Basic Verb and Adjective Predicates in Chinese
动词/形容词作谓语
A Mandarin predicate can center on an action verb or an adjectival verb. Action predicates take their own objects and aspect markers as needed. Adjectival predicates do not require 是; in a neutral positive description they commonly take 很, which prevents the bare adjective from sounding contrastive.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + Verb Phrase; Subject + Degree Adverb + Adjective
Read the structure
A Mandarin predicate can center on an action verb or an adjectival verb. Action predicates take their own objects and aspect markers as needed. Adjectival predicates do not require 是; in a neutral positive description they commonly take 很, which prevents the bare adjective from sounding contrastive. Keep the model Subject + Verb Phrase; Subject + Degree Adverb + Adjective visible while you compare each sentence.
我学习中文。
I study Chinese.
Choose the right context
Use a verb phrase after the subject to state an action. Use 很 plus an adjective to make a neutral positive description. Use 不 directly before an adjective to form its negative predicate.
她很高。
She is tall.
Respect the boundary
Do not insert 是 before an ordinary adjectival predicate. Do not place an action verb's object before the verb in a basic clause. Do not add 很 to a predicate whose intended meaning is a sharp contrast.
她是高很。
(She is tall.)
Repair the pattern
Copula and degree adverb reversed around adjective: An ordinary adjectival predicate uses degree adverb 很 directly before 高 and does not take copula 是. 把 lacks an object before the action: 把 must introduce a displaced object before the following action; it cannot stand directly before 学习 with no object of its own.
她很高。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我学习中文。
I study Chinese.
我
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
学习
Verb Phrase; Subject
This part occupies the Verb Phrase; Subject position in the model pattern.
中文
Degree Adverb
This part occupies the Degree Adverb position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我学习中文。
I study Chinese.
她很高。
She is tall.
今天不冷。
It is not cold today.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Use a verb phrase after the subject to state an action.
- Use 很 plus an adjective to make a neutral positive description.
- Use 不 directly before an adjective to form its negative predicate.
Do not use it when
- Do not insert 是 before an ordinary adjectival predicate.
- Do not place an action verb's object before the verb in a basic clause.
- Do not add 很 to a predicate whose intended meaning is a sharp contrast.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
她是高很。
她很高。
Copula and degree adverb reversed around adjective
An ordinary adjectival predicate uses degree adverb 很 directly before 高 and does not take copula 是.
我把学习中文。
我学习中文。
把 lacks an object before the action
把 must introduce a displaced object before the following action; it cannot stand directly before 学习 with no object of its own.
她是高很。
An ordinary adjectival predicate uses degree adverb 很 directly before 高 and does not take copula 是.
我把学习中文。
把 must introduce a displaced object before the following action; it cannot stand directly before 学习 with no object of its own.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 动词/形容词作谓语.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 动词/形容词作谓语. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Basic Verb and Adjective Predicates Questions
Are Mandarin adjectives verbs?
Many adjectives can serve directly as predicates and can take negation or degree adverbs without 是.
Why does a positive adjective often use 很?
It commonly makes the description neutral; a bare adjective can invite a contrastive reading.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 1 item 【一25】 (PDF p. 180)
Provides official Level 1 directory placement and examples only; it does not establish the learner-facing usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 10, Adjectives and Adjectival Verbs; Chapter 13, Action Verbs
Distinguishes action predicates from adjectival predicates and explains why ordinary adjective predicates do not take 是.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
名词性主语Nominal Subjects
Distinguish the statement function of 动词形容词作谓语 and the stated object of 名词性主语, and check the core relationship of the sentence.
Compare
名词性宾语Basic Nominal Objects
Compare the dominance relationship between the predicate center and 名词性宾语 to avoid treating the descriptive components after the predicate as objects.
Continue learning
动词谓语句Basic Subject-Verb-Object Order
Put 动词 or the adjective predicate into the complete sentence pattern, and continue to identify the order of the subject, predicate and optional object.
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Put 动词 or the adjective predicate into the complete sentence pattern, and continue to identify the order of the subject, predicate and optional object.