HSK 2
情态副词：必须、差不多、好像、一定、也许
qíng tài fù cí ： bì xū 、 chà bù duō 、 hǎo xiàng 、 yí dìng 、 yě xǔ
Modal adverbs: 必须, 差不多, 好像, 一定, 也许
Explanation
These are modal adverbs (words that modify a verb, indicating the speaker's attitude or degree of certainty): 必须 (bìxū, must), 差不多 (chàbuduō, almost/about), 好像 (hǎoxiàng, seem like), 一定 (yídìng, definitely), 也许 (yěxǔ, perhaps).
Subject + modal adverb + verb/adjective.
大家必须努力学习 (everyone must study hard).
必须 when stressing that something must be done; 差不多 when estimating an approximate number or degree; 好像 when guessing without certainty, based on a feeling; 一定 when very certain or when urging/promising; 也许 when something seems possible but is not certain.
一定 (high certainty) is far stronger than 也许 and 好像 (both indicating uncertainty); 好像 is based on observable signs, while 也许 is just a general guess.
Vietnamese learners often place 差不多 in the wrong position. Remember 差不多 comes before the part being estimated (差不多两千块 - about two thousand yuan). Also, don't confuse 好像 with 像 (be alike): 好像 means 'seem like', not 'be similar to'.
Examples
To achieve good results, everyone must study hard.
A plane ticket costs almost two thousand yuan.
It seems like it's going to rain today.
After you get to Beijing, you must go visit Teacher Wang.
This year I will perhaps go to China to study Chinese.
Practice
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Learn “情态副词：必须、差不多、好像、一定、也许” effectively
The grammar point “情态副词：必须、差不多、好像、一定、也许” (Modal adverbs: 必须, 差不多, 好像, 一定, 也许) is one of the key structures at HSK 2. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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