语序
Chinese Sentence Structure: Word Order Explained with Examples
The basic Chinese sentence is Subject + Verb + Object, like English: 我喝茶 "I drink tea". The big difference is that time and place come before the verb, not at the end: Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object (我今天在家喝茶). Descriptions always come before what they describe, questions keep normal word order, and verbs never change form.
- 我wǒSubject
- 明天míng tiānTime
- 在图书馆zài tú shū guǎnPlace
- 跟朋友gēn péng youManner
- 看kànVerb
- 书shūObject
1. Subject + Verb + Object
The core order is the same as English, and verbs do not change for person or tense.
Subject + Verb + Object
- 我学中文。wǒ xué zhōng wén.I study Chinese.
- 她喜欢猫。tā xǐ huan māo.She likes cats.
2. Time and place go before the verb
This is the most common learner error. Time words (今天, 下午三点) go right after the subject or at the very start; place phrases with 在 come after time and before the verb.
Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object
- 我明天在图书馆看书。wǒ míng tiān zài tú shū guǎn kàn shū.I'll read in the library tomorrow.
- 昨天晚上我们在饭馆吃饭。zuó tiān wǎn shàng wǒ men zài fàn guǎn chī fàn.Last night we ate at a restaurant.
3. How, with whom and by what: also before the verb
Phrases for manner, company and means (跟朋友, 坐地铁, 用筷子) sit between the time/place and the verb.
Subject + Time + Place + Manner/With + Verb + Object
- 我每天坐地铁去上班。wǒ měi tiān zuò dì tiě qù shàng bān.I take the metro to work every day.
- 他周末跟朋友在公园打球。tā zhōu mò gēn péng you zài gōng yuán dǎ qiú.He plays ball with friends in the park at weekends.
4. Descriptions come before nouns, with 的
Adjectives, possessives and even whole clauses go before the noun they describe, joined with 的. English relative clauses ("the book that I bought") become 我买的书.
Description + 的 + Noun
- 我昨天买的书很有意思。wǒ zuó tiān mǎi de shū hěn yǒu yì si.The book I bought yesterday is interesting.
- 穿红衣服的女孩是我妹妹。chuān hóng yī fu de nǚ hái shì wǒ mèi mei.The girl wearing red is my sister.
5. Adjectives work as verbs: no 是
Adjectives describe the subject directly, usually with 很 even when it does not mean "very". Do not add 是.
Subject + 很 + Adjective
- 今天很热。jīn tiān hěn rè.It's hot today.
- 这个汉字很难。zhè ge hàn zì hěn nán.This character is difficult.
6. Questions keep statement order
Add 吗 at the end for yes/no questions, or put the question word where the answer goes. Nothing moves to the front.
Statement + 吗？ / Question word in place
- 你是老师吗？nǐ shì lǎo shī ma?Are you a teacher?
- 你什么时候去北京？nǐ shén me shí hou qù běi jīng?When are you going to Beijing?
- 你去不去？nǐ qù bu qù?Are you going or not?
7. Negation goes before the verb
不 or 没 go before the verb and before time-place-manner phrases that start with a preposition.
Subject + 不/没 + (Prep phrase) + Verb
- 我不在家吃饭。wǒ bú zài jiā chī fàn.I don't eat at home.
- 他昨天没来。tā zuó tiān méi lái.He didn't come yesterday.
8. Results and degree come after the verb
What English expresses with tense or adverbs often goes after the verb in Chinese: results (看完, 听懂), directions (走进来), degree with 得 (说得很快) and duration (学了两年).
Verb + Complement
- 我听懂了。wǒ tīng dǒng le.I understood (what I heard).
- 他中文说得很流利。tā zhōng wén shuō de hěn liú lì.He speaks Chinese fluently.
- 我等了半个小时。wǒ děng le bàn gè xiǎo shí.I waited for half an hour.
9. Topic first, then comment
Chinese often puts the topic first and then says something about it, even if it is the object.
Topic, + Comment
- 这本书我已经看完了。zhè běn shū wǒ yǐ jīng kàn wán le.I've already finished this book.
- 中国菜，我最喜欢饺子。zhōng guó cài, wǒ zuì xǐ huan jiǎo zǐ.Of Chinese food, I like dumplings best.
常见错误Common word-order mistakes
-
✗我看书在图书馆。
✓我在图书馆看书。
Place with 在 goes before the verb.
-
✗我去北京明年。
✓我明年去北京。
Time goes before the verb.
-
✗她是很漂亮。
✓她很漂亮。
Adjectives do not take 是.
-
✗什么你喜欢？
✓你喜欢什么？
Question words stay where the answer would go.
Common questions
Is Chinese SVO or SOV?
Chinese is basically SVO (Subject–Verb–Object). Objects can come before the verb with 把, or as the topic at the start of a sentence, but the default order is SVO.
Where does the time go in a Chinese sentence?
Before the verb: either right after the subject (我明天去) or at the start of the sentence (明天我去). Never at the end as in English.
Do Chinese verbs have tenses?
No. Verbs never change form. Time words show when; particles like 了, 过 and 着 show completion, experience or an ongoing state.