B2 · Intermedio alto Capítulo 9

Making Comparisons and Simple Connections

5 Reglas totales
52 ejemplos
5 min
Reglas en este capítulo Práctica rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Elevate your Chinese by mastering precise comparisons and fluid narrative connections.

  • Express immediate sequences and logical consequences.
  • Articulate nuanced comparisons between people and objects.
  • Add persuasive depth to your arguments with natural fillers.
Connect, compare, and communicate with newfound precision.

Lo que aprenderás

Ready for a major upgrade in your Chinese? If you're looking to move beyond simply getting your point across and start expressing yourself with precision and nuance, sounding more authentically native, then this chapter is designed for you! You'll dive deep into sophisticated comparisons. Master A 有 B Adj to express equality, like

This book is as good as that one.
When something's not quite up to par or you want to suggest an alternative, «不如 (bùrú)» empowers you to voice true feelings and preferences. Next, we transition into connecting events. No more bland and then! «一...就... (yī... jiù...)» links actions where the second happens instantly after the first – e.g.,
As soon as I saw him, he laughed.
For intricate narratives, where one event naturally follows another, «于是 (yúshì)» means and thereupon or consequently. It's the magical glue that makes your stories flow effortlessly. Finally, to give your arguments real weight, master «再说 (zàishuō).» This versatile phrase is perfect for adding a killer final reason or for politely postponing a decision. By the end, you'll confidently compare, narrate engaging stories, and articulate reasons with conviction. You won't just be speaking Chinese; you'll be using it like a seasoned speaker. Ready for this significant leap?

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use '一...就...' to describe instant reactions in a story.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Compare items using '不如' and '有' structures.

Guía del capítulo

Overview

Ready for a major upgrade in your Chinese? If you're looking to move beyond simply getting your point across and start expressing yourself with precision and nuance, sounding more authentically native, then this chapter is designed for you! This B2 Chinese grammar guide will unlock sophisticated ways to compare, connect ideas, and articulate reasons, pushing your fluency to new heights.
Mastering these structures is crucial for any learner aiming for advanced proficiency. You'll move beyond basic sentence construction and learn to weave complex thoughts together seamlessly, making your conversations and writing much more engaging and natural. This context-rich approach to Chinese grammar will significantly enhance your ability to understand and participate in nuanced discussions.
By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently compare, narrate engaging stories, and articulate reasons with conviction. You won't just be speaking Chinese; you'll be using it like a seasoned speaker, demonstrating a deeper understanding of the language's subtleties. Get ready for a significant leap in your Chinese language learning journey!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter introduces five powerful Chinese grammar patterns that elevate your communication. First, for equative comparisons, we have A 有 B Adj (A is as [Adj] as B). This structure is perfect for stating equality, often implying a positive or neutral comparison, as in «他的中文有你那么好» (His Chinese is as good as yours).
When something doesn't quite measure up or you want to suggest an alternative, 不如 (bùrú) is your go-to. It means 'not as good as' or 'would rather', allowing you to voice preferences, like «这个方案不如那个好» (This plan isn't as good as that one) or «我们不如明天再去吧» (How about we go tomorrow instead?).
Next, we dive into connecting events. To link actions where the second happens instantly after the first, use **一...就... (yī...
jiù...)**. This translates to 'as soon as... then...' and conveys immediacy, for example, «我一回家就洗澡» (As soon as I get home, I take a shower).
For intricate narratives where one event naturally follows another as a consequence, 于是 (yúshì) means 'and thereupon' or 'consequently'. It's the magical glue that makes your stories flow effortlessly, like «他病了，于是取消了会议» (He was sick, and thereupon cancelled the meeting). Finally, to give your arguments real weight or politely postpone a decision, master 再说 (zàishuō).
This versatile phrase is perfect for adding a killer final reason or suggesting 'let's talk about it later', such as «我不喜欢这个颜色，再说，它也太贵了» (I don't like this color, besides, it's too expensive) or «先吃饭吧，工作的事再说» (Let's eat first, we can talk about work later).

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: «她有我漂亮。» (She is as pretty as me.)
✓ Correct: «她有我那么漂亮。» (She is as pretty as me.)
*Explanation:* When using A 有 B Adj for equative comparison, you almost always need 那么 (nàme) or 这么 (zhème) before the adjective to specify the degree of comparison. Omitting it sounds incomplete or grammatically awkward.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: «我先去商店，于是回家了。» (First I went to the store, and thereupon went home.)
✓ Correct: «我先去商店，然后回家了。» (First I went to the store, then I went home.)
*Explanation:* 于是 (yúshì) implies a logical consequence or a cause-and-effect relationship, not just a simple chronological sequence. For a straightforward 'then' in a narrative, 然后 (ránhòu) is the correct choice.

