Chinese - Verbs (动词)
Instead of conjugating verbs, Chinese uses Aspect Particles, Adverbs, and Context to indicate when an action happened, is happening, or will happen, and the state of that action.
1. Indicating Tense and Aspect (When/How an action occurs)
The most important particles are those that indicate the aspect (the state of the action—finished, ongoing, or an experience).
| Function | Particle/Word | Placement | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completed Action | 了 (le) | Immediately after the verb. | 我吃了饭。 (Wǒ chīle fàn.) | I ate the meal. (The action of eating is complete.) |
| Change of State | 了 (le) | At the end of the sentence. | 下雨了。 (Xià yǔ le.) | It started raining (or) is raining now. (A change has occurred.) |
| Ongoing Action | 在 (zài) / 着 (zhe) | 在 before the verb; 着 after the verb. | 他在看书。 (Tā zài kànshū.) / 门开着。 (Mén kāi zhe.) | He is reading a book. (Action in progress) / The door is open. (State is continuous) |
| Past Experience | 过 (guò) | Immediately after the verb. | 我去过中国。 (Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó.) | I have been to China (before). |
| Future Action | 要 (yào) / 会 (huì) | Before the verb. | 我要去北京。 (Wǒ yào qù Běijīng.) | I am going to Beijing. (Intention/Near future) |
2. Result and Direction (What happened as a result/where it moved)
Chinese often adds a second verb or a modifier immediately after the main verb to specify the result of the action or the direction of movement.
A. Resultative Complements (RC)
These are used to describe the outcome or result of the verb.
| RC Structure | Example Verb + RC | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| V + 完 (wán) (finish) | 看完 (kàn wán) | Finish watching/reading |
| V + 懂 (dǒng) (understand) | 听懂 (tīng dǒng) | Understand from listening |
| V + 见 (jiàn) (perceive) | 看见 (kàn jiàn) | See successfully (verb of perception) |
| V + 好 (hǎo) (well/done) | 做好 (zuò hǎo) | Finish doing (in a satisfactory way) |
Example: 我没听懂你说的话。 (Wǒ méi tīng dǒng nǐ shuō de huà.) — I didn't understand what you said (from listening).
B. Directional Complements (DC)
These use short, common verbs to show movement. The most basic are 来 (lái) (movement toward the speaker) and 去 (qù) (movement away from the speaker).
| DC Structure | Example Verb + DC | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| V + 起来 (qǐlai) | 站起来 (zhàn qǐlai) | Stand up (motion upwards and toward the speaker's space) |
| V + 进去 (jìnqu) | 走进去 (zǒu jìnqu) | Walk in (motion entering and away from the speaker) |
Example: 请把书拿出来。 (Qǐng bǎ shū ná chūlai.) — Please take the book out.
3. Ability and Possibility (Modal Verbs)
Chinese uses modal verbs placed before the main verb to indicate ability, desire, or possibility.
| Modal Verb | Function | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 会 (huì) | Learned ability; prediction. | 她会说汉语。 (Tā huì shuō Hànyǔ.) | She can speak Chinese. |
| 能 (néng) | Physical/circumstantial ability; permission. | 你能来吗？ (Nǐ néng lái ma?) | Can you come? (Do you have the time/ability?) |
| 可以 (kěyǐ) | Permission. | 我可以用一下你的手机吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ yíxià nǐ de shǒujī ma?) | May I use your phone? |
| 想 (xiǎng) | Desire/Intention. | 我想喝茶。 (Wǒ xiǎng hē chá.) | I want to drink tea. |
| 应该 (yīnggāi) | Obligation/Should. | 你应该学习。 (Nǐ yīnggāi xuéxí.) | You should study. |
4. Special Verb Structures
These structures modify the basic SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) order for emphasis or to introduce complex actions.
A. The 把 (bǎ) Structure (Pre-Verbal Object)
This structure is used when you want to emphasize the effect on the object. The object is moved before the verb.
- Structure: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + (Other elements like 了, complements)
Basic: 我吃了饭。 (Wǒ chīle fàn.) — I ate the meal. 把 Structure: 我把饭吃完了。 (Wǒ bǎ fàn chī wánle.) — I finished the whole meal. (Emphasis on the meal being dealt with/finished)
B. The Passive (bèi) Structure
Used to indicate that the subject is receiving the action (the object of an action).
- Structure: Subject (Receiver) + 被 + (Perpetrator) + Verb + (Other elements)
Basic: 狗吃了我的作业。 (Gǒu chīle wǒ de zuòyè.) — The dog ate my homework. Passive: 我的作业被狗吃了。 (Wǒ de zuòyè bèi gǒu chīle.) — My homework was eaten by the dog.
C. Serial Verb Construction
Two or more verbs or verb phrases are put next to each other in sequence to express a series of actions or a purpose.
- Structure: S + Verb 1 + (Object 1) + Verb 2 + (Object 2)
Example (Purpose): 我去买咖啡。 (Wǒ qù mǎi kāfēi.) — I go to buy coffee. (Verb 1: go; Verb 2: buy) Example (Sequence): 他坐飞机来北京。 (Tā zuò fēijī lái Běijīng.) — He takes a plane to come to Beijing.