Nian Liu University of Hawaii

Lesson Sixteen Dating

D Shlu K Yuhu

GRAMMAR

1. Descriptive Complements (II)

The subject of a sentence can be described by a complement following (de).

(1) Wmen wn de hn goxng. (We had a very good time.)

(2) Hizi xio de hn ki. (The kid has a very cute smile.)

(3) T d qi d de hn li. (He was worn out from playing ball.)

(4) T goxng de yu chng yu tio.

(He was happy, and he was singing and dancing.)

In the sentences above, the verbs , , (wn, xio, d qi) and the adjectives (goxng) give the causes while the complements ,,

(goxng, ki, li) and (yu chng yu tio) describe the effects on the subject.

As shown in (1), (2), and (3), when adjective serves as a descriptive complement, it is often preceded by the adverb (hn), just like a predicate adjective.

A complement describing the subject seldom appears in the negative.

(4a) * (T goxng de miyou chng yu tio.)

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2. Potential Complements / (de/b) is placed between a verb and a resultative or directional complement to indicate whether a certain result will be realized or not.

(1)

Tiow ti nn, w xu bu hu. (Its too hard to dance. I will not be able to learn it.)

(2) A:

N wn shng li din bn nng hu li ma? w dng n ch wn fn. (Can you be back by 6:30 p.m.? I will wait for you for dinner.)

B:

W d ki hu, li din bn hu b li. (I have a meeting, and cant make it back by 6:30 p.m.)

(3)

Zh zhng di w jntin kn bu wn. (I cant finish watching this DVD today.)

(4)

N ge z znme xi, w xing bu qlai le. (I dont remember how to write that character.)

(5)

Jin kng bo xin ti gu , w mi b q. (Health insurance is too expensive. I cant afford it.)

(6) A: Zh fng zhngwn xn n kn de dng ma? (Can you understand this Chinese letter [or not]?)

B: W kn de dng.) (I can understand it.)

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Potential complements usually appear in negative sentences. They are used in affirmative sentences much less often, mostly in answering questions that contain a potential complement, as in (6). The affirmative form and the negative form of a potential complement can be put together to form a question.

(7)

(W sh g jio z n ch d wn ch b wn?) (Can you eat fifty dumplings or not?)

Potential complements are an important feature of Chinese. They are often the only way to convey the idea that the absence of certain conditions prevents a result from being achieved. Potential complements have a unique function that cannot be fulfilled by the (bnng) + verb + resultative/directional complement construction. For example, (zu bu wn) means not being able to finish, while (b nng zu wn) conveys the idea of not being allowed to finish.

(8)

Losh shu de ti kui, w tng bu qngchu. (The teacher speaks too fast. I cant hear [him] clearly.)

(8a) *

*Losh shu de ti kui, wo b nng tng qngchu.

(9)

Jntin de gngk ti du, w zu bu wn. (There is too much homework today. I cant finish it.)

(9a) *

*Jntin de gngk ti du, w b nng zu wn.

A potential complement cannot be used in a sentence either.

(9b) *

*W b jntin de gngk zu bu wn.

P 176 A.B.C

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3. (ji, only)

When used before a noun or pronoun, (ji) means only. Often the noun or pronoun

is modified by a numeral-measure word combination.

(1)

Wmen bn rn hn sho, ji q ge xusheng. (Our class is small. There are only seven students.)

(2)

Wo ji rnshi wsh ge hn. (Theres little homework todayonly five Chinese characters.)

(3)

Wmen yji w ku ji n du wijng gumn. (There were five people in our family. Only you are allergic to MSG.)

(4)

Sn g fng jin w d so le ling g ji y g fng jin hi mi zhng l. (I have cleaned two of the three rooms. Only one room hasnt been tidied up yet.)

P.178 D

4. Directional Complements4.DirectionalComplements

Directional complements indicateDirectionalcomplementsindicatethedirectioninwhichapersonorobjectmoves such as:moves suchas:

shng xi q shng xi q jn ch ki li li q gu hu do

Directional ComplementsDirectionalComplements

Simple directional complements Simpledirectionalcomplements Verb+Verb + Verb+

d di i l l Compounddirectionalcomplements Verb+ +

Simple directional complementsSimpledirectionalcomplements

Pattern 1: Verb +Pattern1:Verb+ Thecomplements and indicatethespeaker'spositions.p

Pattern 2: Verb +Pattern2:Verb+ Thecomplementsindicatethedirectionoftheaction.

Pattern 1:/Pattern1:/

(to come) describes an action moving(tocome) describesanactionmovingtowardstheplacewherethespeakeris.

(togo)describesanactionmovingawayf h l h h k ifromtheplacewherethespeakeris.

Exercise. vs.n lai n qunlai nqu

Pattern 1:/Pattern1:/

A. Subject Verb Place wordNoun (Phrase)

t

xi

lu

Lait xi lu Lai

shng

lu

qu

??

? ???

