murrayjames Posted May 8, 2007 at 07:43 PM Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 at 07:43 PM Hello, I am a beginner Mandarin student. Here's my question: Do prepositional phrases generally follow the object of a Subject-Verb-Object sentence? For example, are these sentences correct (or are the prepositions misplaced)? Can I drink your beer at home? 可以喝你的啤酒在家吗？ I touch the dog in public. 我摸狗公开。 I'm also not sure if these sentences are ambiguous or not. In English, my first sentence is potentially unclear--I'm asking either to drink your beer *while I am* at home, or I'm asking to drink your beer *that is* at home. Does this ambiguity also exist in Chinese? Thanks, and I'm glad I found this forum. What a great resource! -murrayjames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koreth Posted May 9, 2007 at 01:15 AM Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 at 01:15 AM Clauses that modify the verb should come before the verb. The ambiguity you mentioned in your first sentence wouldn't exist in Chinese. "May I, while at home, drink your beer?" = 我可以在家喝你的啤酒吗？ "May I drink the beer of yours that is at home?" = 我可以喝你的在家的啤酒吗？ (That second one can probably be said less awkwardly, but I think it's not grammatically incorrect.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayjames Posted May 9, 2007 at 02:28 AM Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 at 02:28 AM koreth, thanks for your response could i trouble you for the pinyin of the sentences you wrote? I don't recognize a few of the characters just a beginner! -murrayjames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koreth Posted May 9, 2007 at 09:26 AM Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 at 09:26 AM Sure, no problem: "May I, while at home, drink your beer?" = 我可以在家喝你的啤酒吗 = wo3 ke3yi3 zai4 jia1 he1 ni3 de pi2jiu3 ma "May I drink the beer of yours that is at home?" = 我可以喝你的在家的啤酒吗 = wo3 ke3yi3 he1 ni3 de zai4 jia1 de pi2jiu3 ma? (But I think those are all characters you used in your message, just in different orders.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
againstwind Posted May 9, 2007 at 01:24 PM Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 at 01:24 PM And the 2nd one: "I touch the dog in public." 我当众摸那只狗。Wo3 dang1zhong4 mo1 na4zhi1 gou3. Don't forget to add the measure word 只 beafore 狗 when you denoted the particular dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted May 9, 2007 at 11:50 PM Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 at 11:50 PM could i trouble you for the pinyin of the sentences you wrote? I don't recognize a few of the characters just a beginner! I think all the characters he used appeared in your own post... Put locations in between the subject and the verb. And don't forget Chinese is a topic-prominent language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.