Level 2 Lesson 10.1 – To The Left Side; To The Right Side

GRAMMAR

Grammar 1: Locality Nouns 左边 右边 旁边 这边 那边 哪边 · HSK 2

We've learned a group of Locality Nouns before in Level 1, today we have another group. The chart below are both groups of Locality Nouns.

All these Locality Nouns can either be used by themselves, or used after another Noun, Pronoun to form a Phrase that suggests Location, let’s just call it Locality Phrase.

(1) Locality Nouns used by themselves

For example,

• wǒ jiā zài zhèbian, bú zài nàbian
  我家在这边，不在那边。
  my home is at here, not at there
• yòubian yǒu yí liàng chē
  右边有一辆车。
  (the) right side exist one "liang" (of) vehicle

(2) Locality Nouns used after another Noun/Pronounce to form a Locality Phrase

[Noun/Pronoun + Locality Noun] = Locality Phrase

For example,

• gōngsī nàbiān
  公司那边
  (the) company there; there (where the) company (is)
• wǒmen zhèbiān
  我们这边
  us here; here (where) we (are)
• bàngōngshì yòubian
  办公室右边
  (the) right side (of the) office

A Locality Noun (Phrase) can be used as different Sentence Elements in Chinese.

(1) as the main Subject

• nǐ qiánbian shì shéi
  你前边是谁？
  who is (the one that is on) your front
  

(2) as the main Object

• lánqiú zài chuáng xiàbiān
  篮球在床下边。
  (the) basketball is at the underneath (0f the) bed (在 as a v.)
  

(3) as the Object of a Preposition, forming a Prepositional Phrase

• wǒmen bú zhù zài huǒchēzhàn zuǒbiān
  我们不住在火车站左边。
  we (do) not live at (the) left side (of the) train station (在 as a prep.)
  

(4) as the Attributive

• zuǒbian de fángjiān gèng dà、gèng piàoliang 
  左边的房间更大、更漂亮。
  (the) room (on the) left (is) bigger (and) prettier

Grammar 2: To and towards in Chinese with Preposition 向 and 往 · HSK 2/4

向 and 往 are both Prepositions suggesting "facing the direction of, or towards the direction of". 向 is a little bit more likely to be used in formal situations and written language. 往 can be more casual.

Both 向 and 往 can be used before a Locality Noun (Phrase) to form a Prepositional Phrase that tell us about "facing/towards the direction of some place/location".

For example,

• bí wǎng zuǒbian zǒu, wǎng yòubian zǒu
  别往左边走，往右边走。
  don't walk towards (the) left, walk towards (the) right
• xiàng qián kàn
  向前看！
  look to (the) front

Grammar 3: Existential Sentence with 是 · HSK 2

We've learned Existential Sentence with 有. "somewhere 有 something" to say "there are something in somewhere". We can also say an Existential Sentence with 是, "somewhere 是 something".

For example,

• nà zhāng zhuōzi pángbiān shì wǒ de yǐzi
  那张桌子旁边是我的椅子。
  (by the) side (of) that "zhang" (of) table is my chair
• zuǒbian shì lánqiú bǐsài, yòubiān shì zúqiú bǐsài
  左边是篮球比赛，右边是足球比赛。
  (the) left side is (a) basketball game; (the) right side is (a) soccer game

If we want to say the difference between using 有 and 是, here's some informtaion

Let's compare these two pairs of sentences.

• zhuōzi zuǒbian yǒu jīròu
  桌子左边有鸡肉。
  (the) left side (of the) table exist chicken
  there is chicken on the left of the table
• zhuōzi zuǒbian shì jīròu
  桌子左边是鸡肉。
  (the) left side (of the) table is chicken
  it's chicken on the left of the table

• bàngōngshì nàbian yǒu liǎngge lǎoshī
  办公室那边有两个老师。
  (the) office there exists two "ge" (of) teachers
  there are two teachers (over) there (where the) office (is)
• bàngōngshì nàbian shì liǎngge lǎoshī
  办公室那边是两个老师。
  (the) office there are two "ge" (of) teachers
  it's two teachers that (are over) there (where the) office (is)

Grammar 4: The Attributive Goes Before the Phrase That It Modifies in Chinese · HSK 2

The Attributive goes before the Phrase that it modifies is a "golden grammatical rule" in Chinese.

Typically, No. 1 the Attributive goes before the phrase that it modifies, and No.2 the Adverbial goes before the Predicate.

(1) the Attributive goes before the phrase that it modifies

• zuǒbian de bàngōngshì
  左边的办公室
  left side's office
• xiūxi shíjiān
  休息时间
  rest time; break time

(2) the Adverbial goes before the Predicate

• xiàng yǒubian kàn
  向右边看
  to the right-look=look to the right
• wǎng pángbiān zǒu
  往旁边走
  to the side-walk=walk towards the side
• kuài kàn
  快看
  quickly look=come look
• bù máng
  不忙
  not busy
• màn zǒu
  慢走
  slowly-walk=walk slowly(goodbye to say to guests)