Lenguia | HSK 1 Grammar: 31 Topics & Examples

Pinyin (拼音) is the official romanization that turns Mandarin sounds into letters of the Latin alphabet. Every Mandarin syllable is built from three parts: an optional initial (声母, the consonant at the start), a final (韵母, the vowel core, possibly with a glide and/or a final -n / -ng / -r), and a tone. There are 21 initials and 39 finals; together they generate around 400 distinct toneless syllables. Pinyin is not English: a 'q' is not 'kw', a 'c' is not 'k', a 'zh' is not English 'j'. Treat each pinyin letter as a fresh symbol with a fixed Mandarin sound.

Key rule

Each pinyin letter has a fixed Mandarin value, not its English value. Aspiration (b/p, d/t, g/k, j/q, zh/ch, z/c) replaces voicing. Retroflex zh/ch/sh/r ≠ dental z/c/s. ü is its own vowel; it loses the umlaut after j/q/x/y.

Examples

bā / pā (八 / 趴) — eight / lie face down
Both pronounced like English 'b'
b is unaspirated (a tight, dry stop, almost like a soft English 'p'), p is aspirated (clear puff of air). Hold a tissue in front of your mouth: it should not move on 'bā' but should flap on 'pā'.
dà (大) — big
Pronounced 'dah' as in English 'duh'
Mandarin d is unaspirated and tense; English 'd' is voiced. The Mandarin 'dà' sounds closer to a tight English 'tah' without the air puff.
qī (七) — seven
Pronounced 'kwee'
q is not English 'kw'. q is the aspirated palatal partner of j — like the 'ch' in 'cheap' but with the tongue blade against the lower teeth and a clear puff of air.

Common mistakes

Pronouncing b/d/g as voiced English consonants
Saying 'bā' like English 'bah' (with vocal cord vibration during the b)
Mandarin b is unaspirated and largely voiceless — closer to English 'p' without the puff
Mandarin contrasts b/p, d/t, g/k by aspiration (puff of air), not voicing (vocal-cord vibration). English speakers hear unaspirated stops as 'b/d/g' even though they're acoustically closer to a relaxed 'p/t/k'.
Reading q as 'kw' and x as 'ks'
qī read as 'kwee', xī read as 'ksee'
q ≈ 'ch' (aspirated, palatal); x ≈ 'sh' (soft, palatal); both with tongue against lower teeth
q and x are non-English letters in Pinyin and must be re-learned. Reading them with English letter values produces unintelligible Mandarin.

HSK1 / A1Writing system

The Four Tones plus Neutral Tone

四声与轻声 (sìshēng yǔ qīngshēng)

Mandarin is a tonal language: the pitch of your voice on a syllable changes the word's meaning. Standard Mandarin has four tones plus a neutral (toneless) tone. Tone 1 is high and flat (mā 妈 'mother'); Tone 2 rises like a question (má 麻 'hemp'); Tone 3 dips low and then rises (mǎ 马 'horse'); Tone 4 falls sharply, like a command (mà 骂 'scold'). The neutral tone is short, light, and unstressed (ma 吗 — the question particle). Getting tones wrong is not a small accent issue — it changes the word entirely. 'Mā mā mà mǎ' and 'Mā mā mǎ mà' mean different things.

Key rule

Mandarin has 4 tones (high-flat, rising, dipping, falling) plus a neutral. Tone is part of the word — getting it wrong gives you a different word. Tone marks go on the most prominent vowel: a > o > e > i > u > ü.

Examples

妈 mā (Tone 1, mother) — say it high and flat
妈 ma (no tone)
Without Tone 1, the syllable is interpreted as the neutral tone or a non-word. Hold the pitch high and steady, like singing one note.
麻 má (Tone 2, hemp) — rising
麻 mā
Tone 2 rises from mid to high — like the English 'Huh?' Without the rise, the listener hears 'mother' (mā), not 'hemp' (má).
马 mǎ (Tone 3, horse) — low dip then rise
马 má
Tone 3 starts low, dips even lower, then rises. In isolation the full contour is heard. In connected speech you usually hear the low part only ('half third tone').

Common mistakes

Treating tones as optional 'accent'
Saying 'wo xihuan ni' with English-like intonation, ignoring tones
wǒ xǐhuān nǐ — Tone 3, Tone 3 + 1, Tone 3
Tones are not stress or pitch accent; they are part of the word's identity. Without correct tones, native speakers may not understand you at all.
Confusing Tone 2 and Tone 3
Saying má (麻 hemp) when you mean mǎ (马 horse)
Tone 2 rises continuously; Tone 3 dips low first, then rises (or stays low in connected speech)
Tone 2 and Tone 3 both end with rising pitch, but Tone 3 starts low. The 'low' part is the distinguishing feature.

HSK1 / A2Writing system

Basic Tone Sandhi (3rd-Tone Sandhi, 一/不 Sandhi)

变调（基础）(biàndiào — jīchǔ)

Tone sandhi (变调 biàndiào, 'tone change') is a set of rules that change the pitch of a syllable depending on what tone follows it. Three rules are essential at HSK 1: (1) **Two third tones in a row**: the first one becomes a second tone. So 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is pronounced 'ní hǎo'. The spelling stays nǐ, but the sound changes. (2) **一 (yī, one)**: pronounced yī alone, but yì before a 4th tone (一定 yídìng — wait, before 4th it's yí... let me re-examine). Correctly: 一 is yī alone or final; yí before a 4th tone (一定 yídìng); yì before 1st/2nd/3rd tones (一天 yìtiān, 一年 yìnián, 一起 yìqǐ). (3) **不 (bù, not)**: pronounced bù alone or before 1st/2nd/3rd tones, but bú before a 4th tone (不是 bú shì, 不去 bú qù). Native pinyin textbooks usually write the changed tones (yídìng, bú shì), but some textbooks keep the original.

Key rule

Three sandhi rules at HSK 1: (1) T3 + T3 → T2 + T3 (你好 → ní hǎo). (2) 一 = yī alone/ordinal, yí before T4, yì before T1/T2/T3. (3) 不 = bù alone or before T1/T2/T3/neutral, bú before T4.

Examples

你好 nǐ hǎo → pronounced 'ní hǎo'
Pronounced 'nǐ hǎo' (full T3 on both)
Two third tones in a row: the first becomes a second tone. The sound changes; the spelling 'nǐ hǎo' is conventional but pronunciation is 'ní hǎo'.
我也很好 wǒ yě hěn hǎo → 'wó yé hén hǎo'
All four full T3s
Chain of T3s: every T3 except the last one changes to T2. Only the final 好 keeps its full third-tone contour.
一定 yídìng (definitely)
yīdìng
一 (T1) → yí (T2) before T4 syllable 定 (dìng). Most textbooks write the sandhi-changed form yídìng.

Common mistakes

Failing to apply T3+T3 sandhi
Saying 'nǐ hǎo' with two full third tones
Pronounce 'ní hǎo' (first T3 → T2)
The rule is automatic for native speakers and obligatory in fluent speech. Two full T3s in a row sound unnatural and very 'foreign'.
Forgetting 一 sandhi
Saying 'yī ge' for 一个
yí ge (一 → yí before T4 / lowered T4)
一 sandhi is one of the most frequent sandhi rules — 一个, 一点, 一些, 一边 etc. all involve sandhi. Skipping it sounds robotic.

