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不 or 没? 的, 得 or 地? A few small words cause most of the wrong guesses. Here are 9 sets of them, each with the rule that tells them apart and everyday sentences to hear, 73 in all. Free, no account needed.
不 says no to what is so now, usually so, or going to be. 没 says it did not happen, or has not yet. The verb 有 to have only ever takes 没.
我不喝咖啡。wǒ bù hē kā fēiI do not drink coffee. A habit or a choice takes 不.
我今天早上没喝咖啡。wǒ jīn tiān zǎo shang méi hē kā fēiI did not drink coffee this morning. It did not happen, so 没.
我没有钱。wǒ méi yǒu qiánI do not have any money. 有 only ever takes 没, whenever it is.
他明天不来。tā míng tiān bù láiHe will not come tomorrow. A plan or a refusal takes 不.
她还没吃饭。tā hái méi chī fànShe has not eaten yet. Not yet is 还没.
这个不贵。zhè ge bú guìThis one is not expensive. A plain description takes 不.
我不是老师。wǒ bú shì lǎo shīI am not a teacher. 是 takes 不, even when talking about the past.
昨天没下雨。zuó tiān méi xià yǔIt did not rain yesterday. It did not happen, so 没.
的, 得 or 地: three words said de
的debefore a noun
得deafter a verb, how it went
地debefore a verb, in what way
All three sound the same, so this only matters when writing, and Chinese writers often slip too. Before a noun comes 的, and before a verb comes 地. But straight after a verb or describing word, when what follows says how it went or how much, comes 得.
这是我的书。zhè shì wǒ de shūThis is my book. A noun comes next, 书, so 的.
一件漂亮的衣服yí jiàn piào liang de yī fua pretty piece of clothing A noun comes next, 衣服, so 的.
这是我喜欢的人。zhè shì wǒ xǐ huan de rénThis is the person I like. A whole phrase can describe a noun. 的 still goes just before the noun.
他跑得很快。tā pǎo de hěn kuàiHe runs fast. After the verb, saying how it goes: 得.
她说中文说得很好。tā shuō zhōng wén shuō de hěn hǎoShe speaks Chinese very well. After the verb, saying how it goes: 得. With an object, the verb can be said twice, or the object put first.
他累得走不动了。tā lèi de zǒu bu dòng leHe is so tired he cannot walk any further. After a describing word, saying how much: 得.
孩子们高兴地唱歌。hái zi men gāo xìng de chàng gēThe children are singing happily. A verb comes next, 唱, so 地.
请慢慢地说。qǐng màn màn de shuōPlease speak slowly. A verb comes next, 说, so 地.
吗, 呢 or 吧: how a sentence ends
吗mamakes it a yes or no question
呢neand what about…?
吧balet us, or surely
吗 turns a statement into a question to answer yes or no. 呢 asks "and what about…?", and softens a question that already has a question word. 吧 suggests something, or guesses and looks for agreement.
你忙吗？nǐ máng ma Are you busy? A plain yes or no question takes 吗.
他是学生吗？tā shì xué sheng ma Is he a student? A plain yes or no question takes 吗.
我很好，你呢？wǒ hěn hǎo nǐ ne I am fine, and you? And what about you? is 呢.
我的手机呢？wǒ de shǒu jī ne Where is my phone? A thing on its own with 呢 asks where it has got to.
你在做什么呢？nǐ zài zuò shén me ne What are you doing? 什么 already does the asking, so 吗 does not go here. 呢 softens it.
我们走吧！wǒ men zǒu ba Let us go! A suggestion takes 吧.
吃点东西吧！chī diǎn dōng xi ba Have something to eat! A suggestion takes 吧.
你是王老师吧？nǐ shì wáng lǎo shī ba You must be Teacher Wang, right? A guess, looking for agreement, takes 吧. 吗 would be asking with no idea.
了, 过 or 着: after a verb
了leit happened
过guoyou have done it before
着zheit stays that way
All three follow the verb. 了 usually says it happened and is done. 过 says it has happened at some time, as an experience you have had. 着 says a state is carrying on: sitting, wearing, holding.
我买了一本书。wǒ mǎi le yì běn shūI bought a book. It happened and is done: 了.
他喝了三杯茶。tā hē le sān bēi cháHe drank three cups of tea. It happened and is done: 了.
我以前去过中国。wǒ yǐ qián qù guo zhōng guóI have been to China before. An experience you have had: 过.
你吃过北京烤鸭吗？nǐ chī guo běi jīng kǎo yā maHave you ever eaten Peking duck? Have you ever is 过.
我没看过这部电影。wǒ méi kàn guo zhè bù diàn yǐngI have never seen this film. Not once, up to now, is 没 with 过.
他戴着帽子睡觉。tā dài zhe mào zi shuì jiàoHe sleeps with his hat on. One state carries on during another action: 着.
她在沙发上坐着。tā zài shā fā shang zuò zhe She is sitting on the sofa. A state that carries on: 着.
他拿着一个杯子。tā ná zhe yí ge bēi ziHe is holding a cup. A state that carries on: 着.
会, 能 or 可以: three kinds of can
会huìhave learned how; also will
能néngare able to, nothing in the way
可以kě yǐmay, it is allowed
会 is a skill you have learned, and also says what will probably happen. 能 is being able to, in strength or because nothing stops you. 可以 is being allowed, or having the option. 能 is often heard for permission too, and then both are right.
我会说中文。wǒ huì shuō zhōng wénI know how to speak Chinese. A skill you have learned: 会.
她会开车。tā huì kāi chēShe knows how to drive. A skill you have learned: 会.
明天会下雨。míng tiān huì xià yǔIt will rain tomorrow. What will probably happen: 会.
