HSK 3 Chinese grammar
69 HSK 3 grammar rules with structures, examples and an interactive exercise for every rule.
Adjectives
地 — turning adjectives into adverbs
Adj. + 地 (de) + Verb他很快地跑了。Tā hěn kuài de pǎo le.He ran quickly.极了 — extremely, very
Adj. + 极了 (jí le)这儿的风景美极了。Zhèr de fēngjǐng měi jí le.The scenery here is extremely beautiful.AA — reduplicating adjectives
AA / AABB她有一双大大的眼睛。Tā yǒu yī shuāng dàdà de yǎnjīng.She has big, round eyes.Adverbs
老是 — always (complaining)
Subj. + 老是 (lǎoshì) + Verb/Adj.他老是抱怨。Tā lǎoshì bàoyuàn.He is always complaining.总是 — always
总是 (zǒngshì) + Predicate他总是很忙。Tā zǒngshì hěn máng.He is always very busy.终于 — finally
Subj. + 终于 (zhōngyú) + Verb + 了 (le)任务终于完成了。Rènwù zhōngyú wánchéng le.The task is finally finished.又 — again in the past
又 (yòu) + Verb + 了 (le)他又迟到了。Tā yòu chídào le.He was late again.一直 — all along, continuously
Subj. + 一直 (yìzhí) + Verb/Adj.我一直相信你。Wǒ yīzhí xiāngxìn nǐ.I have believed you all along.几乎 — nearly, almost
Subj. + 几乎 (jīhū) + Verb/Adj.我几乎忘了他的名字。Wǒ jīhū wàng le tā de míngzi.I almost forgot his name.只 — only, just
Subj. + 只 (zhǐ) + Verb + Obj.我只喝茶，不喝咖啡。Wǒ zhǐ hē chá, bù hē kāfēi.I only drink tea, not coffee.才 — lateness, “not until”
Subj. + Time + 才 (cái) + Verb他晚上十点才回家。Tā wǎnshang shí diǎn cái huí jiā.He didn't come home until 10 p.m.才 — only, small number
Subj. + 才 (cái) + Number + MW他才五岁。Tā cái wǔ suì.He is only five years old.一边 — doing two things at once
一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 1, 一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 2她喜欢一边听音乐，一边工作。Tā xǐhuan yībiān tīng yīnyuè, yībiān gōngzuò.She likes to listen to music while working.先 — first… then…
先 (xiān)……, 再 (zài)……我们先吃饭，再去看电影。Wǒmen xiān chīfàn, zài qù kàn diànyǐng.First we'll eat, then we'll go see a movie.Adverbs with Adjectives
一样 — as… as…
Noun 1 + 跟 (gēn) / 和 (hé) + Noun 2 + 一样 (yíyàng) + Adj.你跟他一样高。Nǐ gēn tā yíyàng gāo.You are as tall as him.比较 — rather, quite
比较 (bǐjiào) + Adj.今天比较冷。Jīntiān bǐjiào lěng.It's rather cold today.又 — both… and…
又 (yòu)⋯⋯ 又 (yòu)⋯⋯这家饭店又便宜又好吃。Zhè jiā fàndiàn yòu piányi yòu hǎochī.This restaurant is both cheap and delicious.的 — adjective + 的 + noun
Adj. + 的 (de) + Noun我有一辆红色的汽车。Wǒ yǒu yī liàng hóngsè de qìchē.I have a red car.那么 vs 这么 — that vs this
那么 (nàme)/这么 (zhème) + Adj.这个问题没那么难。Zhège wèntí méi nàme nán.This problem isn't that difficult.多 — how very…
多 (duō) + Adj. (+啊 (a))你看，他跑得多快啊！Nǐ kàn, tā pǎo de duō kuài a!Look how fast he's running!Conjunctions
还是 — alternative question
A + 还是 (háishi) + B?你喝茶还是喝咖啡？Nǐ hē chá háishì hē kāfēi?Will you have tea or coffee?或者 — or in statements
⋯⋯或者 (huòzhě)⋯⋯我们明天或者后天去。Wǒmen míngtiān huòzhě hòutiān qù.We'll go tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.跟 — with, together with
跟 (gēn)⋯⋯ + Verb我想跟你谈谈。Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ tán tan.I want to talk with you.那么 — then…