HSK1 / A2Writing system

Pinyin Orthography (Apostrophe, ü Writing, Capitalization)

拼音正字法 (pīnyīn zhèngzìfǎ)

Pinyin has a small but important set of spelling rules beyond letters and tones. (1) **The apostrophe (')**: when one syllable ends in a vowel and the next syllable begins with a, o, or e, an apostrophe goes between them so the reader doesn't merge them — Xī'ān (西安, the city), not Xian. (2) **ü writing**: keep the umlaut after n and l (nǚ 女 'woman', lǜ 绿 'green'); drop it after j, q, x, y (ju, qu, xu, yu — still pronounced ü). (3) **Capitalization**: capitalize the first letter of a sentence, of proper names (Beijing, Wáng Lǐ), and of place names. (4) **Word spacing**: pinyin separates words with spaces, but the syllables of a multi-syllable word are written together (xuésheng, not xué sheng). (5) **Erhua (儿化)**: the rhotic suffix 儿 is written -r at the end of the preceding syllable's pinyin (huār 花儿 'flower', wánr 玩儿 'play').

Key rule

Five orthographic conventions: (1) apostrophe before syllable-initial a/o/e to mark boundaries; (2) keep ü after n/l, drop it after j/q/x/y; (3) capitalize sentence starts and proper names; (4) write multi-syllable words together with spaces between words; (5) erhua 儿 → -r on the preceding syllable.

Examples

Xī'ān (西安, the city)
Xian
Without the apostrophe, 'Xian' could be read as a single syllable (like 鲜 xiān). The apostrophe forces the syllable break between Xī and ān.
Tiān'ānmén (天安门)
Tiānānmén or Tian'an'men
The boundary between 天 (tiān) and 安 (ān) needs the apostrophe because 安 starts with a vowel. The boundary between 安 and 门 (mén) does not need one because 门 starts with a consonant.
nǚ (女, woman) — keep the umlaut
nu (would mean 怒 'angry')
After n, both u and ü are possible. The umlaut is mandatory to distinguish them.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the apostrophe before vowel-initial syllables
Writing 'Xian' for 西安
Xī'ān
Without the apostrophe, the word is ambiguous — 'Xian' could be xiān (one syllable). Place names and proper nouns frequently need this disambiguation.
Writing the umlaut after j/q/x/y
Writing 'jüǎn' or 'qǖ'
juǎn, qū
Convention drops the umlaut after these four initials because no ambiguity exists. Writing it back in is non-standard.

HSK1 / A1Writing system

Hanzi Introduction: Strokes & Stroke Order

汉字入门：笔画与笔顺 (Hànzì rùmén: bǐhuà yǔ bǐshùn)

Chinese characters (汉字 Hànzì) are built from a small set of basic strokes (笔画 bǐhuà). Eight types cover almost everything: 横 héng (horizontal), 竖 shù (vertical), 撇 piě (left-falling diagonal), 捺 nà (right-falling diagonal), 点 diǎn (dot), 提 tí (rising), 折 zhé (turning), 钩 gōu (hook). Strokes are written in a fixed order called 笔顺 (bǐshùn). The basic rules are: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside, then close the box, and middle before sides for symmetric characters. Stroke order isn't optional decoration — it affects how the character looks, how dictionaries are organized, and how electronic input methods recognize handwriting. A character like 我 (wǒ, I) has 7 strokes; 国 (guó, country) has 8; 永 (yǒng, eternal) is the classic 8-stroke character used to teach all eight basic strokes.

Key rule

Eight basic strokes (横竖撇捺点提折钩); seven main stroke-order rules (top→bottom, left→right, horizontal-before-vertical, outside→inside, outside-inside-close, middle-before-sides). Stroke order affects appearance, lookup, and handwriting input recognition.

Examples

三 sān (three): 一 then 一 then 一 (top → middle → bottom)
Writing the bottom horizontal first or middle first
Top-to-bottom rule: the three horizontals are written in order from top to bottom.
十 shí (ten): 一 (horizontal) then 丨 (vertical)
Vertical first, then horizontal
Horizontal-before-vertical rule applies whenever the two cross.
口 kǒu (mouth): 丨 (left vertical), then 𠃌 (top-and-right as one turning stroke), then 一 (bottom)
Left vertical, top horizontal, right vertical, bottom horizontal — 4 strokes
口 is 3 strokes, not 4. The top horizontal and right vertical are written together as one 'turning' stroke (横折).

Common mistakes

Writing strokes in random order
Drawing 三 from bottom up
Always top to bottom for parallel horizontals; rule never violated
Aesthetic balance and handwriting-recognition algorithms both depend on standard order. Random order also fails dictionary lookup.
Closing 口-shaped boxes too early
Drawing the bottom of 国 before filling in 玉
Always: outer frame except bottom → inner content → bottom closes
Closing the box first leaves no aesthetic or physical room for the contents. The rule is universal for box-radicals 囗.

HSK1 / A1Writing system

Simplified vs Traditional Awareness (basic)

简体字与繁体字（认识）(jiǎntǐzì yǔ fántǐzì — rènshi)

There are two main writing systems for Chinese characters: **simplified (简体字 jiǎntǐzì)** and **traditional (繁体字 fántǐzì)**. Mainland China and Singapore use simplified characters, which were introduced by the Chinese government in the 1950s-60s to make characters easier to write and to raise literacy. Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and many overseas Chinese communities use traditional characters, the older form. Many characters are identical in both systems — 人 (person), 我 (I), 你 (you), 大 (big), 小 (small) all look the same. But many common ones differ: 国 vs 國 (country), 学 vs 學 (study), 们 vs 們 (plural marker), 见 vs 見 (see), 时 vs 時 (time), 个 vs 個 (general classifier), 龙 vs 龍 (dragon). This app teaches simplified characters as the primary system, but you should be aware that traditional exists — you'll see it on signs, in older texts, and in films from Taiwan or Hong Kong.

Key rule

Simplified characters (used in mainland China & Singapore) reduce strokes vs traditional (used in Taiwan, HK, Macau). HSK uses simplified exclusively. Many HSK 1 characters are identical in both; learn the simplified form, recognize that traditional exists.

Examples

国 (simplified) — country
Confusing with 國 as 'wrong' or 'old'
Both 国 (simplified) and 國 (traditional) are valid — they're just different writing standards used in different places. The simplified form has 8 strokes vs the traditional's 11.
学 (simplified) — to study
Writing 學 in HSK exam contexts
HSK 3.0 requires simplified. 學 is not wrong as a character, but it's not the standard for the HSK system.
你 — same in both systems
Looking for a 'traditional version' of 你
Many characters never needed simplification because they were already structurally simple (我, 你, 他, 大, 小, 人, 中, 八).

Common mistakes

Believing traditional is 'old/wrong' or simplified is 'real Chinese'
Telling a Taiwanese learner that their characters are 'outdated'
Both are current, valid systems used by hundreds of millions of speakers
Calling either form wrong is factually incorrect and culturally insensitive. Each system is the standard in its respective region.
Mixing simplified and traditional within a single text
Writing 我学習中文 (mixing simplified 我学 with traditional 習)
Pick one system and stay consistent: 我学习中文 (all simplified) or 我學習中文 (all traditional)
Mixing looks unprofessional and confuses readers. HSK requires fully simplified output.

HSK1 / A1Pronouns demonstratives

Basic Personal Pronouns (我 / 你 / 他 / 她 / 它 + plurals)

人称代词（基础）(rénchēng dàicí — jīchǔ)

Mandarin personal pronouns are simple compared to most languages: there are no different forms for subject and object — 我 (wǒ) means both 'I' and 'me'. The pronouns are: 我 wǒ (I/me), 你 nǐ (you), 他 tā (he/him), 她 tā (she/her), 它 tā (it — for animals or objects). To make any pronoun plural, just add 们 (men): 我们 wǒmen (we/us), 你们 nǐmen (you, plural), 他们 tāmen (they/them — masculine or mixed group), 她们 tāmen (they/them — all-female group). All three third-person pronouns 他/她/它 sound exactly the same (tā) — only the writing distinguishes them, so listening relies on context. There's also a polite form 您 (nín) for 'you' — covered separately at HSK 3.

