Chinese Grammar: How To Use Verbs

Verbs express actions, events or states.
In Chinese, like other languages, the verb must be accompanied by the noun or pronoun that is acting.
Verbs in Chinese do not have tense conjugations like English, but rather the verb in Chinese is used for all tenses (present, past and future).
Chinese verb tense examples
Present:
I play soccer.
我 玩 足 球
Wǒ wán zúqiú.
Past:
I played soccer.
我 玩 足 球
Wǒ wán zúqiú.
Future:
I will play soccer.
我 会 玩 足 球
Wǒ huì wán zúqiú.
Negation of Chinese verbs
For negate a verb in Chinese only you must put the word 不 (Bù) before the verb, but exist one exception the verb to have 有(Yǒu) in this case you must put the word 没 (Méi) before the verb to have.
Examples:
I do not want to sleep.
我 不 想 睡 觉
Wǒ bùxiǎng shuìjiào.
I do not have work today.
我 没 有 今 天 的 工 作
Wǒ méiyǒu jīntiān de gōngzuò
Verbs in Chinese
English | Chinese | Pinyin | English | Chinese | Pinyin | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
to be (permanent) | 是 | Shì | to be (temp./location) | 在 | Zài | |
to arrive | 到达 | Dàodá | to owe | 应该 | Yīnggāi | |
to have | 有 | Yǒu | to place | 放置 | Fàngzhì | |
to do | 做 | Zuò | to put | 放置 | Fàngzhì | |
to make | 使 | Shǐ | to believe | 相信 | Xiāngxìn | |
to speak | 发言 | Fāyán | to talk | 说 | Shuō | |
to say | 说 | Shuō | to tell | 告诉 | Gàosu | |
to read | 阅读 | Yuèdú | to go | 去 | Qù | |
to sleep | 睡觉 | Shuìjiào | to see | 看 | Kàn | |
to understand | 了解 | liǎojiě | to give | 给 | Gěi | |
to find | 找 到 | Zhǎodào | to eat | 吃 | Chī | |
to call | 打电话 | Dǎ diànhuà | to know | 知道 | Zhīdào | |
to come | 来 | Lái | to want | 想要 | Xiǎng yào | |
to carry | 携带 | Xiédài | to lose | 失去 | Shīqù | |
to wear | 穿 | Chuān | to dance | 跳舞 | Tiàowǔ | |
to leave | 离开 | Líkāi | to buy | 购买 | Gòumǎi | |
to open | 打开 | Dǎkāi | to answer | 回答 | Huídá | |
to live | 生活 | Shēnghuó | to ask | 问 | Wèn | |
to bring | 带 | Dài | to close | 关闭 | Guānbì | |
to write | 写 | Xiě | to work | 工作 | Gōngzuò | |
to think | 想 | Xiǎng | to begin | 开始 | Kāishǐ | |
to study | 研究 | Yánjiū | to walk | 走路 | Zǒulù | |
to take | 采取 | Cǎiqǔ | to run | 跑 | Pǎo | |
to sing | 唱 | Chàng | to need | 需要 | Xūyào | |
to play | 玩 | Wán | to pay | 支付 | Zhīfù | |
to feel | 感觉 | Gǎnjué | to drink | 喝 | Hē | |
to cook | 做饭 | Zuò fàn | to sell | 出售 | Chūshòu | |
to travel | 旅行 | Lǚxíng | to change | 改变 | Gǎibiàn | |
to count | 数 | Shù | to win | 赢 | Yíng | |
to break | 打破 | Dǎpò | to drive | 开车 | Kāichē | |
to clean | 清洁 | Qīngjié | to meet | 满足 | Mǎnzú |