Chinese grammar · Beginner (A1)
Verb + object words (离合词)
Words like 睡觉, 游泳, 见面 and 吃饭 are a verb and its object. They can't take another object, and other words can go in the middle.
A verb and its object in one word
Many everyday Chinese verbs are really a verb and its object joined together. (shuìjiào, to sleep) is literally “sleep a sleep”, (yóuyǒng, to swim) is “swim a swim”, and (chīfàn, to eat) is “eat rice”. Chinese calls them (líhécí), “words that come apart and join”.
Where English has one verb, these words have two parts, and that causes two common mistakes: adding a second object after them, and putting 了, 过 or a length of time in the wrong place.
| Word | Parts | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (shuìjiào) | sleep + a sleep | to sleep, to go to bed |
| (qǐchuáng) | rise + bed | to get up |
| (chīfàn) | eat + rice | to eat, to have a meal |
| (shàngbān) | go on + shift | to go to work |
| (yóuyǒng) | swim + swimming | to swim |
| (pǎobù) | run + steps | to go running |
| (jiànmiàn) | see + face | to meet |
| (liáotiān) | chat + sky, weather | to chat |
| (bāngmáng) | help + busyness | to help out |
| (jiéhūn) | tie + marriage | to get married |
| (xǐzǎo) | wash + bath | to have a shower or bath |
| (chànggē) | sing + song | to sing |
No second object
Because the object is already inside the word, you can't add another one after it. The person goes before the word, with (gēn, with): “meet him” is (gēn tā jiànmiàn), not 见面他, and “marry her” is (gēn tā jiéhūn).
For “help me”, use (bāng) on its own, (bāng wǒ), or put the person inside the word: (bāng wǒ yí ge máng, do me a favour).
- 我明天跟她见面。Wǒ míngtiān gēn tā jiànmiàn.I'm meeting her tomorrow.
- 你能帮我一个忙吗？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yí ge máng ma?Can you do me a favour?
- 他们下个月结婚。Tāmen xià ge yuè jiéhūn.They're getting married next month.
Splitting the word
Other words can go between the two parts: 了 and 过, a length of time, a result, or to make it sound casual. They follow the verb part, and the object part comes last: (wǒmen jiànguo miàn, we've met before), (wǒmen yìqǐ chī ge fàn ba, let's have a meal together).
For a length of time, either split the word, (yóule yí ge xiǎoshí yǒng), or say the verb twice: (yóuyǒng yóule yí ge xiǎoshí). Both mean “swam for an hour”.
| In the middle | Example |
|---|---|
| 了 | (Wǒ xiàle bān jiù huí jiā.) I go home as soon as I finish work. |
| 过 | (Wǒmen jiànguo miàn.) We've met before. |
| a length of time | (Wǒ yóule yí ge xiǎoshí yǒng.) I swam for an hour. |
| (Wǒ qù xǐ ge zǎo.) I'm going to have a shower. | |
| a result | (Wǒ shuì bu zháo jiào.) I can't get to sleep. |
- 我们见过面。Wǒmen jiànguo miàn.We've met before.
- 我们一起吃个饭吧。Wǒmen yìqǐ chī ge fàn ba.Let's have a meal together.
- 我游泳游了一个小时。Wǒ yóuyǒng yóule yí ge xiǎoshí.I swam for an hour.
- 昨天晚上我睡不着觉。Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ shuì bu zháo jiào.I couldn't get to sleep last night.
Questions and doubling
In A-not-A questions, only the verb part is repeated: (Nǐ yóu bu yóuyǒng? Do you swim?).
To make an activity sound short and relaxed, double only the verb part: (liáoliao tiān, have a little chat), (sànsan bù, go for a little walk).
- 你游不游泳？Nǐ yóu bu yóuyǒng?Do you swim?
- 周末我们去公园散散步吧。Zhōumò wǒmen qù gōngyuán sànsan bù ba.Let's go for a walk in the park at the weekend.
- 有空一起聊聊天。Yǒu kòng yìqǐ liáoliao tiān.Let's have a chat when you're free.