Key rule

Mandarin pronouns: 我 wǒ (I/me), 你 nǐ (you), 他/她/它 tā (he/she/it). Add 们 for plural (我们/你们/他们/她们). No case distinction — 我 = both 'I' and 'me'. 他/她/它 sound identical; only the writing differs.

Examples

我是学生。(Wǒ shì xuésheng.) — I am a student.
Treating 我 as English 'I' that needs an object form 'me' elsewhere
我 doesn't change form. The same 我 is used as subject (我是…) and as object (你看我 'You see me').
你看我。(Nǐ kàn wǒ.) — You see me.
你看 wǒme. (Trying to inflect 我 as object)
Mandarin pronouns have no object-form variant. Subject and object pronouns are identical — only word order distinguishes the role.
他是医生。她是老师。(Tā shì yīsheng. Tā shì lǎoshī.) — He is a doctor. She is a teacher.
Distinguishing pronunciation between 他 and 她
他 and 她 are both pronounced **tā**. The writing distinguishes them, but spoken Mandarin relies on context (or the noun mentioned earlier) to know whether 'he' or 'she' is meant.

Common mistakes

Inventing object forms like 'me, him, her'
Saying 你看 me 'You see me' or trying 'wo-me' as an object form
你看我 (Nǐ kàn wǒ.) — same 我 in object position
Mandarin pronouns have no inflectional case. Word order, not form, signals subject vs object role.
Pronouncing 他 / 她 / 它 differently
Saying 'tā' for 他 but 'shē' for 她
All three are tā — the writing distinguishes them, not the speech
她 was created in writing in the early 20th century to translate Western 'she'. It is pronounced identically to 他 in modern Mandarin.

HSK1 / A1Pronouns demonstratives

这 / 那 — Basic Demonstratives

这与那（基础）(zhè yǔ nà — jīchǔ)

Mandarin has two basic demonstratives: 这 (zhè, 'this' — close to the speaker) and 那 (nà, 'that' — farther away). They work in two ways: (1) on their own as a pronoun, like 'this is…' (这是我的书 'This is my book'); and (2) in front of a noun, where they require a measure word in between: 这本书 'this book' (literally 'this measure-word book'), 那个人 'that person'. In casual speech, 这 is often pronounced **zhèi** and 那 is pronounced **nèi** — these are contractions of 这一 and 那一. The interrogative pair is 哪 (nǎ, 'which?') — 哪本书? 'which book?' The full question form for 'where' is 哪儿/哪里, taught in the next tag.

Key rule

这 (zhè) = 'this' (near speaker); 那 (nà) = 'that' (far from speaker). Standalone as pronoun (这是…); with a noun, requires a measure word: 这 + MW + N (这本书). Plurals: 这些/那些 (no measure word needed).

Examples

这是我的书。(Zhè shì wǒ de shū.) — This is my book.
这书是我的 (without 是 sounds like a topic-comment, OK but a different structure)
这 as a pronoun subject; 是 (is) connects it to the predicate.
那是什么? (Nà shì shénme?) — What is that?
那什么是 (wrong word order)
Subject 那 + verb 是 + question word 什么. Question word stays in object position; no fronting.
这本书很好。(Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo.) — This book is very good.
这书很好 (missing measure word)
Demonstrative + Noun requires a measure word in between. 本 is the classifier for books.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the measure word with 这/那 + Noun
这书 'this book' instead of 这本书
Always: Demonstrative + Measure Word + Noun (这本书, 那个人, 这只狗)
Unlike English 'this book', Mandarin grammar requires a classifier. Skipping it is one of the most common HSK 1 errors.
Using the wrong measure word
这个书 (这+个+书)
这本书 (book takes 本, not 个)
个 is general-purpose but not universal. Specific nouns take specific classifiers — book = 本, paper / picture = 张, dog / cat = 只, vehicle = 辆. Use 个 only when no specific classifier is known.

HSK1 / A1Pronouns demonstratives

这儿 / 那儿 / 这里 / 那里 — Place Demonstratives

这儿、那儿、这里、那里 (zhèr / nàr / zhèlǐ / nàlǐ)

To say 'here' and 'there' in Mandarin, you have two interchangeable options: **这儿 / 那儿** (zhèr / nàr) — common in northern China and Beijing colloquial speech, with the rhotic 儿-suffix; or **这里 / 那里** (zhèlǐ / nàlǐ) — more common in southern China, Taiwan, and in formal writing. Both pairs mean exactly the same thing. They work like nouns: you can say 我在这儿 'I am here' or 我在这里 'I am here' — same meaning. The interrogative form 'where?' is **哪儿 / 哪里** (nǎr / nǎlǐ) — also a free regional choice. Pick one set and stick with it within a single conversation or text.

Key rule

这儿 (zhèr) = 这里 (zhèlǐ) = 'here'. 那儿 (nàr) = 那里 (nàlǐ) = 'there'. 哪儿 (nǎr) = 哪里 (nǎlǐ) = 'where?'. Choice is regional/stylistic — pick one and stay consistent. Always after 在 / 来 / 去 / 到 to mark location.

Examples

我在这儿。(Wǒ zài zhèr.) — I am here.
我在这。
在 + 这儿 (or 这里) marks location. The bare 这 isn't a location word; it's a demonstrative pronoun.
他在那里。(Tā zài nàlǐ.) — He is there.
他在那。
Same rule: location requires 那儿 or 那里, not bare 那.
你在哪儿? (Nǐ zài nǎr?) — Where are you?
你在哪? — sounds incomplete in spoken Mandarin
The interrogative 'where' requires the place form 哪儿 or 哪里. Bare 哪 only means 'which?'.

Common mistakes

Using bare 这 / 那 for 'here / there'
我在这 'I am here'
我在这儿 / 我在这里
这 / 那 alone are pronouns ('this/that'), not location words. They cannot follow 在/来/去/到. The -儿 or -里 suffix is mandatory to form a place noun.
Mixing 儿 and 里 in the same text
我在这儿，他在那里 — inconsistent
Pick one register: 我在这儿，他在那儿 (Northern) or 我在这里，他在那里 (Southern/formal)
Mixing within a single text suggests a non-native voice. Choose one and stay consistent — both are correct on their own.

HSK1 / A1Pronouns demonstratives

什么 / 谁 / 哪 — Basic Question Words

什么、谁、哪（基础）(shénme / shéi / nǎ — jīchǔ)

Three basic question words at HSK 1: **什么** (shénme, 'what') — for things; **谁** (shéi, also pronounced shuí, 'who') — for people; and **哪** (nǎ, 'which') — used with a measure word and noun (哪本书? 'which book?'). The most important rule: **question words stay in the same place where the answer would go**. There's no fronting like English 'What did he buy?' In Mandarin you say 他买了什么? — literally 'He bought what?' — keeping 什么 in object position. To form a question with these words, no extra particle is needed; their presence alone signals a question.

Key rule

什么 (shénme, 'what') — things; 谁 (shéi, 'who') — people; 哪 (nǎ, 'which') — combined with MW+N. Question words stay in situ (no fronting). No 吗 needed with question words.

Examples

你叫什么名字? (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) — What is your name?
什么是你的名字? (literal English-order)
什么名字 stays in the same slot a name would go. The question word doesn't move to the front.
他是谁? (Tā shì shéi?) — Who is he?
谁他是?
Word order: Subject + 是 + 谁 (predicate). 谁 stays where the predicate noun would go.
谁是你的老师? (Shéi shì nǐ de lǎoshī?) — Who is your teacher?
Adding 吗 at the end
When 谁 is the subject, no inversion needed. No 吗 because the question word is already there.

