I can point to a thing and ask what it is and whose it is — 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?) 那是谁的手机？(Nà shì shéi de shǒujī?) — and answer: 是我的手机。(Shì wǒ de shǒujī.)
这, 那 and 的: what it is and whose
这, 那 and 的: what it is and whose
What for: point at a thing and ask what it is and whose it is.
这 (zhè) — “this”, for what is near; 那 (nà) — “that”, for what is farther away. Both come at the start of the sentence: 这是…／那是…
A question doesn't change the word order: the question word stands in the place of the answer, as in 你叫什么名字？(Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) from module 1. English moves it to the front (“What is this?”); Chinese doesn't.
的 — “whose”: the owner on the left, the thing on the right. 老师的电脑 (lǎoshī de diànnǎo) — “the teacher's computer”: 的 works like English 's, and the owner comes first, as in English.
With family members and the word 家 after a pronoun, 的 is usually left out in everyday speech: 我爸爸 (wǒ bàba), 你妈妈 (nǐ māma), 我们家 (wǒmen jiā). 我的妈妈 (wǒ de māma) isn't a mistake, but people rarely say it.
When you answer “whose?”, repeat the thing itself: 是我的手机。(Shì wǒ de shǒujī.)
Common mistakes:
• ×电脑老师的 (diànnǎo lǎoshī de) → 老师的电脑 (lǎoshī de diànnǎo) (the owner goes on the left).
• ×什么这是？(Shénme zhè shì?) → 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?) (the question word stands in the place of the answer).
What it is and whose
The question word goes in the place of the answer — the word order doesn't change.
| In Chinese | In English |
|---|---|
| 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?) — 是椅子。(Shì yǐzi.) | What is this? — A chair. |
| 那是谁的电脑？(Nà shì shéi de diànnǎo?) — 是老师的电脑。(Shì lǎoshī de diànnǎo.) | Whose computer is that? — The teacher's. |
的: the owner on the left, the thing on the right
With family words and with 家 after a pronoun, 的 is usually left out.
| Form | In Chinese | In English |
|---|---|---|
| with 的 | 我的书 (wǒ de shū) | my book |
| with 的 | 老师的桌子 (lǎoshī de zhuōzi) | the teacher's desk |
| with 的 | 朋友的手机 (péngyou de shǒujī) | a friend's phone |
| without 的 | 我爸爸 (wǒ bàba) | my dad |
| without 的 | 他们家 (tāmen jiā) | their family, their home |
Lesson notes
这, 那 and 的: what it is and whose
What for: point at a thing and ask what it is and whose it is.
这 (zhè) — “this”, for what is near; 那 (nà) — “that”, for what is farther away. Both come at the start of the sentence: 这是…／那是…
A question doesn't change the word order: the question word stands in the place of the answer, as in 你叫什么名字？(Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) from module 1. English moves it to the front (“What is this?”); Chinese doesn't.
的 — “whose”: the owner on the left, the thing on the right. 老师的电脑 (lǎoshī de diànnǎo) — “the teacher's computer”: 的 works like English 's, and the owner comes first, as in English.
With family members and the word 家 after a pronoun, 的 is usually left out in everyday speech: 我爸爸 (wǒ bàba), 你妈妈 (nǐ māma), 我们家 (wǒmen jiā). 我的妈妈 (wǒ de māma) isn't a mistake, but people rarely say it.
When you answer “whose?”, repeat the thing itself: 是我的手机。(Shì wǒ de shǒujī.)
Common mistakes:
• ×电脑老师的 (diànnǎo lǎoshī de) → 老师的电脑 (lǎoshī de diànnǎo) (the owner goes on the left).
• ×什么这是？(Shénme zhè shì?) → 这是什么？(Zhè shì shénme?) (the question word stands in the place of the answer).