Grammar and sentence structure explanation needed

[Sebasti]

I’m self-studying chinese from multimedia software. It doesn’t explain everything so I hope someone can explain me following stuff clearly. I’ve numbered the sentences from my study material below, but there’s usually more than one question for each sentence. I’m very analytical learner so I don’t want to move on before fully comprehending everything I’ve studied this far. Any help is much appreciated and discussion about different possibilities are welcome.

1) 我现在没有钱了

What is the meaning of 了? I know it is used to indicate past but in this case past is hardly an options since the sentence refers to current moment with 现在. Could some one explain this to me. Would simply 我现在没有钱 mean the same thing? If not what is the difference?

2) 在前面的路口往右拐

It is translated to ”Go ahead and turn right at the crossroads”. I’m having hard time undestanding the structure. I understand the sentence like this “At the front of the crossroad, go turn left”. Could someone explain the relations between words and explain me the grammatical rules why words need to be in that order. For me it would be much more natural to place the verb “go” in the start of the sentence.

3) 一直往前走，再左拐就到了

Same question basicly as with the number 2. This one is translated to “go ahead, then turn left. It is just there." I don’t understand the meaning of 了in the end. 一直往前走 sounds really complex, doesn’t both 往 and 走indicate that you need to move? Could I just say 走一直 instead to say ”go ahead” or ”walk ahead”. Does再 in this sentence mean “then”? Why 左拐? Would 拐左边 be also right? Don’t I need to separate “turn left” and “just arrive” someway in chinese sentence?

4) 拿个银行旁边就有超市

It is translated to ”There is a supermarket next to the bank”. Wouldn’t this sentence simply be拿个银行旁边有超市? With 就 should it be ”There is a supermarket just next to the bank”? Follow up question… what is the diffence between就 and就是 since I also have sentence “Just at the traffic lights” 那个红绿灯就是?

5) 你知道在哪儿吗?

It is translated to ”Do you know where it is?”. I believe “it” is used and is unmentioned in chinese sentence since in previous sentence someone tells that he is going to the bank. I’ve understood that 吗turns a sentence in to a question. I’ve also understood that 哪儿 makes sentence a question. So in this case just 你知道在哪儿 would be wrong since I’m not asking where the place is, but I’m asking if someone knows where it is? So follow up question… If I want to know where the bank is, I can use你知道银行在哪儿吗 or银行在哪儿?

6) English “can” as in “I can do it” or “Can I do it?”. How does this word compare to chinese counterparts. What is the difference and usage of可以 , 能 and 会. I know 会 is also “will” and “would”. Could someone give me examples of different usages and explain me when it is ok and when it is wrong to use these?

[renzhe]

1) 我现在没有钱了

The 了 particle doesn't actually indicate past (there are no true tenses in Chinese), but a change of state. I'd venture a guess that the speaker did have money, but doesn't have it now. The 了 is here because a change of state occurred.

2) 在前面的路口往右拐

There is no "go". The literal translation is something like "at the crossroad ahead, turn right". 往右 is literally "towards right".

In a Chinese sentence, the location will come before the verb, you cannot say "turn right at the crossroad ahead". The "往右" modifies the verb "拐" and comes before it.

3) 一直往前走，再左拐就到了

"往" simply means "towards" or indicates direction, "一直" is "continuous". So the first sentence is "go straight ahead", or "straight towards ahead go". As before, the direction will come before the verb, you can't say "走往前", as "往前" modifies the verb. It's the Chinese way of saying things, and you'll get used to it.

The 了 once again indicates the change of state. When you do all that's been said, you will have arrived. A change of state, you weren't there before. The 了 will take a while to get used to, but with some exposure, people tend to pick it up.

4) 拿个银行旁边就有超市

"就" is an emphatic character adding a bit of stress to the sentence. Instead of saying "The shop is located next to the bank", it's more like "The shop is RIGHT there next to that bank". It's one of those things where translations can vary slightly. The character doesn't change the meaning of the sentence, just makes it a bit stronger.

"有" and "是" are simply the verbs that are modified. Other verbs can also be affected, "就" shows up all over the place.

5) 你知道在哪儿吗?

The "吗" particle refers to "知道", as you said. The question is "Do you know where?" "在" is not really a verb here, it is a location indicator.

