A1 Sentence Structure 10 min read Easy

Chinese Sentence Structure: The S-T-P-V-O Blueprint

Mastering the S-T-P-V-O blueprint instantly fixes 80% of beginner Chinese sentence structure mistakes.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Chinese, time and place always come before the action. Remember: Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object.

  • Time expressions go before the verb: {我|wǒ} {今天|jīntiān} {去|qù} {学校|xuéxiǎo}.
  • Place expressions go before the verb: {我|wǒ} {在|zài} {学校|xuéxiǎo} {学习|xuéxí}.
  • The verb never changes form regardless of the subject: {他|tā} {吃|chī} {苹果|píngguǒ}.
👤 (Subject) + ⏰ (Time) + 📍 (Place) + 🏃 (Verb) + 🍎 (Object)

Overview

Chinese sentence structure, particularly the S-T-P-V-O (Subject-Time-Place-Verb-Object) blueprint, forms the bedrock of clear communication in Mandarin. For you as an A1 learner, grasping this pattern is not about rote memorization; it is about internalizing a fundamental linguistic principle: context invariably precedes action. Unlike English, where temporal (when) and spatial (where) information often concludes a sentence, Chinese prioritizes establishing the setting of an event before detailing what the subject does.

This approach provides immediate clarity and significantly reduces ambiguity, serving as a crucial mental roadmap for your listener.

This rigid, logical framework helps you bypass common frustrations stemming from direct, word-for-word translation from English. By consistently applying the S-T-P-V-O order, you will construct grammatically sound sentences from the outset, enabling predictable and understandable interactions. It represents the foundational logic upon which all further sentence complexity is built, making it an indispensable tool for every stage of your Chinese language journey.

How This Grammar Works

The S-T-P-V-O pattern reflects a deeply ingrained principle of Chinese communication: the systematic delivery of information from the general to the specific. This linguistic principle ensures your listener is fully oriented and understands the context before the core action is introduced. Imagine a filmmaker setting a scene: they first establish the broad temporal backdrop (when), then zoom in on the specific physical location (where), and only then introduce the characters (subject) performing their roles (verb) with specific props or targets (object).
This 'big-to-small' progression is not arbitrary; it is highly functional and optimizes comprehension.
Chinese is an isolating language, which means words generally do not change their form to indicate grammatical function. For instance, verbs do not conjugate for tense or subject, and nouns do not decline for number or case. Consequently, word order becomes the primary mechanism for conveying meaning and grammatical relationships.
The fixed sequence of S-T-P-V-O acts as a clear, unmistakable signal for the function of each element, rendering the sentence structure remarkably robust and unambiguous. This stands in contrast to inflectional languages like English, where verbs conjugate and adverbs often enjoy greater positional flexibility. Attempting to apply English word order flexibility to Chinese will almost inevitably result in ungrammatical or confusing sentences.
By consistently placing temporal and spatial modifiers before the verb, Chinese ensures that the entire context for the action is established preemptively. Your listener does not need to hold fragmented pieces of information and reassemble them; instead, they receive information in a logical, chronological, and spatial sequence. This inherent efficiency in processing information is a hallmark of Chinese grammar and a key to unlocking its clarity.
For example, stating 我今天在学校学习汉语。 (Wǒ jīntiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí Hànyǔ.) – “I today at school study Chinese” – sets the full scene (今天, 在学校) before revealing the act (学习) and its object (汉语), leaving no doubt about the precise setting of the action.
This sequential information delivery can be linked to the cognitive load theory: by providing context first, the listener's brain can prepare for and more easily integrate the subsequent action. It's an efficient linguistic design for a language that relies heavily on position to convey meaning.

