Chinese - Prepositions (介词)
Chinese pronoun grammar is deceptively simple and often much easier than in languages like English or Spanish, as it avoids issues like case (I/me/mine) and gender agreement.
The key complexity lies in how they are used for possession and in question structures.
1. Personal Pronouns (Subject and Object)
In Chinese, personal pronouns do not change form based on their grammatical function (subject, object, etc.). The word for "I" is the same word for "me."
| Singular Pronoun | Meaning | Plural Form (add 们) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我 (wǒ) | I, me | 我们 (wǒmen) | We, us |
| 你 (nǐ) | You (singular, informal) | 你们 (nǐmen) | You (plural) |
| 您 (nín) | You (singular, formal/polite) | (No common plural) | |
| 他 (tā) | He, him | 他们 (tāmen) | They, them (male/mixed) |
| 她 (tā) | She, her | 她们 (tāmen) | They, them (female) |
| 它 (tā) | It | 它们 (tāmen) | They, them (inanimate/animals) |
Grammar Rule: Pronouns are placed where a noun would be in the SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) structure.
- Subject: 他 喜欢 咖啡。 (Tā xǐhuān kāfēi.) — He likes coffee.
- Object: 我 认识 她。 (Wǒ rènshí tā.) — I know her.
2. Possessive Pronouns (My, Your, His, etc.)
Chinese does not have dedicated possessive forms like "mine" or "yours." Instead, possession is shown by attaching the structural particle 的 (de) to the personal pronoun.
- Structure: Personal Pronoun + 的 (de) + Noun
| Pronoun | Possessive Form | Meaning | Example Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我 (wǒ) | 我的 (wǒ de) | My | 我的书 (wǒ de shū - my book) |
| 你 (nǐ) | 你的 (nǐ de) | Your | 你的名字 (nǐ de míngzì - your name) |
| 他 (tā) | 他的 (tā de) | His | 他的家 (tā de jiā - his home) |
| 我们 (wǒmen) | 我们的 (wǒmen de) | Our | 我们的学校 (our school) |
Dropping 的 (de)
The particle 的 is often omitted when talking about close relationships (family members, close friends) or when the object is something abstract and personal (e.g., job, school).
- Correct: 我 妈妈 (Wǒ māma) — My mother (Not: 我 的 妈妈)
- Correct: 你 老师 (Nǐ lǎoshī) — Your teacher
3. Interrogative Pronouns (Who, What, Where, etc.)
The grammar for questions using "who," "what," or "where" is unique in Chinese.
The Substitution Rule: The interrogative pronoun (e.g., 谁, 什么) is placed in the exact spot in the sentence where the answer would be. You do not need the question particle 吗 (ma).
| Interrogative Pronoun | Meaning | Position | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谁 (shéi/shuí) | Who, whom | Subject or Object | 谁 是 你的 老师? (Shéi shì nǐ de lǎoshī?) — Who is your teacher? |
| 什么 (shénme) | What | Object | 你 想 吃 什么? (Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?) — You want to eat what? |
| 哪儿 (nǎr) / 哪里 (nǎli) | Where | Location | 你 在 哪儿 工作? (Nǐ zài nǎr gōngzuò?) — You work where? |
| 几 (jǐ) | How many (small number, usually < 10) | Before the measure word | 你 有 几 个 苹果? (Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge píngguǒ?) — You have how many apples? |
| 哪 (nǎ) | Which | Before the measure word | 你 喜欢 哪 本 书? (Nǐ xǐhuān nǎ běn shū?) — You like which book? |
4. Demonstrative Pronouns (This, That)
These pronouns are used to point out specific things.
| Pronoun | Meaning | Usage | Example Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这 (zhè) | This, Near the Speaker | Can be used alone or with a Measure Word (MW). | 这 是 我的 手机。 (Zhè shì wǒ de shǒujī.) |
| 那 (nà) | That, Far from the Speaker | Can be used alone or with a Measure Word (MW). | 那 个人 是 谁? (Nà ge rén shì shéi?) |
5. Other Important Pronouns
| Pronoun | Type | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大家 (dàjiā) | Indefinite | Everyone, everybody | 大家 都 在 这里。 (Dàjiā dōu zài zhèlǐ.) — Everyone is here. |
| 别人 (biérén) | Indefinite | Other people | 你 不 要 听 别人 的。 (Nǐ bú yào tīng biérén de.) — You don't listen to other people. |
| 自己 (zìjǐ) | Reflexive | Self (myself, yourself, etc.) | 我 自己 去。 (Wǒ zìjǐ qù.) — I go myself (on my own). |
| 互相 (hùxiāng) | Reciprocal | Mutually, each other | 我们 互相 帮助。 (Wǒmen hùxiāng bāngzhù.) — We help each other. |