A 更 + adj（A is more..., used to persuade）
更 before an adjective can recommend one option over another by saying it's even more so.
A 比 B + adjective — comparison
比 compares two things: A 比 B 快 means 'A is faster than B'. Don't add 很 before the adjective in a 比 sentence.
A 比 B 还 + adj（even more than）
比 compares A to B; adding 还 before the adjective says A goes even further than B.
A 离 B + 近/远 — distance between two places
离 marks the reference point when talking about distance: A 离 B 近/远 means 'A is close to/far from B.'
A 离 B + 远/近（measuring distance between places）
离 measures the distance between two places: 我家离公司很近.
Adj + 多了 — much more (comparative change)
Placed after an adjective, 多了 means 'much more (adj)' — used for a big change compared with before.
Adjective + 得 + result
得 after an adjective shows how far it goes: 热得不想说话 (so hot that ...).
V + 一下 — a bit; briefly
一下 after a verb shows the action is brief or casual.
V + 了 + V — doing something briefly
Repeating a verb with 了 in between (聊了聊, 看了看) shows the action was brief or casual.
V + 了 + 时间段（how long something has gone on）
了 after a verb, followed by a length of time, shows how long the action already lasted.
V + 到 — reaching a destination
到 right after a verb like 寄, 走 or 送 marks the place the action reaches.
V + 吧（a friendly invitation）
Adding 吧 after a verb turns it into a warm invitation rather than a command.
V + 完 + 了 — finishing an action
完 right after a verb shows the action is finished; add 了 to mark it as a completed event.
V + 完 + 就 + V（as soon as ... then ...）
完 shows the first action is finished; 就 introduces what happens right after.
V + 得 + adjective（complement describing how an action turned out）
得 after a verb introduces a comment on how the action is done, e.g. 说得很快 (speaks fast), 学得很好 (has learned well).
V + 得 + 状态 (degree complement)
得 after a verb links it to a description of how the action goes.
V + 懂 — understanding successfully
听懂 and 看懂 add 懂 as a result to show the listening or reading was actually understood.
V + 着 (an action continuing as a state)
着 after a verb shows a state that continues (放着 = is lying there) or how a second action is done (笑着说 = said with a smile).
V + 着 + V — doing one action by means of another
着 after a verb can describe the manner of doing something else: 煮着吃 = 'eat (it) by boiling it.'
V + 起来（to stand up）
起来 after a verb like 站 shows upward movement, such as standing up.
adj + 一点儿（asking for a small change — neutral）
adj + 一点儿 asks for a small change and doesn't carry a complaint — the opposite feel from 有点儿.
adj + 一点儿，可以吗？（asking for a bit more/less）
Adding 一点儿 after an adjective and asking 可以吗 politely requests a small change, like a discount.
adj + 了 (change of state)
了 after an adjective shows a new state has appeared: became tired.
adjective + 极了 — extremely …
极了 comes after an adjective to mean 'extremely'. It replaces 很 or 非常, so never use them together.
measure word + noun（量词 + 名词）
A number needs a specific measure word before the noun — not just 个 for everything: 一本书 (a book), 一杯咖啡 (a cup of coffee), 一块蛋糕 (a piece of cake), 一件衣服 (a piece of clothing).
sentence + 吧 (suggestion)
吧 at the end of a sentence turns it into a soft suggestion or invitation, e.g. 走吧 (let's go), 买吧 (go ahead and buy it).
time word + 见 — arranging to meet again
Put a time word like 中午 or 晚上 before 见 to say when you'll see someone again.
verb + 一次 — counting times
次 counts how many times an action happens, and it goes after the verb: 洗一次 (wash one load), 去过两次 (been there twice).
verb + 完 (finish doing something)
完 attaches right after a verb to show the action is finished — 唱完 is 'finish singing', 说完 is 'finish speaking.'
……是什么意思？（asking what a word means）
Put a word or phrase before 是什么意思 to ask what it means, instead of what someone intends.
…以前 — before; ago
以前 comes AFTER the time word or the action, the opposite of English: 三年以前 (three years ago), 吃饭以前 (before eating).
…以后，就… — after …, right away
以后 follows the first action (听了以后 = after hearing), and 就 before the second verb shows it happened immediately.
…的人 — the person who …
The description goes BEFORE 的 + noun: 卖西瓜的人 = the person who sells watermelons. English puts it after the noun, Chinese never does.
…，所以… — result
所以 (suǒyǐ) introduces the result of what was said before: '..., so ...', e.g. 天气不好，所以我们不去了.
