The Most Important Verbs in Chinese

The heart of every language lies in its verbs. If you can correctly recognize and form verbs, you have already mastered the most important aspect of grammar.

To immediately start expressing a lot in Chinese, you only need five verbs in the beginning.

These are:

to have
to be
to go
can
to do

Learn these five Chinese verbs in the present tense in all six conjugated forms by heart: I go, you go, he/she/it goes, we go, you (plural) go, they go.

Also learn the past and future forms of the verbs to have, to be, to go, and to do.

First think of the solution. Then click the buttons to reveal the answers.

1
to have	有 yǒu
I have	我有 wǒ yǒu
you have	你有 nǐ yǒu
he has	他有 tā yǒu
we have	我们有 wǒmen yǒu
you have	你们有 nǐmen yǒu
they have	他们有 tāmen yǒu

2
to be	是 shì
I am	我是 wǒ shì
you are	你是 nǐ shì
he is	他是 tā shì
we are	我们是 wǒmen shì
you are	你们是 nǐmen shì
they are	他们是 tāmen shì

3
to go	去 qù
I go	我去 wǒ qù
you go	你去 nǐ qù
he goes	他去 tā qù
we go	我们去 wǒmen qù
you go	你们去 nǐmen qù
they go	他们去 tāmen qù

4
can	会 huì
I can	我会 wǒ huì
you can	你会 nǐ huì
he can	他会 tā huì
we can	我们会 wǒmen huì
you can	你们会 nǐmen huì
they can	他们会 tāmen huì
you can (formal)	您会 nín huì

5
to do	做 zuò
I do	我做 wǒ zuò
you do	你做 nǐ zuò
he does	他做 tā zuò
we do	我们做 wǒmen zuò
you do	你们做 nǐmen zuò
they do	他们做 tāmen zuò

6
I had	我曾有 wǒ céng yǒu
you had	你曾有 nǐ céng yǒu
he had	他曾有 tā céng yǒu
we had	我们曾有 wǒmen céng yǒu
they had	他们曾有 tāmen céng yǒu

7
I was	我曾是 wǒ céng shì
you were	你曾是 nǐ céng shì
he was	他曾是 tā céng shì
we were	我们曾是 wǒmen céng shì
you were	你们曾是 nǐmen céng shì

8
I went	我曾去 wǒ céng qù
you went	你曾去 nǐ céng qù
he went	他曾去 tā céng qù
we went	我们曾去 wǒmen céng qù
you went	你们曾去 nǐmen céng qù
they went	他们曾去 tāmen céng qù

9
you did	你曾做 nǐ céng zuò
he did	他曾做 tā céng zuò
we did	我们曾做 wǒmen céng zuò
you did	你们曾做 nǐmen céng zuò
they did	他们曾做 tāmen céng zuò

10
I will have	我将有 wǒ jiāng yǒu
you will have	你将有 nǐ jiāng yǒu
he will have	他将有 tā jiāng yǒu
we will have	我们将有 wǒmen jiāng yǒu
you will have	你们将有 nǐmen jiāng yǒu
they will have	他们将有 tāmen jiāng yǒu

11
I will be	我将是 wǒ jiāng shì
you will be	你将是 nǐ jiāng shì
he will be	他将是 tā jiāng shì
we will be	我们将是 wǒmen jiāng shì
you will be	你们将是 nǐmen jiāng shì
they will be	他们将是 tāmen jiāng shì

12
I will go	我将去 wǒ jiāng qù
you will go	你将去 nǐ jiāng qù
he will go	他将去 tā jiāng qù
we will go	我们将去 wǒmen jiāng qù
you will go	你们将去 nǐmen jiāng qù
they will go	他们将去 tāmen jiāng qù

13
I will do	我将做 wǒ jiāng zuò
you will do	你将做 nǐ jiāng zuò
he will do	他将做 tā jiāng zuò
we will do	我们将做 wǒmen jiāng zuò
you will do	你们将做 nǐmen jiāng zuò
they will do	他们将做 tāmen jiāng zuò

14
Is there ... ?	有...? yǒu...?
May I ... ?	我可以吗？Wǒ kěyǐ ma?
I need ...	我需要... Wǒ xūyào...
Where is ... ?	...在哪里？zài nǎlǐ? ODER ...在哪儿？zài nǎr?
What is ... ?	这是什么？ Zhè shì shénme? (=Was ist das?)
How much is ... ?	... 多少钱？ ... duōshao qián?
I would like to have ...	我想要... Wǒ xiǎng yào...
Can you ... ?	你能...？ nǐ néng...?
Can you (formal) ... ?	您能... ？nín néng?

The verb forms will also be taught to you in the language course from Sprachenlernen24 right in the first few days with the help of a verb trainer, as they are essential in any language.

If you learn just 100 words in addition to these verbs at the beginning, you can already have basic conversations after only about three hours of study time.

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The Most Important Verbs in Chinese

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