Separable Verbs
离合词与动宾表达
Learn when a Chinese verb expression stays together, when words go in the middle, and how to place people, objects, time, and quantity naturally.
What Are Separable Verbs?
One English verb can hide a verb–object structure in Chinese. Many expressions translated as a single English verb already contain two parts: a verb + a noun-like object. In many such expressions, the noun-like part already fills the object's position, so you usually cannot simply add a second noun or person directly after the whole expression.
Some Chinese verbs really do take two objects, such as 送: 我送朋友一个礼物。 Wǒ sòng péngyou yí ge lǐwù. · I gave a friend a present. But that is a separate double-object construction (送 + recipient + gift). Do not assume expressions like 打电话 and 见面 work the same way.
Start with an easy example · HSK 1
打 (dǎ) = make / perform an action; 电话 (diànhuà) = phone call. Together, 打电话 means to make a call.
❌ 打电话妈妈 The verb 打 already has a noun-like object: 电话. Adding 妈妈 directly after 打电话 does not form the intended sentence.
✅ 给妈妈打电话 gěi māma dǎ diànhuà · call Mom (给妈妈 tells us who receives the call)
✅ 给妈妈打了个电话 gěi māma dǎ le ge diànhuà · made a call to Mom (了个 goes between 打 and 电话)
Another example · HSK 3
见 (jiàn) = see / meet; 面 (miàn) = face. In English, 见面 is simply “meet,” but the Chinese expression already has the noun-like part 面.
You cannot put 朋友 directly after 见面.
gēn péngyou jiànmiàn · meet a friend
Why do 了 / 过 often go in the middle? In a separable verb–object expression, the first part is the actual verb. The aspect markers 了 (completed event) and 过 (past experience) generally follow that verb—not the noun-like object. So: 见 + 过 + 面 → 见过面, and 见 + 过 + 两次 + 面 → 见过两次面. Likewise, 打 + 了 + 一个 + 电话 → 打了一个电话.
Important: Do not treat this as a universal ban on ending a sentence with 了. The sentence-final particle in 我洗澡了 is different from the verb-attached 了 in 我洗了个澡. Not every expression separates equally. This course first teaches common separable verbs, then introduces related verb–object patterns and verb–complement structures as extensions.
What You Will Learn
- Recognize the verb and the noun-like object hidden inside a single English verb translation.
- Understand why 了 / 过 and measure phrases often appear between the two parts.
- Say who you call, meet, help, or talk to without adding a second object in the wrong position.
- Distinguish typical separable verbs, ordinary verb–object expressions, and different verb–complement patterns.
Learning Path
Learn the Key Patterns
Go to dictionary ↓The examples are grouped by grammar pattern, with an HSK level on each card. Within each group, start with easier examples and notice how each expression works.
Quick Review
| Pattern | Natural examples | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect markers | 睡了个好觉 · 见过面 · 没结过婚 | 了 / 过 can appear between verb and object. |
| Quantity / duration | 洗了个澡 · 上了两节课 | How many / how long can often go between the two parts. |
| People and objects | 跟朋友见面 · 给妈妈打电话 | Do not automatically add a person after the whole expression. |
| Verb + complement | 离不开 · 完不成 | 得 / 不 can go between the verb and its complement. A different pattern! |
Important: These are useful patterns, not universal rules. “我洗澡了” and “我洗了个澡” can both be correct, and the placement of duration or objects depends on the expression and meaning.
Practice · Use the Patterns
1. Choose the natural sentence
2. Find and correct the mistake
- 我昨天见面了我的朋友。
- 你可以帮忙我吗？
- 我昨天洗澡了一个。
- 我今天打电话妈妈。
- 这个任务今天完了成。
Show corrections, Pinyin & explanations
- 我昨天跟我的朋友见面了。Wǒ zuótiān gēn wǒ de péngyou jiànmiàn le.I met my friend yesterday.Why: Use 跟 to introduce the person; 见面 already includes 面.
- 你可以帮我一个忙吗？Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ yí ge máng ma?Could you do me a favor?Why: 帮忙 cannot simply take 我 after the whole phrase; put 我 before 忙.
- 我昨天洗了个澡。Wǒ zuótiān xǐ le ge zǎo.I took a shower yesterday.Why: 了 and 个 go between 洗 and 澡.
