Understanding Measure Words in Mandarin Chinese

When learning Mandarin Chinese, one important thing to know is measure words. In English, we can easily say "two apples" without needing any extra words. But in Mandarin, we need to add a measure word to get that same meaning.

In this article, we'll look at how measure words work in Mandarin, basic sentence structures, and some important grammar points like asking questions, negating sentences, and using verbs.

Basic Sentence Structure

Mandarin usually follows a simple order: subject-verb-object, like English.

For example:

• In English: "I eat an apple."
• In Mandarin: "我吃一个苹果" (Wǒ chī yī gè píngguǒ).

Here's how it breaks down:

• "我" (Wǒ) means "I."
• "吃" (chī) means "eat."
• "一个苹果" (yī gè píngguǒ) means "an apple."

Notice that "一个" (yī gè) is the measure word phrase for "an," showing we're talking about one of something.

Understanding Measure Words

Measure words are really important in Mandarin. They help us specify how many and what type of things we're talking about.

The basic order for using a measure word is: quantity + measure word + noun.

For example, to say "three books," we'd say "三本书" (sān běn shū). Here's what each part means:

• "三" (sān) means "three."
• "本" (běn) is the measure word for books.
• "书" (shū) means "book."

Different nouns need different measure words. Here are some common ones:

• 个 (gè): A general word for people or things.
• 本 (běn): Used for books.
• 只 (zhī): Used for animals.
• 张 (zhāng): Used for flat things like paper or tickets.
• 台 (tái): Used for machines.

Let’s see some examples with measure words:

1. "我有两个苹果。" (Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè píngguǒ.) - "I have two apples."
2. "她买了三本书。" (Tā mǎi le sān běn shū.) - "She bought three books."
3. "我们看到五只狗。" (Wǒmen kàn dào wǔ zhī gǒu.) - "We saw five dogs."

Asking Questions

Making questions in Mandarin can be pretty easy. Often, you just change the tone of your voice or add a question word, like 吗 (ma) or 什么 (shénme).

For example:

• Turn "你有两个苹果" (Nǐ yǒu liǎng gè píngguǒ) - "You have two apples" into a question by adding 吗:
• "你有两个苹果吗?" (Nǐ yǒu liáng gè píngguǒ ma?) - "Do you have two apples?"

Another useful word is 什么, which means "what." If you want to ask, "What do you have?" you say:

• "你有什么?" (Nǐ yǒu shénme?).

To ask about measure words, you might say:

• "你要几个苹果?" (Nǐ yào jǐ gè píngguǒ?) - "How many apples do you want?"

Negating Sentences

In Mandarin, negation can be done using 不 (bù) and 没 (méi). You choose between them based on what you’re negating.

• 不 (bù): Used to negate actions right now or in the future.
• 没 (méi): Used for things that have already happened or don't exist.

For example:

• "我没有苹果。" (Wǒ méi yǒu píngguǒ.) - "I don't have any apples."
• "我不吃苹果。" (Wǒ bù chī píngguǒ.) - "I don't eat apples."

Now with measure words:

• "我没有两个苹果。" (Wǒ méi yǒu liǎng gè píngguǒ.) - "I don't have two apples."
• "她不买书。" (Tā bù mǎi shū.) - "She doesn't buy books."

Simple Verb Usage

Mandarin verbs don't change forms like they do in English. Instead, we use words like 了 (le) and 着 (zhe) to show if an action is done or still happening.

• 了: Shows an action is complete.
• 着: Shows an action is ongoing.

For example:

• "我买了三个苹果。" (Wǒ mǎi le sān gè píngguǒ.) - "I bought three apples." Here, 了 tells us the buying is done.

• "我正在吃着一个苹果。" (Wǒ zhèng zài chī zhe yī gè píngguǒ.) - "I am eating an apple." The 着 shows eating is still happening.

Summary

Here are some key points to remember about measure words in Mandarin:

• Always use a measure word when counting or mentioning objects.
• Different nouns need different measure words.
• The sentence structure is: quantity + measure word + noun.
• Use 吗 for yes or no questions and 什么 for asking "what."
• Use 不 for ongoing actions and 没 for actions that are finished.
• Use 了 for completed actions and 着 for ongoing actions.

With practice, you'll get better at using measure words, asking questions, and making sentences. Remember, this is a special part of Mandarin, and when you learn it, your speaking and understanding will improve. Keep practicing, and soon it’ll feel natural!