Chinese Grammar Patterns: 40+ Structures You'll See Everywhere

Chinese grammar patterns are ready-made sentence molds: two-part structures like 因为…所以… (because... so...) where you drop your own words into the slots and the sentence comes out right. Since Chinese words never change form, these patterns do the work that conjugation and tense do in other languages, and a surprisingly small set of them carries you from HSK 3 all the way to HSK 7.

This page collects 40+ of the highest-frequency patterns, grouped by what they do, each with a real example sentence and translation. Skim the groups, don't memorize the list: the goal is to recognize a pattern instantly when it shows up in something you're reading.

Tip: paste any example below into the free Chinese to pinyin converter to see its pinyin word by word.

Cause and effect

• 因为…所以… (yīnwèi… suǒyǐ…): because... so...
  因为下雨，所以我们取消了计划。Because it rained, we canceled the plan.
• 由于… (yóuyú): due to... (more formal than 因为)
  由于天气不好，比赛取消了。Due to bad weather, the match was canceled.
• 之所以…是因为… (zhī suǒyǐ… shì yīnwèi…): the reason that... is because...
  他之所以迟到，是因为堵车了。The reason he was late is that traffic was bad.
• 为了… (wèile): in order to...
  为了通过考试，他每天都学习。To pass the exam, he studies every day.

If, unless, and in case

• 如果…就… (rúguǒ… jiù…): if... then...
  如果你有时间，就来找我吧。If you have time, come find me.
• 要是…的话 (yàoshi… dehuà): if... (colloquial)
  要是你不来的话，我们就先走了。If you don't come, we'll go ahead without you.
• 只要…就… (zhǐyào… jiù…): as long as... then...
  只要你努力，就能成功。As long as you work hard, you can succeed.
• 只有…才… (zhǐyǒu… cái…): only if... then...
  只有努力学习，才能通过考试。Only by studying hard can you pass the exam.
• 除非…否则… (chúfēi… fǒuzé…): unless... otherwise...
  除非你道歉，否则我不会原谅你。Unless you apologize, I won't forgive you.
• 万一… (wànyī): in case... / what if...
  万一明天下雨，我们就改期。If by chance it rains tomorrow, we'll reschedule.
• 一旦…就… (yídàn… jiù…): once... then...
  一旦决定了，就不要后悔。Once you've decided, don't second-guess it.

Although and even if

• 虽然…但是… (suīrán… dànshì…): although... but...
  虽然今天很冷，但是我还是去了。Although it was cold today, I still went.
• 即使…也… (jíshǐ… yě…): even if... still...
  即使下雨，他也会来。Even if it rains, he'll come.
• 哪怕…也… (nǎpà… yě…): even if... still... (emphatic)
  哪怕再难，他也不会放弃。No matter how hard it gets, he won't give up.
• 再…也… (zài… yě…): no matter how much... still...
  再忙，他也会给妈妈打电话。No matter how busy he is, he still calls his mom.
• 无论…都… (wúlùn… dōu…): no matter what... always...
  无论发生什么，我们都要冷静。No matter what happens, we have to stay calm.
• 不管…都… (bùguǎn… dōu…): regardless of... always... (colloquial 无论)
  不管多忙，他都会锻炼身体。However busy he is, he always works out.
• 不论…都… (búlùn… dōu…): no matter which... always...
  不论结果如何，我们都已经尽力了。Whatever the result, we've given it our best.

Not only, both, and besides

• 不但…而且… (búdàn… érqiě…): not only... but also...
  他不但聪明而且很努力。He's not only smart but also hardworking.
• 不仅…还… (bùjǐn… hái…): not only... but also...
  他不仅会唱歌，还会跳舞。He can sing, and he can dance too.
• 既…又… (jì… yòu…): both... and...
  这件衣服既漂亮又便宜。This outfit is both pretty and cheap.
• 除了…以外 (chúle… yǐwài): besides / except for...
  除了英语以外，他还会说法语。Besides English, he also speaks French.

