Beginner Lesson 18.1 – Ask Which

Grammar 1: Ask Which in Chinese · HSK 1

nǎ 哪 which

哪 is the pronoun we use to ask which in Chinese. It cannot be followed directly by a noun. Instead, we need to follow this structure:

哪 + Measure Word + Noun

For example:

• nǎge rén
  哪个人
  which person
• nǎwèi lǎoshī
  哪位老师
  which teacher

Grammar 2: Measure Word in Chinese (III)· HSK 1

zhè 这 this, nà 那 that, and nǎ 哪 which are all Pronouns in Chinese. When they are used before nouns, we need to follow this structure:

Pronoun (这/那/哪) + Measure Word + Noun

This is one of the most important usages of Measure Word in Chinese. Here are some examples:

For these Nouns: 周, 天, 年,  这, 那 , 哪 can be directly used before them, with the Measure Word omitted:

This is because for 年(nián, year) and 天(tiān, day), we do not use any Measure Word before them. This is an exception. So we say 一年(yì nián, one year)，一天(yì tiān, one day). However for 月(yuè, month), we do use the Measure Word 个. So we say 一个月(yí ge yuè)

NOTES: We can say nànián 那年 that year and nǎnián 哪年 which year, but we don't say zhènián 这年 for "this year" because we say jīnnián 今年.

Grammar 3: 同学 VS. 学生 in Chinese· HSK 1

In Chinese 学生 means student, while 同学 means classmate, basically people who take the same class with you. But sometimes 同学 can be used to address someone who appears to be a student. Generally, 学生 is the identity of being a student, and 同学 is either "your classmate", or the name or title you use to address someone that you believe to be a student, usually when (1) you are older and not a student yourself, or (2) you are also a student but not necessarily in the same class or school.