"你知道银行在哪儿吗" and "银行在哪儿" are both valid question if you want to know where the bank is, but the first one is more polite.

[imron]

拿个银行旁边就有超市

Pinyin sentence prediction strikes again.

[monto]

1) 我现在没有钱了 --- hearing this, I would have an idea that you may have had money before, while

我现在没有钱 --- flatly a current fact.

2) 在前面的路口往右拐

One may translated it as ”Go ahead and turn right at the crossroads”, but actually "going ahead" was only implication in the original sentence, literally "turn right at the crossroad before”.

The sentence structure here is : Where(在前面的路口) do what (往右拐)

"往右拐" can be replaced by “拐向右边” though it is less common. This also for your question 3).

4) 那个银行旁边有超市 ------ plain fact

那个银行旁边就有超市 ---- fact mentioned in answering "where is asupermarket".

So "就" here have a mean "just"

5) If I want to know where the bank is, I can use你知道银行在哪儿吗 or 银行在哪儿?

Yes. "你知道银行在哪儿吗?" is actually an indirect way of " 银行在哪儿?". So asking, when you get the answer " 我不知道”， it doesn't sound abrupt

6) Complicated, couldn't be made clear in short.

[dsrguru]

I think you mean 那个 instead of 拿个.

For #6, they all mean "can" but in different ways. 会 means to know how to do something. If you can speak Chinese, i.e. you know how to speak Chinese, you could say 我会说中国话. The word 能 means to be physically capable of doing something. If you can eat, i.e. you are physically capable of eating (I hope you are because this is a rather lame example), you could say 我能吃饭. Lastly, 可以 means "can" in the "may" sense. If you wanted to ask someone "May we leave?" you might say "我们可不可以走？", although it's also sometimes used when we would say "can" in the physical sense, e.g. "Can you arrive tomorrow?" might be "你可以明天到吗？". I remember seeing some old threads on this subject; if I wasn't clear enough, you might want to look there.

[renzhe]

6) English “can” as in “I can do it” or “Can I do it?”. How does this word compare to chinese counterparts. What is the difference and usage of可以 , 能 and 会. I know 会 is also “will” and “would”. Could someone give me examples of different usages and explain me when it is ok and when it is wrong to use these?

I missed this one.

可以 - may, be allowed to

能 - can (it is possible)

会 - can, know how to (learned skill)

我不会弹吉它 = I can't play guitar (I've never learned it, don't know how to)

我不能弹吉它 = I can't play guitar (my arm is broken, it's too late)

我不可以弹吉它 = I can't play guitar (my wife won't let me)

This will cover most cases.

[self-taught-mba]

Sebasti,

Can you post the name of the software and your thoughts about it later?

[Sebasti]

Thank you for all your replies

In sentence which i used as an example before "Just at the traffic lights” 那个红绿灯就是, why verb 是 is used instead of 在?

To self-taught-mba:

I'm using Chinese Crash Course made by Cinowo. However, Cinowos homepage doesn't list this program. If I ever finish the whole course I can post some thoughts about it. But for now I need to say that I wish it would have more exercises and exercises where I'd really would need to write sentences myself. Some of the grammar is explained but not nearly all... that is the reason why I am asking here. The translations could be bit more accurate for example both wo shi meiguoren and wo lai zi meiguo are both translated to I come from america where the translation is accurate only in later case, even though both sentences indicate the same thing. Dictionary section after each class is also missing some of the new words used in that chapter.

[renzhe]

In sentence which i used as an example before "Just at the traffic lights” 那个红绿灯就是, why verb 是 is used instead of 在?

We'll need more context for that. Probably because of the way the question was asked.

As for translations, it's often hard to translate exactly, because languages tend to phrase things differently. The translations are just the guide. But you're right, " wo shi meiguoren" means "I'm American". It's just that in English, you tend to ask "where are you from" or "where do you come from", whereas in Chinese you ask "which country-man are you", which is kind of untranslatable. So the answer is also different.

As long as you notice that the translation is not word-for word, you should be fine.

As for exercises, you could look into getting a workbook from another course if your software doesn't have enough.