Common mistakes

Fronting the question word like English
什么你想吃? for 'What do you want to eat?'
你想吃什么?
Mandarin keeps question words in situ. The question slot is where the answer would naturally go.
Adding 吗 to a question-word question
你叫什么名字吗?
你叫什么名字?
吗 is exclusively for yes/no questions. Question-word questions are marked by the presence of the word; adding 吗 is doubly marking and ungrammatical.

HSK1 / A2Pronouns demonstratives

几 vs 多少 — Quantity Question Words

几与多少 (jǐ yǔ duōshǎo)

Mandarin has two ways to ask 'how many / how much': **几** (jǐ) and **多少** (duōshǎo). The difference is about expected size. **几** asks for a small number, usually under 10, and it **must be followed by a measure word**: 你有几本书? 'How many books do you have?' (expecting 1-9). **多少** asks for any quantity, large or small, and the **measure word is optional**: 你有多少本书? or just 你有多少书? Both work. **多少** is also the only choice for things you can't easily count one by one (money, time, weight): 多少钱? 'How much money?' / 多少水? 'How much water?'. Two fixed questions to memorize: **几岁?** 'How old?' (asking a child); **多少钱?** 'How much does it cost?'.

Key rule

几 (jǐ) + MW + N for small numbers (~1-9, MW required). 多少 (duōshǎo) for any quantity, including mass nouns (MW optional). Fixed: 几岁? (kid's age); 多少钱? (price).

Examples

你有几本书? (Nǐ yǒu jǐ běn shū?) — How many books do you have? (expecting 1-9)
你有几书? (no MW)
几 must be followed by a measure word + noun. 本 is the classifier for books.
你们班有多少学生? (Nǐmen bān yǒu duōshǎo xuésheng?) — How many students are in your class? (any number)
你们班有几学生? (expecting only 1-9 in a class — odd)
Use 多少 when the expected answer is large or unknown. The MW (个) is optional with 多少: 多少学生 = 多少个学生.
这个多少钱? (Zhège duōshǎo qián?) — How much is this?
这个几钱? (wrong — money uses 多少)
Money is a mass-like quantity; always 多少钱, never 几钱. This is one of the most-used Mandarin questions.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the measure word with 几
你有几书?
你有几本书?
几 + MW + N is a fixed structure. The measure word cannot be omitted.
Using 几 for money
几钱?
多少钱?
Money is a mass-like quantity. Always 多少钱. 几 implies a countable small number, which doesn't apply to money.

HSK1 / A1Prepositions coverbs

Location Words (方位词): 上 / 下 / 前 / 后 / 左 / 右 / 里 / 外 / 旁边 / 中间

方位词 (fāngwèicí)

Location words (方位词 fāngwèicí) tell you **where** something is in relation to something else. Mandarin doesn't use prepositions like English 'on, under, in, behind' — instead, it puts the location word **after** the noun. So 'on the table' is **桌子上** (zhuōzi shàng — literally 'table-on'). The most common single-syllable forms are 上 (shàng — on top), 下 (xià — below), 前 (qián — in front), 后 (hòu — behind), 左 (zuǒ — left), 右 (yòu — right), 里 (lǐ — inside), 外 (wài — outside). For longer or standalone use, add 面 (miàn) or 边 (biān): 上面 / 上边 'on top'. Two compound location words use 边 / 间 directly: 旁边 (pángbiān — beside, next to), 中间 (zhōngjiān — in the middle / between). To put location into a sentence, use the pattern: 在 + Noun + 方位词. Example: 书在桌子上 'The book is on the table'.

Key rule

Location words follow the noun: N + 方位词 (桌子上). With pronouns/abstracts use 面/边 forms (我前面). Sentence pattern: 在 + N + 方位词. Compound forms 旁边 (beside), 中间 (middle) — no bare alternates.

Examples

书在桌子上。(Shū zài zhuōzi shàng.) — The book is on the table.
书在上桌子。(English-order)
在 + Noun + 方位词. The location word 上 follows the noun 桌子, not the other way around.
猫在床下。(Māo zài chuáng xià.) — The cat is under the bed.
猫在下床。
下 (under) goes after 床 (bed). Word order is fixed.
我家在学校前面。(Wǒ jiā zài xuéxiào qiánmiàn.) — My home is in front of the school.
我家在学校前。 (technically possible but less natural with non-tightly-bound nouns)
前面 is the more standalone form — common with descriptive locations. 学校前 is more colloquial / tight.

Common mistakes

Putting the location word before the noun (English order)
在上桌子 for 'on the table'
在桌子上
Mandarin location words are postpositional. They follow the noun, not precede it.
Using bare forms with pronouns or abstracts
我前 for 'in front of me'
我前面
Bare 上/下/前/后 work with concrete reference objects (桌子上, 学校前). With pronouns and abstracts, the 面 / 边 form is required.

HSK1 / A1Prepositions coverbs

Basic Coverbs 从 / 到 — From / To

基础介词「从」「到」(jīchǔ jiècí: cóng / dào)

Two essential coverbs (Mandarin's preposition-like verbs) for talking about source and destination: **从** (cóng, 'from') marks where something starts; **到** (dào, 'to / arriving at') marks where it ends or arrives. They appear **before the main verb**, not after — a key word-order point. Common patterns: **从 X 来** 'come from X' (从北京来 'come from Beijing'); **到 X 去** 'go to X' (到学校去 'go to school'); **从 X 到 Y** 'from X to Y' (从早上到晚上 'from morning to night'). They can mark places (从家到学校 'from home to school') or times (从八点到十点 'from 8 to 10'). 到 also functions as a regular verb meaning 'arrive' (我到了 'I have arrived').

Key rule

从 (cóng) = 'from' (source); 到 (dào) = 'to' (destination). Word order: 从/到 + X + Verb (coverb phrase BEFORE main verb). Paired: 从 X 到 Y = 'from X to Y' for places and times. 到 also a verb meaning 'arrive'.

Examples

我从北京来。(Wǒ cóng Běijīng lái.) — I come from Beijing.
我来从北京。(English-style word order)
Coverb 从 + place + main verb 来. The 从-phrase precedes the verb; English-style 来从 is wrong.
他到学校去。(Tā dào xuéxiào qù.) — He's going to school.
他去到学校。(possible but different — 到 here would be a complement, more advanced)
到 + place + 去 is the standard 'go to X' pattern at HSK 1.
从一到十 (cóng yī dào shí) — from 1 to 10
一到十 (without 从)
The paired 从…到 frame requires both. 一到十 alone is incomplete in this 'from-to' sense.

Common mistakes

Putting 从 / 到 phrases after the main verb (English order)
我来从中国 for 'I come from China'
我从中国来
Coverb phrases must precede the main verb. This is the most common word-order error at HSK 1.
Using 从 / 到 alone without the main verb
我从北京 for 'I am from Beijing'
我从北京来 (I come from Beijing) or 我是北京人 (I'm a Beijinger)
从 and 到 need a main verb to attach to. They can't function as a complete predicate alone.

HSK1 / A1Verb usage

是 — Copula (X 是 Y)

动词「是」(dòngcí: shì)

**是** (shì) is the basic 'to be' verb in Mandarin, used to link two nouns: 'X 是 Y' means 'X is Y'. Use it for identity (我是学生 'I am a student'), nationality (他是中国人 'He is Chinese'), and category (这是一本书 'This is a book'). The most important rule for English speakers: **don't use 是 with adjectives**. Mandarin says 我很好 'I am well' (literally 'I very good') — there is no 是. The negation of 是 is **不是** (always 不, never 没). The yes/no question is **是不是** or sentence + 吗.

Key rule

是 connects two nouns: N + 是 + N. Don't use it with adjectives (use bare adjective + 很). Negation: 不是 (never *没是). Questions: sentence + 吗, or A-not-A 是不是.

