9 Nov 2020
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Chinese 1 Notes Lesson 2
1) S 去 place
我去北京路。 I go to Beijing Road.
他去中国。 He goes to China.
* 去MUST be followed by a place or another verb becoming S去 + V O.
我去学习法语。I go to study French.
Here 去is followed by another verb “to study”.
* The sentences such as “I go to the movies” or “They go to the opera” make no sense in
Chinese, because “the movies” or “the opera” are not places. In Chinese, you must say “I go
to see a film” or “They go to watch an opera”.
2) S 在 place
This structure is equivalent to the English structure: someone/something is in a place. In
Chinese, however, verb “to be” is not required in this structure. 在 = to be in/at/on …
她在哪儿？ Where is she?
她在英国。 She is in UK.
你的汉语书在哪儿？ Where is your Chinese book?
我的汉语书在那儿。 My Chinese book is over there.
(书: book)
2.1 The negative form for S 在place
In a negative sentence, “不”should be placed before “在place”
他不在家，他在宿舍。He is not at home, he is in the dormitory.
2.2 Adverb “都” should be placed before “在 place”; and the negative form, “不
在 place”
我们都在宿舍。 We are all in the dormitory.
他们都不在家。 They are all not at home.
3) S 给 somebody V O
给 leads the receiver of the action (somebody); 给 somebody should be in the
adverb position.
我给我妈妈买书。 I buy books for my mum.