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Verbs
Shì (to be) can only be used to equate combinations of nouns, noun phrases, and pronouns. It is not used with adjectives like, "She is warm."
Tā shì Dōngní => He is Tony.
Shì becomes negative when preceded by bù. Bù is normally 4th tone and changes to a 2nd tone when it precedes another 4th tone.
Tā bú shì Dōngní. => He is not Tony.
Adding the particle ma to the end of a sentence makes it a question. There is no change in word order. A sentence can also be made into a question by both affirmative and negative put together.
Tā bú shì Dōngní ma? => He is not Tony?
Tā shì bu shì Dōngní? => Is he Tony? (He is or is not Tony.)
The ending particle ne makes a question when the subject or context is already known.
Wǐ jiào Dōngní, nǐ ne? => I'm called Tony. How about you?
yǒu (to have) is used to indicate possession.
Wǐ yǒu san jié kè. => I have three classes.
yǒu is negated when preceded by méi.
Jintian tamen méi yǒu yì jié kè. => They don't have any class today.
Commands
(See the nouns page.)
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