I can review the module: say what something is and whose, where a thing is, what there is near my home and what a place is like — without mixing up 有, 在, and 是.
What we review
What we review
Whose: after 我, 你, 他, 我们… with family members and 家 — no 的; after a name 的 is usually used: 赵女士的家 (Zhào nǚshì de jiā).
This, that, which: 这 / 那 / 哪 + a measure word (个, 本, 家) or 些; where: 这儿 / 那儿 / 哪儿.
Where: who / what + 在 + place (+ 上, 下, 里, 前边, 后边, 外边, 旁边).
What's where: place + 有 + what; to name what exactly is there — place + 是.
有 and 在 show one scene in two word orders. A known thing (我的手机, 那本书) takes 在: 那本书在椅子下边。(Nà běn shū zài yǐzi xiàbian.) Something new, with a number, takes 有: 椅子下边有一本书。(Yǐzi xiàbian yǒu yì běn shū.) English can say “Two cups are on the table”; Chinese doesn't: ×两个杯子在桌子上 (liǎng gè bēizi zài zhuōzi shang) → 桌子上有两个杯子。(Zhuōzi shang yǒu liǎng gè bēizi.)
What it's like: an adjective with no 是, with 很; 非常, 真, 太…了, 有点儿, 不太; 大不大？(Dà bu dà?) 怎么样？(Zěnmeyàng?)
Where the module leaves you: now you can ask what something is and whose it is; say where a thing is; say what there is near your home; and say what a thing or a place is like.
有, 在, 是: a summary
A known thing — 在; something new, with a number — 有; what exactly — 是.
| How to say it | What the question is about | In English |
|---|---|---|
| 我的手机在桌子上。(Wǒ de shǒujī zài zhuōzi shang.) | where is the known thing? | My phone is on the table |
| 桌子上有三个杯子。(Zhuōzi shang yǒu sān gè bēizi.) | what's there? | There are three cups on the table |
| 桌子旁边是椅子。(Zhuōzi pángbiān shì yǐzi.) | what exactly is there? | Next to the table is a chair |
Lesson notes
What we review
Whose: after 我, 你, 他, 我们… with family members and 家 — no 的; after a name 的 is usually used: 赵女士的家 (Zhào nǚshì de jiā).
This, that, which: 这 / 那 / 哪 + a measure word (个, 本, 家) or 些; where: 这儿 / 那儿 / 哪儿.
Where: who / what + 在 + place (+ 上, 下, 里, 前边, 后边, 外边, 旁边).
What's where: place + 有 + what; to name what exactly is there — place + 是.
有 and 在 show one scene in two word orders. A known thing (我的手机, 那本书) takes 在: 那本书在椅子下边。(Nà běn shū zài yǐzi xiàbian.) Something new, with a number, takes 有: 椅子下边有一本书。(Yǐzi xiàbian yǒu yì běn shū.) English can say “Two cups are on the table”; Chinese doesn't: ×两个杯子在桌子上 (liǎng gè bēizi zài zhuōzi shang) → 桌子上有两个杯子。(Zhuōzi shang yǒu liǎng gè bēizi.)
What it's like: an adjective with no 是, with 很; 非常, 真, 太…了, 有点儿, 不太; 大不大？(Dà bu dà?) 怎么样？(Zěnmeyàng?)
Where the module leaves you: now you can ask what something is and whose it is; say where a thing is; say what there is near your home; and say what a thing or a place is like.