一 changes tone before a measure word
一 is yì before a 1st/2nd/3rd-tone measure word (like 本, 杯) and yí before a 4th-tone one (like 个, 件, 块).
一……就…… — As soon as... then...
"As soon as A happens, B happens." The action after 一 immediately triggers the action after 就, as in 我们一见面就笑了.
一会儿 + 就 + verb（in no time, ...）
一会儿 followed by 就 shows something happens quickly, after only a short while.
一会儿见 vs 回头见 vs 明天见
All three mean "see you," but the timing differs: 一会儿见 is very soon (minutes away), 回头见 is later the same day, and 明天见 is the next day.
一样 / 不一样 — 'the same' / 'different'
一样 means 'the same'; adding 不 gives 不一样, 'different': 我们做的菜不一样。
一边……一边……(doing two things at the same time)
一边 A 一边 B describes two actions happening at the same time, each 一边 followed by a verb, e.g. 他一边吃饭一边看电视.
上午/中午/晚上 — parts of the day
These words mark different times of day and pair with different greetings or plans.
上次 / 这次 / 下次
次 (cì) is the measure word for times or occasions: 上次 'last time', 这次 'this time', 下次 'next time', e.g. 下次再来.
下次（next time）
下次 introduces a plan for a future occasion.
下雪了 — 了 for a new situation
了 after a weather verb announces a change: 下雪了 (it has started snowing), 下雨了 (it has started raining).
不 tone change before 4th tone — negation sandhi
不 is normally pronounced bù, but before a 4th-tone syllable it changes to bú for smoother speech: 不大 (bú dà), 不太 (bú tài).
不会（don't know how — no learned skill）
不会 + verb says you never learned how to do something, like baking or cooking.
不用 — 'don't need to'
不用 + verb means there's no need to do something — different from 不能 ('cannot') or 不要 ('don't want to'): 不用坐车 = 'no need to take a car.'
不用谢（no need to thank me）
不用谢 literally means "no need to thank" — another common way to brush off thanks.
不知道 + 怎么 + V（not knowing how to do something）
不知道 followed by 怎么 and a verb expresses not knowing how to do something.
不知道 + 疑问句
不知道 is followed directly by a question phrase like 在哪儿 or 是谁 — no 吗 needed.
不能（cannot — not able to, due to circumstance）
不能 is different from 不会: it says you're not able to do something right now, not that you lack the skill.
为什么 — asking why
为什么 sits where the answer would sit, right before the verb: 你为什么学中文? There is no word-order change like in English.
也 + negative（also not...）
也 links a second negative statement to the first, showing another thing that also isn't the case.
也 + verb（me too）
也 goes right before the verb to agree with what someone just said.
也 + 是/V
也 goes right before 是 or a verb to mean 'also' or 'too'.
什么时候？（asking about a day or general time）
什么时候 asks broadly about when something happens — a day, a period, or 'someday'.
从...到...（from...to...）
Works for both time and place: 从九点到十一点 (from 9 to 11), 从北京到上海 (from Beijing to Shanghai).
从…开始 — starting from…
从 + time + 开始 marks when a new habit or plan begins: 从明天开始, 从今年开始.
以后 — 'after ~'
Time word/verb phrase + 以后 means 'after ~': 放学以后 = 'after school lets out.'
会 + 了（now you can do it）
会 means 'know how to'; adding 了 shows a change — you couldn't before, but now you can.
会 — a skill you have learned
会 means 'can' for learned skills like swimming or speaking a language: 我以前不会游泳，现在会了.
位（polite measure word for people）
位 is used to count people politely, especially by service staff, while 个 is the plain, everyday measure word.
你可以 + V
可以 here softly suggests an action — like saying 'you could' rather than asking permission.
你可以帮我 + V + 吗？
你可以 turns a request into a soft question — 吗 at the end makes it a clear question.
你在做什么？（what are you doing?）
在 here marks an ongoing action, so 你在做什么 asks what someone is doing right now.
你是什么意思？（asking what someone means）
This asks about a person's intention behind what they said — are they joking, criticizing, or something else?
你说什么？（asking someone to repeat what they said）
Use 你说什么？when you didn't catch the words themselves — different from 听不懂, which means you heard the words but didn't understand the meaning.
先 + verb（to do something first）
先 before a verb shows that action happens before anything else.
先（to do something first）
先 before a verb shows that action happens before anything else, such as arriving before someone else.
再 for something not yet done
再 before a verb tells someone to repeat or continue an action that hasn't happened yet.
