Mandarin Co-verbs: 从, 到, 在, 用, 给, 离 as Prepositions

Mandarin's prepositions are co-verbs: words that began as verbs and still behave like them. They do the job of English prepositions: 在 (zài, at), 从 (cóng, from), 到 (dào, to), 用 (yòng, with), 坐 (zuò, by), 给 (gěi, for). Each one and its object go BEFORE the main verb: I at-home eat.

The whole system on one screen

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The examples: I eat at home; I come from Beijing; he's coming to my house; I eat with chopsticks; I'm going by train; I'll ring him; my home is close to the school.

The shape: co-verb + object before the verb

English puts "at home" after the verb. Mandarin puts it in front:

Read them literally and the logic shows: I at-home eat, I use-chopsticks eat, I for-him make a call. First the setting, then the action.

在 (zài): where it happens

在 (zài) + a place, before the verb, says where the action happens:

在 (zài) has two other jobs. On its own it is the verb "to be at": 我在家 (wǒ zài jiā), I'm at home. Straight before a verb it means "in the middle of": 我在吃饭 (wǒ zài chī fàn), I'm eating. If a place follows 在 and a verb follows the place, it is the co-verb.

Negation: 不 (bù) before the co-verb

不 (bù) or 没 (méi) usually goes before the co-verb, not the main verb:

Adverbs such as 也 (yě), 都 (dōu) and 常常 (chángcháng) sit in the same place: 我也在家吃饭 (wǒ yě zài jiā chī fàn), I eat at home too.

The other order exists, with a different meaning. 我在家不吃肉 (wǒ zài jiā bù chī ròu) is "at home, I don't eat meat": a rule that holds in that place.

从 (cóng) and 到 (dào): from and to

从 (cóng) marks where a movement or a time starts; 到 (dào) where it ends:

The pair also makes ranges of time: 从早到晚 (cóng zǎo dào wǎn), from morning till night.

到 (dào) is a verb in its own right too, "arrive": 火车到了 (huǒchē dào le), the train is in. For going somewhere, 我去学校 (wǒ qù xuéxiào) is the commoner everyday form; 我到学校去 (wǒ dào xuéxiào qù) says the same.

离 (lí): how far apart

离 (lí) sits between two places and is followed by how near or far, not by an action:

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1. 1离lí这zhè儿r很hěn近jìn
2. 2离lí这zhè儿r很hěn远yuǎn

离这儿很近 lí zhèr hěn jìn, close to here (the cafe); 离这儿很远 lí zhèr hěn yuǎn, a long way from here (the church on the hill).

Nobody is going anywhere in a 离 (lí) sentence, which is the difference from 从 (cóng). The question can drop 有 (yǒu): 机场离这儿多远？ The wider 多 + adjective pattern is on questions with 多.

用 (yòng) and 坐 (zuò): with what, by what

用 (yòng), use, names the tool or the language; 坐 (zuò), sit, names the vehicle:

English "with" and "in (a language)" both come out as 用 (yòng). On foot is 走路去 (zǒu lù qù); a bike takes 骑 (qí), ride, instead of 坐 (zuò).

给 (gěi): to or for someone

给 (gěi) + a person, before the verb, names who the action is for or aimed at:

给 (gěi) is also the main verb "give": 我给你一本书 (wǒ gěi nǐ yì běn shū), I'll give you a book. If another verb follows the person, 给 (gěi) is the co-verb; if a thing follows, it is "give".

You will also hear 我打电话给他 (wǒ dǎ diànhuà gěi tā), with 给 after the verb, especially in the south and in Taiwan. Both are right; 我给他打电话 is the commoner form in the north.

The use of 给 (gěi) is on the AQA GCSE Chinese specification at Higher tier; the co-verbs 从, 到, 在, 用 and 坐 at Foundation and Higher.

Mistakes English speakers make

What to do next

1. Do the drill below.
2. Say where you eat, work and read, each with 在 (zài) before the verb.
3. Then read location and existence for 在 (zài) on its own.