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  <h1></h1>

  <p>"<b>Separable verbs</b>" get their name from their ability to "separate" into two parts (a <a href="verb" class="uri" title="wikilink">verb</a> part and an <a href="object" class="uri" title="wikilink">object</a> part), with other words in between. In fact, you could also simply call separable verbs "<b>verb-object</b> <a href="phrase" title="wikilink">phrases</a>."</p>

  <h2>Contents</h2>

  <ol>
    <li>Structure<br/></li>

    <li>Examples<br/></li>

    <li>See also<br/></li>

    <li>Sources and further reading<br/></li>

    <ol>
      <li>Books<br/></li>
    </ol>
  </ol>

  <h2 id="what-they-are">What They Are</h2>

  <p>Purely from the "<b>separable</b>" aspect, Mandarin's separable verbs have a counterpart in English: phrasal verbs (also called two-word verbs). While the grammatical components of English's phrasal verbs are different, the "<b>separable</b>" quality works in a very similar way. Take the phrasal verb "<b>check out</b>" for example:</p>

  <ul>
    <li>Check out my new computer.</li>

    <li>Check my new computer out.</li>
  </ul>

  <p>Do you see what happened there? The verb "<b>check out</b>" can split into two parts (a verb and a preposition), and other words can go in between those two parts. Separable verbs work much the same way in Chinese, except that the two parts are a verb and an <b>object</b> (<b>a noun</b>).</p>

  <p>Let's look at a typical example in Chinese, using the verb <span class="hanzi">见面</span>, meaning "<b>to meet</b>."</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我们 明天 见面 。</span> no separating</span><span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen míngtiān jiànmiàn.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我们 昨天 见 了 面 。</span> separated, 了 inserted</span><span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen zuótiān jiàn le miàn.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我们 见 过 面 。</span>separated, 过inserted</span><span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen jiàn guo miàn.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>Below we will introduce separable verbs in more detail, provide more examples, and also offer more specific cases of where separable verbs can get tricky.</p>

  <h2 id="why-use-them">Why Use Them</h2>

  <p>If separable verbs are simply verb-object phrases, then why the special name? It's because there are some special features of Chinese verb-object phrases worth special attention, and the name "<b>separable verbs</b>" helps call attention to this. Mastering separable verbs can be a little tricky, and is an essential objective of the intermediate (<a href="B1" class="uri" title="wikilink">B1</a>) level learner of Chinese.</p>

  <p>Separable verbs are just one of those things you can't avoid. Many extremely common verbs, such as "<b>to sleep</b>" (<span class="hanzi">睡觉</span>) or "<b>to meet</b>" (<span class="hanzi">见面</span>) are separable verbs, and until you understand which verbs are separable verbs and how they work, you'll forever be making mistakes with these verbs, even in very basic sentences.</p>

  <h2 id="how-to-use-them">How to Use Them</h2>

  <p>First, you need to understand the structure of separable verbs. Most separable verbs are a "<b>Verb + Object</b>" (the object is a noun) construct. One might wonder, then, why there needs to be a separate category called "<b>separable verbs</b>" instead of just thinking of them as a verb and an object. There are several reasons to think of them as special verbs:</p>

  <ol>
    <li>Many separable verbs can't be easily translated into other languages in a way that makes both the verb and the object part clear. For example, <span class="hanzi">睡觉</span> (<b>to sleep</b>), <span class="hanzi">游泳</span> (<b>to swim</b>), or <span class="hanzi">结婚</span> (<b>to get married</b>). In these examples, it's just not easy to think of the objects as an object.</li>

    <li>The relationship between the verb and the object in a separable verb pair is very close; adding the object to the verb is sort of the "<b>default form</b>" of the verb, even if the verb part can be used without the object.</li>

    <li>Separable verbs are a source of frequent errors from learners of Chinese. No matter how you think of them, it's good to give these "<b>words</b>" or "<b>phrases</b>" extra attention to make your Chinese more natural.</li>
  </ol>

  <p>The key to using separable verbs correctly is to remember that they are "<b>Verb + Object</b>" constructs. The verb alone must be treated as a verb, and the object cannot be treated as a verb. It's from this essential relationship that the following principles flow:</p>

  <h3 id="common-examples">Common Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 想 跟 你 见面 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ jiànmiàn.</span><span class="vert"> the prepositional phrase, literally "with you," comes before the verb</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 想 见面 你 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng jiànmiàn nǐ.</span><span class="vert"> 你 is an extra object; 面 is already the object</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 都 可以 帮忙 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu kěyǐ bāngmáng.</span><br/><span> All of us can help you with this.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 都 可以 帮忙 你 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu kěyǐ bāngmáng nǐ.</span><span class="vert"> 你 is an extra object; 忙, which means "a favor", is already the object</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 想 跟 她 结婚 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng gēn tā jiéhūn.</span><span class="vert"> the prepositional phrase, literally "with her," comes before the verb</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 想 结婚 她 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng jiéhūn tā.</span><span class="vert"> 她 is an extra object; 婚 is already the object</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他 不 喜欢 聊 他 的 工作 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā bù xǐhuan liáo tā de gōngzuò.</span><br/><span> He doesn't like to talk about his work.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 不 喜欢 跟 我 聊天 他 的 工作 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā bù xǐhuan liátiān tā de gōngzuò.</span><span class="vert"> 天 is an extra object; 他的工作 is already the object.</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他 下个月 离职 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā xià gè yuè lízhí.</span><br/><span> He will leave his job next month.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 下个月 离职 他 的 工作 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā xià gè yuè lízhí tā de gōngzuò.</span><span class="vert"> 他的工作 is an extra object; 职, which means "job," is already the object</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h3 id="used-with-了-着-过">Used with <span class="hanzist">了, 着, 过</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">见 了 面</span> <span class="pinyin">jiàn le miàn</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">见 过 面</span> <span class="pinyin">jiàn guo miàn</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">结 了 婚</span> <span class="pinyin">jié le hūn</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">结 过 婚</span> <span class="pinyin">jié guo hūn</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">开 了 会</span> <span class="pinyin">kāi le huì</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">开 过 会</span> <span class="pinyin">kāi guo huì</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">开 着 会</span> <span class="pinyin">kāi zhe huì</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">吃 了 饭</span> <span class="pinyin">chī le fàn</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">吃 过 饭</span> <span class="pinyin">chī guo fàn</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">吃 着 饭</span> <span class="pinyin">chī zhe fàn</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>Note: unlike the particles <span class="hanzi">过</span> and <span class="hanzi">着</span>, the particle <span class="hanzi">了</span> is especially tricky, and it can also appear after the object. So it can be correct in multiple places.</p>