再 vs 又（future repeat vs past repeat）
再 marks a repeated action that hasn't happened yet; 又 marks one that already did.
再来 + 数量（bring/give me one more...）
再来 is a quick, colloquial way to ask for another one, often used when ordering food.
再要 + 数量，可以吗？（asking politely for one more）
再要 followed by a quantity, plus 可以吗, politely asks to get one more.
准备 + V（about to do something）
准备 before a verb often means someone is getting ready to do it, right before it happens.
几位？（How many people?）
Waiters and staff use 几位 to politely ask how many people are in a group.
几点的 — "the one at what time"
的 turns a time into "the one at that time", so you can drop the noun: 九点的 = the nine o'clock one.
别 + V + 了 — don't (do something)
别 before a verb tells someone not to do something.
别 + verb (+ 了) — don't…
别 before a verb tells someone not to do something — 别担心 (don't worry) is one of the most common uses.
别…了 — stop doing that
别 + verb + 了 asks somebody to STOP something they are already doing: 别玩手机了, 别说了. Without 了 it is a plain 'don't do it'.
又 + verb（doing something again — already happened）
又 describes a repeat of an action that has already taken place, unlike 再 which is for something not yet done.
又 for something that already happened again
又 marks a repeated action that has already taken place, unlike 再 which marks one that hasn't happened yet.
又……又……(both ... and ...)
又…又… links two qualities or actions that are true at the same time. Both slots must be the same kind of word (two adjectives, or two verb phrases).
又（again — for something already done）
又 marks a repeated action that has already happened, unlike 再 which is for an action not yet done.
只有 + amount — only have
只有 emphasizes a small or limited quantity.
只（only）
只 right before a verb narrows things down to just one option.
可以 + V — can; may
可以 expresses permission or possibility before a verb.
可以（can; may）
可以 offers permission or an option, often used when lending something to someone.
可能 + 会（might / probably will）
可能 right before 会 softens a prediction, useful for warning someone you might be late.
吧（softening a suggestion）
吧 at the end of a sentence turns a statement into a suggestion, softer than a command.
回 + place（to return to a place）
回 followed by a place means going back there.
回头（to look back）
回头 describes turning your head to look behind you, often as you're walking away.
回来了（I'm back / you're back）
回来了 announces that someone has returned, and is also how you greet them when they walk in.
因为…，所以… — cause and result
Chinese usually keeps BOTH halves of the pair, while English drops one of them. 因为 opens the reason, 所以 opens the result.
在 + place + 下面 — under a place
在 + noun + 下面 tells you exactly where something is.
在 + verb（doing something right now）
Put 在 before the verb for an action in progress: 他在看手机, 朋友在等我. 正在 means the same and is a little stronger.
地方 + 怎么走？(asking how to get somewhere)
Put a place before 怎么走 to ask for the route there.
多 + verb + 一点儿（do a little more）
多 before a verb, with 一点儿 after it, means to do a bit more of that action.
如果……，就…… — if …, then …
如果 opens the condition. 就 belongs to the second clause and stands after its subject, right before the verb.
对 + noun + 好/不好 — 'good/bad for'
对 marks the target that something affects: X 对 Y 好 means 'X is good for Y.'
对 + someone + 说 — to say to someone
对 marks who the words are directed at — 对她说 means 'said to her', placed right before 说.
就 (sooner or easier than expected)
就 before the verb says something happened fast or earlier than you would think: 很快就好了 (it was ready in no time).
就 + adjective（a quick or direct reaction）
就 right before an adjective shows something happens right away, as a direct result.
左边 / 右边 + 有/没有 — describing location
左边 and 右边 mark position, often used with 有/没有 to say what's there.
已经...了 — 'already'
已经 goes before the verb and 了 closes the sentence. With a length of time it means the action started before and is still going on.
希望 + clause (to hope that...)
希望 can be directly followed by a full clause describing what someone hopes will happen.
张 — measure word for flat things
Tickets, paper and tables take 张, never 个: 两张票, not 两个票.
往 + direction + verb
往 points a movement in a direction: 往前走 (walk ahead), 往左走 (go left).
很高兴认识你/你们（nice to meet you）
很高兴认识你 is the standard line for meeting someone for the first time.
忘了带（to forget to bring something）
忘了 followed by 带 and an object means you forgot to bring that thing along.
快…了 — about to happen
快 + verb or adjective + 了 says something is on the point of happening: 鱼快好了 (the fish is nearly done), 我快到了 (I'm almost there).
