Chinese grammar · Beginner (A1)
是: to be
是 links two nouns (我是老师), but it isn't used before adjectives or usually with ages. The negative 不是, and questions with 是不是.
是 links two nouns
(shì) means “to be” when it links two nouns or pronouns, “A is B”: (wǒ shì lǎoshī, I'm a teacher). Like every Chinese verb, it never changes: , , , for now, the past and the future.
Use it to say who someone is, what they do, where they're from and what something is. Chinese has no words for “a” or “the”: (tā shì yīshēng) is simply “she is doctor”.
- 我是北京人。Wǒ shì Běijīngrén.I'm from Beijing.
- 她是医生。Tā shì yīshēng.She's a doctor.
- 这是我妈妈。Zhè shì wǒ māma.This is my mum.
- 那是什么？Nà shì shénme?What's that?
No 是 before adjectives
English says “I am tired” or “the room is big”. Chinese adjectives work like verbs, so they don't need : put (hěn) in front instead. “I'm fine” is (wǒ hěn hǎo), never 我是好. The page on adjectives explains .
Ages don't need either: (wǒ jīnnián èrshíwǔ suì, I'm 25 this year). With days, dates and prices, is optional: and both mean “today is Monday”. In the negative you do need it: (jīntiān bú shì xīngqīyī).
Where someone or something is uses (zài), not : (wǒ zài jiā, I'm at home).
| English | Chinese | Not |
|---|---|---|
| I'm fine. | (Wǒ hěn hǎo.) | 我是好 |
| She's very busy. | (Tā hěn máng.) | 她是很忙 |
| The room is big. | (Fángjiān hěn dà.) | 房间是大 |
| I'm at home. | (Wǒ zài jiā.) | 我是家 |
- 我很好。Wǒ hěn hǎo.I'm fine.
- 我今年二十五岁。Wǒ jīnnián èrshíwǔ suì.I'm 25 this year.
- 今天星期一。Jīntiān xīngqīyī.Today is Monday.
The negative: 不是
Put (bù) before . Because has a fourth tone, is said with a second tone: (bú shì). is never made negative with (méi).
Chinese has no single word for “yes” or “no” in answers. You repeat the verb instead. To (Nǐ shì xuésheng ma? Are you a student?), answer (shì, yes) or (bú shì, no).
- 我不是老师，我是学生。Wǒ bú shì lǎoshī, wǒ shì xuésheng.I'm not a teacher, I'm a student.
- 这不是我的手机。Zhè bú shì wǒ de shǒujī.This isn't my phone.
- 他不是北京人，他是上海人。Tā bú shì Běijīngrén, tā shì Shànghǎirén.He isn't from Beijing, he's from Shanghai.
Questions: 吗 and 是不是
Add (ma) to make a yes/no question: (Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?). You can also use the A-not-A form (shì bu shì), where is light: (Nǐ shì bu shì lǎoshī?).
can also go at the end, to check something you think is true: (Tā shì nǐ gēge, shì bu shì?), he's your older brother, isn't he?. On its own, (Shì ma?) means “Really?” or “Is that so?”, a common reaction to news.
- 你是老师吗？Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?Are you a teacher?
- 你是不是北京人？Nǐ shì bu shì Běijīngrén?Are you from Beijing?
- 他是你哥哥，是不是？Tā shì nǐ gēge, shì bu shì?He's your older brother, isn't he?
- 是吗？Shì ma?Really?