Word Order Rules

The S-T-P-V-O blueprint establishes a fixed, inviolable sequence for the primary elements of a Chinese sentence. Each element functions as a specific contextual marker, guiding your listener through the unfolding information. While not every component is mandatory in every sentence (for instance, time or place may be obvious from context and omitted), their relative order is absolutely critical.
You cannot arbitrarily rearrange these slots without rendering the sentence ungrammatical or altering its meaning significantly. Here, we delineate each component and its precise function and placement:
  • Subject (S): The agent performing the action or the entity being discussed. This element always occupies the initial position when present, clearly identifying who or what the sentence is about. In Chinese, subjects are frequently omitted if they are understood from the preceding context, a common feature of pro-drop languages. However, as an A1 learner, you should generally include the subject for clarity.
  • Examples: 老师 (lǎoshī) (teacher), 我 (wǒ) (I), 她 (tā) (she), 那只猫 (nà zhī māo) (that cat).
  • Sentence example: 我吃饭。 (Wǒ chī fàn.) – I eat food.
  • Time (T): The temporal context of the action, specifying when it occurs. This can range from specific points (昨天 zuótiān - yesterday, 上午 shàngwǔ - morning, 三点 sān diǎn - three o'clock) to durations (三天 sān tiān - three days) or frequencies (每天 měi tiān - every day). Crucially, the time phrase always precedes the place and the verb. If you use multiple time expressions, they generally follow a 'big-to-small' order, moving from broader to more specific timeframes.
  • Examples: 今天 (jīntiān) (today), 明天 (míngtiān) (tomorrow), 去年 (qùnián) (last year), 八点 (bā diǎn) (eight o'clock).
  • Sentence example: 我昨天吃饭。 (Wǒ zuótiān chī fàn.) – I yesterday eat food.
  • Place (P): The spatial context where the action occurs, specifying where it happens. This phrase is almost always introduced by the preposition 在 (zài) (at/in/on), followed by the specific location. The 在 (zài) + Place structure directly precedes the verb, forming a cohesive pre-verb modifier. This is a very common point of confusion for English speakers, who are accustomed to placing locative phrases after the verb.
  • Examples: 在学校 (zài xuéxiào) (at school), 在家里 (zài jiālǐ) (at home), 在图书馆 (zài túshūguǎn) (at the library).
  • Sentence example: 我昨天在学校吃饭。 (Wǒ zuótiān zài xuéxiào chī fàn.) – I yesterday at school eat food.
  • Verb (V): The action or state being described. Chinese verbs are invariant; they do not change form based on tense, person, or number. Their precise meaning is heavily reliant on their position within the established S-T-P context and any surrounding grammatical particles or aspect markers (which you will learn at later CEFR levels). At A1, focus on their central role in describing the action.
  • Examples: 喝 (hē) (drink), 看 (kàn) (look/watch/read), 学习 (xuéxí) (study), 去 (qù) (go).
  • Sentence example: 我昨天在学校学习。 (Wǒ zuótiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí.) – I yesterday at school study.
  • Object (O): The receiver or target of the verb's action. The object always directly follows the verb, completing the action's semantic scope. It specifies what is being acted upon.
  • Examples: 咖啡 (kāfēi) (coffee), 书 (shū) (book), 汉语 (Hànyǔ) (Chinese language), 饭 (fàn) (food/meal).
  • Sentence example: 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 (Wǒ zuótiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí Hànyǔ.) – I yesterday at school study Chinese language.
Here's a summary table for clarity:
| Element | Function | Typical Position | Example (Component) | Example (Sentence) |
| :------------ | :---------------------------------------- | :------------------------- | :------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------- |
| S (Subject) | Who/What performs the action | Beginning of sentence | 我 (wǒ) (I) | 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 |
| T (Time) | When the action takes place | After S, before P and V | 昨天 (zuótiān) (yesterday) | 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 |
| P (Place) | Where the action takes place (在 + Place) | After T, before V | 在学校 (zài xuéxiào) (at school) | 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 |
| V (Verb) | The action or state | After S-T-P, before O | 学习 (xuéxí) (study) | 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 |
| O (Object) | What receives the action | Immediately after V | 汉语 (Hànyǔ) (Chinese) | 我昨天在学校学习汉语。 |
Consider the full sentence: 他昨天在咖啡馆喝咖啡。 (Tā zuótiān zài kāfēiguǎn hē kāfēi.) – “He yesterday at the cafe drink coffee.” This construction systematically provides all necessary context (昨天, 在咖啡馆) before presenting the action (喝) and its object (咖啡), ensuring utmost clarity.

