Grammar 1: Want To Do Something in Chinese· HSK 1
STATEMENT - In Chinese, xiǎng 想 means "to think", "to miss (someone)", and it can also be used to express to want to do something in Chinese:
Subject + 想 + Verb ( + Object )
- tā xiǎng zhù zài xuéxiào
她想住在学校。
She wants to live on campus.
- tā xiǎng mǎi shuǐguǒ
他想买水果。
He wants to buy fruits.
QUESTION - To ask questions like "do you want to do something" in Chinese, we can use the yes/no Question Particle 吗 and use this structure:
Subject + 想 + Verb ( + Object ) + 吗?
- tā xiǎng zhù zài xuéxiào ma
她想住在学校吗?
Does she want to live on campus?
- tā xiǎng mǎi shuǐguǒ ma
他想买水果吗?
Does he want to buy fruit?
ANSWER - Answering yes or no with questions like "do you want to do something" is very easy. We can answer with full sentences:
Subject 想 …… 。 / Subject 不想 …… 。
- wǒ xiǎng xué Yīngyǔ
我想学英语。
I want to learn English.
- tā bùxiǎng mài Hànyǔshū
他不想卖汉语书。
He doesn't want to sell his Chinese book.
Or with short versions:
想 。 / 不想。
- xiǎng 想。 (Yes, I do) want to.
- bùxiǎng 不想。 (No, I do) not want to.
Grammar 2: Is It OK in Chinese · HSK 1
QUESTION - There are a lot of different ways to ask is it ok in Chinese. Today we'll learn one of them:
好吗?
- wǒ xiǎng zhù zài nǐjiā, hǎoma
我想住在你家,好吗?
I want to live in your house, (is it) OK?
- tā xiǎng mǎi cháyè, hǎoma
他想买茶叶,好吗?
He wants to buy some (dry) tea leaves, (is it) OK?
Grammar 3: Something Is Not For Sale in Chinese · HSK 2
Something 不卖
- zhèběn Hànyǔshū búmài
这本汉语书不卖 This Chinese book is not for sale.
- zhèbù shǒujī búmài
这部手机不卖。
This cellphone is not for sale.