Chinese: An Essential Grammar Apr 2026

Nouns don't change form. One apple or ten, it’s still just "apple."

The "catch-all" measure word for people and general objects. 本 (běn): Specifically for books or bound items. Structure: Number + Measure Word + Noun. Example: 三个朋友 (Three [measure word] friends). ❓ Asking Questions Chinese: An Essential Grammar

Verbs never change. "Eat" is always chī , whether it's I, you, or they. No Gender: No masculine or feminine nouns to memorize. Nouns don't change form

Use 了 (le) after a verb to show it's done. Example: 我吃了 (I eat [already]). 🔢 Measure Words Structure: Number + Measure Word + Noun

Since verbs don't change for past or future tense, Chinese uses or context. Today: 我吃苹果 (I eat apples). Yesterday: 我昨天吃苹果 (I yesterday eat apples).

This is the "quirky" part of the grammar. You can’t just say "one book"; you must use a specific counter word.