Formation Pattern

1
Constructing a Chinese sentence using the S-T-P-V-O pattern is a structured, sequential process. Each step systematically adds a layer of information, moving from the broad context to the specific action. Follow these steps methodically to build grammatically correct sentences at the A1 level:
2
Start with the Subject (S): Begin by identifying the agent – who or what the sentence is about. This is your initial reference point, establishing the performer of the action.
3
Example: 我 (wǒ) (I)
4
Add the Time (T): Immediately after the subject, specify when the action occurs. This could be a precise time expression or a more general temporal reference. If you have multiple time expressions, place the broader one before the more specific one (e.g., 明年八月 mìngnián bā yuè - next year August).
5
Building: 我明天 (wǒ míngtiān) (I tomorrow)
6
Specify the Place (P): Next, indicate where the action takes place. This phrase nearly always uses 在 (zài) followed by the location. It is crucial that this entire 在 (zài) + Place phrase always comes before the verb.
7
Building: 我明天在学校 (wǒ míngtiān zài xuéxiào) (I tomorrow at school)
8
Introduce the Verb (V): Now, state the action being performed. Remember, Chinese verbs do not conjugate, making their precise placement within the established S-T-P context paramount for clarity.
9
Building: 我明天在学校学习 (wǒ míngtiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí) (I tomorrow at school study)
10
Complete with the Object (O): Finally, add the direct object – what receives the action of the verb. This element directly follows the verb and completes the core meaning of the sentence, clearly defining the target of the action.
11
Complete Sentence: 我明天在学校学习汉语。 (Wǒ míngtiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí Hànyǔ.) – “I tomorrow at school study Chinese language.”
12
This structured approach consistently creates a logically flowing narrative, ensuring your listener receives information in the most digestible sequence. This method is efficient and minimizes potential misunderstandings, which is especially beneficial for A1 learners establishing foundational habits.

When To Use It

The S-T-P-V-O blueprint is your default, foundational structure for most declarative sentences in Chinese, especially at the A1 level. You should employ it whenever you need to clearly convey an action, its time, and its place. This pattern is particularly useful in the following situations:
  • Describing Daily Activities: When discussing your routine, past events, or future plans, the S-T-P-V-O structure ensures all critical information is presented logically. For example, 我早上八点在家里吃早饭。 (Wǒ zǎoshang bā diǎn zài jiālǐ chī zǎofàn.) – I eight AM at home eat breakfast.
  • Making Simple Statements: Any basic statement about who does what, when, and where will naturally fit this structure. For instance, 她周末在公园跑步。 (Tā zhōumò zài gōngyuán pǎobù.) – She weekend at park run.
  • Providing Contextual Clarity: When the time and place are not implicitly understood from context, using S-T-P-V-O explicitly states them, preventing ambiguity. 我们晚上在图书馆看书。 (Wǒmen wǎnshang zài túshūguǎn kàn shū.) – We evening at library read book.
  • Answering Questions: If a question asks about when and where an action occurred, your answer should follow this pattern. For example, in response to “When and where did you study Chinese yesterday?”, you would naturally reply: 我昨天晚上在家学习汉语。 (Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang zài jiā xuéxí Hànyǔ.) – I yesterday evening at home study Chinese.
Think of S-T-P-V-O as your reliable blueprint for constructing comprehensive and grammatically correct sentences that provide the full picture of an event. As you progress, you'll encounter variations and omissions, but the core principle of time and place preceding the verb remains extremely strong.

