Characters
Common Verbs
Everyday action verbs. Recall from basic sentence structure that verbs do not change form for tense — just place them after the subject.
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| qù | to go | |
| lái | to come | |
| chī | to eat | |
| hē | to drink | |
| kàn | to see / read / watch | |
| tīng | to listen / hear | |
| shuō | to speak / say | |
| zuò | to do / make |
Notice the radical pattern: verbs involving the mouth carry the 口 radical — 吃 (eats), 喝 (drinks), 说 (speaks). 听 ("listen") contains the 口 radical too, historically a phonetic marker.
Examples
- 我 去 学校。 "I go to school." (Wǒ qù xuéxiào.)
- 他 来 我家。 "He comes to my house." (Tā lái wǒ jiā.)
- 你 说 中文 吗? "Do you speak Chinese?"
Quiz
Pick the best answer for each question. You get feedback right away.
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"To listen" is:
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Which verb means "to come"?
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Translate: 我 喝 水.