Chinese - Prepositions (介词)
Chinese prepositions (or more accurately, Coverbs or Prepositional Phrases) are where sentence structure gets very interesting and often differs significantly from English.
In Chinese, a prepositional phrase, called a Coverb Phrase (介词短语 jiècí duǎnyǔ), acts as an adverbial modifier. This means it follows the golden rule for adverbs: it must be placed BEFORE the main verb.
1. The Core Placement Rule
The most crucial rule is where the entire prepositional phrase goes in a sentence:
- Structure: Subject + Coverb Phrase (Preposition + Object) + Verb + (Other Elements)
| Coverb (Preposition) | Example Phrase | Full Sentence Example |
|---|---|---|
| 在 (zài) (at, in) | 在学校 (zài xuéxiào) | 我 在 学校 学习。 (Wǒ zài xuéxiào xuéxí.) |
| 跟 (gēn) (with) | 跟朋友 (gēn péngyǒu) | 我 跟 朋友 一起 吃饭。 (Wǒ gēn péngyǒu yīqǐ chīfàn.) |
| 为 (wèi) (for) | 为你 (wèi nǐ) | 我 为 你 做 饭。 (Wǒ wèi nǐ zuò fàn.) |
2. Location and Time Prepositions
These are the most common and are essential for establishing the context of the action.
| Coverb | Meaning | Usage (Placement is Crucial) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在 (zài) | Location (at, in, on). | Before the verb. DO NOT use a linking verb 是 (shì). | 我在家 看 电视。 (Wǒ zài jiā kàn diànshì.) — I watch TV at home. |
| 从 (cóng) | Source/Origin (from). | Before the verb; often paired with 到/去 (dào/qù). | 她 从 上海 来。 (Tā cóng Shànghǎi lái.) — She comes from Shanghai. |
| 到 (dào) | Destination (to, toward). | Before the verb. | 我 到 北京 旅游。 (Wǒ dào Běijīng lǚyóu.) — I travel to Beijing. |
| 离 (lí) | Distance (from, away from). | Does not precede a verb. It precedes an adjective of distance. | 学校 离 这儿 很近。 (Xuéxiào lí zhèr hěn jìn.) — The school is very close to here. |
3. Agent and Patient Prepositions
These define the "doer" and "receiver" of the action.
| Coverb | Meaning | Usage | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 跟 (gēn) | Companion/Involvement (with, and). | Before the verb; implies mutual action. Can also mean "and." | 我 跟 妈妈 聊天。 (Wǒ gēn māma liáotiān.) — I chat with my mom. |
| 给 (gěi) | Recipient (to, for). | Before the verb or after the verb (in a V-O-Gěi-N structure). | 我 给 你 打 电话。 (Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.) — I make a call to you. |
| 对 (duì) | Target/Relationship (to, toward). | Used to show the target of an abstract action (e.g., attitude, feeling). | 对 学习, 她 很 认真。 (Duì xuéxí, tā hěn rènzhēn.) — Toward studying, she is very serious. |
| 被 (bèi) | Passive Marker (by, indicates the agent of a passive action). | Before the verb; marks the subject as the receiver of the action. | 蛋糕 被 弟弟 吃 了。 (Dàngāo bèi dìdi chī le.) — The cake was eaten by my little brother. |
4. Instrumental and Purpose Prepositions
These define the means, tool, or purpose of the action.
| Coverb | Meaning | Usage | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 用 (yòng) | Instrument/Means (with, by means of). | Before the verb; indicates the tool used. | 我 用 筷子 吃饭。 (Wǒ yòng kuàizi chīfàn.) — I eat with chopsticks. |
| 为/为了 (wèi/wèile) | Purpose/Reason (for the sake of). | 为了 is more formal and specific to purpose; 为 is often for benefit. | 为了 考试, 他 努力 学习。 (Wèile kǎoshì, tā nǔlì xuéxí.) — For the exam, he studies hard. |
| 以 (yǐ) | Means/Method (by means of, with) - Formal. | Used in more advanced/formal contexts. | 以 电子邮件 方式 通知。 (Yǐ diànzǐ yóujiàn fāngshì tōngzhī.) — Notify by email. |
5. The Special Case of 把 (bǎ)
The 把 structure is often classified as a coverb (preposition) because it introduces an object before the verb, establishing a specific way in which the object is to be dealt with.
- Function: Moves the object pre-verbally to emphasize the result or effect on it.
- Structure: S + 把 + Object + V + Other Element (e.g., 完/了/到/在)
- Example: 我 把 作业 写 完 了。 (Wǒ bǎ zuòyè xiě wán le.) — I got the homework written and finished (emphasizing the result).
Common Mistakes for English Speakers
- Omitting the Verb: In English, you can say "I'm at home." In Chinese, if the location is the main predicate, you must use 在 as a verb: 我在家 (Wǒ zài jiā - I am at home).
- Placement of the Phrase: Always remember that the prepositional phrase comes before the main verb, not after, unlike in English (e.g., "I eat lunch with him" becomes "I with him eat lunch").