这是什么 Asking What Something Is in Chinese

你nǐ看kàn，这zhè是shì什么shénme？

Look, what is this?

这zhè是shì我wǒ的de杯子bēizi，我wǒ很hěn爱ài喝hē茶chá。

This is my cup — I really love drinking tea.

那nà是shì什么shénme？那nà是shì我wǒ的de书shū。

What is that? That is my book.

我wǒ的de书shū是shì汉语Hànyǔ书shū，我wǒ在zài学习xuéxí汉语Hànyǔ。

My book is a Chinese book — I am studying Chinese.

我wǒ的de桌子zhuōzi很hěn小xiǎo，我wǒ的de电脑diànnǎo很hěn大dà。

My desk is small, but my computer is big.

你nǐ呢ne？你nǐ有yǒu什么shénme东西dōngxi？

How about you? What things do you have?

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

这zhèthis

什么shénmewhat

杯子bēizicup

茶chátea

书shūbook

东西dōngxithing(s)

这 / 那 + 是 + noun

Use 这 (this) and 那 (that) with 是 (to be) to point things out and say what they are.

这是我的杯子。 — This is my cup.

什么 stays in place

In Chinese, the question word 什么 (what) sits exactly where the answer would go — no word-order change is needed.

这是什么？ — What is this?

的 for possession

Put 的 after a person to show that something belongs to them, like adding apostrophe-s in English.

那是我的书。 — That is my book.

1. What does the speaker love to drink?

2. What kind of book does the speaker have?

3. What does the speaker say is big?