How do I say 'this' when referring to something non-specific

[Hally04]

For example, if I wanted to say "This is good" would I say 这很好?

Another example: would "I have already talked about this with you" be 我已经跟你谈了这个 ?

 

I am slightly confused as to when to use 这个 and 这 in this context. 

[mouse]

I would say: “我已经跟你谈过这件事。”

 

You could substitute 这件事 for 这个问题 or something similar, but I don't think you can leave 这个 hanging there like that.

[stapler]

I would also say 这样好 (for talking about a situation, style, manner, etc)

[Demonic_Duck]

Needs more context. Why are you saying "this is good"?

[Hally04]

If someone presented an idea, for example, or if I wanted to commend something for a good job.

[Demonic_Duck]

I wouldn't personally use "this is good" for either of those situations in English, would sound a bit strange.

Situation 1

English: "Good idea!"

Chinese: “好主意！”

Situation 2

English: "Good job!" or "Well done!"

Chinese: “做得好！”

[anonymoose]

这 means "this".

 

这个 means "this one".

[gaogaozhan]

In Chinese, you can drop pronoun or classifier when the situation is clear.

Eg.

 

这个人真好。

这人真好。

 

Both are perfectly correct.

"This guy is so kind".

[anonymoose]

In the second sentence, 人 is a classifier.

It would be strange to say 这孩子真好。

[Demonic_Duck]

Disagree. I don't think that “人” becomes a classifier, and “这孩子” is not at all uncommon. I'd say it's just a colloquial usage in which the classifier is dropped.

[anonymoose]

Disagree. I don't think that “人” becomes a classifier, and “这孩子” is not at all uncommon. I'd say it's just a colloquial usage in which the classifier is dropped.

 

From "Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar" by Yip and Rimmington:

 

[L-F-J]

Notice it says "one possibility" for apparently missing measure words, could be like 一人船 where 一人 is like an adjective, a one-man boat, but that's not what's going on here... 

 

I have to agree with the Duck. 这孩子 appears in many dialogues in novels I've read and I've heard it in speech as well, and it's not used as an adjective. 这孩子真调皮/ 这孩子真懂事. Those would be common enough, and 孩子 doesn't act as a measure word or adjective here. It's just a colloquial omission of the measure word, whether technically grammatical or not.

[gaogaozhan]

Panda, listen to Duckie and me ;)

You need to revise 句子的成分 then you can use Chinese like a pro.

 

 

In the second sentence, 人 is a classifier.

 

It is a noun, not a classifier.

 

 

It would be strange to say 这孩子真好。

 

Yes, you're right. It's odd to say 这孩子真好。

The problem is not 这孩子真 but 好.

Native Chinese would normally say 这孩子真乖。

It's odd, I know. Now you be a good boy and listen to me