I can say “this book”, “those people”, “which one?” with a measure word, ask where a thing or a person is, and answer: 在这儿 / 在那儿.
This, that, which — and where
This, that, which — and where
What for: say “this book”, “those people”, and ask “which one?” and “where?”.
Unlike English “this book”, 这 / 那 / 哪 never stand bare before a noun; they need a measure word: 这个 “this one”, 那个 “that one”, 哪个？“which one?”; with a noun — 这本书 “this book”. Books are counted with 本, everything else for now with 个. With a number: 这两本书 “these two books”.
些 — “some, several”, with no measure word: 这些书 “these books”, 那些人 “those people”, 哪些？“which ones?”
Place: 这儿 / 那儿 / 哪儿 — the northern forms; 这里 / 那里 / 哪里 — understood and written everywhere. Both are correct.
在 — “to be (somewhere)”: who/what + 在 + where. 杯子在那儿。(Bēizi zài nàr.) “The cup is there.” English “is” for a place is 在, never 是. The question word goes in the place of the answer: 他在哪儿？(Tā zài nǎr?) — 他在那儿。(Tā zài nàr.) The negative is 不在.
那 (nà) and 哪 (nǎ) are written differently, but in speech only the tone tells them apart: listen carefully.
Common mistakes:
• ×这书 → 这本书 (a measure word is needed).
• ×这些本书 → 这些书 (no measure word after 些).
• ×哪儿是电脑？(Nǎr shì diànnǎo?) → 电脑在哪儿？(Diànnǎo zài nǎr?) (“to be somewhere” is 在, not 是; “where” 哪儿 stands in the place of the answer).
This, that, which — and where
这 / 那 / 哪 never stand bare before a noun — they need a measure word or 些.
| Word | + measure word: one thing | + 些: several | place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这 (near) | 这个 (zhège); 这本书 (zhè běn shū) | 这些 (zhèxiē) | 这儿 = 这里 (zhèr = zhèlǐ) |
| 那 (far away) | 那个 (nàge); 那本书 (nà běn shū) | 那些 (nàxiē) | 那儿 = 那里 (nàr = nàlǐ) |
| 哪 (question) | 哪个？(nǎge?) | 哪些？(nǎxiē?) | 哪儿 = 哪里？(nǎr = nǎlǐ?) |
Lesson notes
This, that, which — and where
What for: say “this book”, “those people”, and ask “which one?” and “where?”.
Unlike English “this book”, 这 / 那 / 哪 never stand bare before a noun; they need a measure word: 这个 “this one”, 那个 “that one”, 哪个？“which one?”; with a noun — 这本书 “this book”. Books are counted with 本, everything else for now with 个. With a number: 这两本书 “these two books”.
些 — “some, several”, with no measure word: 这些书 “these books”, 那些人 “those people”, 哪些？“which ones?”
Place: 这儿 / 那儿 / 哪儿 — the northern forms; 这里 / 那里 / 哪里 — understood and written everywhere. Both are correct.
在 — “to be (somewhere)”: who/what + 在 + where. 杯子在那儿。(Bēizi zài nàr.) “The cup is there.” English “is” for a place is 在, never 是. The question word goes in the place of the answer: 他在哪儿？(Tā zài nǎr?) — 他在那儿。(Tā zài nàr.) The negative is 不在.
那 (nà) and 哪 (nǎ) are written differently, but in speech only the tone tells them apart: listen carefully.
Common mistakes:
• ×这书 → 这本书 (a measure word is needed).
• ×这些本书 → 这些书 (no measure word after 些).
• ×哪儿是电脑？(Nǎr shì diànnǎo?) → 电脑在哪儿？(Diànnǎo zài nǎr?) (“to be somewhere” is 在, not 是; “where” 哪儿 stands in the place of the answer).