Common Mistakes

As an A1 learner, you will likely encounter specific error patterns when trying to apply S-T-P-V-O, often influenced by your native language, particularly English. Understanding these common pitfalls will help you correct them proactively:
  • Placing Time and Place at the End of the Sentence: This is perhaps the most frequent mistake for English speakers. In English, it's natural to say,

Sentence Construction Blueprint

Subject Time Place Verb Object
我
今天
在学校
学习
中文
他
明天
在北京
看
电影
我们
晚上
在家里
做
饭
老师
现在
在教室
教
课
朋友
周末
在公园
喝
茶
你
早上
在食堂
吃
早饭

Meanings

This rule dictates the fixed word order of a standard Chinese sentence, prioritizing context (time/place) before the action.

1

Standard Declarative

The fundamental way to state facts or actions.

“{我|wǒ} {看|kàn} {书|shū}.”

“{他|tā} {去|qù} {商店|shāngdiàn}.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Chinese Sentence Structure: The S-T-P-V-O Blueprint
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
S + T + P + V + O
{我|wǒ} {今天|jīntiān} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {书|shū}.
Negative
S + T + P + 不 + V + O
{我|wǒ} {今天|jīntiān} {不|bù} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {书|shū}.
Question
S + T + P + V + O + 吗?
{你|nǐ} {今天|jīntiān} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {书|shū} {吗|ma}?
Time-Shifted
T + S + P + V + O
{今天|jīntiān} {我|wǒ} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {书|shū}.
Short Answer
Subject + 不 + Verb
{不|bù} {看|kàn}.
Place-Focus
S + P + V + O
{我|wǒ} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {书|shū}.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
本人在家进餐。

本人在家进餐。 (Daily life)

Neutral
我在家吃饭。

我在家吃饭。 (Daily life)

Informal
我在家吃呢。

我在家吃呢。 (Daily life)

Slang
在家造饭呢。

在家造饭呢。 (Daily life)

The Chinese Sentence Funnel

Action

Foundation

  • Subject Who
  • Time When
  • Place Where

English vs Chinese Word Order

English
I eat at home today S-V-P-T
Chinese
我今天在家吃饭 S-T-P-V
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Examples by Level

1

{我|wǒ} {今天|jīntiān} {去|qù} {学校|xuéxiǎo}.

I go to school today.

1

{他|tā} {每天|měitiān} {在|zài} {公园|gōngyuán} {跑步|pǎobù}.

He runs in the park every day.

1

{我们|wǒmen} {下周|xiàzhōu} {在|zài} {图书馆|túshūguǎn} {开会|kāihuì}.

We are having a meeting in the library next week.

1

{由于|yóuyú} {天气|tiānqì} {原因|yuányīn}, {他们|tāmen} {明天|míngtiān} {在|zài} {室内|shìnèi} {举行|jǔxíng} {比赛|bǐsài}.

Due to the weather, they are holding the competition indoors tomorrow.

1

{在|zài} {这|zhè} {种|zhǒng} {情况|qíngkuàng} {下|xià}, {我们|wǒmen} {必须|bìxū} {在|zài} {现场|xiànchǎng} {解决|jiějué} {问题|wèntí}.

Under these circumstances, we must solve the problem on-site.

1

{历经|lìjīng} {数|shù} {载|zǎi}, {他|tā} {终|zhōng} {在|zài} {故乡|gùxiāng} {实现|shíxiànxiàn} {了|le} {梦想|mèngxiǎng}.

After many years, he finally realized his dream in his hometown.

Easily Confused

Chinese Sentence Structure: The S-T-P-V-O Blueprint vs Time vs Place

Learners often swap them.

Chinese Sentence Structure: The S-T-P-V-O Blueprint vs Verb vs Preposition

Confusing 'zài' as a verb vs preposition.

