Grammar
Short lessons with examples, plus drills and mini‑quizzes. Start with the overview, then dive into lessons.
Grammar at a glance
A quick cheat sheet. It’s intentionally simplified—use it as a map, then learn details through examples.
Word order
SVO
Mandarin is typically SVO and is topic-prominent; time/place often comes early in a sentence.
Articles / Gender / Cases
Articles: NoGender: NoneCases: 0
Verbs
Verbs don’t conjugate by person/tense; aspect particles (了/过/着) and time words do the work.
Plurals
Plural is often optional; 们 is used for some pronouns/people.
Politeness
您 is polite ‘you’; polite words/phrases are common.
Fast tips
- Learn pinyin + tones; record yourself to compare.
- Use measure words (个) as a beginner default.
Lessons
No verb conjugation
Mandarin verbs do not conjugate like many European languages.
Grammar overview (quick cheat sheet)
A high-level map of how this language works.
Word order basics
Where the verb usually goes, and what changes it.
Asking questions
Yes/no questions and common question words.
Negation (saying ‘not’)
How to say ‘not / don’t / can’t’ at a basic level.
Verbs: the first 10 you should learn
A study strategy for verbs that unlock real sentences.
Politeness & formality
How to sound polite without overthinking grammar.