Level 2 Lesson 9.1 – Yet, Still; In Addition

GRAMMAR

Grammar 1: Say Still, Yet, In Addition in Chinese with Adverb 还 · HSK 2

Adverb 还 hái is very useful and can be translated as still, yet, in addition in Chinese.

(1) 还 as still or yet

还 is usually translated as still or yet in English. It suggests that an action persists or that a state is maintaining. Basically, the situation has been like this up till now and will not change.

Subject + 还 (+ 不 / 没) + Predicate (+ Object)

For example,

• duìbuqǐ, wǒ hái zài gōngsī
  对不起，我还在公司。
  Sorry, I am still at the company.
• nǐ háiyǒu duōshao qián
  你还有多少钱？
  How much money do you still have?

And with negative sentences, we have these examples:

• nǐ hái méi qǐchuáng ma
  你还没起床吗？
  You have not gotten up yet?
• yī jiǔ jiǔ jiǔ nián, wǒmen hái bú rènshi
  1999年，我们还不认识。
  In 1999, we did not know each other yet.

(2) 还 as in addition, furthermore, on top of

还 also suggests in addition or on top of, and it is usually translated as also, too, as well, or in addition. It is similar to No.1 but sounds stronger, because it suggests that on top of what is already stated, the action still continues or the state is still maintaining. For example,

• wǒ yǒu yí ge dìdi, hái yǒu yí ge mèimei
  我有一个弟弟，还有一个妹妹。
  I have a younger brother, and I also have a younger sister.
• wǒmen gàosu Zhāng Lǎoshī le, hái yào gàosu Lǐ Lǎoshī
  我们告诉张老师了，还要告诉李老师。
  We have told Teacher Zhang, and we also need to tell Teacher Li.

Grammar 2: The 还...呢 Structure · HSK 2

We learned in our HSK Level 1 Course, Lesson 11 that the Modal Particle 呢 can suggest an action or a state is continuing, being put at the end of a sentence. It can also be used with 还, meaning that an action or a state is still continuing:

Subject + 还 + Predicate (+ Object) + 呢。

For example,

• tā hái méi qǐchuáng ne
  他还没起床呢！
  He has not gotten up yet.
• wǒ hái zài kàn bǐsài ne
  我还在看比赛呢！
  I am still watching the game.

Grammar 3: The 有的...有的...还有的...structure in Chinese · HSK 2

yǒude 有的 means “some; a proportion of”, háiyǒude 还有的 means “additionally some; another proportion of”. They can be used by themselves and used before a noun (phrase) as well. For example:

• yǒude háizi
  有的孩子
  some children; a proportion of the children
• yǒude péngyou
  有的朋友
  some friends; a proportion of the friends

• háiyǒu de rén
  还有的人
  additionally some people
• háiyǒu de bǐsài
  还有的比赛
  additionally some matches

有的 and 还有的 are very commonly used in the 有的...有的...还有的... structure, to list more than a few things, items, people, or situations.

有的..., 有的..., (有的...,) 还有的...

For example,

(1) A short phrase or sentence that clarifies the range, then the structure

xuéxiào li, yǒude tóngxué xǐhuan zúqiú, yǒude tóngxué xǐhuan lánqiú, hái yǒude tóngxué bù xǐhuan yùndòng
学校里，有的同学喜欢足球，有的同学喜欢篮球，还有的同学不喜欢运动。
In the school, some classmates like soccer, some classmates like basketball, and some classmates do not like sports.

wǒ rènshi hěnduō rén, yǒude xīwàng zìjǐ shuài, piàoliang, yǒude xīwàng zìjǐ jiànkāng, háiyǒu de xīwàng zìjǐ kuàilè
我认识很多人，有的希望自己帅、漂亮，有的希望自己健康，还有的希望自己快乐。
I know many people. Some hope they are handsome or pretty, some hope they are healthy, and some hope they are happy.

(2) A noun phrase that clarifies the range, then directly followed by the structure

zúqiú bǐsài yǒude jiǔshí fēnzhōng, yǒude yìbǎi fēnzhōng, háiyǒude yìbǎi èrshí fēnzhōng
足球比赛有的九十分钟，有的一百分钟，还有的一百二十分钟。
Some soccer games are 90 minutes, some are 100 minutes, and some are 120 minutes.

wǒ de péngyou dōu hěn yǒu yìsi, tāmen yǒude shì Zhōngguórén, yǒude shì Měiguórén, háiyǒude shì Fǎguórén
我的朋友都很有意思，他们有的是中国人，有的是美国人，还有的是法国人。
My friends are all interesting. Some are Chinese, some are American, and some are French.

Grammar 4: Verb 要 to say to want something in Chinese · HSK 2

Verb 要, followed by a noun or noun phrase, can be used to suggest wanting to have something, wanting to own something, wanting to get something, or wanting to keep something. It is usually translated as “to want something”.

Subject + (不) + 要 + something

For example,

• wǒ yào yì jīn niúròu, liǎng jīn jīròu hé sānjīn yángròu
  我要一斤牛肉、两斤鸡肉和三斤羊肉。
  I want one jīn of beef, two jīn of chicken, and three jīn of lamb.
• wǒ bú yào ménpiào, wǒ bù xǐhuan kàn bǐsài
  我不要门票，我不喜欢看比赛。
  I do not want a ticket. I do not like watching games.

Also, when suggesting to want something, the verb 要 can follow 想 as well, to say that the subject wants to have something.

Subject + (不) + 想要 + something

• zhàngfu xiǎng yào yíge 'érzi yíge nǚ'ér
  丈夫想要一个儿子一个女儿。
  The husband wants a son and a daughter.
• wǒ bù xiǎngyào zhège fángjiān, yīnwèi tài xiǎo le
  我不想要这个房间，因为太小了。
  I do not want this room because it is too small.