💎 Essential Chinese Sentence Patterns - 是, 会, 有些 (shì, huì, yǒu xiē) - Core Grammar Structures
Master fundamental Chinese sentence patterns including copulative verbs, modal verbs, and classification structures that form the backbone of natural Chinese communication.
Chinese lesson from Monday, July 7, 2025
🎯 Core Chinese Sentence Structures
Learn the essential patterns that native speakers use daily: subject-predicate structures, copulative verbs (是), modal verbs (会), and classification patterns (有些人是...) - these are the building blocks of fluent Chinese expression.
Perfect for beginners and essential concepts
📚 Key Phrase: 你有多大了？ (nǐ yǒu duō dà le?)
📖
Grammar Focus
💎 Essential Chinese Sentence Pattern Fundamentals
Today's lesson focuses on the fundamental sentence structures that form the backbone of Chinese communication. These patterns - copulative verbs, modal verbs, and classification structures - are used in every Chinese conversation and represent the core grammatical foundation every learner must master.
1. Age Questions: 你有多大了？
你有多大了？
nǐ yǒu duō dà le?
Standard way to ask someone's age
nǐ yǒu duō dà le?
Standard way to ask someone's age
• 你有多大了？ (nǐ yǒu duō dà le?) = How old are you?
• 有 (yǒu) = have/possess + 多大 (duō dà) = how old + 了 (le) = completion marker
• 有 (yǒu) = have/possess + 多大 (duō dà) = how old + 了 (le) = completion marker
你有多大了？
nǐ yǒu duō dà le?
How old are you?
2. Age Statements: Subject + 永远 + Number + 岁
[Subject] + 永远 + [Number] + 岁
[Subject] + yǒng yuǎn + [Number] + suì
永远 (yǒng yuǎn) = forever, always + 岁 (suì) = years old
[Subject] + yǒng yuǎn + [Number] + suì
永远 (yǒng yuǎn) = forever, always + 岁 (suì) = years old
• 我永远二十岁 (wǒ yǒng yuǎn èr shí suì) = I'm always twenty years old
• Note: No verb needed - Chinese omits "to be" for age expressions
• Note: No verb needed - Chinese omits "to be" for age expressions
3. Copulative Verb: Subject + 是 + Complement
[Subject] + 是 + [Complement]
[Subject] + shì + [Complement]
是 (shì) = copulative verb "to be" for identification/classification
[Subject] + shì + [Complement]
是 (shì) = copulative verb "to be" for identification/classification
• 我的心是二十 (wǒ de xīn shì èr shí) = My heart is twenty
• 有些人是好人 (yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén) = Some people are good people
• 有些人是好人 (yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén) = Some people are good people
我的心是二十
wǒ de xīn shì èr shí
My heart is twenty
4. Modal Verbs: Subject + 会 + Verb + Object + 吗？
[Subject] + 会 + [Verb] + [Object] + 吗？
[Subject] + huì + [Verb] + [Object] + ma?
会 (huì) = modal verb "can/know how to" + 吗 (ma) = question particle
[Subject] + huì + [Verb] + [Object] + ma?
会 (huì) = modal verb "can/know how to" + 吗 (ma) = question particle
• 你会读这个字吗？ (nǐ huì dú zhè ge zì ma?) = Can you read this character?
• Modal + Main Verb + Object structure
• Modal + Main Verb + Object structure
5. Classification Pattern: 有些人是 + Adjective/Noun
有些人是 + [Adjective/Noun]
yǒu xiē rén shì + [Adjective/Noun]
有些 (yǒu xiē) = some + 人 (rén) = people + 是 (shì) = are
yǒu xiē rén shì + [Adjective/Noun]
有些 (yǒu xiē) = some + 人 (rén) = people + 是 (shì) = are
• 有些人是神经病 (yǒu xiē rén shì shén jīng bìng) = Some people are crazy
• 有些人是好人 (yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén) = Some people are good people
• 有些人是好人 (yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén) = Some people are good people
6. Possessive Structure: 我的 + Noun + 是 + Complement
我的 + [Noun] + 是 + [Complement]
wǒ de + [Noun] + shì + [Complement]
我的 (wǒ de) = my + 是 (shì) = is + complement
wǒ de + [Noun] + shì + [Complement]
我的 (wǒ de) = my + 是 (shì) = is + complement
• 我的心是二十 (wǒ de xīn shì èr shí) = My heart is twenty
• Possessive pronoun + noun + copulative verb + complement
• Possessive pronoun + noun + copulative verb + complement
你有多大了？
nǐ yǒu duō dà le?
How old are you?
¿Cuántos años tienes?
词汇 Vocabulary Practice
Practice writing the phrases from today's Chinese lesson!
你有多大了？
nǐ yǒu duō dà le?
English:
How old are you?
Español:
¿Cuántos años tienes?
我永远二十岁。
wǒ yǒng yuǎn èr shí suì
English:
I'm always twenty years old
Español:
Siempre tengo veinte años
我的心是二十。
wǒ de xīn shì èr shí
English:
My heart is twenty
Español:
Mi corazón es veinte
你会读这个字吗？
nǐ huì dú zhè ge zì ma?
