Mandarin Grammar Lesson 3
Predicate Adjectives

Stative Verbs

English uses the format NOUN + "to be" + ADJECTIVE to connect the subject to an adjective.  Examples:

Chinese uses two different forms, one to link nouns to nouns and a second form to link nouns to adjectives. The second form is generally NOUN + (ADVERB) + ADJECTIVE. These adjectives function in this form both as descriptors and as the "to be" verb as needed. In fact, these adjectives behave as verbs in many ways, including how they are negated and form choice-type questions.

Adverbs modify the adjective, but are not always optional. In some instances, dropping the adverb can change the grammatical sense of a sentence. This is especially true when used with predicate adjectives.

The word hěn³ 很 is a notable exception. It often acts as the default adverb. While it can modify the adjective, adding the idea of "very" to the meaning, it can also simply act as a link between noun and adjective without acting as a modifier. For example:

• "I am happy." and "I am very happy." would both be " wǒ3 hěn³ kuài⁴ lè⁴ "

• "He is busy." and "He is very busy." would both be " tā¹ hěn³ máng² "

Equative + "de"

In the previous grammar lesson, it was explained that the equative verb shì⁴is used only to link a noun to another noun. While this is true, it can be used in a special structure to link a noun to an adjective. This structure can serve to give rhetorical emphasis to the speaker's statement.

The basic form is:

 NOUN + "shì⁴" +ADJECTIVE PHRASE + "de"

Note that while this is grammatically correct, for most simple adjectives (like tall as used in this example) you would not use this pattern.

This can be looked at as simply a pattern that adds emphasis to the description, and that in this structure shì⁴ is not functioning as an equative verb but as a linking verb. Or, this can be seen as a structure with an understood predicate nominative.

An equivalent English way of saying this would be "He is one who is tall". In this way, the equative verb is still linking two nouns together and the adjective is modifying the understood noun.