Real Conversations

A

A

这家餐厅的菜味道怎么样？ (How's the food at this restaurant?)
B

B

嗯，我觉得它不如上次我们去的那家好吃。 (Hmm, I think it's not as good as the one we went to last time.)
A

A

你觉得学中文难吗？ (Do you think learning Chinese is hard?)
B

B

我觉得它有学法语那么难，甚至更难一些。 (I think it's as hard as learning French, maybe even a bit harder.)
A

A

你什么时候给我打电话？ (When will you call me?)
B

B

我一到家就给你打电话。 (As soon as I get home, I'll call you.)

Quick FAQ

Q

When should I use 不如 (bùrú) instead of 没有 (méiyǒu) for negative comparisons in Chinese grammar?

不如 (bùrú) implies 'not as good as' or 'inferior to', often with a subjective judgment or a suggestion for an alternative. 没有 (méiyǒu) simply states a lack of equality, meaning 'not as... as', and can be used for objective comparisons or to state that something doesn't reach a certain standard.

Q

Can 一...就... (yī... jiù...) be used for future events?

Yes, it's very common! It implies immediacy in the future, meaning 'as soon as [condition is met], then [action will happen]'. For example, «我一有钱就买房。» (As soon as I have money, I'll buy a house.)

Q

What's the difference between 于是 (yúshì) and 所以 (suǒyǐ)?

Both relate to consequences, but 于是 (yúshì) emphasizes sequential events where the second is a direct result or follow-up of the first, often in narrative. 所以 (suǒyǐ) is a more general 'therefore' or 'so', emphasizing a logical conclusion or reason. 于是 is more about *how* things happened, 所以 is more about *why* something is the case.

Q

Is 再说 (zàishuō) always about postponing, or can it add reasons?

It can do both! It means 'let's talk about it later' when used alone or at the end of a thought. When used to introduce a new clause, it means 'besides', 'furthermore', or 'what's more', adding an additional reason or point to an argument.

Cultural Context

These patterns are essential for sounding natural and nuanced in Chinese. 不如 (bùrú) is frequently used to politely express dissatisfaction or suggest a better alternative without being overly direct. **一...就...
(yī... jiù...) is ubiquitous in daily conversation, making your speech flow with a sense of urgency or immediate connection. 于是 (yúshì)**, while more formal, is key for coherent storytelling in both spoken and written contexts.
再说 (zàishuō) is a highly versatile tool for soft refusals, postponing decisions, or strengthening arguments, reflecting a common Chinese communication style that values indirectness and thorough consideration.

Ejemplos clave (2)

1

这台电脑不如那台。

Esta computadora no es tan buena como esa.

Comparaciones chinas: Usar 不如 (bùrú) para 'No tan bueno como'
2

与其发短信，不如打视频。

En lugar de enviar mensajes, es mejor hacer una videollamada.

Comparaciones chinas: Usar 不如 (bùrú) para 'No tan bueno como'

Consejos y trucos (4)

💡

A veces puedes omitir el primer sujeto

Si el contexto es obvio para todos, los nativos suelen omitir el primer sujeto por completo: «一下雨就不想出门。»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tan pronto como... (一...就...)
⚠️

La trampa del futuro

No uses 于是 para planes que aún no han pasado. Para eso, mejor usa 所以 o 那么. Por ejemplo: «如果明天下雨，我就不去。»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Conectando acciones con 于是 (yúshì)
🎯

Suena fluido con '先...再说'

Este patrón es súper común entre nativos para priorizar una acción antes de decidir lo siguiente: «我先洗个澡再说。»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Añadir razones con '再说' (zàishuō)
💬

El arte de salvar las apariencias

En la cultura china, decir que algo es 'terrible' puede ser muy directo. Decir «A 不如 B» suaviza el golpe; ¡es la forma educada de quejarse!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparaciones chinas: Usar 不如 (bùrú) para 'No tan bueno como'

Vocabulario clave (5)

不如 (bùrú) not as good as 于是 (yúshì) consequently 再说 (zàishuō) furthermore/also 程度 (chéngdù) degree/level 建议 (jiànyì) suggestion

Real-World Preview

shopping-bag

Shopping for a Gift

Review Summary

  • 一 + Subject + Verb, Subject + 就 + Verb
  • Event A, 于是 + Result
  • Statement 1, 再说 + Statement 2
  • A 不如 B (Adj)
  • A 有 B + (那么) + Adj

Errores comunes

You cannot mix '一...就...' with '于是'. '一...就...' is for immediate timing, while '于是' is for logical sequence.

Wrong: 我一到家于是学习 (I arrived home and consequently studied).
Correcto: 我一到家就学习 (As soon as I arrived home, I studied).

Questions about equality use '有' rather than '不如'.

Wrong: 这个不如那个好吗？(Is this not as good as that?)
Correcto: 这个有那个好吗？(Is this as good as that?)

Always treat '再说' as a sentence-initial connector followed by a comma.

Wrong: 再说我累了。(Furthermore I am tired.)
Correcto: 再说，我累了。(Furthermore, I am tired.)

Next Steps

You've made a huge leap today! Keep practicing these structures in your daily conversations, and you'll soon find yourself thinking in Chinese effortlessly.

