Chinese-ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/MD/Grammar/docs/g10.md

The 把 sentence construction

The 把 bǎ construction is used to talk about, for example: handling or disposing of a particular object (such as sending a particular letter to somewhere); saying a particular sentence clearly; or putting something somewhere.

The verbs used in 把 bǎ sentences take complicated forms such resultative complements, directional complements and the complement of degree. Because of the complex use of verbs in the 把 bǎ construction, it is important to learn or revise the grammar points that are in the other sections relating to the 把 bǎ construction before embarking on this section.

Although 把 bǎ is not often used as a verb in modern Chinese, it still retains the meaning of to hold or to grasp. In this section I will introduce 把 bǎ as a co-verb in the 把 bǎ construction. Please note in this context that sequence is important in Chinese when it comes to describing actions. The first action in a sequence should come first in an utterance. The way to learn co-verb sentences properly is to understand the description of sequence in Chinese word order.

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To send a letter to China. To put a cup on the table. To finish drinking the wine.

The following two patterns are commonly used to form 把 bǎ sentences.

1. A sentence with a verb and direct and indirect objects

S	(没)把	O direct	V+ other element	O indirect
小 李	把	信	寄 给 了	小 王
Xiǎo Lǐ	bǎ	xìn	jì gěi le	Xiǎo Wang

Xiao Li has sent the letter to Xiao Wang.

S	(没)把	O direct	V+ other element	O indirect
小 李	把	信	寄 到	中国 去 了
Xiǎo Lǐ	bǎ	xìn	jì dào	Zhōngguó qù le

Xiao Li has sent the letter to China.

These two sentences show how the direct and indirect objects are connected by the verb complements 寄 给 jì gěi send to and 寄 到 jì dào send to. (The complement 给 gěi to is followed by persons and the complement 到 dào to is followed by places.) The above examples also demonstrate that ‘aspect’ 了le is placed after the verbs: in the first example it is placed after 寄 给 jì gěi send to and in the second example it is placed after 去 qù.

1. A sentence with a verb and an object

S	(没)把	O	V+ other element
你	没 把	话	说 清 楚
nǐ	méi bǎ	huà	shuō qīngchǔ

You didn’t say it clearly.

The negation 没 méi did not is placed before the co-verb 把 bǎ in the above sentence. Modal verbs, adverbial 地de and co-verb phrases can also precede 把 bǎ. For example

S	把	O	V+ other element
你	要 把	话	说 清 楚 吗？
nǐ	yào bǎ	huà	shuō qīngchu ma

Would you like to say it clearly?

S	把	O	V+ other element
你	在这儿 把	话	说 清 楚。
nǐ	zài zhèr bǎ	huà	shuō qīngchu

Say it clearly here.

S	把	O	V+ other element
你	一句一句地 把	话	说 清 楚。
nǐ	yí jùyí jù de bǎ	huà	shuō qīngchu

Say it clearly, sentence by sentence.

The following list consists of five types of the most common elements that can be attached to verbs in 把 sentences.

1. Complement of degree

S	---	---	---	---		把	O	V+ complement of degree
你	把	话	说 得 非 常 清 楚。
nǐ	bǎ	huà	shuō de fēicháng qīngchu

You’ve said it very clearly indeed.

1. Resultative complements apart from 见

S	把	O	V+ resultative complement
你	把	话	说 错 了。
nǐ	bǎ	huà	shuō chuò le

You’ve said it wrong.

1. Directional complements

S	把	O	V+ directional complement
你	把	衬衫	拿 进来。
nǐ	bǎ	chènshān	ná jìnlai

Bring in the shirt.

1. …action measures

S	把	O	V+ action measure
你	把	房间	整 理一下。
nǐ	bǎ	fángjiān	zhěnglǐ yíxià

Tidy up the room a little.

1. …着(as a continuous aspect)

S	把	O	V+ 着
你	把	门	开 着。
nǐ	bǎ	mén	kāi zhe

Leave the door open.

Potential verb complements are not used in the 把 bǎ construction; instead the modal verb 能 néng is placed before 把 bǎ.

S	把	O	V+ other element
你	能 把	饭	吃 完 吗?
nǐ	néng bǎ	fàn	chī wán ma

Can you finish this meal?

Assignments

Frequently asked questions Click on the following links to view the answers

1. When can I use 把 sentences?
2. How can I form a sentence with 把?
3. What are the commonly used attached verb elements in the 把 construction?
4. Apart from a subject of a sentence, what other elements which can be placed before 把?
5. Where should the negation 不 be placed if the 得 (complement of degree) construction is used in a 把 sentence?
6. Sometimes a 把 sentence contains only a simple main verb and the particle 了. Does that mean that any simple verb + 了 can be used in 把 sentences?
7. Is it right that the 把 construction can only be used for real objects, and not for abstract objects?
8. What shouldn't be used in 把 sentences?
9. When can I avoid using 把?