Key sentences 7
Learn Chinese: key sentences 7
To build automatic reflexes and be able to express yourself in Chinese without having to search for your words, it is helpful to learn phrases by heart. Rather than learning the entire dialogue/text of the unit, we have selected these key sentences to optimise your learning. You therefore need to know them well.
Do not hesitate to repeat them out loud: this helps to memorise them while working on pronunciation and helping you absorb the structures of the Chinese language.
Then you need to be able to translate them orally and in writing, first from Chinese into English, then from English into Chinese.
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这是你的吗？ : Is this yours?
→ Emblematic sentence (title of the dialogue): demonstrative 这 used alone as subject (without a classifier), followed by 是 and the possessive particle 的.
这是我的。 : It's mine.
→ Standard answer. Use of 的 with no noun after it: “that of me” = “mine”. Very productive: 是哥哥的, 是妈妈的…
这本书是我的。 : This book is mine.
→ Demonstrative followed by a noun: 这 + classifier + noun. With 书, the classifier is 本.
那件衣服不是我的。 : That garment (over there) is not mine.
→ Distant demonstrative 那 + classifier 件 (clothing, belongings) + noun 衣服.
这儿有很多书。 : Here, there are many books.
→ Locative 这儿 (“here”) + verb of existence 有 + noun phrase. Standard structure for describing a place.
那儿还有很多书。 : Over there, there are still many books.
→ Distant locative 那儿 + adverb 还 (“in addition, again”) before the verb. Not to be confused with 也 (“also”).
有的是我的，有的是哥哥的。 : Some are mine, others belong to my older brother.
→ Very productive structure: 有的…，有的… to express a dichotomy (“some…, others…”). 有的 is used alone as a pronoun.
你认不认识这件衣服？ : Do you recognise this garment?
→ Affirmative-negative question for a disyllabic verb: only the 1st syllable is repeated (认不认识, and not 认识不认识).
哪个手机是你的？ : Which phone is yours?
→ Interrogative word 哪个 (“which one?”) + noun: used to ask someone to point out precisely one item within a set.
这些东西都是我的。 : All these things are mine.
→ 这些 + noun (without another classifier) + adverb 都 + verb. Note that 些 replaces the classifier.