- 我今天给妈妈打了个电话。Wǒ jīntiān gěi māma dǎ le ge diànhuà.I called my mother today.Why: Use 给妈妈 to introduce whom you call; the measure phrase goes between 打 and 电话.
- 这个任务今天完成了。Zhège rènwu jīntiān wánchéng le.The task was completed today.这个任务今天完不成。Zhège rènwu jīntiān wán bu chéng.This task cannot be completed today.Both are natural but mean different things: 完成了 expresses completion; 完不成 means unable to complete. Never say 完了成.
3. Put the words in order
- 我 / 个 / 刚 / 洗 / 澡 / 了
(I just took a shower.) - 妈妈 / 给 / 打 / 我 / 个 / 了 / 电话
(I called my mother.) - 跟 / 见 / 他 / 过 / 两次 / 我 / 面
(I have met him twice.) - 游 / 昨天 / 半个小时 / 我们 / 了 / 泳
(We swam for half an hour yesterday.)
Show answers with Pinyin & English
- 我刚洗了个澡。Wǒ gāng xǐ le ge zǎo.I just took a shower.
- 我给妈妈打了个电话。Wǒ gěi māma dǎ le ge diànhuà.I called my mother.
- 我跟他见过两次面。Wǒ gēn tā jiàn guo liǎng cì miàn.I have met him twice.
- 我们昨天游了半个小时泳。Wǒmen zuótiān yóu le bàn ge xiǎoshí yǒng.We swam for half an hour yesterday.Also natural: 昨天我们游了半个小时泳。 (Zuótiān wǒmen yóu le bàn ge xiǎoshí yǒng.)
4. Translate and personalize
- I had two classes this morning.
- I met her twice before.
- Could you do me a favor?
- I just took a shower.
- I cannot finish this task today.
Show Chinese answers & Pinyin
- 我今天上午上了两节课。Wǒ jīntiān shàngwǔ shàng le liǎng jié kè.I had two classes this morning.
- 我以前跟她见过两次面。Wǒ yǐqián gēn tā jiàn guo liǎng cì miàn.I have met her twice before.
- 你能帮我一个忙吗？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yí ge máng ma?Could you do me a favor?
- 我刚洗了个澡。Wǒ gāng xǐ le ge zǎo.I just took a shower.
- 这个任务我今天完不成。Zhège rènwu wǒ jīntiān wán bu chéng.I cannot complete this task today.
你今天几点起床？Nǐ jīntiān jǐ diǎn qǐchuáng?你上个星期上了几节课？Nǐ shàng ge xīngqī shàng le jǐ jié kè?你最近跟谁见过面？Nǐ zuìjìn gēn shéi jiàn guo miàn?你上次给谁打电话了？Nǐ shàng cì gěi shéi dǎ diànhuà le?
Answer with your own experience. You do not need to force every verb to split.Separable Verbs Dictionary
Search Chinese / Pinyin / English · HSK 1–9 (7–9 grouped)How to use the categories: This reference contains 193 expressions. Not all of them follow the same grammar rules. Select a category to focus on one type:
- All Expressions — browse every entry in this learning reference.
- Official HSK Core (19) — the 19 expressions explicitly listed as separable in the HSK grammar syllabus, including three verb–complement forms.
- Common Separable Verbs — common expressions such as 睡觉 and 见面. The verb and noun-like part can be separated in certain patterns (睡了个好觉 / 见过两次面).
- Verb–Complement — structures such as 分开 and 完成. The two parts separate in patterns like 分不开 / 完不成, not with the usual verb–object rules.
- Verb–Object Patterns — expressions such as 开车 and 做饭 that also behave like ordinary verb + object phrases. Learn their natural word order without assuming they are all strict separable verbs.
- Special Expressions — expressions with a particular meaning, restricted separation, or a preferred sentence pattern. Read the usage note before applying a rule.
The “Official HSK Core” filter overlaps with the structural categories. HSK level tells you when a word appears in the vocabulary syllabus, not whether every split form is equally natural.
Official labels are based on the official HSK grammar syllabus (新版HSK考试大纲·语法). Non-official categories indicate teaching usage, not authoritative dictionary certification. Audio uses your device's Chinese voice.