B2 Verb Aspects 11 min read Medium

Separable Verbs (离合词): Splitting Verbs to Add Details

Crack separable verbs open like a cookie to put time, frequency, and aspect markers inside!
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Separable verbs are two-part words where you can insert modifiers like time, duration, or quantity between the verb and the object.

  • Insert duration/frequency between the verb and object: {洗|xǐ}了三十分钟{澡|zǎo}.
  • Do not use direct objects after the whole compound: {见面|jiànmiàn} him is wrong.
  • Use '跟' or '和' to connect people: 我跟他{见面|jiànmiàn}.
Verb + [Time/Duration/Quantity] + Object

Overview

Chinese separable verbs, or 离合词 (líhé cí), represent a fundamental grammatical concept that often challenges learners. The term literally means "leave-unite words," which perfectly describes their function: they are two-character words that act as a single unit but can be split apart to insert other grammatical elements. These words are not a special class of verbs, but rather a common structural pattern.

They are composed of a verb (the action) and an object (the receiver of the action) that have fused into a common vocabulary item.

Consider the verb 睡觉(shuìjiào) (to sleep). In English, "sleep" is a simple intransitive verb. In Chinese, however, 睡(shuì) is the verb meaning "to sleep," and 觉(jiào) is a noun meaning "a sleep." So, 睡觉(shuìjiào) is a verb-object phrase that literally means "to sleep a sleep." Similarly, 见面(jiànmiàn) (to meet) is comprised of 见(jiàn) (to see/meet) and 面(miàn) (face).

You are literally "meeting a face."

The core reason this structure exists and requires separation lies in a foundational principle of Chinese grammar: a verb can typically only take one direct object. Because a separable verb like 睡觉(shuìjiào) already contains a built-in object (觉(jiào)), its object slot is already filled. You cannot add another object after it. For instance, you cannot say *睡觉他 to mean "sleep him." This internal object, often a cognate object (an object that shares the same linguistic root as its verb), forces a different grammatical approach when you want to add details like duration, frequency, or manner.

To modify the action, you must split the verb and insert the information in the middle.

How This Grammar Works

Think of a separable verb as a pre-packaged kit. In its compact form, like 吃饭(chīfàn) (to eat a meal), it conveys a general activity. It's useful for broad statements and intentions, such as 我还没吃饭。(Wǒ hái méi chīfàn.) (I haven't eaten yet).
However, the moment you need to specify anything about that meal—that it was a big meal, that it lasted an hour, or that you ate it once—you must open the kit.
The separation follows a consistent pattern: Verb (A) + [Inserted Information] + Object (B). The inserted information is placed between the action and its built-in object. This isn't breaking the word; it's the grammatically correct way to expand upon it.
The verb part (A) carries the action and any aspect markers like 了(le) or 过(guo), while the object part (B) gets modified by the inserted details.
Let's analyze the structure with 跳舞(tiàowǔ) (to dance, literally "jump a dance").
  • General statement: 她喜欢跳舞。(Tā xǐhuān tiàowǔ.) (She likes to dance.) Here, the verb is treated as a single conceptual unit.
  • Specific instance with detail: 她跳了一支很优美的舞。(Tā tiào le yì zhī hěn yōuměi de wǔ.) (She danced a very beautiful dance.) In this case, the verb 跳(tiào) is separated from its object 舞(wǔ). The information inserted—了一支很优美的(le yì zhī hěn yōuměi de)—quantifies and describes the dance. This structure allows the speaker to provide rich detail without violating the one-object rule.
The core function of splitting is to move from discussing a general activity to describing a specific, quantifiable instance of that activity. Understanding this distinction is key to moving from beginner-level statements to nuanced, intermediate-level descriptions.

