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Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 很?
In Chinese, 是 (shì) is used to connect nouns to other nouns to show that “a noun is another noun”.
However, to connect nouns to adjectives, 很 (hěn) is used instead of 是 (shì).
很 translates to “very” or “quite” as an adverb of degree.
很 WITH ADJECTIVES
When used with adjectives, 很 (hěn) simply links the subject of the sentence to the adjective without necessarily implying “very” or “quite”.
In these kinds of sentences, 很 functions the same as 是, to be, and is used to form sentences that show “noun is adjective” or “is noun adjective?”
NOTE || 是 cannot be used to connect nouns and adjectives.
PATTERN
Noun + 很 + Adjective (+ 吗)
很 AS A COMPLEMENT
很 is used with 得 (de) after adjectives for emphasis.
This structure intensifies the meaning of the adjective compared to a normal 很 + adjective sentence.
PATTERN
Subject + Adjective + 得很
很 WITH VERBS
很 is used with verbs that indicate emotional states to intensify and emphasize the meaning of the verb.
Some of these include 喜欢 (xǐhuān), 希望 (xīwàng), 想 (xiǎng), 讨厌 (tǎoyàn), 怕 (pà) among others.
This structure doesn’t apply to all verbs. Normally the sentence would be correct without 很.
PATTERN
Subject + 很 + Verbs showing emotional state
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FAQs
What does 很 mean?
很 (hěn) means “very” or “quite”. However, in a basic sentence, it functions as a linking word for nouns and adjectives, the same way 是 links nouns to nouns.
What is the sentence structure for 很?
Here are the 3 sentence structures for 很.
With adjectives: Noun + 很 + Adjective (+ 吗)
With verbs: Subject + 很 + Verbs showing emotional state
As a complement: Subject + Adjective + 得很
What can I use to indicate “very” in a sentence in Chinese?
You can use 非常 (fēicháng) to indicate “very”.
Since 很 is used a linking word for nouns and adjectives, it shows the basic relationship between a noun and adjective. 非常 (fēicháng) is an adverb of degree.
I am tired. 我很累。wǒ hěn lèi.
I am very tired. 我非常累。wǒ fēicháng lèi
I am busy. 我很忙。wǒ hěn máng.
I am very busy. 我非常忙。wǒ fēicháng máng.
When do I use 很 and when do I use 是?
Use 很 when you want to say that a noun is an adjective. This is when you’re describing a noun: Noun + 很 + Adjective
中国很大。zhōngguó hěn dà. China is big.
她很好。tā hěn hǎo. She is good.
老虎很大。lǎohǔ hěn dà. Tigers are big.
Use 是 when you want to say that a noun is another noun. This is when you want to define a noun: Noun + 是 + Noun
他是中国人。tā shì zhōngguó rén. He is Chinese.
她是个好人。tā shì ge hǎo rén. She is a good person.
老虎是一只大猫。lǎohǔ shì yī zhǐ dà māo. A tiger is a big cat.
How can I learn to make proper sentences in Chinese?
Our first advice would be to start taking classes with a professional teacher to help you with this.
That way, you get a structured course and can monitor your progress.
If you cannot take classes at the moment, you can learn some basic Chinese grammar to make sentences here and sentence structures here.
Don’t forget to also check our Grammar Bank that we are frequently updating with new grammar points.
How can improve my reading in Chinese?
If you have learnt at least 100 characters, then you can start reading in Chinese!
Yes, even without an extensive vocabulary under your belt, you can start reading Chinese to improve your skills. Graded readers are novels written specifically for language learners of all different levels.
Here are our recommendations of the best graded readers for Chinese.