我明天有课，不能来。wǒ míng tiān yǒu kè bù néng láiI cannot come tomorrow, I have a class. Something is in the way: 不能. 不会来 would be will not come.
他病了，不能上班。tā bìng le bù néng shàng bānHe is ill and cannot go to work. Something is in the way: 不能.
我能吃三碗饭。wǒ néng chī sān wǎn fànI can eat three bowls of rice. How much you can manage: 能. 可以 is heard here too, and is also right.
这样可以吗？zhè yàng kě yǐ maIs this all right? Asking whether something is all right: 可以.
我可以进来吗？wǒ kě yǐ jìn lai maMay I come in? Asking to be allowed: 可以. 能 is heard here too, and is also right.
这里可以抽烟。zhè lǐ kě yǐ chōu yānYou may smoke here. It is allowed: 可以. 能 is heard here too, and is also right.
又 or 再: two kinds of again
又yòuagain, and it has happened
再zàiagain, still to come
Both mean again. 又 usually looks back at a repeat that has already happened, and 再 ahead to one that has not. The exception to know is 又要, for a repeat that is sure to come: 又要下雨了, it is going to rain again.
他今天又迟到了。tā jīn tiān yòu chí dào leHe was late again today. It has already happened again: 又.
昨天又下雨了。zuó tiān yòu xià yǔ leIt rained again yesterday. It has already happened again: 又.
我又吃了一碗。wǒ yòu chī le yì wǎnI ate another bowl. It has already happened again: 又.
今天又是星期一了。jīn tiān yòu shì xīng qī yī leIt is Monday again today. It has come round again: 又.
请再说一遍。qǐng zài shuō yí biànPlease say it again. It is still to come: 再.
下次再来。xià cì zài láiCome again next time. It is still to come: 再.
你再吃一碗吧！nǐ zài chī yì wǎn baHave another bowl! It is still to come: 再.
我再想想。wǒ zài xiǎng xiangLet me think about it some more. It is still to come: 再.
二 or 两: two kinds of two
二èrthe number, in counting
两liǎngtwo of something
二 is for counting, for the tens and units of a number (十二, 二十), and for saying which one. 两 is how many: two of something, before a measure word when it stands alone. 两百 and 两千 are usually said with 两 too.
两个人 liǎng ge réntwo people Two of something, before the measure word 个: 两.
我要两杯茶。wǒ yào liǎng bēi cháI would like two cups of tea. Two of something, before the measure word 杯: 两.
两天 liǎng tiāntwo days How many days: 两.
两点 liǎng diǎntwo o’clock The time says 两 too: 两点.
二十 èr shítwenty Part of a bigger number: 二.
十二shí èr twelve Part of a bigger number: 二.
第二个dì èr gethe second one Which one, not how many: 二.
二月 èr yuèFebruary Which month, not how many: 二. 两个月 is two months.
还是 or 或者: two kinds of or
还是hái shior, asking which
或者huò zhěor, either will do
还是 offers a choice still to be made, usually in a question. 或者 lays out the possibilities in a statement.
你喝茶还是咖啡？nǐ hē chá hái shi kā fēiAre you having tea or coffee? A question asking which: 还是.
你今天去还是明天去？nǐ jīn tiān qù hái shi míng tiān qùAre you going today or tomorrow? A question asking which: 还是.
他是老师还是学生？tā shì lǎo shī hái shi xué shengIs he a teacher or a student? A question asking which: 还是.
你要这个还是那个？nǐ yào zhè ge hái shi nà geDo you want this one or that one? A question asking which: 还是.
你今天或者明天来吧。nǐ jīn tiān huò zhě míng tiān lái baCome today or tomorrow. Laying out the possibilities, not asking which: 或者.
你可以坐公共汽车或者地铁。nǐ kě yǐ zuò gōng gòng qì chē huò zhě dì tiěYou can go by bus or by metro. Laying out the possibilities, not asking which: 或者.
我想喝杯茶或者咖啡。wǒ xiǎng hē bēi chá huò zhě kā fēiI would like a cup of tea or coffee. Laying out the possibilities, not asking which: 或者.
我们星期六或者星期天去。wǒ men xīng qī liù huò zhě xīng qī tiān qùWe are going on Saturday or Sunday. Laying out the possibilities, not asking which: 或者.
就 or 才: sooner or later than you thought
就jiùas early as, as soon as
才cáinot until, only
Both go before the verb and say how the speaker feels about the time. 就 is sooner or easier than expected. 才 is later or harder than expected. With a number and no verb, 才 says only that little.
他六点就起床了。tā liù diǎn jiù qǐ chuáng leHe was up by six. Early, sooner than you would think: 就.
他一天就学会了。tā yì tiān jiù xué huì leHe learned it in a single day. Quick, easier than you would think: 就.
我马上就来。wǒ mǎ shàng jiù láiI will be right there. In no time: 就.
我一到家就吃饭。wǒ yí dào jiā jiù chī fànAs soon as I get home, I will eat. As soon as is 一 with 就.
他十点才起床。tā shí diǎn cái qǐ chuángHe did not get up until ten. Late, later than you would think: 才. There is no 了 here.
我学了三年才会。wǒ xué le sān nián cái huìIt took me three years to learn it. Slow, harder than you would think: 才.
车八点半才来。chē bā diǎn bàn cái láiThe bus did not come until half past eight. Late, later than you would think: 才.
现在才八点。xiàn zài cái bā diǎnIt is only eight o’clock. With a number and no verb, 才 says only that little.
Rules, and real speech
These rules cover the everyday uses, and each of these words does more than is shown here. See Chinese word order for where they stand in a sentence, or the measure words that 两 comes before.
A reference page for every character and common word we have
been asked about: readings, meaning, the words it appears in
and where it came from. Free to read, no account needed.