Chinese Sentence Structure: The S-T-P-V-O Blueprint vs Object placement

Putting the object before the verb.

Common Mistakes

✗

我吃饭在学校

✓

我在学校吃饭

Place must come before the verb.
✗

我今天去学校

✓

我今天去学校

This is correct, but learners often add 'at' incorrectly.
✗

在学校我学习

✓

我在学校学习

Subject should come first.
✗

我学习在学校

✓

我在学校学习

Verb cannot precede place.
✗

我明天去北京在

✓

我明天在北京

Preposition must precede the noun.
✗

他每天跑步在公园

✓

他每天在公园跑步

Place before verb.
✗

我们开会下周

✓

我们下周开会

Time before verb.
✗

在图书馆我们学习中文

✓

我们在图书馆学习中文

Subject-first is standard.
✗

我吃早饭在八点

✓

我在八点吃早饭

Time before verb.
✗

他去商店买东西明天

✓

他明天去商店买东西

Time must be before verb.
✗

在现场解决问题我们

✓

我们在现场解决问题

Subject must be at the start.
✗

必须在现场解决问题

✓

我们必须在现场解决问题

Missing subject.
✗

他实现梦想在故乡

✓

他在故乡实现梦想

Place before verb.

Sentence Patterns

我 ___ 在 ___ 学习。

他 ___ 在 ___ 吃饭。

我们 ___ 在 ___ 开会。

老师 ___ 在 ___ 教书。

Real World Usage

Texting constant

我明天在学校见。

Social Media very common

今天在公园跑步。

Job Interview common

我去年在上海工作。

Ordering Food common

我在这儿吃。

Travel common

我明天在北京坐火车。

Email common

我们下周在办公室开会。

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💡

The Funnel Rule

Think of the sentence as a funnel. Start big (Subject), narrow down (Time/Place), and finish with the action (Verb).
⚠️

No Verb Conjugation

Don't look for verb endings! The verb stays the same regardless of the subject.
🎯

Preposition Placement

Always use 'zài' before the place. It's the anchor for your location.
💬

Politeness

Adding 'qǐng' (please) at the start doesn't change the S-T-P-V-O order.

Smart Tips

Place the time/place before the first verb.

我吃饭在学校去 → 我在学校去吃饭

You can move the time to the very start of the sentence.

我明天去北京 → 明天我去北京

Always put 'bù' before the verb, not before the time.

我不今天去学校 → 我今天不去学校

Keep the S-T-P-V-O order and just add 'ma' at the end.

吗你今天去学校 → 你今天去学校吗

Pronunciation

ma (light)

Neutral Tone

The particle 'ma' at the end of questions is neutral.

Question Intonation

Sentence + ma↑

Rising pitch at the end indicates a question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'STP-VO': Stop, Time, Place, Verb, Object!

Visual Association

Imagine a train. The engine is the Subject. The first carriage is Time, the second is Place. The passengers are the Verb and Object.

Rhyme

Time and place come before the verb, That is the rule you must observe.

Story

Imagine you are a reporter. You must state the 'When' and 'Where' before you can report the 'What' (the action). If you don't, your editor will reject your story!

Word Web

今天明天在学校学习吃饭看书

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about your day using the STPVO structure.

Cultural Notes

Standard S-T-P-V-O is strictly taught in schools.

Similar structure, but more frequent use of particles.

Often carry over Cantonese word order which can be more flexible.

Chinese evolved from a topic-comment structure where the context is established first.

Conversation Starters

“

你今天在哪儿吃饭？

“

你明天在学校吗？

“

你通常在什么时候学习？

“

你下周在上海有会议吗？

Journal Prompts

Describe your daily routine.
Where do you like to study and why?
Plan a trip to China.
Reflect on a past work experience.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Subject-Time-Place-Verb.
Fill in the blank.

