. Learning how to pronounce different tones correctly is an essential and fun part of studying Chinese.  In this article, we will talk about Standard Mandarin Chinese tones. Even though Chinese tones differ by dialect, Standard Mandarin will be a great place to start! The Basic Four Tones In Mandarin Chinese, there are four basic tones. Each of them has a distinctive pitch contour. Pitch may vary from speaker to speaker, but you can get the general picture from the tone diagram below. Here is a …

Chinese Tones: Tips on How to Learn the Tricky Change もっと読む »

The three most common question particles in Chinese are 吗/ma，呢/ne and 吧/ba. How do they differ? How do you use them? Read more to find out! Similarities There are three main similarities between them. Like all the Chinese particles, 吗/ma, 呢/ne, 吧/ba are pronounced with a neutral tone. 吗/ma, 呢/ne, 吧/ba should be put at the end of a sentence. All three can be used to form a question. Here are some examples: 你是学生吗？ Nǐ shì xuéshēng ma? Are you a student? 我去电影院，你呢？ Wǒ qù diànyǐngyuàn, nǐ ne? I am going to the movies, how about you? 这是你的吧？ Zhè shì nǐ de ba? It is yours, isn’t it?   Differences …

Chinese Question Particles 吗, 呢, and 吧 もっと読む »

Sentence structures are important: without grasping them, you won’t have a solid foundation for your foreign language knowledge. Sentence structures vary from language to language. Fortunately, Chinese sentence structure is similar to English. This article will help you get to grips with them.   Simple Sentence Pattern Chinese, like English, is classified as an SVO (subject-verb-object) language, so its basic sentence patterns won’t be too difficult to master. Within the SVO framework, the simplest sentence patterns are as follows: Subject + Verb  我同意。 wǒ tóngyì I agree. Subject + Verb + Object 我想你。 wǒ xiǎng nǐ I miss you. Subject + Noun 明天雷阵雨。 míngtiān léizhènyǔ A thunderstorm tomorrow. Subject + …

Chinese Sentence Structure [Complete Guide 2021] もっと読む »

“了” and “过” are two frequently used particles in Chinese, but most learners confuse them. So what are the similarities and differences between them? Being more familiar with these details will help you use them correctly. Similarities 1. Both can be used after a verb. Subj. + Verb + 了/过 + Obj. 我  吃 了 那个 苹果。 wǒ chī le nàgè píngguǒ I ate that apple. 我  吃 过 那种 苹果。 wǒ chī guò nàzhǒng píngguǒ I have eaten that type of apple. 2. Both can indicate a completed action.  In some situations, “了” and “过” are interchangeable. To emphasize a specific action. 妈妈  吃了  饭  才  开始  工作。 māmā …

Comparing Differences Between “了(le)” and “过(guo)” もっと読む »