Examples

我是学生。(Wǒ shì xuésheng.) — I am a student.
我学生。(missing 是)
Noun-to-noun: subject 我 + 是 + predicate noun 学生. The copula 是 is mandatory between nouns.
他是中国人。(Tā shì Zhōngguó rén.) — He is Chinese.
他中国人。
Same pattern: N + 是 + N. 中国人 is a noun phrase ('person of China').
这是一本书。(Zhè shì yī běn shū.) — This is a book.
这一本书。
Demonstrative subject 这 + 是 + 一本书. Note the indefinite article 一 + measure word 本.

Common mistakes

Using 是 with adjectives
我是好 for 'I am good'
我很好 (Wǒ hěn hǎo.) — bare adjective with 很 as filler
Mandarin adjectives function as stative verbs — they are 'to be X' all by themselves. Adding 是 is grammatically wrong.
Omitting 是 between two nouns
我学生 for 'I am a student'
我是学生
When linking two nouns, 是 is required. Without it, the sentence is incomplete (or interpretable as a topic-comment with missing predicate).

HSK1 / A1Verb usage

有 — Possession & Existence

动词「有」（拥有与存在）(dòngcí: yǒu — yōngyǒu yǔ cúnzài)

**有** (yǒu) is one of the most useful verbs in Mandarin. It does two jobs: (1) **possession** — 'to have' (我有一本书 'I have a book'); and (2) **existence** — 'there is / there are' (桌子上有一本书 'There is a book on the table'). The same word covers both meanings. The most important quirk: the negation of 有 is **没有** (méiyǒu) or just **没** — **never** 不有. So 'I don't have' is 我没有 or 我没. The yes/no question is 有没有 or sentence + 吗. 有 is also the existence verb in 'there are some / a few' patterns and combines with measure words and numerals: 我有一个朋友 'I have a friend' (literally 'I have one friend').

Key rule

有 = 'have' (possession) and 'there is/are' (existence). Structure: X + 有 + Y. Negation always **没有 / 没**, never *不有. Questions: 吗 / 有没有. With countable objects, often Number + MW: 我有一本书.

Examples

我有一本书。(Wǒ yǒu yī běn shū.) — I have a book.
我有书 (acceptable but generic; 一本 is needed for 'a book')
For a single specific item, use Number + MW + N. 一本书 = 'one book / a book'. The bare 我有书 is more like 'I have books' (generic).
他有三个朋友。(Tā yǒu sān ge péngyou.) — He has three friends.
他有三朋友 (missing measure word)
Number + Measure Word + Noun. 个 is the general MW for people.
桌子上有一本书。(Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yī běn shū.) — There is a book on the table.
桌子上是一本书 (less natural for existence)
Place + 有 + (Number + MW) + N is the existential pattern. 是 here would imply identification ('the table-on is a book'), which is awkward.

Common mistakes

Negating 有 with 不
我不有书
我没有书 / 我没书
有 is the only common verb that absolutely cannot take 不. The negation is always 没有 or 没.
Forgetting Number + MW with countable objects
我有书 'I have a book'
我有一本书 (with quantifier) for 'a book'; 我有书 is OK for generic 'I have books'
Mandarin nouns don't distinguish singular/plural by themselves. To say 'a book', you need 一本书 (one CL book).

HSK1 / A1Verb usage

在 — Location Verb ("to be at")

动词「在」（位置）(dòngcí: zài — wèizhì)

**在** (zài) is the verb meaning 'to be at / to be located in / to be present'. The structure is simple: **Subject + 在 + Place** — '我在家' (I'm at home), '他在学校' (He's at school), '老师在教室里' (The teacher is in the classroom). The negation is **不在** (I am not at...). The yes/no question uses 吗 or A-not-A 在不在. **Important**: 在 has two other major roles you'll see later — as the progressive aspect marker (我在吃饭 'I'm eating', HSK 2) and as a coverb meaning 'at' (我在学校学习 'I study at school', basically a preposition). At HSK 1, focus only on 在 as the locative verb.

Key rule

在 + Place = 'be at Place'. Structure: S + 在 + Place. Negation: 不在 (sandhi bú zài). Questions: 吗 / 在不在. Don't confuse with 在 as progressive (HSK 2) or 在 as coverb 'at' (in V-modifying constructions).

Examples

我在家。(Wǒ zài jiā.) — I am at home.
我家。(missing 在)
在 + Place is required. The bare 我家 (my home) is just a noun phrase, not a sentence.
他在学校。(Tā zài xuéxiào.) — He is at school.
他学校。
Same: locative verb 在 must be present.
书在桌子上。(Shū zài zhuōzi shàng.) — The book is on the table.
书桌子上。 / 在书桌子上。
Subject + 在 + Place + 方位词. The 方位词上 follows 桌子 (postpositional).

Common mistakes

Omitting 在 between subject and place
我家 for 'I am at home'
我在家
在 is the locative verb, equivalent to 'be at'. Without it, you have only a possessive noun phrase ('my home').
Negating with 没在 in locative sense
我没在家 (intending 'I'm not at home')
我不在家
Locative 在 takes 不 negation. 没在 belongs to the progressive 在 + V (HSK 2).

Lenguia Premium

Halfway there — imagine actually using all of this.

Lenguia's AI tutor explains any of these Mandarin Chinese grammar topics in seconds and builds practice around the ones you get wrong.

Try for Just $1

HSK1 / A1Syntax

Basic SVO Word Order

基本语序（主谓宾）(jīběn yǔxù — zhǔ wèi bīn)

The default Mandarin word order is **Subject–Verb–Object (SVO)** — the same order as English: 我 (I) + 喝 (drink) + 水 (water) → 我喝水 'I drink water'. But there are two important features that differ from English: (1) **Time and place expressions go BEFORE the verb**, not after — '我今天去学校' (I today go school = 'I'm going to school today'), not 我去学校今天. (2) **Modifiers come before the noun they modify**: 红色的车 'red(-color) car', 我的书 'my book', 一本好书 'a good book'. Verbs do not change form for tense, person, or number — the same 喝 (hē, drink) is used for 'I drink', 'he drinks', 'we drank', 'they will drink'. Time information comes from adverbials, not from the verb.

Key rule

Default order: Subject + Verb + Object. Time and Place go BEFORE the verb (not after). Modifiers (adjective, possessive, demonstrative) precede their noun. Verbs are uninflected — time / aspect signaled by adverbs and particles.

Examples

我喝水。(Wǒ hē shuǐ.) — I drink water.
我水喝。(SOV — wrong)
Standard SVO: subject 我 + verb 喝 + object 水.
他买一本书。(Tā mǎi yī běn shū.) — He buys a book.
他一本书买。
Object 一本书 follows the verb 买. Number + Measure Word + Noun is the object.
我今天去学校。(Wǒ jīntiān qù xuéxiào.) — I'm going to school today.
我去学校今天。(English-style 'today' at end)
Time 今天 before the verb 去, not after the object. This is one of the most common HSK 1 errors.

Common mistakes

Putting time after the verb (English style)
我去学校今天 for 'I'm going to school today'
我今天去学校
Mandarin places time adverbials before the verb, not after. This is the most common HSK 1 word-order error for English speakers.
Putting place after the verb when it's not the destination
我看书在家 for 'I read at home'
我在家看书
Locative-place adverbials (where the action happens) precede the verb. Note: with motion verbs (去, 来) the destination follows the verb (去学校), but that's a verb-object relation, not a separate adverbial.

HSK1 / A1Negation

不 — Negation (basic, present/future/general)

否定副词「不」（基础）(fǒudìng fùcí: bù — jīchǔ)

**不** (bù) is the all-purpose negator for **present, future, habitual, and general** statements. It comes **directly before the verb or adjective** that you're negating: 我不吃肉 'I don't eat meat'; 他不来 'He's not coming'; 这个不好 'This isn't good'. Use 不 for: things you don't (currently or habitually) do, future plans you won't carry out, identities you don't have, qualities something doesn't have. **Important exceptions**: 不 cannot be used with the verb **有** ('have') — that always uses 没/没有. And to negate **completed actions** (things in the past you didn't do), you use **没** instead — 我没去 'I didn't go', not 我不去. The two negators 不 and 没 carve up Mandarin negation between them. Tone sandhi: 不 is normally bù (T4), but becomes bú (T2) before another T4: 不是 → bú shì, 不去 → bú qù.