Formation Pattern

1
Separating verbs follows several predictable patterns depending on the type of information you are adding. Mastering these patterns is essential for fluent expression.
2
1. Adding Aspect Markers: 了(le) and 过(guo)
3
This is the simplest form of separation. The aspect marker, which indicates completion or experience, attaches directly to the verb component (A).
4
Pattern: A + 了/过(le/guo) + B
5
| Separable Verb | Combined Form | Separated with Aspect Marker | Example Sentence |
6
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
7
| 洗澡(xǐzǎo) (to bathe) | 洗澡 | 洗了澡(xǐ le zǎo) (took a bath) | 我昨晚九点洗了澡。(Wǒ zuówǎn jiǔ diǎn xǐ le zǎo.) |
8
| 毕业(bìyè) (to graduate) | 毕业 | 毕了业(bì le yè) (graduated) | 他去年就毕了业。(Tā qùnián jiù bì le yè.) |
9
| 生气(shēngqì) (to get angry) | 生气 | 生过气(shēng guo qì) (have gotten angry before) | 我们从来没生过气。(Wǒmen cónglái méi shēng guo qì.) |
10
2. Adding Duration or Frequency
11
This is one of the most common reasons to split a verb. The duration or frequency phrase is inserted after the verb (A) and before the object (B).
12
Duration Pattern: A + 了(le) + [Duration Phrase] + 的(de) + B
13
The inclusion of 的(de) is crucial here. It transforms the duration phrase into an adjective that modifies the object part of the verb. You are grammatically describing the object (觉(jiào)) as an "eight-hour" one.
14
Example: 睡觉(shuìjiào) → 我睡了八个小时的觉。(Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí de jiào.) (I slept for eight hours.)
15
Frequency Pattern: A + 过(guo) + [Number + Measure Word] + B
16
的(de) is typically not used when specifying frequency.
17
Example: 见面(jiànmiàn) → 我们见过两次面。(Wǒmen jiàn guo liǎng cì miàn.) (We have met twice.)
18
3. Adding Descriptive Adjectives
19
To comment on the quality or manner of the action, you insert an adjective before the object part (B). This is often accompanied by a measure word like 个(ge) or 顿(dùn).
20
Pattern: A + 了(le) + (一(yī) + [Measure Word]) + [Adjective] + 的(de) + B
21
Example: 聊天(liáotiān) → 我们聊了一次很愉快的天。(Wǒmen liáo le yí cì hěn yúkuài de tiān.) (We had a very pleasant chat.)
22
A more casual, common variation simplifies this: 我睡了个好觉。(Wǒ shuì le ge hǎo jiào.) (I had a good sleep.) The 个(ge) here makes the action feel more concrete and conversational.
23
4. Reduplication for Casual or Brief Actions
24
To suggest an action is done casually, for a short time, or in a relaxed manner, the verb component (A) can be repeated.
25
A-A-B Pattern: 散步(sànbù) → 我们去公园散散步吧。(Wǒmen qù gōngyuán sàn san bù ba.) (Let's go take a little walk in the park.)
26
A-B-A-B Pattern (less common): 聊天(liáotiān) → 有空我们聊聊天。(Yǒu kòng wǒmen liáo liao tiān.) (Let's have a chat when you have time.)

