---
title: "是…的 (emphasis) in Chinese Grammar: It was … that (stresses when, where, how or who), With Examples"
description: "是…的 (emphasis): it was … that (stresses when, where, how or who). 是…的 highlights a detail — when, where, how or who — of something that already happened. 4 real lines from stories, each word explained."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/shi-de"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese grammar](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar)

# 是…的 (emphasis)

It was … that (stresses when, where, how or who)

是…的 highlights a detail — when, where, how or who — of something that already happened.

## In stories

“妈妈，这个杯子**是在哪儿买的**？”

[小猫杯子 · The birthday present that came back](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/easy-chinese-story-birthday-present#library-word-125-131) HSK 1

这个菜，**是她做的**。”

[我不太喜欢 · How to say I like and I don't like in Chinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-say-i-like-and-i-dont-like-in-chinese#library-word-301-305) HSK 1

儿子笑了：“爸爸**是十点半睡的**。

[我不困 · How to say I'm sleepy and I'm thirsty in Chinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-say-im-sleepy-and-im-thirsty-in-chinese#library-word-259-265) HSK 1

她在手机上给爸爸妈妈写：“今天的晚饭**是我做的**！”

[“哈哈”和“666” · What do 哈哈 and 666 mean in Chinese texting?](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-do-haha-and-666-mean-in-chinese-texting#library-word-155-159) HSK 1

[Read 小猫杯子](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/easy-chinese-story-birthday-present#library-word-125-131)

## More patterns

- […的时候 when …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/de-shihou)
- [于是 so; and so; thereupon](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/yushi)
- [如果/要是…就… if …, then …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/ruguo-jiu)
- [像…一样/似的 like …; as … as …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/xiang-yiyang)
- [不是…吗 (rhetorical) isn’t it (the case) that …? — often rhetorical (surprise or objection)](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/bushi-ma)
- [有的…，有的… some …, others …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/youde-youde)

## What does 是…的 (emphasis) mean in Chinese?

It was … that (stresses when, where, how or who). 是…的 highlights a detail — when, where, how or who — of something that already happened.

## How common is 是…的 (emphasis)?

It comes up in 111 readings of the 392 stories and articles in our free Library.

## Does it correct my mistakes?

No. It shows which patterns a text uses and what each one does; it doesn’t mark errors. Paste a sentence you wrote to see whether it uses the pattern you meant.

## More free tools

- [Chinese dictionary](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-dictionary)
- [Measure words](https://mandarinthewild.com/measure-words)
- [How hard is this text?](https://mandarinthewild.com/text-level)
- [Free Chinese stories](https://mandarinthewild.com/library)

Patterns found by our own parser; lines from our free Library.