HSK 2 Chinese grammar

Emphasizing quantity with "都 (dōu)"

Subj. + 都 (dōu) + Predicate / Verb Phrase

Expressing "and also" with "还 (hái)"

还 (hái) + Verb

Expressing "about to" with "就要 (jiùyào)"

(还有 (háiyǒu) + Time Period) + 就要 (jiùyào) + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)

Expressing "again" in the future with "再 (zài)"

再 (zài) + Verb

Expressing "then" with "就 (jiù)"

就 (jiù) + Verb Phrase

Expressing "already" with "已经 (yǐjīng)"

已经 (yǐjīng) + Verbal phrase + 了 (le)

Expressing "already" with "都 (dōu)"

都 (dōu) + Time + 了 (le)

Expressing earliness with "就 (jiù)"

Subj. + Time + 就 (jiù) + Verb + 了 (le)

Continuation with "还 (hái)"

Subj. + 还 (hái) + Verb Phrase / Adj.

Emphasis with "就是 (jiùshì)"

就是 (jiùshì) + Verb

Negative commands with "别 (bié)"

别 (bié) + Verb

Moderating positive adjectives with "还 (hái)"

还 (hái) + Adj.

Expressing "really" with "真 (zhēn)"

真 (zhēn) + Adj.

Expressing "even more" with "更 (gèng)"

更 (gèng) + Adj.

Expressing "a little too" with "有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) / 有点 (yǒudiǎn)"

有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) / 有点 (yǒudiǎn) + Adj.

Expressing distance with "离 (lí)"

Place 1 + 离 (lí) + Place 2 + Adv. + 近 (jìn) / 远 (yuǎn)

Superlative "最 (zuì)"

最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))

Modifying nouns with phrase + "的 (de)"

Phrase + 的 (de) + Noun

The filler word "那个 (nèige)"

⋯⋯那个 (nèige)⋯⋯

Reduplication of measure words

一 (yī) + Measure Word + 一 (yī) + Measure Word + 地 (de) + Verb

Expressing "when" with "的时候 (de shíhou)"

⋯⋯的时候 (de shíhou)

Indicating a number in excess

Number + 多 (duō) + Measure Word (+ Noun)

Expressing "every" with "每 (měi)"

每 (měi) + Measure Word (+ Noun)

Using "几 (jǐ)" to mean "several"

几 (jǐ) + Measure Word + Noun

Ordinal numbers with "第 (dì)"

第 (dì) + Number (+ Measure Word)

Measure words for counting

Number + Measure Word + Noun

Measure words with "this" and "that"

这 (zhè) / 那 (nà) + Measure Word (+ Noun)

Aspect particle "着 (zhe)"

Verb + 着 (zhe)

Expressing "already" with just "了 (le)"

Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)

Expressing experiences with "过 (guò)"

Verb + 过 (guo)

Conceding with "吧 (ba)"

⋯⋯吧 (ba)

Using "过 (guò)" with "了 (le)"

Verb + 过 (guo) + 了 (le)

Modal particle "呢 (ne)"

⋯⋯呢 (ne)?

Basic comparisons with "比 (bǐ)"

Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) + Noun 2 + Adj.

Expressing "for" with "给 (gěi)"

Subj. + 给 (gěi) + Recipient + Verb Phrase

Expressing "from… to…" with "从 (cóng) … 到 (dào) …"

从 (cóng)⋯⋯到 (dào)⋯⋯

Expressing "toward" with "往 (wǎng)"

往 (wǎng) + Direction Word

Using "对 (duì)" with verbs

Subj. + 对 (duì) + Object / Topic + Verb / Evaluative Phrase

Using the verb "姓 (xìng)"

姓 (xìng) + Surname

Wanting to do something with "要 (yào)"

要 (yào) + Verb

Expressing "be going to" with "要 (yào)"

Subj. + 要 (yào) + Verb (+ 了 (le))

Expressing permission with "可以 (kěyǐ)"

可以 (kěyǐ) + Verb

The verb/modal verb "要 (yào)" and its meanings

要 (yào) + Noun / 要 (yào) + Verb

Expressing "together" with "一起 (yìqǐ)"

一起 (yìqǐ) + Verb

Verbs followed by "给 (gěi)"

Subj. + Verb + 给 (gěi) + Recipient + Obj.

Verbs preceded by "给 (gěi)"

Subj. + 给 (gěi) + Target + Verb + Obj.

Verbs that take double objects

Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj.

Using "好 (hǎo)" to mean "easy"

好 (hǎo) + Verb

Verbing briefly with "一下 (yíxià)"

Verb + 一下 (yíxià)

Direction with "到 (dào) + place + 去 (qù)"

到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)

Special cases of "在 (zài)" following verbs

Verb + 在 (zài) + Place

Negative commands with "不要 (búyào)"

不要 (búyào) + Verb

Actions in a row

(Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2)

Measure words for verbs

Verb + Number + Measure Word

Reduplication of verbs

Verb + Verb

Potential complement "-不懂 (bù dǒng)" for not understanding

Verb + 不懂 (bù dǒng)

Degree complement

Verb + 得 (de)⋯⋯

Result complement "-完 (wán)" for finishing

Verb + 完 (wán) (+ 了 (le))

Result complements

Verb + 好 (hǎo) / 完 (wán) / 错 (cuò)

Result complements "-到 (dào)" and "-见 (jiàn)"

Verb + 到 (dào) / 见 (jiàn)

Simple rhetorical questions

不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？

Tag questions with "不 (bù)"

⋯⋯是不是 (shì bu shì) / 对不对 (duì bu duì) / 好不好 (hǎo bu hǎo)?

Tag questions with "吗 (ma)"

⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?

Asking why with "怎么 (zěnme)"

怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？

Affirmative-negative question

Verb + 不 (bù) + Verb / Adj. + 不 (bù) + Adj.

Expressing "about to happen" with "了 (le)"

快 (kuài) + Verb / Adj. + 了 (le)

Expressing "everything" with "什么都 (shénme dōu)"

什么 (shénme) + 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě)⋯⋯

Expressing "stop doing" with "别 (bié) … 了 (le)"

别 (bié) + Verb + 了 (le)

Cause and effect with "因为 (yīnwèi)" and "所以 (suǒyǐ)"

因为 (yīnwèi)⋯⋯ 所以 (suǒyǐ)⋯⋯

Expressing "every time" with "每 (měi)" and "都 (dōu)"

每次 (měi cì) + Event 1 + 都 (dōu) + Event 2

Expressing "much more" in comparisons

Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了 (duō le)

Expressing "although" with "虽然 (suīrán)" and "但是 (dànshì)"

虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