If you're trying to learn Chinese Verbs which is also called Mandarin, check our courses about Verbs in the present past and future tense... to help you with your Chinese grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and notice the pattern that occurs each time the word changes its place. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Chinese. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Learning the Chinese Verbs is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. The more you practice the subject, the closer you get to mastering the Chinese language. But first we need to know what the role of Verbs is in the structure of the grammar in Chinese.
Chinese verbs are words that convey action (bring, read, walk, run), or a state of being (exist, stand). In most languages a verb may agree with the person, gender, and/or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object.
Chinese has no verb conjugation. That doesn’t mean they cannot express things which happened in the past or future. But it isn’t encoded in the verb as in the western languages. To express the past they use some time word like yesterday 昨天 zuó tiān or adding 过 guò at the end of the verb meaning over, past or by adding 了 le at the end of the verb or at the end of the sentence. Here are some examples:
| English Verbs | Chinese Verbs |
|---|---|
| Verbs | dòng cí - 动词 |
| Past | guò qù shí - 过去时 |
| I spoke | wǒ shuō;shuì le;liǎo;liào - 我说了 |
| I wrote | wǒ xiě le;liǎo;liào - 我写了 |
| I drove | wǒ kāi chē - 我开车 |
| I loved | wǒ xǐ huān - 我喜欢 |
| I gave | wǒ gěi le;liǎo;liào - 我给了 |
| I smiled | wǒ xiào le;liǎo;liào - 我笑了 |
| I took | wǒ ná le;liǎo;liào - 我拿了 |
| he spoke | tā;tuó shuō;shuì le;liǎo;liào - 他说了 |
| he wrote | tā;tuó xiě le;liǎo;liào - 他写了 |
| he drove | tā;tuó kāi chē - 他开车 |
| he loved | tā;tuó xǐ huān - 他喜欢 |
| he gave | tā;tuó gěi le;liǎo;liào - 他给了 |
| he smiled | tā;tuó xiào le;liǎo;liào - 他笑了 |
| he took | tā;tuó ná le;liǎo;liào - 他拿了 |
| we spoke | wǒ men shuō;shuì le;liǎo;liào - 我们说了 |
| we wrote | wǒ men xiě le;liǎo;liào - 我们写了 |
| we drove | wǒ men kāi chē - 我们开车 |
| we loved | wǒ men xǐ huān - 我们喜欢 |
| we gave | wǒ men gěi le;liǎo;liào - 我们给了 |
| we smiled | wǒ men xiào le;liǎo;liào - 我们笑了 |
| we took | wǒ men ná le;liǎo;liào - 我们拿了 |
| Future | jiāng lái shí - 将来时 |
| I will speak | wǒ jiāng huì shuō;shuì - 我将会说 |
| I will write | wǒ jiāng huì xiě - 我将会写 |
| I will drive | wǒ jiāng huì kāi chē - 我将会开车 |
| I will love | wǒ jiāng huì xǐ huān - 我将会喜欢 |
| I will give | wǒ jiāng huì gěi - 我将会给 |
| I will smile | wǒ jiāng huì xiào - 我将会笑 |
| I will take | wǒ jiāng huì ná - 我将会拿 |
| he will speak | tā;tuó jiāng huì shuō;shuì - 他将会说 |
| he will write | tā;tuó jiāng huì xiě - 他将会写 |
| he will drive | tā;tuó jiāng huì kāi chē - 他将会开车 |
| he will love | tā;tuó jiāng huì xǐ huān - 他将会喜欢 |
| he will give | tā;tuó jiāng huì gěi - 他将会给 |
| he will smile | tā;tuó jiāng huì xiào - 他将会笑 |
| he will take | tā;tuó jiāng huì ná - 他将会拿 |
| we will speak | wǒ men jiāng huì shuō;shuì - 我们将会说 |
