LEARN + CHINESE / 56 of 300 HSK 2
Tell Them How It Happened 是…的
Your friend knows you went to Shanghai, but asks how you got there. The trip is already understood; 是…的 helps you spotlight the detail they’re asking about. Put that detail between 是 and 的.
我是坐火车去上海的。
wǒ shì zuò huǒchē qù Shànghǎi de.
I went to Shanghai by train.
我们是昨天到的。
wǒmen shì zuótiān dào de.
We arrived yesterday.
她是在北京学的中文。
tā shì zài Běijīng xué de Zhōngwén.
She learned Chinese in Beijing.
这张照片是我弟弟拍的。
zhè zhāng zhàopiàn shì wǒ dìdi pāi de.
My younger brother took this photo.
Hint · 힌트
This pattern usually talks about a completed event. It highlights one piece of background information: when, where, how, or who. You can often leave out 是 in casual speech, but keep 的.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
shì...de | pattern highlighting a detail about a completed event |
zuò | to take (transport); sit |
huǒchē | train |
qù | to go |
Shànghǎi | Shanghai |
zuótiān | yesterday |
dào | to arrive |
Běijīng | Beijing |
xué | to learn; study |
Zhōngwén | Chinese language |
zhàopiàn | photo |
pāi | to take (a photo) |
dìdi | younger brother |
shíjiān | time |
dìdiǎn | place; location |
fāngfǎ | method; way |
zěnme | how |
shénme shíhou | when |
shéi | who |
yīnwèi | because |
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