Chinese grammar · Elementary (A2)
The 把 construction
How 把 moves the object before the verb when you do something to a specific thing, what must follow the verb, and 把 with complements.
What 把 does
In a normal sentence the object comes after the verb. With (bǎ), the object moves before the verb: subject + + thing + verb + something more. It puts the focus on what happens to a specific thing: (qǐng bǎ mén guānshang), please close the door.
Use when you do something to a particular thing and it ends up changed, moved, finished or handed over. It's very common in requests and instructions.
| Subject | + thing | Verb + something more | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| (wǒ) | (bǎ zhè jiàn) | (huàn yíxià) | I'd like to exchange this one. |
| (nǐ) | (bǎ xiǎopiào) | (gěi wǒ) | Give me the receipt. |
| (tā) | (bǎ kāfēi) | (hēwán le) | He finished his coffee. |
| (wǒ) | (bǎ dìzhǐ) | (fā gěi nǐ) | I'll send you the address. |
| (qǐng nín) | (bǎ zhè zhāng biǎo) | (tián yíxià) | Please fill in this form. |
The verb never stands alone
After a -phrase the verb needs something more: a result ( (wán), (hǎo)), a direction ( (jìnlai)), a place or a person ( (zài zhèr), (gěi wǒ)), (yíxià), a doubled verb, or 了. 我把饭吃 is wrong; say (wǒ bǎ fàn chīwán le), I've finished my food.
The thing after must be specific: this one, that one, the one we both know. Negatives and modal verbs go before : (bié bǎ shǒujī wàng zài chūzūchē shang), don't leave your phone in the taxi; (wǒ méi bǎ yàoshi dàilai), I didn't bring the keys.
- 请把护照给我。Qǐng bǎ hùzhào gěi wǒ.Please give me your passport.
- 我把钱包丢了。Wǒ bǎ qiánbāo diū le.I've lost my wallet.
- 你把空调关了吗？Nǐ bǎ kōngtiáo guān le ma?Did you turn off the air conditioning?
- 别把手机忘在出租车上。Bié bǎ shǒujī wàng zài chūzūchē shang.Don't leave your phone in the taxi.
When 把 is needed
With some patterns is almost required, because the object has nowhere else to go: verb + (zài) + place, verb + (dào) + place, verb + (gěi) + person, and verb + (chéng), into: (bǎ xíngli fàng zài zhèr), put the luggage here; (bǎ zhè jù huà fānyì chéng Yīngwén), translate this sentence into English.
Verbs that don't act on a thing never take : (shì), (yǒu), (xǐhuan), (zhīdào), (lái), (qù).
- 请把身份证放在这儿。Qǐng bǎ shēnfènzhèng fàng zài zhèr.Please put your ID card here.
- 我想把人民币换成美元。Wǒ xiǎng bǎ rénmínbì huànchéng měiyuán.I'd like to change renminbi into US dollars.
- 他把车开到门口了。Tā bǎ chē kāi dào ménkǒu le.He drove the car up to the entrance.
- 我把照片发给你吧。Wǒ bǎ zhàopiàn fā gěi nǐ ba.I'll send you the photos.
把 with complements (B1)
From B1, goes with result and direction complements to say exactly what happened: (bǎ zuòyè xiěwán), finish the homework; (bǎ shǒujī ná chūlai), take out your phone; (bǎ xiāngzi bān shàngqu), carry the suitcase up. At a bank or an office, staff use all the time in instructions.
- 请先把这张表填好，再去三号窗口。Qǐng xiān bǎ zhè zhāng biǎo tiánhǎo, zài qù sān hào chuāngkǒu.Please fill in this form first, then go to window 3.
- 他把钱包从包里拿出来了。Tā bǎ qiánbāo cóng bāo li ná chūlai le.He took his wallet out of his bag.
- 我把密码忘了。Wǒ bǎ mìmǎ wàng le.I've forgotten my password.