Pattern 1:/Pattern1:/

A. Subject Verb Place word A. Subject Verb Place wordNoun (Phrase)

n

mi

y xi shugu

lain mi y xi shugu lai

n

sng

ch de dngxi

qu

Pattern 1:/Pattern1:/

Subject + Directional Verb + Place +/ Subject+DirectionalVerb+Place+/()

Subject+RegularVerb+Noun+/

Come upstairs! (use)Comeupstairs!(use)

Lets go up to the mountains (use)Let sgouptothemountains(use)

Welcome to Beijing! (use)WelcometoBeijing!(use)

h hun yng welcome

I want to go to Paris. (use)IwanttogotoParis.(use)

b lParisParis

ExerciseExercise

A: potluck party,??

B: , ?A: ______?B: B: ,.

Pattern 1:/ (another way)Pattern1:/ (anotherway)

A. Subject + Verb + Place/Noun + / B. Subject + Verb + / + Noun

1) regular verb + noun 2) the action is completed.2) the action is completed.

Ex. He brought some fruit here.

A. t mile y xi shugu lait mile y xi shugu lai

B. t mi lai le y xi shugu

Simple directional complementsSimpledirectionalcomplements

Pattern 1: Verb +Pattern1:Verb+ Thecomplements and indicatethespeaker'spositions.p

Pattern 2: Verb +Pattern2:Verb+ Thecomplementsindicatethedirectionoftheaction.

Pattern 2Pattern2

Subject Verb Complements Place word/ Noun

t zu shng luhe walk up stairHe walked upstairs.

Pattern 2Pattern2

losh zu jn jio shteacher walk enter classroomteacher walk enter classroomThe teacher walked into the classroom.

t n ch y zhng zhhe take out a piece of paperhe take out a piece of paperHe took out a piece of paper.

Pattern 2Pattern2

Subject Verb Complements

Place word/ Noun

He run in (enter) the classroom

I put down the book

He walk out the bookstoreI walk to (arrive) the library

Compound directional complementsCompounddirectionalcomplements

Combine

with

A. Verb + / + Place/Noun + /A. Verb / Place/Noun /

Subject Verb Complements Place/No /Subject Verb Complements

Place/Noun

/

t

zu

xi

lu

lait zu xi lu lai

A. Verb + / + Place/Noun + /A. Verb / Place/Noun /

/losh zu jn jio sh lai/quteacher walk enter classroomTh t h lk d i t th l The teacher walked into the classroom.

Note: Use : speaker is in the classroomUse : speaker is not in the classroom. p

t n ch y zhng zh laihe take out a piece of paperHe took out a piece of paper He took out a piece of paper.

A. Verb + / + Place/Noun + /A. Verb / Place/Noun /

/ ddi tio shng chung lai/qu ddi tio shng chung lai/qu

My little brother jump up onto the bed.

/ w de tngxu zu jn shdin

My classmate walked into the bookstore.

A. Verb + / + Place/Noun + /A. Verb / Place/Noun /

qng n mi hu yxi l laiPlease buy some pears and bring themPlease buy some pears and bring them back here.

qng dji du n q b liqng dji du n q b liPleasepickupamen,everyone.

qng dji du n q b liPleasepickupapen,everyone.p p p , y

Note: Note: signifiesamovementfromalowerpointtoahigher pointhigherpoint.

compoundsonlywith,neverwith.

+placeword * + place word * +placeword

Its cold outside, come in!It scoldoutside,comein!

Its cold outside. Lets go in.It scoldoutside.Let sgoin.

Its hot in the house. Come out.It shotinthehouse.Comeout.

Theweatherisnice.Letsgooutandtakeawalk.g

He shouldHeshouldwalkdown(to here)(tohere).

Ill lk Illwalkup.

You go down the stairs to take a lookYougodownthestairstotakealook

A. Verb + / + / + NounA. Verb / / Noun

Only when the object is a regular noun.Onlywhentheobjectisaregularnoun. Theactioniscompleted.

Subject Verb Complements

/ Noun

t

mi

hu

laile

y xi shugu

Combine with constructionCombinewith construction

+ object + Verb + / + object + Verb + / qng b ndechung bn laiqng b ndechung bn laiPlease move your bed here

b hbib h b zhbibngch n qTake this glass of iced tea [with you].

Combine with constructionCombinewith construction

+ object + Verb + / + / + object + Verb + /+ / w b sh n qi lai lew b sh n qi lai leI picked up the book.

k i b h ki h ji kui b ch ki hu ji qDrive the car back home right away.

Answer the questions withAnswerthequestionswith

_____/ () b b / h (l )b_____bn/n shang (lu ) qu

_____/ () b bn /n xia (lu ) qub_____bn /n xia (lu ) qu

ExerciseExercise

/ /

____ ____

____ ____

5. Reduplication5.Reduplication

: : n zi xingxiang

Suggestion Soften the tone

Ask nicelyAsknicely

Lesson 16 Grammar_Dating.pdfL16 Dialogue2