[Sebasti]

We'll need more context for that. Probably because of the way the question was asked

the question before 对，那个红绿灯就是 was 在第一个路口吗

so the same question why verb 是 is used instead of 在?

As I was walking home I started thing really simple sentence problem which results from be-verb not to be used with adjectives.

I'm happy = 我很快乐

I want to be happy = 我要很快乐 or 我要很快乐是 or 我要是很快乐 or do I need to use some totally different structure?

[monto]

那个红绿灯就是

Grammatically, this is not accurate, but we just say so in daily life. It is understood that by saying so we actually mean: 那个红绿灯所在的地方就是.

This sentence is to answer the question "where is......?"

(There where )the traffic light is, is just the place (you are looking for).

[Sebasti]

Quoting myself since my previous post got buried on the first page since it was added between the second last and last post instead of being placed on the last. Therefore it seems that the thread didn't get new post when my post was added and accepted later.

We'll need more context for that. Probably because of the way the question was asked

the question before 对，那个红绿灯就是 was 在第一个路口吗

so the same question why verb 是 is used instead of 在?

As I was walking home I started thing really simple sentence problem which results from be-verb not to be used with adjectives.

I'm happy = 我很快乐

I want to be happy = 我要很快乐 or 我要很快乐是 or 我要是很快乐 or do I need to use some totally different structure?

[dsrguru]

Isn't 快乐 "happy" in the "happy birthday" sense? I think the adjective "happy" is 高兴 (although it's technically a stative verb...)

[Sebasti]

Isn't 快乐 "happy" in the "happy birthday" sense? I think the adjective "happy" is 高兴

I used 快乐 since it was in adjectives list of BYKI flash card program. I also know the word 高兴 but I wasn't sure if it is adjective or verb... could someone confirm the differences and correct usages for these?

and if the 高兴 is the correct adjective to use the same question still stands:

I'm happy = 我很高兴

I want to be happy = 我要很高兴 or 我要很高兴是 or 我要是很高兴 or do I need to use some totally different structure? How do I say in chinese "I want to be happy"?

and to earlier issue, before it is buried totally:

We'll need more context for that. Probably because of the way the question was asked

the question before 对，那个红绿灯就是 was 在第一个路口吗

so the same question why verb 是 is used instead of 在?

[dsrguru]

I can't help you with the last question, but as far as "I want to be happy," I would assume 我要高兴 or 我要很高兴, but maybe there would be a verb for "to be" in that sentence. Someone else with more knowledge of the language can help you there. I very much doubt you would put 是 at the end of that sentence though.

I've always thought of 快乐 as the bold word in "happy birthday" or "merry Christmas," never as the adjective "happy." It's probably usually preceded by 祝你. By stative verb, I just meant that 高兴 is like 好 or any other stative verb that corresponds to adjectives in English.

[renzhe]

A: 在第一个路口吗

B: 对，那个红绿灯就是

It's colloquial.

A: At the first crossing?

B: Yeah, it's that traffic light over there.

As for happiness, it would be either 我要我高兴 (I want that I'm happy) or 我要幸福 (I want happiness).

"我要很高兴" is literally "I want very happy".

是 isn't used because in standard Mandarin, the adjective affects the pronouns and nouns directly. If you put a very between them, then the connection between 我 and 高兴 is lost.

[Sebasti]

It's colloquial

Sorry for being stupid, but I don't understand. I still don't know why 是 is used in the later sentence instead of 在 which is used in the first one.

[renzhe]

Can you post the whole conversation?

The way it is now, it's not correct, but it's understandable. The correct answer would be "对, 在那个红绿灯的旁边", or "next to that traffic light". The incorrect, but understandable, colloquial answer is "It's that traffic light over there"

[skylee]

I want to be happy = 我要很快乐 or 我要很快乐是 or 我要是很快乐 or do I need to use some totally different structure?

When one wants to be happy, one is probably not happy at the moment. So, consider 我要變得快樂. And if "I want to live happily" is acceptable, consider 我要/想活得快樂 or 我要/想快樂地生活.

[Sebasti]

Can you post the whole conversation?

A: 请问这儿附近有银行吗?

B: 有，在前面的路口往右拐。

A: 在第一个路口吗?

B: 对，那个红绿灯就是。

So still the same old problem.. why last sentence has 是 instead of 在?