HSK1 Grammar: 很 (hěn) + Adjective
Use this to: Use this to make simple adjective sentences sound natural.
1. Grammar Introduction
In Chinese, when you want to describe something using an adjective, you often use the intensifier "很" (hěn) before the adjective. While "很" literally means "very," when used with adjectives in simple statements, it functions more like a neutral modifier and doesn't always emphasize "very" in English.
This pattern is essential in Mandarin Chinese because adjectives typically need a modifier when used as predicates. Without "很" or another intensifier, the sentence would sound incomplete or imply a comparison.
Two common mistakes to watch out for:
- Leaving out 很: In a neutral descriptive sentence, 很 is normally used before the adjective. When making a comparison or contrast, however, 很 can be omitted. For example: 昨天热，今天不热。 — Yesterday was hot; today is not.
- Adding 是 before an adjective: Do not copy the English am / is / are + adjective structure directly into Chinese. 是 may appear before 很 when the speaker is emphasizing or clarifying a point. For example: 今天是很热，但是没有昨天热。 — Today is indeed very hot, but it is not as hot as yesterday.
Subject + 很 (hěn) + Adjective
Common Usage Scenarios:
- 今天很热。 (Jīntiān hěn rè.) - Today is hot.
- 他很高。 (Tā hěn gāo.) - He is tall.
- 这个很好。 (Zhège hěn hǎo.) - This is good.
- 我很忙。 (Wǒ hěn máng.) - I am busy.
- 书很大。 (Shū hěn dà.) - The book is big.
2. Example Sentences
我很好。
我I
很very
好good
。
I am fine/good.
他很高。
他he
很very
高tall
。
He is tall.
今天很热。
今天today
很very
热hot
。
Today is hot.
老师很忙。
老师teacher
很very
忙busy
。
The teacher is busy.
这个很大。
这个this
很very
大big
。
This is big.
中文很有意思。
中文Chinese
很very
有意思interesting
。
Chinese is interesting.
她很漂亮。
她she
很very
漂亮beautiful
。
She is beautiful.
我妈妈很高兴。
我my
妈妈mom
很very
高兴happy
。
My mom is happy.
3. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Sentence Ordering
Click the words to form correct sentences.
1. The teacher is busy.
2. This is big.
3. Chinese is interesting.
4. She is beautiful.
5. My mom is happy.
Exercise 2: English to Chinese Translation
Translate the following sentences into Chinese. Use characters.
1. Today is hot.
2. She is beautiful.
3. I am fine/good.
4. He is tall.
Exercise 3: Listening Practice
Listen to the audio. First 3 questions: write in Chinese. Remaining questions: translate to English.
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:
6. Listen and translate to English:
4. Vocabulary List
🎯 Adverb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 很 | hěn | very |
🎨 Adjectives
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好 | hǎo | good, fine |
| 高 | gāo | tall, high |
| 热 | rè | hot |
| 忙 | máng | busy |
| 大 | dà | big, large |
| 有意思 | yǒuyìsi | interesting |
| 漂亮 | piàoliang | beautiful, pretty |
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy |
📦 Nouns
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 今天 | jīntiān | today |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 中文 | zhōngwén | Chinese (language) |
| 妈妈 | māma | mom, mother |
👤 Pronouns
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | wǒ | I, me |
| 他 | tā | he, him |
| 她 | tā | she, her |
| 这个 | zhège | this |
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Wrong: 我好。
— Sounds incomplete in a neutral adjective sentence.
✅ Correct: 我很好。
— I am fine. - ❌ Wrong: 他是高。
— Do not use 是 before an adjective in a neutral descriptive sentence.
✅ Correct: 他很高。
— He is tall. - ❓: 很热今天。
— This is not a standard grammatical sentence. However, in spoken Chinese, you may hear someone say the main point, “很热,” first and then add “今天” as extra information.
🎉 Great job on completing this lesson!
Practice these sentences daily to master the "很 + Adjective" pattern.
加油！(jiā yóu - Keep going!)