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B1 · Grammar reference · ASG8YTSF

The "shi... de" patterns: an overview

An intermediate student of Chinese should be aware of the classic "shi... de" construction. It's important to learn and use. But don't be tempted to think that the "official" 是⋯⋯的 (shì... de) pattern is the only way that 是 and 的 can work together in a sentence! There are multiple ways to use 是 and 的 together, and they can be used for different purposes. This article helps break down the various uses of 是⋯⋯的 and tackle the confusion head-on.

Structure

Subj. + 是 + [Distinguishing Words] + 的

Subj. + 是 + [Information to be Emphasized] + Verb + 的

Person + 是 + 来 / 去 + Verb + 的

Thing + 是 + 用来 + Verb + 的

Keywords
是 · 的
Used for
Emphasizing
Classification
HSK2

Examples (18)

A:你也是大学生?你是什么专业的?

B:我是中文专业的。

这个苹果是坏的。

你错了,那个人是女的。

他家的家具都是中式的。

A:你是什么时候开始学中文的?

B:我是两年前开始学中文的。

A:你是在哪里学的中文?

B:我是在上海学的中文。

A:昨天你是怎么回的家?

B:昨天我是打车回家的。

我是来实习的。

A:我是教汉语的。你是做什么的?

B:我是送外卖的。

这个东西是可以吃的。

我会去的。

我们能做到的。

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Full explanation at AllSet Learning

Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.

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