Key rule

不 (bù) negates present, future, habitual, general statements, identity (是), and modals. Position: S + 不 + V/Adj/Modal. NEVER with 有 (use 没). NEVER for completed past (use 没). Sandhi: bù → bú before T4.

Examples

我不喝酒。(Wǒ bù hē jiǔ.) — I don't drink alcohol. (Habitual)
我没喝酒 (would mean 'I haven't drunk' — past completion)
Habitual general fact = 不. 没 would change the meaning to past.
他不是中国人。(Tā bú shì Zhōngguó rén.) — He's not Chinese.
他没是中国人。
Identity / 是 always negates with 不, never with 没. Sandhi: bú shì.
我明天不来。(Wǒ míngtiān bù lái.) — I won't come tomorrow.
我明天没来 (means 'I didn't come tomorrow' — illogical)
Future intent = 不. 没 implies completed past, which contradicts 明天.

Common mistakes

Using 不 for past completion
我昨天不去 for 'I didn't go yesterday'
我昨天没去
Completed past actions take 没. 不 indicates non-occurrence in present/future/habitual contexts only.
Using 不 with 有
我不有钱
我没有钱 / 我没钱
有 is the unique verb that absolutely requires 没 for negation. Never *不有.

HSK1 / A2Negation

没 / 没有 — Negation (basic, possession & past)

否定副词「没」「没有」（基础）(fǒudìng fùcí: méi / méiyǒu — jīchǔ)

**没** (méi) and **没有** (méiyǒu) are the negators for **completed actions** ('didn't do') and **possession / existence** ('don't have / there isn't'). Two main uses: (1) **Negating 有**: 我没有钱 / 我没钱 'I don't have money'. The 有 here can be dropped, leaving just 没. (2) **Negating completed actions**: 我没去 'I didn't go' (the action didn't happen). The full form 没有 + V is also possible: 我没有去. Don't use 没 for present habits or future plans — use 不 instead. Don't combine 没 with 了 — the perfective 了 already implies completion, so 没 + V + 了 is ungrammatical. Examples: 我昨天没看电视 'I didn't watch TV yesterday'. 屋子里没有人 'There's no one in the room'.

Key rule

没 / 没有 = (1) negation of 有 (don't have / there isn't); (2) negation of completed past actions ('didn't V'). Position: S + 没/没有 + V. Never combine 没 + V + 了. Modals always take 不, never 没.

Examples

我没有车。(Wǒ méiyǒu chē.) — I don't have a car.
我不有车 (always wrong)
Possession negation = 没有 / 没. 不有 is ungrammatical.
我没钱。(Wǒ méi qián.) — I don't have money. (casual short form)
我不钱。
没 (without 有) is the casual short form of 没有.
我昨天没去学校。(Wǒ zuótiān méi qù xuéxiào.) — I didn't go to school yesterday.
我昨天不去学校 (would be 'I'm not going to school yesterday' — illogical)
Past-completed negation = 没. 不 wouldn't fit a past time adverb.

Common mistakes

Using 不 for past completion
我昨天不去 for 'I didn't go yesterday'
我昨天没去
Past completion = 没. 不 is for general/present/future.
Using 没 for present habit
我没喝酒 (intending 'I don't drink alcohol — habitual')
我不喝酒
Habit / general fact = 不. 没喝酒 means 'didn't drink (this time)'.

HSK1 / A1Syntax

吗 Yes-No Questions

是非问句「吗」(shìfēi wènjù: ma)

To turn any Mandarin statement into a yes/no question, just **add 吗 (ma) at the end**. No other change is needed — no inversion, no auxiliary verb, no rising intonation required (though intonation often rises naturally). 你是学生 'You are a student' → 你是学生吗? 'Are you a student?'. Compare to English, which moves 'are' to the front: Mandarin keeps everything in place. **吗 is always neutral tone** (light, unstressed). Don't combine 吗 with question words (什么/谁/哪) or with A-not-A form — pick one question type. Common patterns: 你好吗? 'How are you?'; 你忙吗? 'Are you busy?'; 你喜欢吗? 'Do you like it?'.

Key rule

吗 (ma, neutral tone) at sentence-end converts a statement to a yes/no question. No word-order change. Never combine with question words (什么/谁/哪) or with A-not-A. Negative questions: 不…吗? / 没…吗?

Examples

你是学生吗? (Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?) — Are you a student?
是你学生? / 你学生吗? (missing 是)
Add 吗 to a complete declarative. Don't move words.
你好吗? (Nǐ hǎo ma?) — How are you? (literally 'You good?')
怎么你? / 你怎么样吗? (你怎么样 wouldn't take 吗)
你好吗 is a fixed greeting. The 吗 makes it a polite check-in.
他喜欢中国菜吗? (Tā xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài ma?) — Does he like Chinese food?
他喜欢吗中国菜?
吗 always at the very end, after the object.

Common mistakes

Combining 吗 with question words
你叫什么名字吗?
你叫什么名字? (drop 吗)
Question words and 吗 are both interrogative markers; combining them is double-marking.
Combining 吗 with A-not-A
你去不去吗?
Pick one: 你去吗? OR 你去不去?
Both are yes/no question forms — choose one.

HSK1 / A2Syntax

A-not-A Questions (Basic)

正反问句（基础）(zhèngfǎn wènjù — jīchǔ)

**A-not-A** is a Mandarin-specific way to ask yes/no questions: take a verb or adjective, repeat it with 不 in between, and you have a question. **是不是** 'is or isn't?', **去不去** 'go or don't go?', **好不好** 'good or not?', **喜欢不喜欢** 'like or don't like?'. The structure essentially asks both options at once. Examples: 他是不是学生? 'Is he a student (or isn't he)?'; 你去不去? 'Are you going?'. With **two-syllable verbs / adjectives**, two patterns are possible: AB-不-A (喜不喜欢) or AB-不-AB (喜欢不喜欢) — both correct. The negation of 有 uses 没 (not 不), giving the irregular form **有没有**. A-not-A is **roughly equivalent to 吗 questions** — same meaning, slightly more colloquial in many regions. **Don't combine A-not-A with 吗 or with question words.**

Key rule

A-not-A: V + 不 + V (是不是, 去不去, 好不好). For disyllabic AB: AB-不-A (喜不喜欢) or AB-不-AB (喜欢不喜欢). For 有: 有没有 (irregular). Don't combine with 吗 or question words.

Examples

你是不是学生? (Nǐ shì bú shì xuésheng?) — Are you a student?
你是不学生?
A-not-A requires the full V-不-V repetition: 是不是, not just 是不.
他去不去? (Tā qù bú qù?) — Is he going?
他去不?
The verb is repeated after 不. 去不 alone is not a complete A-not-A form (though some dialects use it casually).
这本书好不好? (Zhè běn shū hǎo bù hǎo?) — Is this book good?
这本书好不?
Adjective A-not-A: 好不好.

Common mistakes

Using 不 instead of 没 with 有
你有不有时间?
你有没有时间?
有 always pairs with 没 in negation, including the A-not-A form.
Combining A-not-A with 吗
你去不去吗?
你去不去? OR 你去吗? (one or the other)
Both are yes/no question markers — choose one.