Journaling about your day using all 5 structures

Continue to: Building Logical Arguments

Práctica rápida (10)

Rellena el espacio en blanco.

{我|wǒ}{发现|fāxiàn}{没|méi}{带|dài}{钥匙|yàoshi}，____ {给|gěi}{室友|shìyǒu}{打|dǎ}{了|le}{电话|diànhuà}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 于是
于是 se usa para mostrar una consecuencia narrativa de la primera acción.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Conectando acciones con 于是 (yúshì)

Completa la comparación preguntando si el metro es tan rápido como un taxi.

地铁 ___ 出租车那么快吗？ ({Dìtiě ___ chūzūchē nàme kuài ma?})

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 有 (yǒu)
Cuando preguntamos si A alcanza el nivel de B, usamos {有|yǒu}.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparación equitativa: ¿Es A tan [Adj] como B? (A 有 B Adj)

Encuentra y corrige el error de doble negación.

Find and fix the mistake:

这部电影不如那部不好看。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 这部电影不如那部好看。
La palabra 不如 ya contiene el significado negativo 'no tan'. Debes seguirla con el adjetivo positivo (好看).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparaciones chinas: Usar 不如 (bùrú) para 'No tan bueno como'

Rellena el espacio en blanco para completar la oración.

我不想去看那部电影，听说很无聊，____我也没时间。 (Wǒ bùxiǎng qù kàn nà bù diànyǐng, tīng shuō hěn wúliáo, ____ wǒ yě méi shíjiān.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 再说
Aquí '再说' añade una segunda razón de peso (no tengo tiempo) a la primera (la película es aburrida).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Añadir razones con '再说' (zàishuō)

Encuentra y corrige el error.

Find and fix the mistake:

{电影|diànyǐng}{很|hěn}{感人|gǎnrén}，{于是|yúshì}{明天|míngtiān}{大家|dājiā}{会|huì}{哭|kū}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {电影|diànyǐng}{很|hěn}{感人|gǎnrén}，{于是|yúshì}{大家都|dàjiā dōu}{哭|kū}{了|le}。
于是 es para eventos pasados. 'Mañana' es futuro, por lo que no puede usarse con 于是.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Conectando acciones con 于是 (yúshì)

Encuentra y corrige el error en la oración.

Find and fix the mistake:

这份工作不但薪水低，再说工作环境也差。 (Zhè fèn gōngzuò bùdàn xīnshuǐ dī, zàishuō gōngzuò huánjìng yě chà.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 这份工作不但薪水低，而且工作环境也差。
La estructura '不但...而且...' es fija. Aunque '再说' añade razones, no puede sustituir a '而且' en este patrón.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Añadir razones con '再说' (zàishuō)

¿Cuál es la forma más natural de posponer una decisión?

Tu amigo te pregunta por tus planes de vacaciones, pero estás demasiado ocupado para pensarlo. ¿Qué dices?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我们以后再说吧。
'再说吧' es la forma correcta y común de decir 'Hablemos de eso luego'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Añadir razones con '再说' (zàishuō)

¿Qué frase dice correctamente 'No estoy tan ocupado como tú'?

Selecciona la comparación negativa correcta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我没有你那么忙。 ({Wǒ méiyǒu nǐ nàme máng.})
El negativo de {有|yǒu} en comparaciones es siempre {没有|méiyǒu}. {不有|bù yǒu} no es válido.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparación equitativa: ¿Es A tan [Adj] como B? (A 有 B Adj)

Corrige el error gramatical.

今天不有昨天冷。 ({Jīntiān bù yǒu zuótiān lěng.})

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 今天没有昨天冷。 ({Jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān lěng.})
Debemos usar {没有|méiyǒu} para negar la estructura de comparación con {有|yǒu}.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comparación equitativa: ¿Es A tan [Adj] como B? (A 有 B Adj)

¿Qué oración es gramaticalmente correcta y natural?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 他觉得很不舒服，于是请假回家了。
Sentirse mal (causa) -> Irse a casa (consecuencia narrativa en pasado).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Conectando acciones con 于是 (yúshì)

Score: /10

Preguntas frecuentes (6)

¡Sí! Solo tienes que poner un «了» al final de la oración para mostrar que ya terminó. Por ejemplo: «他一回家就睡觉了。»
Sí, se aplican las reglas estándar de cambio de tono. «一» es naturalmente primer tono. Antes de un cuarto tono, se vuelve segundo tono («yí»).
¡Claro! Puedes usarlo al principio si el contexto ya se estableció antes. Es muy común en historias largas: «于是，他决定离开。»
No realmente. Usa 所以 o 那么 para resultados futuros. 于是 se usa casi exclusivamente para cosas que ya pasaron: «明天会下雨，所以我不去。»
Los dos usos clave son 1) añadir una razón adicional y fuerte, como 'además', y 2) posponer una decisión, como decir ya veremos o luego hablamos: «以后再说吧».
Dices tu primera razón, luego '再说' y finalmente la segunda razón: «我不想出门，天气不好，再说我也很累。»
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