我 ___ 在家吃饭。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Time goes before the place.
Find the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

我吃饭在学校。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Place must be before the verb.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
S-T-P-V-O order.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

他 / 每天 / 公园 / 跑步

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
S-T-P-V-O.
Match the parts. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
The standard order.
Choose the correct negative. Multiple Choice

我今天在家看书 (Negative)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Negative goes before the verb.
Fill in the blank.

我们 ___ 在图书馆开会。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Time goes before the place.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

学校 / 我 / 今天 / 去

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Subject-Time-Place-Verb.
Fill in the blank.

我 ___ 在家吃饭。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Time goes before the place.
Find the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

我吃饭在学校。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Place must be before the verb.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
S-T-P-V-O order.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

他 / 每天 / 公园 / 跑步

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
S-T-P-V-O.
Match the parts. Match Pairs

Match S-T-P-V-O

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
The standard order.
Choose the correct negative. Multiple Choice

我今天在家看书 (Negative)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
Negative goes before the verb.
Fill in the blank.

我们 ___ 在图书馆开会。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Time goes before the place.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Build the sentence using the blueprint Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words to say 'We study at school tomorrow':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我们|wǒmen} {明天|míngtiān} {在|zài} {学校|xuéxiào} {学习|xuéxí}
Complete the sentence structure Fill in the Blank

{大家|dàjiā} {周末|zhōumò} ___ {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {电影|diànyǐng}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {在|zài}
Fix the English-style word order Error Correction

I eat lunch at the company today: {我|wǒ} {吃|chī} {午饭|wǔfàn} {今天|jīntiān} {在|zài} {公司|gōngsī}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我|wǒ} {今天|jīntiān} {在|zài} {公司|gōngsī} {吃|chī} {午饭|wǔfàn}。
Select the naturally structured Chinese sentence Multiple Choice

Which sentence correctly says 'I am watching TV at home right now'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我|wǒ} {现在|xiànzài} {在|zài} {家|jiā} {看|kàn} {电视|diànshì}。
Match the English components to their Chinese blocks Match Pairs

Match the parts for the sentence: I / today / at home / sleep

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Subject -> {我|wǒ}, Time -> {今天|jīntiān}, Place -> {在|zài} {家|jiā}, Action -> {睡觉|shuìjiào}
Add the missing time word Fill in the Blank

{她|tā} ___ {在|zài} {健身房|jiànshēnfáng} {运动|yùndòng}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {晚上|wǎnshang}
Order the sentence with a question word Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words to ask 'Where are you eating tomorrow?':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {你|nǐ} {明天|míngtiān} {在|zài} {哪儿|nǎr} {吃饭|chīfàn}
Select the correct translation Translation

How do you say 'I go to China next year' in Chinese?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我|wǒ} {明年|míngnián} {去|qù} {中国|Zhōngguó}。
Fix the prepositions Error Correction

I am going to the supermarket: {我|wǒ} {在|zài} {超市|chāoshì} {去|qù}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我|wǒ} {去|qù} {超市|chāoshì}。
Identify the emphasized time Multiple Choice

Which sentence emphasizes 'Tomorrow' by placing it before the Subject?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {明天|míngtiān} {我|wǒ} {休息|xiūxi}。

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, it sounds unnatural. Always keep it before the verb.

Just skip the time part and keep the rest: Subject + Place + Verb + Object.

No, Chinese verbs never conjugate.

'Zài' indicates the location where the action takes place.

Only for emphasis, but it's rare for beginners.

Yes, just add 'ma' at the end.

'Míngtiān' is a time word, so it goes before the place.

Yes, it is the standard for all registers.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

S-V-P-T

Chinese is strictly pre-verbal.

French low

S-V-P-T

Word order is the opposite.

German low

S-V-T-P

Chinese puts time/place before the verb.

Japanese high

S-T-P-V

Particles are used differently.

Arabic low

V-S-T-P

Chinese is SVO.

Chinese high

S-T-P-V-O

None.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Basic Sentence Order: S-T-P-V-O

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