| we will write | wǒ men jiāng huì xiě - 我们将会写 |
| we will drive | wǒ men jiāng huì kāi chē - 我们将会开车 |
| we will love | wǒ men jiāng huì xǐ huān - 我们将会喜欢 |
| we will give | wǒ men jiāng huì gěi - 我们将会给 |
| we will smile | wǒ men jiāng huì xiào - 我们将会笑 |
| we will take | wǒ men jiāng huì ná - 我们将会拿 |
| Present | xiàn zài shí - 现在时 |
| I speak | wǒ shuō;shuì - 我说 |
| I write | wǒ xiě - 我写 |
| I drive | wǒ kāi chē - 我开车 |
| I love | wǒ xǐ huān - 我喜欢 |
| I give | wǒ gěi - 我给 |
| I smile | wǒ xiào - 我笑 |
| I take | wǒ ná - 我拿 |
| he speaks | tā;tuó shuō;shuì - 他说 |
| he writes | tā;tuó xiě - 他写 |
| he drives | tā;tuó kāi chē - 他开车 |
| he loves | tā;tuó xǐ huān - 他喜欢 |
| he gives | tā;tuó gěi - 他给 |
| he smiles | tā;tuó xiào - 他笑 |
| he takes | tā;tuó ná - 他拿 |
| we speak | wǒ men shuō;shuì - 我们说 |
| we write | wǒ men xiě - 我们写 |
| we drive | wǒ men kāi chē - 我们开车 |
| we love | wǒ men xǐ huān - 我们喜欢 |
| we give | wǒ men gěi - 我们给 |
| we smile | wǒ men xiào - 我们笑 |
| we take | wǒ men ná - 我们拿 |
As you can see from the example above, the structure of the Verbs in Chinese has a logical pattern. Locate the Verbs above and see how it works with the rest of the sentence in Mandarin.
- Present Tense
In Mandarin, verbs do not have tense endings. To indicate a time frame of an occurrence, a time word is usually used. This is an example of how we got the pigeon English. ‘ I go to town yesterday, I go to town tomorrow’ the verb does not change. In general, verbs do not have tense endings (see below).
- Past Tense
In Mandarin there is a way to indicate completed action. There is a particle ending which when used after a verb or at the end of a sentence, indicates the action is completed.. This particle is le. Example: ni dao nar qu? You to where go? Can mean ‘where are you going?’ or ‘Where did you go?’ But if you add the le, and say ni dao nar qu le?, then it means ‘where did you go?’ action completed.
- Future Tense
To form the future in Mandarin, as stated above, it is done basically with time words. Verbs do not change in Chinese to indicate tense.
Below is a list of the conjugated Verbs in the present past and future in Chinese placed in a table. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your Chinese vocabulary.
| English Verbs | Chinese Verbs |
|---|---|
| I can accept that | wǒ men kě yǐ jiē shòu nà;nèi jiàn shì - 我们可以接受那件事 |
| she added it | tā jiā shàng le;liǎo;liào nà dōng xī - 她加上了那东西 |
| we admit it | wǒ men chéng rèn tā - 我们承认它 |
| they advised him | tā men quàn guò tā;tuó - 他们劝过他 |
| I can agree with that | wǒ tóng yì nà zhǒng kàn fǎ - 我同意那种看法 |
| she allows it | tā yǔn xǔ;yún xǔ zhè jiàn shì - 她允许这件事 |
| we announce it | wǒ men xuān bù zhè jiàn shì - 我们宣布这件事 |
| I can apologize | wǒ kě yǐ dào qiàn - 我可以道歉 |
| she appears today | tā jīn tiān dào chǎng - 她今天到场 |
| they arranged that | tā men ān pái le;liǎo;liào nà;nèi jiàn shì - 他们安排了那件事 |
| I can arrive tomorrow | wǒ kě yǐ míng tiān dào - 我可以明天到 |
| she can ask him | tā kě yǐ wèn tā;tuó - 她可以问他 |
