Pronouns and 是 (to be)
I, you, he, she, we, they -- and 是 for saying who or what someone is: nationality, job, identity.
Personal pronouns
我 (wǒ) I/me, 你 (nǐ) you, 您 (nín) you (polite), 他 (tā) he/him, 她 (tā) she/her, 它 (tā) it.
He, she and it all sound exactly the same (tā) -- only the characters differ. Add 们 for the plural: 我们 (wǒmen) we, 你们 (nǐmen) you (plural), 他们 (tāmen) they, 她们 (tāmen) they (all female).
Pronouns never change form: 我 is both "I" and "me."
Quick check
1. How do you tell 他 (he) and 她 (she) apart when listening?
是: "to be" with nouns
是 (shì) links two nouns: 我是学生 (wǒ shì xuésheng) (I am a student), 她是老师 (tā shì lǎoshī) (she is a teacher). There's no "a" or "the" in Chinese.
是 never changes: I am, you are, he is, they were -- all 是.
The negative is 不是 (bú shì): 他不是医生 (tā bú shì yīshēng) (he isn't a doctor). Remember that 不 rises before the fourth-tone 是.
Quick check
1. Complete (characters or pinyin).
Nationalities
Country + 人 (rén, person) gives the nationality: 中国人 (Zhōngguó rén) (Chinese person), 美国人 (Měiguó rén) (American), 英国人 (Yīngguó rén) (British), 加拿大人 (Jiānádà rén) (Canadian).
你是哪国人？ (nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) -- "which country person are you?" -- asks someone's nationality.
Try it yourself
Write a sentence or two using what this lesson covered. Not graded -- just for you, saved so you can come back to it.
Pick with a tap, a number key or Space. A Chinese keyboard on your device works in the box below too.
Final review
0/15 answered across this lesson
1. Match the pronoun to its meaning.
2. Complete (characters or pinyin).
3. Put the words in order.
Hint: “She is British.”
4. Put the words in order.
Hint: “We aren't teachers.”
5. Translate into English.
6. Say it in Chinese (characters or pinyin).
7. Say it in Chinese (characters or pinyin).
8. Say it in Chinese (characters or pinyin).
9. Say it in Chinese (characters or pinyin).
10. What does 你是哪国人？ ask?
11. Which sentences are correct Chinese? (Choose all that apply.)
Select all that apply.
12. Say it in Chinese (characters or pinyin).
13. What did you hear?