HSK1 Grammar: Basic verb "是" (shì)
Use this to: Use this to identify people and things.
1. Grammar Introduction
是 (shì) is the basic Chinese verb used to say what someone or something is. It links a subject to a noun, identity, nationality, or profession. In Chinese, 是 does not change according to the subject or tense, and the noun after 是 does not change for singular or plural.
Subject + 是 + Noun / Identity
Use 是 when the word after it is a noun or identity word. It is similar to English "am / is / are" in sentences like "I am a student" or "He is Chinese."
- Introducing identity: 我是学生。 - I am a student.
- Stating nationality: 他是中国人。 - He is Chinese.
- Identifying professions: 她是老师。 - She is a teacher.
- Identifying objects: 这是苹果。 - This is an apple.
Important: 是 is not exactly the same as English am / is / are. It generally links the subject to an equivalent noun or noun phrase. For example, we do not say 今天是热 for “Today is hot.” The correct sentence is 今天很热 .
2. Example Sentences
我是Yuli。
我I / me是am / isYuliYuli
。
I am Yuli.
他是老师。
他he是is老师teacher
。
He is a teacher.
她是学生。
她she是is学生student
。
She is a student.
他们是中国人。
他们they是are中国人Chinese people
。
They are Chinese.
这是苹果。
这this是is苹果apple
。
This is an apple.
3. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Sentence Ordering
Click the words to form correct sentences. These practice questions come from the example sentences above.
1. She is a student.
她she是is学生student。
2. This is an apple.
这this是is苹果apple。
3. He is a teacher.
他he是is老师teacher。
4. I am Yuli.
我I是amYuliYuli。
5. They are Chinese.
他们they是are中国人Chinese。
Exercise 2: English to Chinese Translation
Translate the example sentences into Chinese.
Question 1: This is an apple.
Question 2: She is a student.
Question 3: I am Yuli.
Question 4: They are Chinese.
Question 5: He is a teacher.
Exercise 3: Listening Practice
Listen to the example sentences and answer.
1. Listen and write in Chinese:
2. Listen and write in Chinese:
3. Listen and write in Chinese:
4. Listen and translate to English:
5. Listen and translate to English:
4. Vocabulary List
🎯 Verbs
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 是 | shì | to be, am / is / are |
📦 Nouns
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 学生 | xuéshēng | student |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 中国人 | Zhōngguó rén | Chinese person / people |
| 苹果 | píngguǒ | apple |
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Wrong: 我是高兴。
— Do not use 是 before adjectives.
✅ Correct: 我很高兴。
— I am happy. - ❌ Wrong: 他们是中国人们。
— When the subject is plural, the noun after 是 does not need to be changed into a plural form.
✅ Correct: 他们是中国人。
— They are Chinese. - ❓: 我是一个学生。
— “一个” is optional here. You may include it or leave it out.
✅ Correct: 我是（一个）学生。
— I am a student.
🎉
Great job on completing this lesson!
Practice these sentences daily to master
"是"
加油！(jiā yóu - Keep going!)