  <h3 id="used-with-measure-words">Used with Measure Words</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">见 个 面 吧 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Jiàn gè miàn</span><br/><span> Let's meet.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 见 过 三 次 面</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jiàn guo sān cì miàn</span><br/><span> We've met three times.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">什么时候 有空 ，出来 吃 个 饭 吧 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Shénme shíhou yǒu kòng, chūlái chī gè fànba.</span><br/><span> When you're available, let's go out for dinner.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">老板 请 大家 吃 了 一 顿 饭</span> <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn qǐng dàjiā chī le yī dùn fàn.</span><br/><span> The boss invited everyone to dinner.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">希望 你 今晚 睡 个 好 觉 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Xīwàng nǐ jīnwǎn shuì gè hǎo jiào.</span><br/><span> I hope you can have some good sleep tonight.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">昨晚 我 只 睡 了 一 个 小时 觉 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Zuówǎn wǒ zhǐ shuì le yī gè xiǎoshí jiào.</span><br/><span> I only slept one hour last night.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他 爷爷 结 过 三 次 婚 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā yéye jié guo sān cì hūn.</span><br/><span> His grandpa got married three times.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h3 id="how-to-reduplicate">How to Reduplicate</h3>

  <p><a href="Verb_reduplication" title="wikilink">Reduplication</a> is a way to express the casual nature of a verb, or that it happens only briefly. When it comes to separable verbs, only the verb part reduplicates.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">见 见 面</span> <span class="pinyin">jiàn jiàn miàn</span><span class="vert"> the proper reduplication repeats only the verb 见)</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">见面 见面</span> <span class="pinyin">jiànmiàn jiànmiàn</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">吃 吃 饭</span> <span class="pinyin">chī chī fàn</span><span class="vert"> the proper reduplication repeats only the verb 吃)</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">吃饭吃饭</span> <span class="pinyin">chīfàn chīfàn</span><span class="vert"> 饭 is the object; it should not be repeated.)</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">散 散 步</span> <span class="pinyin">sàn sàn bù</span><span class="vert"> the proper reduplication repeats only the verb 散)</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">散步散步</span> <span class="pinyin">sàn bù sànbù</span> <span class="vert"> 步 is the object; it should not be repeated.)</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>Note that separable verbs can't be used with <span class="hanzi">一下</span> to express it happens briefly.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">见面 一下</span> <span class="pinyin">jiànmiàn yīxià</span></li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">散步一下</span> <span class="pinyin">sànbù yīxià</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="common-examples-1">Common examples</h2>

  <p>Perhaps the most common examples of separable verbs that beginners struggle with are <span class="hanzi">见面</span> and <span class="hanzi">睡觉</span>. For a more complete list, see the <a href="list_of_separable_verbs" title="wikilink">list of separable verbs</a>.</p>

  <h2 id="academic-debate">Academic debate</h2>

  <p>There is some debate as to how useful the concept of separable verbs really is. For our purposes, we're only concerned with whether or not separable verbs are a useful concept for the student of Mandarin Chinese. Many learners do, in fact, find the concept to be quite useful in helping them speak more natural Chinese.</p>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Chinese Grammar Without Tears (<span class="hanzi">简明汉语语法学习手册</span>) (pp. 208)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本3</span>) (pp. 16-7)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 113)</li>

    <li>40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (<span class="hanzi">基础汉语40课上册</span>） (p. 111)</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>The Canadian TCSL Association: <a href="http://www.canadiantcslassociation.ca/PDF/jor0852037.pdf">离合词教学的理论与实践</a></li>

    <li><span class="hanzi">北京语言大学网络教育学院</span>: <a href="http://media.eblcu.cn/cls/demo/401053/course/1/1/sid003.htm">离合词及其教学</a></li>

    <li><span class="hanzi">百度百科</span>: <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/165257.htm">离合词</a></li>

    <li>Sinosplice.com: <a href="http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2008/10/13/syntactic-anguish-of-the-verb-object-modifier-variety"> Syntactic Anguish of the Verb-Object-Modifier Variety</a></li>

    <li>ChinesePod (free content): <a href="http://chinesepod.com/lessons/separable-verbs">Qing Wen - Separable Verbs</a></li>

    <li>Chinesegrammar.info: <a href="http://chinesegrammar.info/vocabulary/bang-and-bang-mang/">A look into the seperable verb 帮忙 by comparing it to 帮.</a></li>

    <li>Mandarin Friend: <a href="https://mandarinfriend.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/separable-verbs-a-misleading-concept-for-chinese-learners/"> “Separable Verbs” – A Misleading and Unnecessary Concept</a></li>
  </ul>
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