Pronoun combinations show how different pronouns join together to express roles like giver and receiver in a single phrase. They streamline sentences and make speech more natural.
Double Object Pronouns
Double object pronouns occur when both an indirect and a direct object pronoun appear together, usually with the indirect pronoun first. This pattern commonly replaces longer noun phrases.
Examples
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📝 老师给我写了张纸条。 | Lǎoshī gěi wǒ xiěle zhāng zhǐtiáo. | The teacher wrote me a note. | |
| 📩 老师给我发了电子邮件。 | Lǎoshī gěi wǒ fāle diànzǐ yóujiàn. | The teacher sent me an email. | |
| 🗒️ 老师给我留了学习清单。 | Lǎoshī gěi wǒ liúle xuéxí qīngdān. | The teacher left me a study list. | |
| 🧑🏫 老师给学生们分发了练习册。 | Lǎoshī gěi xuéshēngmen fēnfāle liànxí cè. | The teacher distributed workbooks to the students. | |
| 🧾 老师给我和同学发了通知。 | Lǎoshī gěi wǒ hé tóngxué fāle tōngzhī. | The teacher sent us a notice. |
Indirect Pronouns
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 给我 | gěi wǒ | give me | |
| 给你 | gěi nǐ | give you | |
| 给他 | gěi tā | give him | |
| 给她 | gěi tā | give her | |
| 给我们 | gěi wǒmen | give us | |
| 给你们 | gěi nǐmen | give you (pl.) | |
| 给他们 | gěi tāmen | give them | |
| 给她们 | gěi tāmen | give them (f.) |
Direct Pronouns
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 它 | tā | it | |
| 他 | tā | him | |
| 她 | tā | her | |
| 他们 | tāmen | them | |
| 它们 | tāmen | them (things) |
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership and are formed by adding 的 de after a pronoun. They can modify nouns or stand alone when the noun is understood.
Examples
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏫 这是我们的教室。 | Zhè shì wǒmen de jiàoshì. | This is our classroom. | |
| 📚 她的书放在桌子上。 | Tā de shū fàng zài zhuōzi shàng. | Her books are on the desk. | |
| 🧴 老师说了他们的作业要求。 | Lǎoshī shuōle tāmen de zuòyè yāoqiú. | The teacher gave their homework requirements. | |
| 🗂️ 我找到了自己的笔记本。 | Wǒ zhǎodàole zìjǐ de bǐjìběn. | I found my own notebook. | |
| 🧑🎓 同学们整理了我们自己的资料。 | Tóngxuémen zhěnglǐle wǒmen zìjǐ de zīliào. | The students organized our own materials. |
This is my pen.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns use 自己 zìjǐ to show that the subject and object are the same person. 自己 can be preceded by a possessive pronoun for emphasis.
Examples
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🪞 我在镜子前练习发言。 | Wǒ zài jìngzi qián liànxí fāyán. | I am practicing my speech in front of the mirror. | |
| ✍️ 她给自己订了一本笔记书。 | Tā gěi zìjǐ dìngle yī běn bǐjì shū. | She ordered a notebook for herself. | |
| 🧑🏫 老师提醒自己检查教案。 | Lǎoshī tíxǐng zìjǐ jiǎnchá jiàò'àn. | The teacher reminded herself to check the lesson plan. | |
| 🧑💻 学生们为自己准备了演示文稿。 | Xuéshēngmen wèi zìjǐ zhǔnbèile yǎnshì wéngǎo. | The students prepared presentations for themselves. | |
| 🧹 我自己收拾了课桌。 | Wǒ zìjǐ shōushíle kèzhuō. | I tidied up the desk myself. |
Summary
Pronoun combinations streamline sentences by joining indirect and direct pronouns, marking possession with 的 de, and using 自己 zìjǐ for reflexive meaning. Mastering these patterns makes speech more natural and efficient.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025