HSK 2 Chinese grammar
72 HSK 2 grammar rules with structures, examples and an interactive exercise for every rule.
Adverbs
都 — emphasizing quantity
Subj. + 都 (dōu) + Predicate / Verb Phrase大家都来了。Dàjiā dōu lái le.Everyone came.还 — and also
还 (hái) + Verb我会说英语，还会说法语。Wǒ huì shuō Yīngyǔ, hái huì shuō Fǎyǔ.I speak English and also French.就要 — about to happen
(还有 (háiyǒu) + Time Period) + 就要 (jiùyào) + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)还有五分钟就要上课了。Hái yǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù yào shàngkè le.Class is about to start in five minutes.再 — again in the future
再 (zài) + Verb明天再来。Míngtiān zài lái.I'll come again tomorrow.就 — then
就 (jiù) + Verb Phrase你告诉我，我就做。Nǐ gàosu wǒ, wǒ jiù zuò.Tell me and I will do it.已经 — already
已经 (yǐjīng) + Verbal phrase + 了 (le)我已经知道了。Wǒ yǐjīng zhīdào le.I already know.都 + time — already
都 (dōu) + Time + 了 (le)都十二点了！Dōu shí'èr diǎn le!It's already twelve o'clock!就 — early action
Subj. + Time + 就 (jiù) + Verb + 了 (le)他八点就来了。Tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.He came as early as eight o'clock.还 — still
Subj. + 还 (hái) + Verb Phrase / Adj.我还在学习。Wǒ hái zài xuéxí.I am still studying.就是 — emphasis with “just”
就是 (jiùshì) + Verb我就是喜欢他。Wǒ jiùshì xǐhuan tā.I just like him.别 — negative commands
别 (bié) + Verb别走！Bié zǒu!Don't go!Adverbs with Adjectives
还 — pretty, fairly
还 (hái) + Adj.这个还不错。Zhège hái búcuò.This one is pretty good.真 — really + adjective
真 (zhēn) + Adj.真漂亮！Zhēn piàoliang!Really beautiful!更 — even more
更 (gèng) + Adj.这个更好。Zhège gèng hǎo.This one is even better.有点 — a little too
有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) / 有点 (yǒudiǎn) + Adj.我有点累。Wǒ yǒudiǎn lèi.I'm a little tired.离 — distance from a place
Place 1 + 离 (lí) + Place 2 + Adv. + 近 (jìn) / 远 (yuǎn)我家离学校很近。Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn jìn.My home is very close to the school.最 — superlative “most”
最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))他最高。Tā zuì gāo.He is the tallest.的 — modifying nouns with phrase
Phrase + 的 (de) + Noun我买的书。Wǒ mǎi de shū.The book that I bought.Conjunctions
Measure Words
Nouns
Numbers
Numbers and Measure Words
每 — every with measure words
每 (měi) + Measure Word (+ Noun)每个人都很忙。Měi gè rén dōu hěn máng.Everyone is busy.几 — several, a few
几 (jǐ) + Measure Word + Noun几个人在图书馆里看书。Jǐ gè rén zài túshū guǎn lǐ kàn shū.Several people are reading books in the library.第 — ordinal numbers
第 (dì) + Number (+ Measure Word)我第一次坐飞机。Wǒ dì yī cì zuò fēijī.I take a plane for the first time.本 — measure words for counting
Number + Measure Word + Noun我买了三本书。Wǒ mǎi le sān běn shū.I bought three books.这 / 那 — this and that with measure words
这 (zhè) / 那 (nà) + Measure Word (+ Noun)这个人是我哥哥。Zhè gè rén shì wǒ gēge.This person is my older brother.Particles
着 — ongoing state
Verb + 着 (zhe)门开着。Mén kāi zhe.The door is open.了 — already done
Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)我吃了。Wǒ chī le.I've already eaten.过 — experience marker
Verb + 过 (guo)我去过中国。Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó.I have been to China.吧 — conceding with “ba”
⋯⋯吧 (ba)好吧，我去。Hǎo ba, wǒ qù.Alright, I'll go.过 — completed action in the past
Verb + 过 (guo) + 了 (le)我已经去过中国了。Wǒ yǐjīng qù guo Zhōngguó le.I have already been to China.呢 — question particle
⋯⋯呢 (ne)?你在做什么呢？Nǐ zài zuò shénme ne?What are you doing?Prepositions
比 — comparing two things
Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) + Noun 2 + Adj.我比你高。Wǒ bǐ nǐ gāo.I am taller than you.给 — for (someone)
Subj. + 给 (gěi) + Recipient + Verb Phrase我给你做饭。Wǒ gěi nǐ zuòfàn.I cook for you.从…到 — from… to…
