Phrase Order

Phrase Order 

Basic phrase order

Topic + subject + predicate

A sentence need not have an overt topic. Sometimes if the subject is understood from the context of the sentence, it is often omitted from the sentence.

The position of direct and indirect objects

The direct and indirect objects of the verb follow the verb. We refer to the verb and its objects as the verb phrase.

If there is an indirect object, it precedes the direct object

Subject + verb + indirect object + direct object

他给我一本书。

他：subject

给：verb

我：indirect object

一本书：direct object

Most verb only take direct object

Subject + verb + direct object

我看了那些书。

The position of prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases always occur right before the verb and its objects

Subject + prepositional phrase + verb + direct object

他跟他的女朋友吃晚饭。

The position of location phrases

The location phrase is a type of preposition phrase. It always occurs before the verb phrase.

Subject + location phrase + verb phrase

我在家吃饭。

Within the location phrase, the order is from the largest to the smallest.

Example of an address:

中国北京潮阳区建国门外大街一号。

The position of the ‘time when’ phrases

A phrase that indicates the ‘time when’ a situation occurs at the beginning of the predicate.

Subject + time when + predicate

我每天喝咖啡。

他每天跟他的女朋友吃晚饭。

If ‘time when’ is emphasized or contrasted with another time, it may occur before the subject.

昨天我不太舒服。今天已经没问题了。

Within the ‘time when’ phrase, the order is from the largest block of time to the smallest block of time:

昨天晚上八点钟

一九九八年二月十五日

The relative order of the ‘time when’ phrase and the location phrase

When a sentence includes both ‘time when’ phrase and a location phrase, ‘time when’ generally occurs before location.

Subject + time when + location + verb phrase

我每天在家吃饭。

The position of adverbs

Adverbs occur at the beginning of a predicate, before the verb and any prepositional phrase. Adverbs usually occur after the ‘time when’ phrase.

我上个月只看一部电影。

The position of negation

Negation occurs before the verb and any prepositional phrase. It usually occurs after an adverb, though certain adverbs may either precede or follow negation.

他没来上课。

The position of duration phrase

Duration phrases are time phrases that indicate the length of time that an action occurs. Duration phrases directly follow the verb. Unlike English, there is no preposition associated with the expression of duration in Chinese.

我在中国住了三年。

我昨天晚上睡了八个小时。

Order within the noun phrase

The main noun in the noun phrase, the head noun, occurs as the last word in the phrase. All phrases that describe or modify the head noun occur before the head noun.

那本很有意思的书

书- head noun

Phrase order in questions

In Chinese, the order of phrases in questions is identical to the order of phrases in statements. Chinese questions are not characterized by a special question word order.

Statement

我喜欢他。

Content  question
你喜欢谁？

Yes-no question

你喜欢他吗？