Change, degree, and "more and more"

• 越来越… (yuè lái yuè…): more and more...
  她的中文越来越好了。Her Chinese keeps getting better.
• 越…越… (yuè… yuè…): the more... the more...
  他越想越生气。The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
• …起来 (qǐlai): starting up / seeming
  天气暖和起来了。The weather is starting to warm up.
• …下去 (xiàqu): continuing on
  请你继续说下去。Please keep talking.

Preferences and comparisons

• 与其…不如… (yǔqí… bùrú…): rather than... better to...
  与其在家睡觉，不如出去运动。Rather than sleeping at home, you might as well go exercise.
• 宁可…也不… (nìngkě… yě bù…): would rather... than...
  我宁可走路，也不愿意挤公交车。I'd rather walk than squeeze onto the bus.
• 像…似的 / 跟…一样 (xiàng… shìde / gēn… yíyàng): like... / the same as...
  他的脸红得像苹果似的。His face went red as an apple.

Emphasis and rhetorical questions

• 连…都… (lián… dōu…): even... (often negative)
  他连一句话都没说。He didn't say even one word.
• 是…的 (shì… de): emphasizes when, where, or how a past action happened
  我是去年来北京的。It was last year that I came to Beijing.
• 既然…就… (jìrán… jiù…): since (that's the case)... then...
  既然你已经决定了，就坚持下去吧。Since you've already decided, see it through.
• 难道…吗？ (nándào… ma?): don't tell me... (rhetorical)
  难道你不知道吗？Don't tell me you didn't know?
• 到底 / 究竟… (dàodǐ / jiūjìng): just what exactly...
  你到底想说什么？What exactly are you trying to say?
• 多么…啊！ (duōme… a!): how...! (exclamation)
  这里的风景多么美啊！How beautiful the scenery is here!

Doing things to things

These four rearrange who does what to whom. The first two are important enough to have their own full guides.

• 把 construction (bǎ): pulls the object before the verb to focus on what happens to it
  我把作业做完了。I finished the homework. Full guide: The 把 Construction.
• 被 passive (bèi): the receiver comes first
  杯子被他打破了。The cup got broken by him. Full guide: The 被 Passive.
• 让/叫/使 (causative) (ràng/jiào/shǐ): make or let someone do something
  老师让我们写作业。The teacher had us do homework.
• 把…当作… (bǎ… dàngzuò…): treat... as...
  他把我当作自己的家人。He treats me like his own family.

Aspect and verb complements

These attach to the verb itself. The three aspect particles are covered in depth in Chinese Particles Explained.

• verb + 了 (le): completed action
  我吃了早饭。I ate breakfast.
• verb + 着 (zhe): ongoing state
  他坐着看书。He reads sitting down.
• verb + 过 (guo): past experience
  我去过中国三次。I've been to China three times.
• verb + 出来 (chūlai): figuring out / emerging
  我认出来他了。I recognized him.
• verb + 得/不 + complement (de/bu): can or can't accomplish
  这个字我看不清楚。I can't see this character clearly.

How to make these stick

Don't flashcard this page. Patterns become automatic through repetition in context, and graded reading is the fastest way to rack up those repetitions:

• Every story in the Chenjin library can highlight its grammar patterns inline while you read, with a short note explaining each one. The patterns above light up in real sentences.
• Reading at the right level means you meet 因为…所以… fifty times in a month without trying. Start with the free graded reader.
• Create a free account to read with grammar highlights on and save any sentence to your flashcards.

For the foundations these patterns sit on, head back to the main guide: Chinese Grammar Made Simple.

Keep learning

• Chinese Grammar Made Simple: Every Rule That Matters
• Chinese Sentence Structure: The Shape of a Mandarin Sentence
• Chinese Particles Explained: 的, 了, 吗, 呢, 吧 and Friends
• 了 in Depth: The Completed-Action 了 and the Change-of-State 了
• Chinese Reading Practice: A Complete Guide by Level