Chinese grammar · Elementary (A2)
Joining sentences: connectors
Connectors that join clauses: 因为…所以 and 如果…就 (A2), 虽然…但是 and 不但…而且 (B1), 尽管, 即使, 不管 and 除非…否则 (B2).
How Chinese connectors work
Chinese connectors usually come in pairs: one word in the first clause and one in the second. (yīnwèi xià yǔ, suǒyǐ wǒmen méi qù), because it rained, we didn't go. English uses only one word, but Chinese often keeps both; in speech one of them is sometimes dropped.
The reason or condition usually comes first. The first connector can go before or after the subject. Short second-clause words such as (jiù), (yě), (hái), (dōu) and (cái) go after the subject, right before the verb.
- 因为今天加班，所以我不能去了。Yīnwèi jīntiān jiābān, suǒyǐ wǒ bù néng qù le.I have to work late today, so I can't come after all.
- 如果你有空，我们就一起吃饭吧。Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu kòng, wǒmen jiù yìqǐ chīfàn ba.If you're free, let's have a meal together.
A2: because, if, while, first
These are the first connectors to learn. …的时候 goes at the end of the clause, the opposite of English “when”.
| Pair | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 因为…所以… | because … so | (Yīnwèi jiābān, suǒyǐ wǒ méi qù.) | I didn't go because I had to work late. |
| 如果…就… | if … then | (Rúguǒ xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù zài jiā kàn diànyǐng.) | If it rains, we'll watch a film at home. |
| 一边…一边… | while (two actions at once) | (Tā yìbiān chīfàn yìbiān kàn shǒujī.) | He looks at his phone while he eats. |
| 先…然后… | first … then | (Xiān chīfàn, ránhòu qù kàn diànyǐng.) | First we'll eat, then we'll go to the cinema. |
| …的时候 | when | (Wǒ xiǎo de shíhou zhù zài nóngcūn.) | When I was little, I lived in the countryside. |
B1: contrast, addition and conditions
B1 adds pairs for contrast, addition and conditions. (suīrán), although, needs (dànshì) or (kěshì) in the second clause, where English has only “although”.
| Pair | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 虽然…但是… | although | (Suīrán gōngzī bù gāo, dànshì gōngzuò hěn wěndìng.) | Although the pay isn't high, the job is secure. |
| 不但…而且… | not only … but also | (Tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, érqiě huì xiě Hànzì.) | He can not only speak Chinese but also write characters. |
| 要是…的话，就… | if (spoken) | (Yàoshi yǒu shíjiān dehuà, wǒ jiù qù kàn nǐ.) | If I have time, I'll come and see you. |
| 只要…就… | as long as | (Zhǐyào nǐ yǒu fāpiào, jiù kěyǐ miǎnfèi xiū.) | As long as you have the receipt, the repair is free. |
| 除了…以外，还… | besides, as well as | (Chúle jiǎozi yǐwài, wǒmen hái chī yú.) | Besides dumplings, we also eat fish. |
| 为了 | in order to | (Wèile xué Zhōngwén, tā qùle Běijīng.) | She went to Beijing to learn Chinese. |
| 一…就… | as soon as | (Wǒ yí dào jiā jiù shuì le.) | I fell asleep as soon as I got home. |
| 连…都… | even | (Tā máng de lián fàn dōu méi chī.) | He was so busy he didn't even eat. |
B2: concession, conditions and contrast
B2 connectors let you concede a point, set conditions and contrast ideas. Several of them belong to careful speech and writing rather than chat.
| Pair | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 尽管…还是… | even though … still | (Jǐnguǎn hěn lèi, tā háishi pǎowán le.) | Even though he was tired, he still finished the run. |
| 即使…也… | even if | (Jíshǐ xià yǔ, bǐsài yě bú huì qǔxiāo.) | Even if it rains, the match won't be cancelled. |
| 不管…都… | no matter | (Bùguǎn duō máng, tā měi tiān dōu gěi māma dǎ diànhuà.) | However busy he is, he calls his mother every day. |
| 与其…不如… | rather than … better to | (Yǔqí zài jiā děng, bùrú chūqu zhǎozhao.) | Rather than wait at home, we'd better go out and look. |
| 除非…否则… | unless | (Chúfēi kèhù tóngyì, fǒuzé wǒmen bù néng gǎi.) | Unless the client agrees, we can't change it. |
| 之所以…是因为… | the reason … is that | (Wǒ zhīsuǒyǐ xuǎn zhège zhuānyè, shì yīnwèi xǐhuan.) | The reason I chose this subject is that I like it. |
| 不仅…而且… | not only … but also | (Zhèyàng bùjǐn làngfèi, érqiě wūrǎn huánjìng.) | This is not only wasteful, it also pollutes the environment. |
| 只有…才… | only if | (Zhǐyǒu duō liànxí, cái néng shuō de hǎo.) | Only with a lot of practice can you speak well. |
| 既…又… | both … and | (Zhège bànfǎ jì shěng qián yòu huánbǎo.) | This way saves money and is good for the environment. |
| 不是…而是… | not … but | (Wèntí bú shì qián, ér shì shíjiān.) | The problem isn't money, it's time. |
Structuring an argument (B2)
To organise a longer argument, use (shǒuxiān), first; (qícì), second; (cǐwài), in addition; (zuìhòu), finally; (zǒngzhī), in short; and 一方面…另一方面…, on the one hand … on the other. In writing, (rán'ér), however, (yīncǐ), therefore, and (yúshì), and so, link whole sentences.
- 首先，停车位已经不够了；其次，改成游乐场要花很多钱。Shǒuxiān, tíngchēwèi yǐjīng bú gòu le; qícì, gǎichéng yóulèchǎng yào huā hěn duō qián.First, there already aren't enough parking spaces; second, turning them into a playground would cost a lot.
- 总之，与其吵来吵去，不如大家投票决定。Zǒngzhī, yǔqí chǎo lái chǎo qù, bùrú dàjiā tóupiào juédìng.In short, rather than arguing back and forth, let's all vote on it.