Adverb Formation
Spoken Description
本教程帮助中级学习者理解中国语法中副词的形成。介绍常见的副词后缀、位置和句子中的作用，辅以例句和练习题，增强词语修饰的表达能力。适合想要提升描述性写作和口语的学习者。
This guide explains how to form adverbs in Chinese, covering common suffixes, placement, and function within sentences. Includes clear examples and practice exercises to deepen understanding and improve descriptive and narrative writing.
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Adverbs in Mandarin Chinese often arise from nouns or adjectives with a few small additions, so this guide walks through the main patterns and key particles to watch. Learn the simple defaults first, then the special cases.
Adverbs from Adjectives
Many adverbs are formed by using an adjective directly or by adding the particle 地 (de) after the adjective when modifying a verb. This keeps the meaning clear and consistent.
Using 地 to Turn Adjectives into Adverbs
When an adjective modifies a verb, add 地 (de) to signal the adverbial role, so the sentence flows naturally and listeners know which action is described. This is the typical pattern for turning descriptive words into manner adverbs.
Tā 说(very) 快。
He speaks very quickly.
Turn the adjective hěn (very) into an adverb modifying the verb in the sentence below.
Adjectives Used Without 地
Some high-frequency adverbs are adjectives used directly without 地 for idiomatic or emphatic effect. These are best learned from examples, as they often appear in quick speech and set phrases.
他 跑 得 很(fast)。
He runs very fast.
Choose the simplest adverb option (no 地) for the blank.
Adverbs from Nouns
Nouns can become adverbs by adding particles like 上 (shàng) or by turning temporal or directional nouns into modifiers. This allows precise marking of time, place, or manner relative to the action.
Temporal Nouns Used Adverbially
Words for times of day, dates, or durations often function adverbially when placed before the verb, anchoring the event in time without extra particles. This makes sentences concise and natural.
我(morning) 起床。
I get up early in the morning.
Fill in the blank with a temporal noun used adverbially to mean 'early in the morning'.
Directional and Locative Nouns
Place-related nouns can act as adverbs when they modify the verb or when particles show relation to the location. This guides attention to where an action occurs or is directed.
书 放 在 桌子(on） 。
The book is placed on the table.
Complete the adverbial phrase meaning 'upon the table' used to modify the verb.
Adverbial Particles
Particles like 地, 得, and 了 play key roles in shaping adverbial meaning, whether by turning modifiers into adverbs or by marking degree and aspect. Mastering these small words greatly improves nuance.
Distinguishing 地, 得, and 的
地, 得, and 的 serve different functions for linking modifiers to verbs or nouns. 地 turns an adjective into an adverb, 得 follows a verb to show manner or degree, and 的 marks attributives for nouns. Knowing when to use each keeps sentences grammatical.
Using 得 to Show Manner or Degree
After a verb, 得 introduces a complement that describes how, how much, or to what extent the action occurs. This allows detailed adverbial information to follow the verb naturally.
他说流利。
He speaks fluently.
Complete the sentence by inserting 得 to link the verb with its manner complement.
Common Adverbs
High-frequency adverbs for time, manner, frequency, and degree show up in all sorts of sentences, so learning a core set speeds comprehension and expression. These often precede the verb and set the scene for the action.
Degree Adverbs
Words that modify intensity or amount appear before adjectives or verbs to scale the meaning from slight to extreme. These adverbs fine-tune descriptions and help nuance evaluation.
这本书(really) 好。
This book is really good.
Fill in the blank with a degree adverb meaning 'really'.
Frequency Adverbs
Adverbs of frequency signal how often an action repeats and usually come before the main verb. They shape expectations and make habitual patterns clear in narrative or conversation.
他们(often) 去 公园。
They often go to the park.
Choose a frequency adverb to complete the sentence.
Summary
Mandarin adverbs mostly come from adjectives or nouns with small added particles like 地 to mark adverbial role. Learn the difference between 地, 得, and 的 to link modifiers correctly, and build a core set of common adverbs for time, manner, degree, and frequency. Practice placing adverbs in natural sentence order to keep meaning clear.
More
For more practice, try turning adjectives into adverbs with 地 in sample sentences, and notice which adverbs are used without it in native speech. Exercises that ask you to insert the right particle reinforce the distinctions.
Useful Adverbs
Here are some common adverbs that appear frequently in everyday Mandarin. Place them normally before or after the verb according to type.
| Pinyin | Hanzi | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| mǎshàng | 马上 | immediately | |
| hěn | 很 | very | |
| gāoxìng | 高兴 | happily | |
| chángcháng | 常常 | often | |
| kuài | 快 | quickly | |
| yǒushíhòu | 有时候 | sometimes | |
| mànmàn | 慢慢 | slowly | |
| zhēn | 真 | really | |
| zǒngshì | 总是 | always |
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