Sentence PatternsHSK 4
The 是... 的 construction for emphasizing details
To stress a detail like time, place, or manner, use 是...的 with the detail between 是 and the verb. The 的 is essential; 是 may be omitted in informal speech.
Structure
Subj. + 是 + [Detail] + Verb + 的
In casual speech, 是 can be omitted, but 的 remains.
Examples
- 你们是什么时候到的？Nǐ men shì shén me shí hou dào de?When did you guys arrive?
- 我们是昨天到的。Wǒ men shì zuó tiān dào de.We arrived yesterday.
- 你是在哪儿出生的？Nǐ shì zài nǎ r chū shēng de?Where were you born?
- 你骑自行车来的吗？Nǐ qí zì xíng chē lái de ma?Did you come by bike?
- 谁告诉你的？Shuí gào sù nǐ de?Who told you?
Words that use this
- 是shìto be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion)
- 了le(completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
- 的depossession/attribute particle: links a modifier to a noun, or nominalizes a phrase; also a sentence-final particle for emphasis or affirmation
- 不是bù shinot be; No!; to V2, not V1; if not A, then B; either A or B
- 不bùnot; no (negates verbs and adjectives in everyday speech)