When To Use It

Knowing when to split a verb is as important as knowing how. The decision hinges on whether you are talking about an action in general or a specific, detailed occurrence of that action.
Use the combined form for:
  • General habits, preferences, or abilities: 我妹妹很会唱歌。(Wǒ mèimei hěn huì chànggē.) (My younger sister is very good at singing.)
  • Simple statements of intent or fact (without detail): 他要去理发。(Tā yào qù lǐfà.) (He is going to get a haircut.)
  • Negative statements where the action did not happen: 我们昨天没见面。(Wǒmen zuótiān méi jiànmiàn.) (We didn't meet yesterday.)
You must use the separated form when you want to:
  • Quantify the action (how long, how many times): You don't just sleep, you 睡了八个小时觉(shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí jiào) (slept for eight hours). You don't just meet, you 见了一次面(jiàn le yí cì miàn) (met one time).
  • Describe the action (how well, what kind): You don't just take a bath, you 洗一个热水澡(xǐ yí ge rè shuǐ zǎo) (take a hot bath). You don't just sing a song, you 唱一首老歌(chàng yì shǒu lǎo gē) (sing an old song).
  • Specify the object of the action with a pronoun: You cannot say *帮忙你|bāngmáng nǐ. You must say 帮你的忙(bāng nǐ de máng) (literally, "help your 'busy-ness'") or, more naturally, 我来帮你。(Wǒ lái bāng nǐ.) for "let me help you." The former, 我能帮你一个忙吗？(Wǒ néng bāng nǐ yí ge máng ma?) (Can I do you a favor?), highlights the favor (忙) as a noun.
Essentially, any time you move from the abstract concept of an action to the concrete reality of its performance, separation is required. It is the primary tool for adding specificity and color to your verbs.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently make a few key errors with separable verbs because they try to apply the logic of English or other non-separable verb structures.
Mistake 1: Adding a Second Object After the Verb
This is the most common error. Because learners see 结婚(jiéhūn) (to marry) as a single verb, they try to add an object directly.
  • ✗ Incorrect: 她结婚了他。(Tā jiéhūn le tā.)
  • Why it's wrong: 结婚(jiéhūn) is 结 (tie) + 婚 (a marriage). The object 婚 is already present. You cannot "tie a marriage him."
  • ✓ Correct: 她跟他结婚了。(Tā gēn tā jiéhūn le.) (She married him, literally "She with him married."). The person is introduced using the preposition 跟(gēn) (with).
Mistake 2: Placing Duration or Frequency at the End
Learners often correctly conjugate the verb with 了(le) but then append the time information at the end, as in English.
  • ✗ Incorrect: 我们吃饭了两个小时。(Wǒmen chīfàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí.)
  • Why it's wrong: Information that modifies the internal object (饭(fàn)) must be placed before it.
  • ✓ Correct: 我们吃了两个小时的饭。(Wǒmen chī le liǎng ge xiǎoshí de fàn.) (We ate for two hours.)
Mistake 3: Confusing Separable Verbs with Other Verb Compounds
Chinese has several types of two-character verbs. It's vital not to misapply the separation rule.
| Verb Type | Structure & Logic | Can it separate? | Correct Object Placement |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Separable (V-O) | Verb + Internal Object | Yes. Must split to add details. | 我刚洗完澡。(Wǒ gāng xǐ wán zǎo.) |
| Regular Transitive | Single concept (e.g., 喜欢(xǐhuān) 'like') | No. | Object follows directly: 我喜欢他。(Wǒ xǐhuān tā.) |
| Resultative Comp.| Verb + Result (e.g., 听懂(tīngdǒng) 'listen-understand') | No. | Object follows the compound: 我听懂了老师的话。(Wǒ tīngdǒng le lǎoshī de huà.) |
| Intransitive | Action with no object (e.g., 休息(xiūxī) 'rest') | No. | Cannot take an object. You can say 休息一下(xiūxī yíxià) (rest a bit), but 一下(yíxià) is a verbal measure word, not an object. |
Recognizing that 唱歌(chànggē) is a V-O structure, while 听懂(tīngdǒng) is a V-Result structure, is a critical skill acquired through practice and paying attention to dictionary entries.

Real Conversations

In daily life, native speakers use separable verbs constantly and naturally. Mastering them is key to sounding authentic.

On Social Media (WeChat Moments / 朋友圈):

- A user posts a picture of a nice meal with the caption: 今天跟朋友吃了顿大餐，聊了半天，真开心！(Jīntiān gēn péngyou chī le dùn dàcān, liáo le bàntiān, zhēn kāixīn!) (Had a big meal with friends today, chatted for ages, so happy!) This shows the separation of 吃饭(chīfàn) and 聊天(liáotiān) with details.

Texting a Friend:

- Person A: 在干嘛？(Zài gàn má?) (What're you up to?)

- Person B: 刚健完身，准备冲个凉。(Gāng jiàn wán shēn, zhǔnbèi chōng ge liáng.) (Just finished working out, about to take a quick shower.) 健身(jiànshēn) (work out) and 冲凉(chōngliáng) (take a shower, southern dialect) are both separated here. The 个(ge) softens the tone.