| she attaches that | tā fù shàng nà dōng xī - 她附上那东西 |
| we attack them | wǒ men gōng jī tā men - 我们攻击他们 |
| they avoid her | tā men huí bì tā - 他们回避她 |
| I can bake it | wǒ huì;kuài kǎo tā - 我会烤它 |
| she is like him | tā xiàng tā;tuó - 她像他 |
| we beat it | wǒ men dǎ bài le;liǎo;liào tā - 我们打败了它 |
| they became happy | tā men biàn gāo xìng le;liǎo;liào - 他们变高兴了 |
| I can begin that | wǒ kě yǐ kāi shǐ zuò nà;nèi jiàn shì - 我可以开始做那件事 |
| we borrowed money | wǒ men jiè le;liǎo;liào qián - 我们借了钱 |
| they breathe air | tā men hū xī kōng qì - 他们呼吸空气 |
| I can bring it | wǒ kě yǐ dài shàng tā - 我可以带上它 |
| I can build that | wǒ huì;kuài jiàn zào nà dōng xī - 我会建造那东西 |
| she buys food | tā mǎi shí wù - 她买食物 |
| we calculate it | wǒ men lái suàn yī suàn - 我们来算一算 |
| they carry it | tā men dài zhe;zhuó;zháo tā - 他们带着它 |
| they don't cheat | tā men bù zuò bì - 他们不作弊 |
| she chooses him | tā xuǎn zé tā;tuó - 她选择他 |
| we close it | wǒ men guān bì tā - 我们关闭它 |
| he comes here | tā;tuó lái zhè lǐ - 他来这里 |
| I can compare that | wǒ kě yǐ jiāng tā zuò gè bǐ jiào - 我可以将它做个比较 |
| she competes with me | tā yǔ wǒ jìng zhēng - 她与我竞争 |
| we complain about it | wǒ men bào yuàn zhè jiàn shì - 我们抱怨这件事 |
| they continued reading | tā men jì xù yuè dú - 他们继续阅读 |
| he cried about that | tā;tuó wèi;wéi nà;nèi jiàn shì kū le;liǎo;liào - 他为那件事哭了 |
| I can decide now | xiàn zài wǒ kě yǐ jué dìng - 现在我可以决定 |
| she described it to me | tā gěi wǒ miáo shù nà;nèi jiàn shì - 她给我描述那件事 |
| we disagree about it | wǒ men bù tóng yì nà;nèi jiàn shì - 我们不同意那件事 |
| they disappeared quickly | tā men hěn kuài xiāo shī le;liǎo;liào - 他们很快消失了 |
| I discovered that | wǒ fā xiàn le;liǎo;liào nà gè dōng xi;dōng xī - 我发现了那个东西 |
| she dislikes that | tā bù xǐ huān nà gè dōng xi;dōng xī - 她不喜欢那个东西 |
| we do it | wǒ men zuò zhè jiàn shì - 我们做这件事 |
| they dream about it | tā men mèng xiǎng zhè jiàn shì - 他们梦想这件事 |
| I earned | wǒ zuàn;zhuàn le;liǎo;liào - 我赚了 |
| he eats a lot | tā;tuó chī dé;děi;de hěn duō - 他吃得很多 |
| we enjoyed that | wǒ men hěn xiǎng shòu - 我们很享受 |
| they entered here | tā men jìn rù zhè lǐ - 他们进入这里 |
| he escaped that | tā;tuó táo guò le;liǎo;liào nà;nèi jiàn shì - 他逃过了那件事 |
| I can explain that | wǒ kě yǐ jiě shì nà;nèi jiàn shì - 我可以解释那件事 |
| she feels that too | tā yě yǒu nà zhǒng gǎn jué - 她也有那种感觉 |
| we fled from there | wǒ men cóng nà lǐ táo lí - 我们从那里逃离 |
| they will fly tomorrow | tā men míng tiān jiù chéng fēi jī chū fā - 他们明天就乘飞机出发 |
| I can follow you | wǒ néng gēn shàng nǐ - 我能跟上你 |
| she forgot me | tā wàng le;liǎo;liào wǒ - 她忘了我 |
| we forgive him | wǒ men yuán liàng tā;tuó - 我们原谅他 |
| I can give her that | wǒ kě yǐ bǎ nà dōng xī gěi tā - 我可以把那东西给她 |
| she goes there | tā qù nà lǐ - 她去那里 |
| we greeted them | wǒ men xiàng tā men dǎ zhāo hū - 我们向他们打招呼 |
| I hate that | wǒ tǎo yàn nà dōng xī - 我讨厌那东西 |
| I can hear it | wǒ néng tīng dào - 我能听到 |
| she imagine that | tā xiǎng xiàng - 她想象 |
| we invited them | wǒ men yāo qǐng tā men - 我们邀请他们 |
| I know him | wǒ rèn shí tā;tuó - 我认识他 |