English:
Can you read this character?
Español:
¿Sabes leer este carácter?
有些人是神经病。
yǒu xiē rén shì shén jīng bìng
English:
Some people are crazy
Español:
Algunas personas están locas
有些人是好人。
yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén
English:
Some people are good people
Español:
Algunas personas son buenas personas
文化 Cultural Insights
💎 Chinese sentence patterns reveal deep cultural values about age, ability, and social classification. The age question 你有多大了？ shows the importance of age in Chinese social hierarchy, while the playful response 我永远二十岁 reflects the cultural desire to maintain youthful appearance. The modal verb 会 in 你会读这个字吗？ emphasizes literacy as a cultural value - being able to read characters represents education and cultural refinement. The classification pattern 有些人是... demonstrates how Chinese culture naturally categorizes people by moral and behavioral traits, with direct assessments like 神经病 (crazy) and 好人 (good person). The possessive structure 我的心是二十 reveals the Chinese concept of separating physical and emotional age - the heart (心) represents the spiritual and emotional center of a person. These patterns show how Chinese grammar naturally encodes cultural concepts about human nature, social relationships, and personal development.
🎯 Advanced Chinese Sentence Construction & Pattern Mastery
Master complex sentence building using today's fundamental patterns. Practice combining copulative verbs, modal verbs, and classification structures in realistic scenarios with cultural context and natural expression techniques.
For students ready to dive deeper
📖 Reading Practice
📖 基本句型练习 - Basic Sentence Pattern Practice
Nǐ yǒu duō dà le? Wǒ yǒng yuǎn èr shí suì.
你有多大了？我永远二十岁。
Wǒ de xīn shì èr shí, wǒ de shēn tǐ shì sān shí.
我的心是二十，我的身体是三十。
Nǐ huì dú zhè ge zì ma? Zhè ge zì hěn nán.
你会读这个字吗？这个字很难。
Yǒu xiē rén shì hǎo rén, yǒu xiē rén shì huài rén.
有些人是好人，有些人是坏人。
Yǒu xiē rén shì shén jīng bìng, dàn tā men yě shì rén.
有些人是神经病，但他们也是人。
Wǒ huì dú zhōng wén, nǐ huì dú yīng wén ma?
我会读中文，你会读英文吗？
Wǒ men dōu shì xuéshēng, wǒ men dōu ài xuéxí.
我们都是学生，我们都爱学习。
📝 Vocabulary from this reading:
身体
shēn tǐ
Body, physical health
难
nán
Difficult, hard
坏人
huài rén
Bad person, villain
但
dàn
But, however
中文
zhōng wén
Chinese language
学习
xuéxí
To study, to learn
📚 Additional Learning Content
💎 Cultural Context: Chinese Sentence Patterns & Social Meaning
These fundamental sentence patterns reveal important aspects of Chinese culture, social relationships, and how Chinese speakers naturally categorize and express ideas about people and abilities.
Age and Social Hierarchy
Age Sensitivity in Chinese Culture
Age questions and statements carry social weight
Modal Verbs and Competence
Ability statements reflect cultural values
Age questions and statements carry social weight
• 你有多大了？ is direct but acceptable among peers
• 我永远二十岁 shows cultural desire to appear young
• Age affects social hierarchy and respect levels
Modal Verbs and Competence
Ability statements reflect cultural values
• 你会读这个字吗？ shows literacy as cultural value
• 会 indicates learned, cultivated abilities
• Reading characters represents education and culture
People Classification Culture
Chinese Social Categorization
有些人是... patterns show cultural thinking
Heart and Age Metaphors
Emotional expressions in Chinese
有些人是... patterns show cultural thinking
• 有些人是好人 reflects moral categorization
• 有些人是神经病 shows direct character assessment
• Chinese culture often classifies people by moral/behavioral traits
Heart and Age Metaphors
Emotional expressions in Chinese
• 我的心是二十 = heart represents emotional/spiritual age
• Chinese often separates physical and emotional age
• 心 (heart) is center of emotional and spiritual life
作业 Homework & Practice
📝 Homework for next class:
1. 🎂 Age Expressions: Practice asking and answering age questions using 你有多大了？ and creative responses
2. 🔧 Copulative Verbs: Create 8 sentences using 是 to identify and classify different things (people, objects, concepts)
3. 🎯 Modal Verbs: Use 会 + verb to describe 6 different abilities you have or want to develop
4. 👥 People Classification: Practice 有些人是... pattern to describe different types of people you know
5. 💝 Possessive Structures: Write sentences using 我的 + noun + 是 + complement to express personal feelings
6. 🔄 Pattern Mixing: Combine today's patterns in short dialogues about age, abilities, and character types
💡 Real-life Challenge: Use these fundamental patterns in conversations with Chinese friends - they form the backbone of natural Chinese expression!
Practice Checklist:
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