In the Workplace:

- Manager to team: 关于这个新方案，我们下午开个短会，对一下细节。(Guānyú zhège xīn fāng'àn, wǒmen xiàwǔ kāi ge duǎn huì, duì yíxià xìjié.) (Regarding this new proposal, let's have a short meeting this afternoon to align on the details.) 开会(kāihuì) (to hold a meeting) is split to insert 个短(ge duǎn) (a short).

These examples show that separation isn't an obscure rule; it's the default way to express detailed actions in spoken and written Chinese.

Quick FAQ

Q: How can I tell if a two-character verb is separable?

While memorization is part of it, there are reliable clues. First, analyze the structure: does it feel like an action and a noun? 唱歌(chànggē) (sing-song), 跳舞(tiàowǔ) (jump-dance), and 理发(lǐfà) (manage-hair) are clear verb-object pairs. Second, and most importantly, use a good dictionary. Apps like Pleco explicitly label separable verbs with "v.o." (verb-object). If you look up the second character alone and it's a common noun (觉(jiào), 步(bù), 面(miàn)), the verb is almost certainly separable.

Q: Can I just avoid splitting them to be safe?

You can for simple, declarative sentences like 我喜欢游泳。(Wǒ xǐhuān yóuyǒng.). However, it's an unsustainable strategy for anyone aiming for fluency. The moment you want to express how long, how often, how well, or in what manner you performed an action, you must use the separated structure. Avoiding it will keep your Chinese at a functional but permanently basic level.

Q: Is the 的(de) always required when adding a duration? For example, in 睡了八个小时的觉(shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí de jiào)?

In standard, grammatically precise Chinese (especially written), the 的(de) is considered correct and should be used. It clarifies that "eight hours" is an attribute of the "sleep." In casual conversation, you will absolutely hear native speakers drop it: {我睡了八个小时觉。} However, as a learner, it's best to stick with the full structure. Using 的(de) is always correct, whereas omitting it can sometimes sound awkward if the sentence is complex.

Separable Verb Structure

Verb Part Modifier (Time/Freq) Object Part Example
睡
了八小时
觉
睡了八小时觉
聊
了一会儿
天
聊了一会儿天
见
了一次
面
见了一次面
加
了三小时
班
加了三小时班
唱
了两首
歌
唱了两首歌
生
了很大
气
生了很大气

Meanings

Separable verbs are compound words consisting of a verb and an object that function as a single semantic unit but can be separated by grammatical markers.

1

Duration insertion

Inserting the length of time an action lasts.

“{散|sàn}了半小时{步|bù}”

“{游|yóu}了两次{泳|yǒng}”

Reference Table

Reference table for Separable Verbs (离合词): Splitting Verbs to Add Details
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
V + [Modifier] + O
睡了三小时觉
Negative
没 + V + [Modifier] + O
没睡三小时觉
Question
V + [Modifier] + O + 吗?
睡了三小时觉吗?
Frequency
V + [Number] + 次 + O
见了两次面
Duration
V + [Time] + O
聊了一小时天
Adjective
V + [Adj] + O
生了很大气

Formality Spectrum

Formal
我们进行了交谈。

我们进行了交谈。 (Social)

Neutral
我们聊了一会儿天。

我们聊了一会儿天。 (Social)

Informal
聊会儿天呗？

聊会儿天呗？ (Social)

Slang
侃大山。

侃大山。 (Social)

Separable Verb Anatomy

Separable Verb

Verb Part

  • 睡 sleep

Modifier

  • 三小时 3 hours

Object Part

  • 觉 sleep
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Examples by Level

1

我{睡|shuì}了觉。

I slept.

2

我{吃|chī}了饭。

I ate.

3

我{散|sàn}了步。

I took a walk.

4

我{聊|liáo}了天。

I chatted.

1

我{睡|shuì}了八小时{觉|jiào}。

I slept for 8 hours.

2

我{吃|chī}了一顿{饭|fàn}。

I ate a meal.

3

我{散|sàn}了半小时{步|bù}。

I walked for half an hour.

4

我{聊|liáo}了一会儿{天|tiān}。

I chatted for a while.