| she learned it | tā xué huì le;liǎo;liào - 她学会了 |
| we leave now | wǒ men xiàn zài jiù lí kāi - 我们现在就离开 |
| they lied about him | guān yú tā de shì tā men shuō huǎng le;liǎo;liào - 关于他的事他们说谎了 |
| I can listen to that | wǒ kě yǐ tīng dào - 我可以听到 |
| she lost that | tā diū shī le;liǎo;liào nà dōng xī - 她丢失了那东西 |
| we made it yesterday | wǒ men zuó tiān chéng gōng le;liǎo;liào - 我们昨天成功了 |
| they met him | tā men yù jiàn tā;tuó - 他们遇见他 |
| I misspell that | wǒ pīn cuò le;liǎo;liào nà gè cí - 我拼错了那个词 |
| I always pray | wǒ zǒng shì qí dǎo - 我总是祈祷 |
| she prefers that | tā gèng;gēng xǐ huān nà gè dōng xi;dōng xī - 她更喜欢那个东西 |
| we protected them | wǒ men bǎo hù tā men - 我们保护他们 |
| they will punish her | tā men jiāng;jiàng chéng fá tā - 他们将惩罚她 |
| I can put it there | wǒ kě yǐ bǎ tā fàng zài nà er - 我可以把它放在那儿 |
| she will read it | tā huì;kuài yuè dú tā de - 她会阅读它的 |
| we received that | wǒ men shōu dào le;liǎo;liào - 我们收到了 |
| they refuse to talk | tā men jù jué shuō huà - 他们拒绝说话 |
| I remember that | wǒ jì de nà;nèi jiàn shì - 我记得那件事 |
| she repeats that | tā zài shuō yī cì - 她再说一次 |
| we see it | wǒ men kàn dào tā - 我们看到它 |
| they sell it | tā men chū shòu nà dōng xī - 他们出售那东西 |
| I sent that yesterday | wǒ zuó tiān jì le;liǎo;liào - 我昨天寄了 |
| he shaved his beard | tā;tuó shā;tì le;liǎo;liào hú zi - 他剃了胡子 |
| it shrunk quickly | tā hěn kuài suō xiǎo le;liǎo;liào - 它很快缩小了 |
| we will sing it | wǒ men huì;kuài chàng tā de - 我们会唱它的 |
| they sat there | tā men zuò zài nà lǐ - 他们坐在那里 |
| I can speak it | wǒ néng jiǎng nà zhǒng yǔ yán - 我能讲那种语言 |
| she spends money | tā huā qián - 她花钱 |
| we suffered from that | wǒ men shēn shòu qí kǔ - 我们深受其苦 |
| they suggest that | tā men jiàn yì - 他们建议 |
| I surprised him | wǒ ràng tā;tuó chī le;liǎo;liào yī jīng - 我让他吃了一惊 |
| she took that | tā bǎ nà dōng xī dài zǒu le - 她把那东西带走了 |
| we teach it | wǒ men jiào;jiāo nà;nèi mén kè - 我们教那门课 |
| they told us | tā men gào sù wǒ men - 他们告诉我们 |
| she thanked him | tā gǎn xiè tā;tuó - 她感谢他 |
| I can think about it | wǒ kě yǐ kǎo lǜ yī xià - 我可以考虑一下 |
| she threw it | tā bǎ tā rēng le;liǎo;liào - 她把它扔了 |
| we understand that | wǒ men míng bái le;liǎo;liào - 我们明白了 |
| they want that | tā men yào;yāo nà gè - 他们要那个 |
| I can wear it | wǒ néng chuān shàng tā - 我能穿上它 |
| she writes that | tā xiě le;liǎo;liào nà dōng xī - 她写了那东西 |
| we talk about it | wǒ men tǎo lùn zhè jiàn shì - 我们讨论这件事 |
| they have it | tā men yǒu nà dōng xī - 他们有那东西 |
| I watched it | wǒ kàn;kān guò le;liǎo;liào - 我看过了 |
| I will talk about it | wǒ huì;kuài tǎo lùn zhè jiàn shì de;dì;dí - 我会讨论这件事的 |
| he bought that yesterday | tā;tuó zuó tiān mǎi de;dì;dí - 他昨天买的 |
| we finished it | wǒ men wán chéng liǎo - 我们完成了 |
Verbs in the present past and future tense have a very important role in Chinese, therefore they need very special attention. Once you're done with the Mandarin Verbs, you might want to check the rest of our Chinese lessons here: Learn Chinese. Don't forget to bookmark this page.
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