eric
/
ChineseGrammarWiki


			
							123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112
							<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html>

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">
<head>
<title>Alternative existential sentences</title>
<link href="../Styles/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Alternative existential sentences
</h1>

<p>Expressing something's existence in a certain place or location is not just limited to 在 (zài) and 有 (yǒu). The word order may be a little different from what you are used to, but 着 (zhe) and 是 (shì) are also ways to make everyday statements such as, "There is a book lying on the desk."</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Pattern with 着 </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Pattern with 是 </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 See also </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Sources and Further Reading </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Books</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Pattern with 着</h2>

<p>Verbs that are paired with 着 are usually stative verbs, strong action verbs are not used in this case.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Place + Verb + 着 + [Noun Phrase]
</div>
<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">桌子 上 放 着 一 本 书 。
Zhuōzi shàng fàng zhe yī běn shū .
There is a book on the desk. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">大厅 里 站 着 一些 警察 。
Dàtīng lǐ zhàn zhe yīxiē jǐngchá.
There are several policemen standing in the hall. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">教室 里 坐 着 两 百 多 个 学生 。
Jiàoshì lǐ zuò zhe liǎng bǎi duō gè xuéshēng.
There are more than two hundred students sitting in the classroom. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">地下室 里 堆 着 很 多 旧 东西 。
Dìxiàshì lǐ duī zhe hěn duō jiù dōngxi.
The basement is piled with lots of old stuff. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">楼下 停 着 几 辆 车 。
Lóuxià tíng zhe jǐ liàng chē.
A few cars are parked downstairs.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>
</h2>


Pattern with 是

<p>The subject in the 是 sentence pattern indicates the location or area. The object behind 是 is the only thing in this area.
</p>
<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Place + 是 + [Noun Phrase]
</div>
<h3>Examples</h3>
<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">洗衣机 里 是 一些 脏 衣服 。There is nothing in the washing machine other than the dirty clothes.
Xǐyījī lǐ shì yīxiē zāng yīfu.
There are dirty clothes inside the washing machine. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">袋子 里 是 我 的 午饭 。The only thing in the bag is my lunch.
Dàizi lǐ shì wǒ de wǔfàn.
My lunch is in the bag. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">墙 上 都 是 他 家人 的 照片 。His family's photos are all over the wall, and nothing else is on he wall.
Qiáng shàng dōu shì tā jiārén de zhàopiàn.
His family's photos are hanging on the wall. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">盒子 里 是 你 的 礼物 。Other than your gift, there is nothing else in the box.
Hézi lǐ shì nǐ de lǐwù.
Your gift is in the box. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">桌子 上 是 昨天 没 吃完 的 菜 。The food that was left over from yesterday is the only thing on the table.
Zhuōzi shàng shì zuótiān méi chī wán de cài.
The food that was left over from yesterday is on the table.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Note that 是 is used to describe a singular object existing somewhere, while 有 can refer to multiple objects/people.
</p>
<h3>See also
</h3>
<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Indicating location with "zai" before verbs </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Special cases of "zai" following verbs </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing existence in a place with "zai"</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>Sources and Further Reading
</h3>
<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 128) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 191) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 264, 325) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 40-1, 164-5, 185) →buy</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
</body>
</html>