HSK Guide/HSK 1 Grammar

Parts of Speech

These following grammar points fit pretty neatly into one part of speech category.

Adverbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing actions in progress with "zai"	(正) 在 + Verb	我们 正在 吃饭。 We are eating rice now.
Negation of "you" with "mei"	没 + 有	我 没有 钱 。 I don't have money.
Standard negation with "bu"	不 + Verb / Adj.	他们 不 是 坏 孩子。 They are not bad children.
The "all" adverb "dou"	都 + Verb / Adj.	我们 都 住 在 上海。 We all live in Shanghai.
The "also" adverb "ye"	也 + Verb / Adj.	昨天 很 冷，今天 也 很 冷。 Yesterday was cold, and today is also cold.

Adverbs with Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Asking about degree with "duo"	Subj. + 多 + Adj. ?	他 多 高？ How tall is he?
Expressing "not very" with "bu tai"	不太 + Adj.	他 不太 高兴 。我 不太 喜欢。 He isn't very happy. I don't quite like it.

Conjunctions

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "and" with "he"	Noun 1 + 和 + Noun 2	我 和 他 都 不 去。 I and him didn't go.

Nouns

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
After a specific time with "yihou"	Time / Verb + 以后	10点 以后 ，我 不 在 家。 I won't be at home after 10 o' clock.
Before a specific time with "yiqian"	Time / Verb + 以前	十 点 以前，我 在 家。 I will be at home before 10 o' clock.
Time words and word order	Subj. + Time⋯⋯ / Time + Subj.⋯⋯	我 明天 有 空。/ 明天 我 有 空。 I will be free tomorrow.

Numbers

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Age with "sui"	Subj. + Number + 岁	我 20 岁 。 I'm 20 years old.
Measure word "ge"	Number + 个 + Noun	一 个 人 。 A person.
Structure of dates	Number + 年 + Number + 月 + Number + 日	今天 是 2011年 11月 11日/号 。 Today is 11th November 2011.
Structure of days of the week	星期 + Number	今天 星期三 。 Today is Wednesday.
Structure of numbers	Number + Unit	三 百 五 十 九。 359.
Structure of times (advanced)	Number 1 + 点(钟) + Number 2 + 分	现在 十一点十八分 。 It's 11:18 now.
Structure of times (basic)	Number + 点(钟)	现在 十一点 。 It's 11 o' clock now.

Particles

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing close possession without "de"	Pronoun + Noun	我 女朋友 my girlfriend
Expressing completion with "le"	Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.	我 吃 了 两 个 苹果。 I ate 2 apples.
Expressing "not anymore" with "le"	不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了	我 不 想 吃 了 。 I don't want to eat anymore.
Expressing "now" with "le"	New Situation + 了	吃饭 了！ Time to eat!
Expressing possession with "de"	Noun 1 + 的 + Noun 2	我 的 老师 my teacher
Questions with "ne"	⋯⋯呢 ?	我 很 好。你 呢 ? I'm fine. And you?
Sentence-final interjection "a"	⋯⋯啊	是 啊！谁 啊？ Yep! Who?
Softening speech with "ba"	⋯⋯吧	这样 不 太 好 吧。 This ain't that good.
Suggestions with "ba"	Command + 吧	我们 走 吧 。 Let's go.

Verbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Directional verbs "lai" and "qu"	来 / 去 + Place	我 来 上海 一 年 了。 It's been 1 year I came to Shanghai.
Expressing existence in a place with "zai"	在 + Place	老师 在 上海 。 The teacher is at Shanghai.
Expressing existence with "you"	Place + 有 + Obj.	我们 学校 有 很 多 学生。 Our school has lots of students.
Expressing possession with "you"	Subj. + 有 + Obj.	我 有 钱。 I have money.
Polite requests with "qing"	请 + Verb	请 坐 。 Please sit.
Using the verb "jiao"	叫 + Name	你 叫 什么 名字 ？ What's your name?
Using the verb "qu"	去 + Place	我 去 学校。 I go to school.

Auxiliary verbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing ability or possibility with "neng"	能 + Verb	中文 这么 难，你 能 学 好 吗？ Chinese is tough, can you master it?
Expressing a learned skill with "hui"	会 + Verb	他 会 说 中文 。 He can speak Chinese.
Expressing "will" with "hui"	会 + Verb	明天 你 会 来 吗？ Are you going to come tomorrow?
Expressing "would like to" with "xiang"	想 + Verb	我 想 去。 I want to go.

Verb phrases

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
How to do something with "zenme"	怎么 + Verb ?	怎么 走? How do I reach there?
Indicating location with "zai" before verbs	Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb	我 在 上海 工作。 I work at Shanghai.
Negation of past actions with "meiyou"	没有 + Verb	我 没有 去 酒吧。 I didn't go to the pub.

Grammatical Structures

These are grammatical structures that do not correspond to one particular part of speech.

Basics

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Basic sentence order	Subj. + Verb (+ Obj.)	我 爱 你 。 I love you.
Connecting nouns with "shi"	A + 是 + B	我 是 学生 。 I'm a student.
Expressing "excessively" with "tai"	太 + Adj. + 了	太 好 了 ! That's great!
Simple "noun + adjective" sentences	Noun + 很 + Adj.	我 很 好。 I'm fine.

Noun Phrases

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Expressing "some" with "yixie"	一些 + Noun	这里 有 一些 咖啡。 There are some coffee here.

Numbers and Measure Words

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Counting money	Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱)	给 你 五 块 三 毛。 Here's 5 dollars and 3 pennies.
Measure words in quantity questions	几 + Measure Word (+ Noun) ?	几 个 人？ How many people?

Question Forms

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Asking how something is with "zenmeyang"	⋯⋯怎么样？	你 最近 怎么样 ？ How are you recently?
Placement of question words	什么 / 什么时候 / 谁 / 哪儿 / 为什么 / 怎么	你 是 谁 ？你 在 哪儿 ？ Who are you? Where are you?
Questions with "le ma"	Verb + 了 + 吗？	你 吃饭 了 吗 ？ Have you ate yet?
Yes-no questions with "ma"	⋯⋯吗？	他 是 老板 吗 ? Is he a boss?

Sentence Patterns

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details	是⋯⋯ 的	你 是 怎么 来 的？ How did you came here?

Comparisons of Similar Grammar Points

What's the difference between this grammar point and that grammar point? Check here.

Adverbs

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "bu" and "mei"	不 vs 没	我 今天 晚上 不 吃饭。昨天 晚上 我 没 吃饭。 I won't eat dinner today. I didn't eat dinner yesterday.