HSK 1
名词、代词或名词性短语作主语
míng cí 、 dài cí huò míng cí xìng duǎn yǔ zuò zhǔ yǔ
Nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases as the subject
Explanation
The subject (主语 - the component stating the person/thing the sentence is about, usually at the start of the sentence) in Chinese is typically filled by a noun, a pronoun, or a noun phrase.
Subject + Predicate (the rest of the sentence). The subject comes at the START of the sentence. - Noun as subject: 衣服 (yīfu - clothes) in 衣服很好看. - Pronoun as subject: 他 (tā - he) in 他在看电视. - Noun phrase as subject: 这个房间 (zhège fángjiān - this room), consisting of [demonstrative pronoun 这 + measure word (a counting unit, like "cái, con, quyển" in Vietnamese) 个 + noun 房间].
Every ordinary declarative sentence needs a subject to make clear who/what is being talked about.
Chinese does NOT conjugate verbs according to the subject (no form change as in English), so you just need to place the correct subject at the front. Vietnamese learners sometimes drop the subject out of habit (elliptical sentences); in a standard sentence you should state the subject clearly, especially when you are just starting out.
Examples
The clothes are very pretty.
He is watching TV.
This room is very clean.
Practice
Test your understanding with a quick quiz
Learn “名词、代词或名词性短语作主语” effectively
The grammar point “名词、代词或名词性短语作主语” (Nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases as the subject) is one of the key structures at HSK 1. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
You can also view the full “” lesson to understand the related grammar and vocabulary more deeply.