Chinese-all-day-breakfast/MD/g1-20.md

Grammar notes

1. Measure words

   In Chinese, when a noun is modified by numerals, demonstrative pronouns such as 這 or 那, or interrogative pronouns such as 哪 or 幾, a specific measure word should be placed between the noun and its modifier(s):

   三本書, 十五個學生, 那個老師, 哪個圖書館, 幾本詞典
   

2. 幾 and 多少

   Both of these can be used to mean "how many" or "how much". Whereas 幾 should be used with a measure word, 多少 can be used either with or without a measure word for the noun it modifies.

   你有幾本詞典﹖
   你有多少(本)詞典﹖
   

   The measure word 本 is a must for the first sentence, but only optional in the second.

   Also, when 幾 is used, the expected answer is usually under 10, whereas 多少 can be used whether one expects a large or small answer.

   你們大學有多少學生﹖
   你家有幾個人﹖
   

3. Chinese verbs that take direct and indirect objects

   As in English, some verbs in Chinese can take two objects: direct object (usually a thing) and indirect object (usually a person).

   王老師教我們語法。
   

   In this sentence, 教 is a verb that takes 我們 as the indirect object and 法語 as the direct object. Generally the indirect goes before the direct object. Some other verbs that work the same way include 還, 告訴 and 問.

   Not all Chinese verbs can take two objects: it would be wrong to say 他買我一本書 (He bought me a book), or 她寫我一封信 (She wrote me a letter). The correct way of saying these would be to use 給, as in 他給我買一本書 and 她給我寫一封信.

4. Adjectives as modifiers

   When an adjective modifies a noun, it is placed directly before the noun as in English:

   新書
       new book
   好朋友
       good friend
   

   However, when the adjective modifier is made up of two or more syllables, the particle 的 is usually inserted between the modifier and the noun it modifies:

   很新的書
       very new book
   很好的朋友
       very good friend