Verbless sentences
In these sentences, the predicate is not a verb, but rather a noun, adjective, participle, or adverb. This type of predicate is called a nominal predicate.
Adjective, participle, or adverb as a predicate
A predicate which is expressed by an adjective, participle, or adverb describes an object and usually answers the question “what is the object like?”.
For example, “the building is tall”, “she is beautiful”.
In verbless sentences we put an adverb between the subject and the predicate.
Most often it is the adverb 很 
.
.
Pay attention
We do not use the verb 是 in these sentences.
in these sentences.Scheme
subject
who? what?
很
predicate
Examples
我很忙
I'm busy
wǒ hěn máng
他们很高兴
They're happy
tāmen hěn gāoxìng
Pay attention
很 doesn’t have strong emotional inflection, so we don’t translate it.
We don’t use the adverb in sentences showing contrast. In such sentences, we first name the subject and then the predicate.
Examples
我的行李箱重，你的轻
My suitcase is heavy and yours is light
wǒ de xínglǐxiāng zhòng, nǐ de qīng
法语语法难，汉语不难
French grammar is complicated, but Chinese is not
fǎyǔ yǔfǎ nán, hànyǔ bù nán
To make a negation, we put 不 before the predicate.
We do not necessarily use an adverb in the negation, but if it is used, we usually say 不太 . 不很 is used less frequently.
before the predicate.
We do not necessarily use an adverb in the negation, but if it is used, we usually say 不太 . 不很 is used less frequently.
Examples
汉语不太难
The Chinese language is not very difficult
hànyǔ bú tài nán
弟弟不高
My younger brother is not very tall
dìdi bù gāo
Sentences with a nominal predicate
These predicates usually refer to a time, age, or quantity. Nominal words or phrases can directly function as predicates in Chinese.
Pay attention
In declarative sentences with a nominal predicate, use of the verb 是 is optional.
Scheme
subject
who?what?/when?
(是)
predicate
when?/how much?/where?
Examples
今天(是)星期五
Today is Friday
jīntiān (shì) xīngqīwǔ
我(是)十八岁
I am 18 years old
wǒ (shì) shíbā suì
In a negative sentence, the use of the verb 是 is obligatory. We put the negative particle 不 before 是.
Pay attention
When 不 comes before 是, it is pronounced with the second tone — bú.
Examples
今天不是星期五
Today is not Friday
jīntiān bú shì xīngqīwǔ
There are two ways to ask a question in a verbless sentence:
1) with the question particle 吗 at the end of a sentence.
at the end of a sentence.Scheme
subject
who? what?
predicate
吗?
Pay attention
We don’t use degree adverbs at all in question sentences.
Examples
汉语难吗？
Is Chinese complicated?
hànyǔ nán ma
他两米高吗？
Is he two meters tall?
tā liǎng mǐ gāo ma
2) the declarative-negative form of the predicate.
It follows the same pattern as a declarative sentence, but we put the same predicate in the negative form immediately after the first predicate.
It is often used in colloquial speech.
Scheme
subject
predicate
不/没
predicate?
Pay attention
We don’t use the particle 吗 in this case.
Examples
你忙不忙？
Are you busy?
nǐ máng bù máng
弟弟高不高？
Is the younger brother tall?
dìdi gāo bù gāo
To ask this question in a sentence with a predicate noun, we should add 是不是 before the predicate.
before the predicate.Examples
他是不是两米高？
Is he two meters tall?
tā shì bu shì liǎng mǐ gāo
明天是不是周末？
Is tomorrow the weekend?
míngtiān shì bu shì zhōumò