那么 (nàme)⋯⋯如果下雨，那么我们就不去了。Rúguǒ xià yǔ, nàme wǒmen jiù bù qù le.If it rains, then we won't go.Nouns
以后 — in the future
以后 (yǐhòu)，⋯⋯以后，你不要问我。Yǐhòu, nǐ búyào wèn wǒ.In the future, don’t ask me.时 — when, at the time of
Time + 时 (shí)回家时，给我打个电话。Huí jiā shí, gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.Give me a call when you go home.以前 — before, previously
以前 (yǐqián)，⋯⋯以前，我不会说中文。Yǐqián, wǒ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén.I couldn't speak Chinese before.刚才 — just now
刚才 (gāngcái) + Verb刚才有人找你。Gāngcái yǒu rén zhǎo nǐ.Someone was looking for you just now.后来 — later, afterwards
Event 1，后来 (hòulái) Event 2他开始学中文，后来去了中国。Tā kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén, hòulái qù le Zhōngguó.He started learning Chinese, and later went to China.Numbers
万 — big numbers
Number + 万 (wàn) / 亿 (yì)中国有十四亿人口。Zhōngguó yǒu shísì yì rénkǒu.China has a population of 1.4 billion.两 — approximating with sequential numbers
Number 1 + Number 2两三个人。Liǎng sān gè rén.Two or three people.点…分 — hours and minutes
Number 1 + 点 (diǎn) / 钟 (zhōng) + Number 2 + 分 (fēn) / 分钟 (fēnzhōng)现在三点十五分。Xiànzài sān diǎn shíwǔ fēn.It's three fifteen now.Prepositions
直到 — all the way until
直到 (zhídào) + Time / Event，Subj. + 才 (cái) …直到他来，我才走。Zhídào tā lái, wǒ cái zǒu.I left only after he came.关于 — about, regarding
关于 (guānyú) + Topic，…关于这个问题，我们有不同意见。Guānyú zhège wèntí, wǒmen yǒu bùtóng yìjiàn.Regarding this issue, we have different opinions.向 — towards direction
向 (xiàng) + Direction + Verb请向前走。Qǐng xiàng qián zǒu.Please walk forward.Verbs
没有 — not as… as
Noun 1 + 没 (méi)(有 (yǒu)) + Noun 2 + Adj.我没有你那么高。Wǒ méiyǒu nǐ nàme gāo.I am not as tall as you.看起来 — looks, seems
Subj. + 看起来 (kànqǐlái) + Adj.他看起来很高兴。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn gāoxìng.He looks very happy.经过 — after / as a result of
经过 (jīngguò) + Event / Time，⋯⋯经过讨论，我们做出了决定。Jīngguò tǎolùn, wǒmen zuò chū le juédìng.After discussion, we made a decision.Auxiliary verbs
Verb phrases
难 — hard to do
难 (nán) + Verb中文很难学。Zhōngwén hěn nán xué.Chinese is hard to learn.了 — ongoing duration
Verb + 了 (le) + Duration + 了 (le)他等了一个小时了。Tā děng le yī gè xiǎoshí le.He has been waiting for an hour.了 — ongoing duration with double 了
Verb + 了 (le) + Duration + 了 (le)我学中文学了三年了。Wǒ xué Zhōngwén xué le sān nián le.I have been learning Chinese for three years.没办法 — can't help, no way
没办法 (méi bànfǎ) + Verb我没办法帮你。Wǒ méi bànfǎ bāng nǐ.I can't help you.很 — very with verbs
很 (hěn) + Verb我很喜欢中国菜。Wǒ hěn xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài.I really like Chinese food.Complements
Conditional Statements
只要 — as long as
只要 (zhǐyào) + Condition, 就 (jiù) + Result只要努力，就能成功。Zhǐyào nǔlì, jiù néng chénggōng.As long as you work hard, you will succeed.只有 — only if
只有 (zhǐyǒu) + Condition, 才 (cái) + Result只有你去，我才去。Zhǐyǒu nǐ qù, wǒ cái qù.Only if you go will I go.才 — only after, not until
