Mandarin · Chapter 13 · Lesson 15 · Grammar primer
The 是…的 construction
Highlighting the time, place, manner or agent of a known past action: 我是昨天来的, 他是坐飞机来的, 这本书是在北京买的. How it differs from 了 (了 reports that something happened; 是…的 stresses a detail of it), and the 不是…的 negation.
The short version
是 (shì)…的 (de) corrects a detail; negate with 不是 (bú shì)
了 (le) reports that something happened; 是 (shì)…的 (de) takes a known event and spotlights when, where, how or by whom. Because you are conceding the event and disputing a circumstance, the negative is 不是 (bú shì)…的 (de), never 没 (méi). 我没来 (wǒ méi lái) denies the whole thing; 我不是昨天来的 (wǒ bú shì zuó tiān lái de) just fixes the day.
我是昨天来的。 Wǒ shì zuó tiān lái de.
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