怎么样？（how is it? asking for an opinion）
怎么样 asks for someone's general opinion or how something is — broader than 好吃吗, which asks specifically about taste.
怕 + noun（to be afraid of something）
怕 followed directly by a noun says you're afraid of that thing.
想 + person（to miss someone）
想 followed directly by a person means 'to miss' them; followed by a verb it means 'want to'.
想 + verb vs 要 + noun
想 before a verb is a softer, more tentative wish; 要 before a noun is a direct, concrete request.
慢慢来（take your time）
慢慢 doubled before a verb tells someone not to rush — a common reply when a friend says they'll be late.
我到了（I have arrived）
到了 after 我 tells someone you have just arrived — the most common line to say or text when meeting up.
我快到了，马上就到（I'm almost there, I'll be right there）
快到了 says you're nearly there, and 马上 emphasizes 'very soon' — the classic reassurance to send when someone is waiting for you.
我是说……（clarifying what you meant）
我是说 introduces a clarification, used to explain your real meaning after a misunderstanding.
我要走了 / 我先走了（I have to go / I'm heading out first）
Both phrases announce that you're about to leave; 先 adds that you're leaving before others.
打电话给 + person（to call someone）
给 after 打电话 introduces who is being called.
找不到 — cannot find (V + 不到 = unable to reach a result)
不到 after a verb shows the action fails to reach its goal.
早上好 vs 早 — two ways to say good morning
早上好 is the full morning greeting; 早 alone is a shorter, casual way to say the same thing.
晚安（good night）
晚安 is said before going to sleep or leaving someone for the night.
最 + adjective/verb (superlative)
最 means 'the most' and goes before an adjective or a verb like 喜欢, e.g. 最好, 最喜欢.
有 + noun + 吗？（do you have...?）
Adding 吗 after 有 + noun is the more common, simpler way to ask if something is available.
有人…,有人… — some people…, others…
Repeat 有人 to describe a lively scene: 有人跑步,有人唱歌 (some are jogging, some are singing).
有什么 + noun？（asking what there is）
有什么 followed by a noun asks what kinds of something are available.
有多远？(asking exactly how far)
有多远 asks for the precise distance, once you already know it's 'far' in some sense.
有没有 + noun？（is there... or not?）
有没有 puts 有 and 没有 back to back to ask a yes/no question about whether something exists or is available, without needing 吗.
有点儿 + adj（a little too... — usually a complaint）
有点儿 before an adjective means 'a little; somewhat', usually about something you are not happy with, e.g. 有点儿贵, 有点儿累.
有点儿 ≠ 一点儿
有点儿 sits before the adjective to complain (有点儿贵、有点儿累); 一点儿 sits after the adjective to ask for or describe a small change, and isn't negative (便宜一点儿、快一点儿).
次 — measure word for times
次 counts how many times something happens; the number goes before it: 两次 (twice), 每个星期去两次.
欢迎（welcome）
欢迎 greets someone arriving somewhere new, like a new coworker or a guest.
正在 + V（right in the middle of doing something）
正在 emphasizes that an action is happening right now, even more clearly than 在 alone.
每 … 都 …
每 (měi) 'every' is almost always paired with 都 (dōu) before the verb, e.g. 我每天都喝茶.
比 + 更（more ... than ...）
比 compares two things, and 更 adds emphasis to the difference.
比 — comparison
A 比 B + adjective compares two things: 我比以前快. 一天比一天好 means better day by day.
没…就… — did B without doing A
没 + verb A + 就 + verb B shows B happened right away, skipping A: 我没吃早饭就出门了.
没事（表示不要紧：reassuring about a small mishap）
没事 answers a worried question like 你怎么了, telling someone nothing serious is wrong.
没听清楚（didn't hear clearly）
清楚 means clear; 没听清楚 says the sound itself wasn't clear enough (too noisy, too far away) — not that the meaning was hard to understand.
没问题 — 回应请求
没问题 means 'sure, I can do that' — use it to agree to a request or task.
看看 + noun（take a look at...）
看看, a doubled verb, means to take a quick look at something.
看见 + person/thing（to catch sight of）
看见 marks the moment you notice someone or something.
真的吗？（confirming surprising news）
Ask 真的吗 when you hear something hard to believe, to check whether it's really true.
真的（yes, really）
真的 alone answers 真的吗, confirming that something really is the case.
祝 + person + wish
祝 (zhù) introduces a good wish for someone: 祝 + person + the thing you wish them, e.g. 祝你工作快乐.
第 + number — ordinal numbers
第 turns a number into an ordinal: 第一 (first), 第二 (second). 第一次 = the first time.