HSK1 / A1Syntax

Question-Word Questions — Word Order

特殊疑问句的语序 (tèshū yíwènjù de yǔxù)

When asking a question with a question word (什么 'what', 谁 'who', 哪 'which', 哪儿 'where', 几 'how many', 多少 'how much', 怎么 'how', 为什么 'why', 什么时候 'when'), the most important rule is: **the question word stays in the same position as the answer would go**. This is called 'in-situ' word order. Mandarin does NOT front question words like English. Compare: English 'What did you eat?' moves 'what' to the front. Mandarin keeps 什么 in object position: 你吃了什么? (literally 'You ate what?'). The same rule applies for any q-word: 谁是老师? (Who is the teacher?) — 谁 stays in subject position; 你住哪儿? (Where do you live?) — 哪儿 stays after 住. **No 吗 with question words.** The q-word alone signals the question. **Answer in the same slot.** When you answer, fill the q-word's position with the actual content: 你买了什么? — 我买了苹果. (What did you buy? — I bought apples.)

Key rule

Question words (什么/谁/哪/哪儿/几/多少/怎么/为什么/什么时候) stay IN SITU — same syntactic position as the answer. NO 吗, NO A-not-A. Answer fills the q-word's position with the actual content.

Examples

你叫什么名字? (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) — What is your name?
什么是你的名字? (English-style fronting)
什么名字 stays in object position. Answer: 我叫…(name).
谁是老师? (Shéi shì lǎoshī?) — Who is the teacher?
是谁老师?
谁 in subject position. Answer fills the subject: 王老师是老师.
你看什么? (Nǐ kàn shénme?) — What are you watching?
什么你看?
什么 in object position after the verb. Answer: 我看电视.

Common mistakes

Fronting the question word (English style)
什么你想吃? for 'What do you want to eat?'
你想吃什么?
Mandarin q-words stay in situ. Fronting is the single biggest error for English speakers.
Adding 吗 to a q-word question
你叫什么名字吗?
你叫什么名字?
Q-words alone mark the question. 吗 is doubly marking.

HSK1 / A1Measure words

个 — General Measure Word

通用量词「个」(tōngyòng liàngcí: ge)

**个** (ge — usually pronounced with neutral tone, sometimes the dictionary form gè) is the **all-purpose measure word** in Mandarin — the one to use when you don't know the specific classifier for a noun. Mandarin requires a measure word between a number (or demonstrative) and a noun. So 'three apples' isn't 三苹果 — it's **三个苹果** ('three CL apples'). 个 works for: people (一个人, 一个学生, 一个朋友), many ordinary objects (一个苹果, 一个问题, 一个想法), abstract things (两个意思, 几个机会), and as a default when the specific measure word is unknown. **Some nouns require a different measure word** (books need 本, paper needs 张, animals need 只, pairs need 双 — covered in the next tag), but 个 is widely understood even when not strictly correct. The structure is: **Number/Demonstrative + 个 + Noun**.

Key rule

个 (ge, neutral tone) is the general-purpose measure word: Number/Demonstrative + 个 + Noun. Use for people (一个人), abstract things (一个问题), and as a default. Some nouns require specific MWs (books = 本, paper = 张, pairs = 双, animals = 只).

Examples

我有一个朋友。(Wǒ yǒu yí ge péngyou.) — I have a friend.
我有一朋友 (missing 个)
Number 一 + 个 + Noun. The MW is required between numeral and noun.
三个学生 (sān ge xuésheng) — three students
三学生
Even without a verb, the MW is required in the noun phrase.
这个人是我妈妈。(Zhè ge rén shì wǒ māma.) — This person is my mom.
这人是我妈妈 (literary / non-modern; in colloquial Mandarin always use 这个)
Demonstrative + 个 + N. 这个 is one fluent unit.

Common mistakes

Omitting the measure word
三人, 一书, 那房子 (skipping 个 / specific MW)
三个人, 一本书, 那个房子
Mandarin requires a classifier between numeral / demonstrative and noun. English has no equivalent — but Mandarin grammar requires it.
Using 个 where a specific MW is conventional
一个书 'one book'
一本书 (book takes 本)
While 个 is comprehensible, native speakers expect specific MWs for many common nouns. Use 个 only when no specific MW is known.

HSK1 / A2Measure words

Common Basic Measure Words (本, 张, 件, 只, 块, 杯, 双)

常用量词（基础）(chángyòng liàngcí — jīchǔ)

Beyond the general 个, here are seven common measure words you must learn at HSK 1 because they pair with high-frequency nouns: **本** (běn) — books and bound publications; **张** (zhāng) — flat / paper-like objects (paper, photos, tickets, beds, tables); **件** (jiàn) — items of clothing and 'matters / events' (件 + 事 'matter'); **只** (zhī) — most animals (only one of a pair); **块** (kuài) — pieces / blocks, also 'yuan' (money) colloquially; **杯** (bēi) — cups of drinks; **双** (shuāng) — pairs (shoes, chopsticks, hands). Each goes between a number and its noun: 一本书 'a book', 三张照片 'three photos', 两件衣服 'two pieces of clothing', 一只猫 'a cat', 五块钱 '5 yuan', 一杯茶 'a cup of tea', 一双鞋 'a pair of shoes'. Using the wrong measure word doesn't usually break communication, but it sounds clearly non-native — natives notice immediately.

Key rule

Match the measure word to the noun's category: 本 (books), 张 (flat objects), 件 (clothing / matters), 只 (animals / single of pair), 块 (pieces / yuan), 杯 (drinks in cups), 双 (pairs). Use 个 as fallback.

Examples

我买了一本书。(Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū.) — I bought a book.
一个书
Books take 本. 个 sounds non-native here.
他给我一张照片。(Tā gěi wǒ yì zhāng zhàopiàn.) — He gave me a photo.
一个照片
Flat objects take 张: 张 + 照片 (photo).
这张桌子很漂亮。(Zhè zhāng zhuōzi hěn piàoliang.) — This table is pretty.
这个桌子 (acceptable but 张 is more idiomatic for flat-surface furniture)
Tables / beds / sofas take 张 in standard usage.

Common mistakes

Defaulting to 个 for everything
一个书, 一个照片, 一个鞋
一本书, 一张照片, 一双鞋
While 个 is comprehensible, native speakers expect specific MWs for these common nouns. Sounds non-native otherwise.
Confusing 只 (single of pair / animal) with 双 (pair)
一只鞋 (intending 'a pair of shoes')
一双鞋 (a pair). 一只鞋 = 'one shoe' — only one of the pair
只 = single member; 双 = pair. The two MWs are not interchangeable for pairable items.

HSK1 / A1Numbers dates time

Cardinal Numbers 0-99 + Hundreds (百)

基数词 0–99 与百 (jīshùcí 0–99 yǔ bǎi)

Mandarin numbers are very regular up to 99 — much simpler than European systems with their 'eleven, twelve, twenty, thirty' irregularities. Master 0-10 first: **零 0, 一 1, 二 2, 三 3, 四 4, 五 5, 六 6, 七 7, 八 8, 九 9, 十 10**. Then 11-19 are 'ten + n': 十一 11, 十二 12, ... 十九 19. 20-99 are 'n + ten + (n)': **二十** 20, 二十一 21, ... 三十 30, 四十 40, ..., 九十 90. **100** is **一百** (yì bǎi). One critical irregularity: when '2' precedes a measure word or large number, it changes from **二 èr** to **两 liǎng**. So '2 people' = 两个人 (not *二个人), '2 hundred' = 两百 (more colloquial than 二百). The numerals 0-9 are also called digits and used to read phone numbers, dates, and IDs digit-by-digit (e.g., 138 = 一三八 yī sān bā).

Key rule

Numbers 0-99 are regular: digit + 十 + digit. 100 = 一百. The digit '2' alternates: 二 in counting / digits / ordinals / inside compound tens; 两 before measure words and 百/千/万 (两个人, 两百). Phone numbers: read digit-by-digit, '1' often becomes 'yāo'.

