Structure

Grammar

语法

Chinese grammar is surprisingly logical and consistent. No verb conjugations, no noun genders — just clear patterns to master.

Chinese vs. English: Key Differences

No Verb Conjugation

Verbs never change form. 我去、你去、他去 — the verb 去 (go) stays the same for all subjects.

No Plural Markers

Nouns don't change for plural. Context and numbers indicate quantity: 三个苹果 (three apples).

Topic-Prominent

Chinese often starts with the topic, not the subject: 那本书,我看过了 (That book, I've read it).

In Chinese, 是 (shì) functions as the verb 'to be' when linking a subject to a noun. Unlike English, it does not change form based on person or tense.

Structure: Subject + 是 + Noun

Examples

我是学生。
Wǒ shì xuéshēng.
I am a student.
她是老师。
Tā shì lǎoshī.
She is a teacher.
北京是中国的首都。
Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū.
Beijing is the capital of China.

Note: For adjectives, Chinese does NOT use 是. Instead, adjectives act as predicates directly: 她很漂亮 (She is very pretty).