1

他跟我{见|jiàn}了一次{面|miàn}。

He met with me once.

2

你别{生|shēng}他的{气|qì}。

Don't be angry with him.

3

我今天{加|jiā}了三个小时{班|bān}。

I worked 3 hours of overtime today.

4

我们{毕|bì}了业。

We graduated.

1

他为了考试{熬|áo}了几个通宵{夜|yè}。

He stayed up all night several times for the exam.

2

他们{吵|chǎo}了一架。

They had a fight.

3

你{帮|bāng}个{忙|máng}好吗？

Can you do me a favor?

4

他{留|liú}了学。

He studied abroad.

1

他{发|fā}了很大的{火|huǒ}。

He got very angry.

2

这件事让他{费|fèi}了不少{心|xīn}。

This matter took a lot of his effort.

3

他{出|chū}了洋相。

He made a fool of himself.

4

我们要{尽|jìn}点{力|lì}。

We need to contribute some effort.

1

他{打|dǎ}了退堂鼓。

He backed out.

2

他{露|lù}了马脚。

He gave himself away.

3

这事儿让他{伤|shāng}透了{心|xīn}。

This matter broke his heart.

4

他{下|xià}了决心。

He made up his mind.

Easily Confused

Separable Verbs (离合词): Splitting Verbs to Add Details vs Transitive Verbs

Learners think all V-O structures are separable.

Separable Verbs (离合词): Splitting Verbs to Add Details vs Resultative Complements

Mixing up the position of the duration.

Separable Verbs (离合词): Splitting Verbs to Add Details vs Directional Complements

Where to put the object.

Common Mistakes

✗

睡觉了八小时

✓

睡了八小时觉

The object must be at the end.
✗

见面他

✓

跟他见面

Cannot take direct object.
✗

聊天了

✓

聊了天

Aspect marker goes after the verb part.
✗

唱歌两小时

✓

唱了两小时歌

Duration must be inside.
✗

生气他

✓

生他的气

Must use possessive.
✗

毕业了大学

✓

大学毕业了

Word order error.
✗

散步了

✓

散了步

Must split.
✗

费心了这件事

✓

这件事费了不少心

Topic-comment structure.
✗

出洋相他

✓

他出了洋相

Subject placement.
✗

下决心了

✓

下了决心

Aspect marker placement.
✗

露马脚了

✓

露了马脚

Aspect marker placement.

Sentence Patterns

我___了___(duration)___。

我跟他___了___(frequency)___。

别生___的气。

他___了很大的___。

Real World Usage

Texting very common

见个面？

Job Interview common

我加过班。

Social Media common

聊聊天。

Travel occasional

散散步。

Food Delivery occasional

吃顿饭。

Academic common

毕业了。

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💡

Check the dictionary

If a verb is marked as '离合词' in the dictionary, it's separable.
⚠️

No direct objects

Never put a direct object after a separable verb.
🎯

Use '跟' for people

Use '跟' to connect people to the verb.
💬

Natural flow

Native speakers use these to sound more fluid.

Smart Tips

Split the verb and object.

我睡觉三小时。 → 我睡了三小时觉。

Split the verb and object.

我见面他一次。 → 我跟他见了一次面。

Put '没' before the verb.

我睡觉没三小时。 → 我没睡三小时觉。

Put the adjective before the object.

我生气很大。 → 我生了很大气。

Pronunciation

shui-le-ba-xiao-shi-jiao

Stress

The verb part usually carries slightly more stress.

Question

睡了三小时觉吗? ↑

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a separable verb as a sandwich: the verb and object are the bread, and the time/frequency is the filling.

Visual Association

Imagine a person sleeping (睡) with a giant clock (三小时) sitting right on their chest (觉).

Rhyme

Verb and object like to play, put the time in the middle to save the day.

Story

Xiao Wang wanted to sleep. He took his 'sleep' (睡) and 'bed-time' (觉) and put a 'three-hour' (三小时) nap in between. Now he is well-rested.

