CIRCUMSTANCES of the event

 
 
_THIS IS A TESTING BETA VERSION OF THE SITE_
 

When we want to bring up the information that something happened or has happened, we use the “past tences” with  了 /le/ or 过 /guo/

EXAMPLES

I have been to China.
我 去 过 中国。
<Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó.>
EXPERIENCE
I have bought a book.
我 买 了 一本 书。
<Wǒ mǎi le yī běn shū.>
Yesterday I bought a book in a bookstore.
我 昨天 在 书店 买 了 一本 书。
<Wǒ zuótiān zài shūdiàn mǎi le yī běn shū.>

 

When we already know that something happened or has happened, and we want to ask for more informations or add more informations, we use this special construction  

The construction is 是。。。的 /shì…de/

The construction is the same for questions

 

EXAMPLES

I went there in 2012.
我 是 2012 年 去 的。
Wǒ shì 2012 nián qù de.
(it) was bought in a bookstore.
是 在 书店 买 的。
<Shì zài shūdiàn mǎi de.>
Where did you get to know each other?
你们 是 在 哪里 认识 的？
<Nǐmen shì zài nǎli rènshi de?>
In what year did you get to know each other?
你们 是 哪一年 认识 的？
<Nǐmen shì nǎ yī nián rènshi de?>
那个 / WHICH? YEARS
On which date did you go there?
你们 是 几 号 去 的？
Nǐmen shì jǐ hào qù de?
It was bought in a bookstore.
是 在 商店 买 的。
<Shì zài shāngdiàn mǎi de.>
At which date did you go there?
你们 是 几 号 去 的？
<Nǐmen shì jǐ hào qù de?>
几 / HOW MANY?
We got to know each other in Beijing.
我们 是 在 北京 认识 的。
<Wǒmen shì zài Běijīng rènshi de.>

 

了 / FINISHED ACTION
过 / EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST
BACK TO GRAMMAR
TALK TO FRED