Phrase structure
When an adjective is used as a predicate, the verb "to be" is not used.
Example:
xiāng gǎng bú dà. Hongkong is not big.
běi jīng hěn dà. Beijing is very big.
wǒ hěn gāo xìng. I am very happy.
The structural particle 的 (de)
When a noun is used to modify another noun, it usually doesn't take 的(de) after it.
Example:
zhōng guó rén Chinese (people of China), instead of zhōng guó derén
wǒ bà mā : My dad and mom
The verbal particles 过(guò) and 没 (méi)
The verbal particle 过 which occurs immediately after a verb denotes that some actions took place in the past. It is often used to emphasize an experience. The negative form of "verb + 过(guò)" is "没(měi) + verb + 过(guò)".
Example:
wǒ qù guò měi guó。I have been to the USA.
wǒ méi qù guò měi guó。I haven't been to the USA.
When an adjective is used as a predicate, the verb "to be" is not used.
Example:
xiāng gǎng bú dà. Hongkong is not big.
běi jīng hěn dà. Beijing is very big.
wǒ hěn gāo xìng. I am very happy.
The structural particle 的 (de)
When a noun is used to modify another noun, it usually doesn't take 的(de) after it.
Example:
zhōng guó rén Chinese (people of China), instead of zhōng guó derén
wǒ bà mā : My dad and mom
The verbal particles 过(guò) and 没 (méi)
The verbal particle 过 which occurs immediately after a verb denotes that some actions took place in the past. It is often used to emphasize an experience. The negative form of "verb + 过(guò)" is "没(měi) + verb + 过(guò)".
Example:
wǒ qù guò měi guó。I have been to the USA.
wǒ méi qù guò měi guó。I haven't been to the USA.