Word Web

睡觉聊天见面加班唱歌生气散步毕业

Challenge

Write 3 sentences today using a separable verb with a duration.

Cultural Notes

Separable verbs are standard in all formal and informal contexts.

Similar usage, but some specific vocabulary might differ.

Often simplified in colloquial speech.

These evolved from verb-object phrases that became so common they were treated as single lexical units.

Conversation Starters

“

你昨天睡了多久觉？

“

你经常跟朋友见面吗？

“

你最近工作忙吗？加了多少班？

“

你有什么让你生气的事吗？

Journal Prompts

Describe your daily routine.
Write about a time you were angry.
Discuss your work or study life.
Reflect on a recent meeting with a friend.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

我睡了三小时___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 觉
Sleep is 睡觉.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我聊了三小时天
Modifier goes in the middle.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

我见面他。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我跟他见面
Use 跟 for people.
Transform to include duration. Sentence Transformation

我唱歌。 (2 hours)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我唱了两个小时歌
Add aspect marker.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 你忙吗？ B: 我___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 加了三小时班
Specific duration.
Order the words. Sentence Building

了 / 觉 / 三小时 / 睡

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 睡了三小时觉
Standard order.
Which is a separable verb? Multiple Choice

Select one.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 吃饭
吃饭 is a classic separable verb.
Fill in the blank.

他生了很大的___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 气
生...气.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

我睡了三小时___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 觉
Sleep is 睡觉.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我聊了三小时天
Modifier goes in the middle.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

我见面他。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我跟他见面
Use 跟 for people.
Transform to include duration. Sentence Transformation

我唱歌。 (2 hours)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我唱了两个小时歌
Add aspect marker.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 你忙吗？ B: 我___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 加了三小时班
Specific duration.
Order the words. Sentence Building

了 / 觉 / 三小时 / 睡

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 睡了三小时觉
Standard order.
Which is a separable verb? Multiple Choice

Select one.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 吃饭
吃饭 is a classic separable verb.
Fill in the blank.

他生了很大的___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 气
生...气.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

她每天都要 ____ 个澡。 (Tā měitiān dōu yào ____ ge zǎo. - She has to take a shower every day.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 洗
Match the English phrase with the correct Chinese split structure. Match Pairs

Match the correct forms.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 洗个好澡, 生他的气, 帮我的忙, 见一次面
Find and fix the mistake. Error Correction

我想帮忙你。 (Wǒ xiǎng bāngmáng nǐ. - I want to help you.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我想帮你的忙。
Reorder the words to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

I sang a song. (一首歌 / 唱 / 我 / 了)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我唱了一首歌
Translate into Chinese using a separable verb. Translation

I took three days off.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我请了三天假。
Which sentence correctly expresses duration? Multiple Choice

How do you say 'I worked overtime for two hours'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我加了两个小时的班。
Complete the casual phrase. Fill in the Blank

周末我想睡 ____ 好觉。 (Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng shuì ____ hǎo jiào.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 一个
Fix the mistake with the aspect marker. Error Correction

我们聊了天一个小时。 (Wǒmen liáo le tiān yí ge xiǎoshí.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我们聊了一个小时的天。
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

She is still mad at me. (气 / 还在 / 生 / 我的 / 她)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 她还在生我的气
Select the correct structure for 'have done' (experience). Multiple Choice

How do you say 'We have met before'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我们见过面。

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, only those categorized as '离合词'.

Yes, but it means 'I went to sleep'.

After the verb part.

Yes, after the verb part.

Because '面' is the object.

Yes.

Check a dictionary or usage patterns.

Yes, but be careful with register.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

Verb + Object

Chinese allows internal modification of the verb-object unit.

French low

Verb + Object

No internal splitting possible.

German partial

Separable prefix verbs

Prefixes vs. Object components.

Japanese low

Verb + Object

Chinese V-O compounds are unique.

Arabic low

Verb + Object

Morphological structure.

Chinese high

离合词

N/A

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Counting Times: Once vs. From Start to Finish (次 vs. 遍)
Next
Approximate Numbers: Using {左右|zuǒyòu} (Around/Ish)

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