从 (cóng)⋯⋯到 (dào)⋯⋯从北京到上海很远。Cóng Běijīng dào Shànghǎi hěn yuǎn.It's far from Beijing to Shanghai.往 — toward
往 (wǎng) + Direction Word往前走。Wǎng qián zǒu.Go straight ahead.对 — attitude toward something
Subj. + 对 (duì) + Object / Topic + Verb / Evaluative Phrase我对中文有兴趣。Wǒ duì Zhōngwén yǒu xìngqù.I am interested in Chinese.Verbs
Auxiliary verbs
要 — wanting to do something
要 (yào) + Verb我要学中文。Wǒ yào xué Zhōngwén.I want to study Chinese.要 — be going to, will
Subj. + 要 (yào) + Verb (+ 了 (le))我要走了。Wǒ yào zǒu le.I am going to leave.可以 — permission, may
可以 (kěyǐ) + Verb我可以进来吗？Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?May I come in?要 — want, need, going to
要 (yào) + Noun / 要 (yào) + Verb我要水。Wǒ yào shuǐ.I need water.Verb phrases
一起 — together
一起 (yìqǐ) + Verb我们一起学习。Wǒmen yìqǐ xuéxí.We study together.给 — verb + give to someone
Subj. + Verb + 给 (gěi) + Recipient + Obj.我送给你一本书。Wǒ sòng gěi nǐ yì běn shū.I give a book to you.给 — giving to someone
Subj. + 给 (gěi) + Target + Verb + Obj.我给你写信。Wǒ gěi nǐ xiě xìn.I write a letter to you.教你 — double object verbs
Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj.我教你中文。Wǒ jiāo nǐ Zhōngwén.I teach you Chinese.好 — easy to do
好 (hǎo) + Verb这本书很好读。Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo dú.This book is easy to read.一下 — verbing briefly
Verb + 一下 (yíxià)我看一下这本书。Wǒ kàn yīxià zhè běn shū.Let me take a look at this book.到 — direction with “to go to”
到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)我明天到北京去。Wǒ míngtiān dào Běijīng qù.I will go to Beijing tomorrow.在 — location after verbs
Verb + 在 (zài) + Place我住在北京。Wǒ zhù zài Běijīng.I live in Beijing.不要 — negative commands
不要 (búyào) + Verb不要说话！Búyào shuōhuà!Do not talk!去 — actions in a row
(Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2)我去书店买书。Wǒ qù shūdiàn mǎi shū.I go to the bookstore to buy books.次 — verb measure words
Verb + Number + Measure Word我去过一次北京。Wǒ qùguo yī cì Běijīng.I have been to Beijing once.看看 — verb reduplication, “take a look”
Verb + Verb你看看。Nǐ kàn kan.Take a look.Complements
不懂 — not understanding
Verb + 不懂 (bù dǒng)我听不懂。Wǒ tīng bù dǒng.I don't understand by listening.得 — degree complement
Verb + 得 (de)⋯⋯他跑得很快。Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.He runs very fast.完 — finishing an action
Verb + 完 (wán) (+ 了 (le))我做完作业了。Wǒ zuò wán zuòyè le.I finished my homework.好 / 完 / 错 — result complements
Verb + 好 (hǎo) / 完 (wán) / 错 (cuò)我吃完了。Wǒ chī wán le.I finished eating.到 vs 见 — result complements
Verb + 到 (dào) / 见 (jiàn)我看见你了。Wǒ kàn jiàn nǐ le.I saw you.Question Forms
不是……吗？ — rhetorical questions
不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？不是很好吗？Bù shì hěn hǎo ma?Isn't it very good?是不是 — tag questions
⋯⋯是不是 (shì bu shì) / 对不对 (duì bu duì) / 好不好 (hǎo bu hǎo)?你是学生，对不对？Nǐ shì xuéshēng, duì bu duì?You are a student, right?吗 — tag questions
⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?很好，是吗？Hěn hǎo, shì ma?Great, isn't it?怎么 — asking why
怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？你怎么没来？Nǐ zěnme méi lái?Why didn't you come?不 — affirmative-negative question
Verb + 不 (bù) + Verb / Adj. + 不 (bù) + Adj.你去不去？Nǐ qù bu qù?Are you going or not?Sentence Patterns
快 — about to happen
快 (kuài) + Verb / Adj. + 了 (le)快下雨了。Kuài xià yǔ le.It is going to rain.什么 都 — everything
什么 (shénme) + 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě)⋯⋯我什么都吃。Wǒ shénme dōu chī.I eat everything.别 — stop doing
别 (bié) + Verb + 了 (le)别哭了。Bié kū le.Stop crying.因为 — cause and effect
因为 (yīnwèi)⋯⋯ 所以 (suǒyǐ)⋯⋯因为下雨，所以我没去。Yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ wǒ méi qù.It was raining, so I didn't go.