Condition, + 才 (cái) + Result只有你道歉，我才原谅你。Zhǐyǒu nǐ dàoqiàn, wǒ cái yuánliàng nǐ.Only if you apologize will I forgive you.Noun Phrases
Numbers and Measure Words
Sentence Patterns
一 — not even one
一 (yī) + MW + 也 (yě)/都 (dōu) + 没 (méi)/不 (bù) + Verb我一个人都不认识。Wǒ yī gè rén dōu bù rènshi.I don't know a single person.越 — the more… the more…
Subj.＋越 (yuè)＋Verb＋越 (yuè) + Adj. / Verb你越说，我越不明白。Nǐ yuè shuō, wǒ yuè bù míngbai.The more you talk, the less I understand.把 — how to use the 把 sentence
Subj. + 把 (bǎ) + Obj. + Verb请把门打开。Qǐng bǎ mén dǎkāi.Please open the door.被 — passive voice
Patient/Object + 被 (bèi) + (Agent) + Verb Phrase杯子被我打碎了。Bēizi bèi wǒ dǎ suì le.The cup was broken by me.Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns
越来越 — more and more
越来越 (yuè lái yuè) + Adj.天气越来越热了。Tiānqì yuèláiyuè rè le.The weather is getting hotter and hotter.都 — every with question words
Question Word + 都 (dōu) + Verb/Adj.谁都认识他。Shéi dōu rènshi tā.Everyone knows him.什么 — something/somewhere/sometime
Question word in the position of an indefinite object / place / time我饿了，想吃点什么。Wǒ è le, xiǎng chī diǎn shénme.I'm hungry, I want to eat something.想 — as one likes
想 (xiǎng) + Verb Phrase with Question Word + 就 (jiù) + Same Verb Phrase想去哪儿就去哪儿。Xiǎng qù nǎr jiù qù nǎr.Go wherever you want.为了 — purpose, “for the sake of”
为了 (wèile) + Purpose + Verb为了健康，他每天跑步。Wèile jiànkāng, tā měitiān pǎobù.For the sake of his health, he runs every day.Comparison Patterns
更 vs 还 — even more
Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) + Noun 2 + 更 (gèng) / 还 (hái) + Adj.他比姚明还高。Tā bǐ Yáo Míng hái gāo.He is even taller than Yao Ming.有 — comparable degree
Noun 1 + 有 (yǒu) + Noun 2 + Adj. + 吗 (ma)?他有你这么高吗？Tā yǒu nǐ zhème gāo ma?Is he as tall as you?跟 — compared with
跟 (gēn) + Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) (起来 (qǐlái))，Noun 2⋯⋯跟去年比起来，今年更忙。Gēn qùnián bǐ qǐlái, jīnnián gèng máng.Compared with last year, I'm busier this year.得多 / 多了 — much more
Noun 1 + 比 (bǐ) + Noun 2 + Adj. + 得多 (de duō) / 多了 (duō le)今天比昨天热多了。Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè duō le.Today is much hotter than yesterday.Complex Sentence Patterns
如果…就 — if… then…
如果 (rúguǒ)……，就 (jiù)……如果下雨，我就不去了。Rúguǒ xià yǔ, wǒ jiù bù qù le.If it rains, then I won't go.除了 — except, in addition
除了 (chúle) ⋯⋯ (+ 以外 (yǐwài))，Subj. + 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě) / 还 (hái) ⋯⋯除了英语，他还会说法语。Chúle Yīngyǔ, tā hái huì shuō Fǎyǔ.In addition to English, he also speaks French.不但 — not only… but also…
不但 (búdàn)……，而且 (érqiě)……他不但聪明，而且很努力。Tā bùdàn cōngmíng, érqiě hěn nǔlì.He is not only smart, but also very hardworking.如果…的话 — if… then…
如果 (rúguǒ)……的话 (de huà)，……如果你有时间的话，我们可以见面。Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu shíjiān dehuà, wǒmen kěyǐ jiànmiàn.If you have time, we can meet.