Examples

一二三四五六七八九十 (yī èr sān sì wǔ liù qī bā jiǔ shí) — 1-10
Skipping or reordering
Memorize 1-10 in sequence. Foundation for all numbers.
十二 (shí-èr) — 12
二十 (= 20)
Order matters: digit + 十 + digit. 十二 = 10 + 2 = 12; 二十 = 2 × 10 = 20.
三十五 (sān-shí-wǔ) — 35
三五 (just 'three five')
Tens require explicit 十. 三十五 = 3 × 10 + 5 = 35. Reading '三五' alone would be a digit string.

Common mistakes

Confusing 十二 (12) and 二十 (20)
Saying 二十 when meaning 12
12 = 十二 (10+2); 20 = 二十 (2×10)
The order of 十 and the digit completely changes the meaning. Drill the contrast.
Using 二 before a measure word
二个人 'two people'
两个人
Before MWs, the digit 2 changes to 两. 二个 is one of the most common HSK 1 errors.

HSK1 / A1Numbers dates time

Dates: Year / Month / Day (年月日)

年、月、日 (nián / yuè / rì)

Mandarin dates are written and spoken from **largest to smallest**: year first, then month, then day. The structure is: **Number + 年 (year)** + **Number + 月 (month)** + **Number + 号 / 日 (day)**. So '15 March 2024' is **二零二四年三月十五号** (or 2024年3月15日). Year is read **digit-by-digit** (二零二四 = 2024). Months 1-12 are simply 一月, 二月, ..., 十二月. Days 1-31 are 一号, 二号, ..., 三十一号 (with **号 hào** in spoken / informal and **日 rì** in formal / written contexts). The day of the week is **星期 + number**: 星期一 (Monday), 星期二 (Tuesday), ..., 星期六 (Saturday), 星期日 / 星期天 (Sunday). Question forms: 几月? (which month?), 几号? (which day?), 星期几? (what day of the week?). Important: do NOT add 个 to dates — 三月 = March, but 三个月 = 'three months' (duration).

Key rule

Date order: YEAR → MONTH → DAY (大到小). Year: digit-by-digit (二零二四). Months: Number + 月 (no 个). Days: Number + 号 (spoken) / 日 (written). Day of week: 星期一 to 星期六, 星期日 / 星期天. Don't add 个.

Examples

今天三月十五号。(Jīntiān sān yuè shíwǔ hào.) — Today is March 15.
今天三月十五个号 / 今天三十五月
Order: month before day. No 个 with date elements. 号 for the day in colloquial speech.
我的生日是六月二十号。(Wǒ de shēngrì shì liù yuè èrshí hào.) — My birthday is June 20.
我的生日是六十月二号
Order: month + day. Read each part as a number.
二零二四年 (èr líng èr sì nián) — the year 2024
二千零二十四年 (read as compound number — wrong for years)
Years are read digit-by-digit, not as compound numbers.

Common mistakes

Reversing date order to English style
十五号三月 for 'March 15'
三月十五号
Mandarin always goes year → month → day. Reversing produces wrong meaning.
Reading year as a compound number
二千零二十四年 for 2024
二零二四年 (digit by digit)
Years are read digit-by-digit conventionally. Compound-number reading is non-standard.

HSK1 / A2Numbers dates time

Telling Time — Basic (点 / 分 / 半 / 差 / 刻)

时间表达（基础）(shíjiān biǎodá — jīchǔ)

To tell time in Mandarin, the basic structure is **Number + 点 (o'clock) + Number + 分 (minutes)**: 三点二十分 (sān diǎn èrshí fēn) = 3:20. Five key time words: **点** (diǎn, o'clock / hour), **分** (fēn, minute), **半** (bàn, half), **差** (chà, to / before / minus), **刻** (kè, quarter — 15 minutes). Common patterns: **三点半** = 3:30; **三点一刻** = 3:15; **三点三刻** = 3:45 (literally 'three quarters'); **差五分八点** = '5 minutes to 8' = 7:55. The hour 2 is **always 两点** (liǎng diǎn), never 二点 — this is a fixed exception. Question: **现在几点?** (What time is it now?). Times of day: **早上** (early morning), **上午** (late morning / AM), **中午** (noon), **下午** (afternoon / PM), **晚上** (evening). Day-period precedes the clock time: 下午三点 (3 PM).

Key rule

Time = Number + 点 + Number + 分. Hour 2 = 两点 (always). Half hour = 半. Quarter = 刻 (一刻=15, 三刻=45; never 二刻). 'X to Y' = 差 X 分 Y 点. Day-period (早上/上午/中午/下午/晚上) precedes clock time.

Examples

现在三点。(Xiànzài sān diǎn.) — It's 3 o'clock now.
现在三点钟 (acceptable but a bit redundant in everyday speech)
On the hour: just N + 点. 钟 (zhōng) is sometimes added for emphasis but optional.
现在两点半。(Xiànzài liǎng diǎn bàn.) — It's 2:30 now.
现在二点半 (wrong: hour 2 = 两)
Hour 2 is always 两. Half-hour = 半 directly after 点.
三点一刻 (sān diǎn yī kè) — 3:15
三点十五分 (also correct, just longer)
刻 = 15 minutes. 一刻 (15), 三刻 (45). Two ways to say 3:15: with 刻 or with 分.

Common mistakes

Using 二点 instead of 两点 for 2 o'clock
现在二点
现在两点
Hour 2 is always 两. This parallels the 二/两 rule with measure words.
Using 二刻 for 30 minutes
三点二刻
三点半 (half-hour expression)
30 minutes = 半, not 二刻. Only 一刻 (15) and 三刻 (45) use 刻.

See this grammar in real Mandarin Chinese storiesFree graded stories for this level — reading is the fastest way to make these rules automatic.

Is HSK 1 your level? Take the free Mandarin Chinese grammar test50 questions from A1 to C1 with instant explanations — free, about 10–15 minutes, no signup.

Lenguia Premium

Ready to master mandarin chinese grammar?

Get personalized stories, an AI tutor for your grammar questions, and smart practice for every topic on this page.

Try for Just $1

HSK 1 Grammar — 31 Topics & Common Mistakes

Pinyin: Initials and Finals

The Four Tones plus Neutral Tone

Basic Tone Sandhi (3rd-Tone Sandhi, 一/不 Sandhi)

Pinyin Orthography (Apostrophe, ü Writing, Capitalization)

Hanzi Introduction: Strokes & Stroke Order

Simplified vs Traditional Awareness (basic)

Basic Personal Pronouns (我 / 你 / 他 / 她 / 它 + plurals)

这 / 那 — Basic Demonstratives

这儿 / 那儿 / 这里 / 那里 — Place Demonstratives

什么 / 谁 / 哪 — Basic Question Words

几 vs 多少 — Quantity Question Words

Location Words (方位词): 上 / 下 / 前 / 后 / 左 / 右 / 里 / 外 / 旁边 / 中间

Basic Coverbs 从 / 到 — From / To

是 — Copula (X 是 Y)

有 — Possession & Existence

在 — Location Verb ("to be at")

想 — Want / Plan To (basic)

要 — Want / Will / Need To (basic)

会 — Know How To / Will (basic)

能 vs 可以 — Be Able To / Permission (basic)

Basic SVO Word Order

不 — Negation (basic, present/future/general)

没 / 没有 — Negation (basic, possession & past)

吗 Yes-No Questions

A-not-A Questions (Basic)

Question-Word Questions — Word Order

个 — General Measure Word

Common Basic Measure Words (本, 张, 件, 只, 块, 杯, 双)

Cardinal Numbers 0-99 + Hundreds (百)

Dates: Year / Month / Day (年月日)

Telling Time — Basic (点 / 分 / 半 / 差 / 刻)