等 + person（to wait for someone）
等 directly followed by a person means you are waiting for them.
等一下 / 等一会儿（wait a moment）
Both mean "wait a moment" and ask someone to hold on; 等一会儿 sounds a touch softer and slightly longer than 等一下.
累不累 — the A-not-A question
Repeat the adjective or verb with 不 in the middle to make a yes/no question: 累不累? 是不是? 去不去? It means the same as adding 吗, and the 不 is unstressed.
累了就休息 — Adj/V + 了 + 就 + V
了 marks a change, and 就 introduces what happens next: "once X, then Y."
给 + person + verb — do something for someone
给 puts the person who benefits before the verb: 给她买药 (buy medicine for her), 给他做饭 (cook for him).
虽然……但是……(although ... but ...)
虽然 may stand before or after the subject, and 但是 (or 可是) opens the second clause. Chinese keeps both halves, unlike English.
要 + noun（I want ___, used to order or request something）
要 directly before a noun is how you ask for or point at something you want.
要…了 (about to happen)
要…了 says something is about to happen soon, e.g. 火车要开了 'the train is about to leave'.
让 + someone + verb（to have/let someone do something）
让 means 'to have / ask someone to do something', introducing the person before the action.
让 — to ask / let someone do something
让 + person + verb expresses letting or telling someone to do something: 大夫给我开了一些中药，让我每天喝一次。
请 + V + 一点（please do a bit more...）
请 makes a request polite; adding 一点 after 慢 softens it into "a bit slower."
请 + 帮 + 我 + V
请帮我 + verb is a simple, polite way to ask someone to do something for you.
请再 + V + 一次（please do it again）
再...一次 asks someone to repeat an action one more time.
走 + 错（to go the wrong way）
错 right after a verb shows the action was done incorrectly.
走吧（let's go!）
走 means to leave, and adding 吧 turns it into a friendly suggestion — 'let's go!'
跑到 + place + 的时候（by the time you arrive）
到...的时候 marks the moment of arriving somewhere, showing what had already happened by then.
跟 + person + verb — with someone
跟 introduces the person an action is done together with or toward.
过了 + 时间（after a period of time）
过了 followed by a length of time shows how much time passed before the next thing happened.
还 + V + 着（still doing something）
还...着 describes an action that is still going on.
还 + verb + 吗？（asking if something still holds）
还 before a verb checks whether an action is still going to happen or still true.
还可以（not bad; OK）
还可以 gives a neutral answer to 怎么样 — not great, not bad, right in the middle.
还在 + verb — still doing
还 (still) + 在 (in the middle of) means an action is continuing: 雪还在下, 他还在睡觉.
还是 vs 或者 — two kinds of 'or'
In QUESTIONS use 还是: 热的还是冰的? In statements use 或者: 我喝茶或者咖啡都可以.
还没 + verb — not yet
还没 before a verb means something has still not happened: 车还没来 (the bus hasn't come yet).
还行（pretty good — spoken version of 还可以）
还行 is the casual, spoken way to say something is not bad, often followed by a small complaint with 可是.
这个 vs 那个（this vs that）
这个 points at something close by; 那个 points at something farther away.
这个用中文怎么说？（How do you say this in Chinese?）
This is the question to ask when you don't know a word — point at something and say this.
进 vs 进来（to enter / to come in）
进 alone just means 'to enter'; adding 来 (进来) frames the movement as coming toward the speaker.
远不远？(yes/no question about distance)
Repeating 远 with 不 in between makes an A-not-A question asking simply whether something is far.
送 + person + object
送 (sòng) takes two objects: first the person, then the thing given, e.g. 送他一本书 'give him a book (as a gift)'.
送 + person + thing（to give someone something）
送 puts the receiver right after the verb, then the gift — no 给 needed in between.
送 — to take/see someone somewhere
送 + person + place means to accompany or take someone there: 妈妈送她去学校 = 'Mom takes her to school.'
马上（right away）
马上 right before a verb says the action will happen very soon.
高兴 vs 开心（both mean happy, used differently）
高兴 usually reacts to one moment — seeing someone, hearing news. 开心 describes an overall mood, like how a whole day felt.
How to use this page
Every pattern below was pulled out of an HSK 2 reading on this site. The example is the actual sentence it appeared in, and the links under it go to the readings where you can see it in context.
Grammar sticks through reading, not through lists. Skim this page to see what A2-level Chinese asks of you, then go read the HSK 2 texts and come back when a sentence confuses you.