Chinese particles

What do 吗, 呢 and 吧 do?

吗 turns a statement into a yes-no question: 你好吗？(how are you?). 呢 asks “and you?” or “what about …?”: 我很好，你呢？ 吧 suggests or checks: 我们走吧 (let’s go), 你是老师吧？(you’re a teacher, right?).

What is the difference between 的, 地 and 得?

All three are said de. 的 comes before a noun: 我的书 (my book). 地 comes before a verb, like “-ly”: 慢慢地走 (walk slowly). 得 comes after a verb, before how it was done: 他说得很好 (he speaks well).

What does 了 do?

After a verb, 了 marks a finished action: 我吃了饭 (I ate). At the end of a sentence, it marks a change: 下雨了 (it’s started raining). 过 says you have done something before, 着 that something is going on.

More words

• Chinese pronouns
• Chinese conjunctions
• Chinese grammar patterns