Kilo Lingo
Part of Chapter 2

2 min read

Test yourself (22 questions)

Mandarin Demonstratives: 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà)

A Spanish learner pointing at things has to juggle este, esta, estos, estas, and then the whole set again for 'that'. A Mandarin learner gets two words and keeps them forever: 这 (zhè) for what is near the speaker, 那 (nà) for what is not. No gender, no case, no agreement of any kind. The demonstrative you learn on day one is the demonstrative you use in year ten.

The pattern: demonstrative + measure word + noun

What Mandarin asks for instead of agreement is a measure word in the slot between the demonstrative and the noun. The general-purpose measure word is 个 (gè), and the beginner pattern is:

(zhè) / (nà) + (gè) + noun

  • 这个人 (zhège rén) - this person
  • 那个人 (nàge rén) - that person
  • 这个先生 (zhège xiānsheng) - this gentleman
  • 那个事 (nàge shì) - that matter

The measure-word slot is not decoration. 这人 (zhè rén) with nothing in the slot is not the standard form; the phrase wants 这个人 (zhège rén). Later chapters introduce the measure words particular nouns prefer, but 个 (gè) is the safe default and the one to automate now.

Plurals: 些 (xiē) replaces the measure word

To point at more than one thing, you do not pluralise the noun (Mandarin nouns do not change) and you do not pluralise the demonstrative. You swap the measure word for 些 (xiē), which means an unspecified amount:

  • 这些人 (zhèxiē rén) - these people
  • 那些人 (nàxiē rén) - those people
  • 这些事 (zhèxiē shì) - these matters
  • 那些事 (nàxiē shì) - those matters

That is the whole system: four shapes. 这个 (zhège), 那个 (nàge), 这些 (zhèxiē), 那些 (nàxiē), each followed by an unchanging noun.

Standing alone

Before 是 (shì), the bare demonstrative points at a whole thing or situation, no measure word needed:

  • 这是我先生。(Zhè shì wǒ xiānsheng.) - This is my husband.
  • 那是谁？(Nà shì shéi?) - Who is that?

Near and far is the speaker's call

这 (zhè) covers what is close to the speaker in space or time; 那 (nà) covers everything else, including English's 'it was that year' remoteness in time. If you are holding it, standing next to it, or in the middle of it, reach for 这 (zhè). If you are pointing across the room, across the street, or back into last year, reach for 那 (nà). When in doubt, Mandarin speakers lean on 那 (nà) more than English speakers lean on 'that', so the safe guess is the far one.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/8

Pick the right demonstrative phrase: 这个 (zhège) for one thing near the speaker, 那个 (nàge) for one thing away from the speaker, 这些 (zhèxiē) for several near, 那些 (nàxiē) for several away.

  1. 人是我先生。(___ rén shì wǒ xiānsheng. One person, standing right beside me.)

    ___ rén shì wǒ xiān shēng 。(___ rén shì wǒ xiānsheng. One person, standing right beside me.)

  2. 人是谁？(___ rén shì shéi? One person, on the far side of the street.)

    ___ rén shì shuí ？(___ rén shì shéi? One person, on the far side of the street.)

  3. 人都是好人。(___ rén dōu shì hǎo rén. Several people, here in the room with me.)

    ___ rén dōu shì hǎo rén 。(___ rén dōu shì hǎo rén. Several people, here in the room with me.)

  4. 人都走了。(___ rén dōu zǒu le. Several people, over there, now gone.)

    ___ rén dōu zǒu le 。(___ rén dōu zǒu le. Several people, over there, now gone.)

  5. 事我都知道。(___ shì wǒ dōu zhīdào. Several matters, the ones right here in front of us.)

    ___ shì wǒ dōu zhī dào 。(___ shì wǒ dōu zhīdào. Several matters, the ones right here in front of us.)

  6. 事我不想说。(___ shì wǒ bù xiǎng shuō. Several matters, from back then, far away.)

    ___ shì wǒ bù xiǎng shuō 。(___ shì wǒ bù xiǎng shuō. Several matters, from back then, far away.)

  7. 先生有事。(___ xiānsheng yǒu shì. One gentleman, right here.)

    ___ xiān shēng yǒu shì 。(___ xiānsheng yǒu shì. One gentleman, right here.)

  8. 先生是谁？(___ xiānsheng shì shéi? One gentleman, at the far table.)

    ___ xiān shēng shì shuí ？(___ xiānsheng shì shéi? One gentleman, at the far table.)

Pick the right one

0/6

Pick the standard full form: demonstrative + measure word 个 (gè) + noun for one thing, demonstrative + 些 (xiē) + noun for more than one. The demonstrative comes first, and the measure-word slot is not optional.

  1. One person, near the speaker: (this person)

  2. Several people, away from the speaker: (those people)

  3. One gentleman, near the speaker: (this gentleman)

  4. Several matters, near the speaker: (these matters)

  5. One person, away from the speaker: (that person)

  6. Several gentlemen, away from the speaker: (those gentlemen)

Pick the right one

0/8

这 (zhè) or 那 (nà)? 这 points at what is near the speaker in space or time; 那 points at everything further away.

  1. The gentleman sitting beside you: 个先生 (___ge xiānsheng)

    The gentleman sitting beside you: ___ gè xiān shēng (___ge xiānsheng)

  2. The person waving from the far side of the street: 个人 (___ge rén)

    The person waving from the far side of the street: ___ gè rén (___ge rén)

  3. The matters on the table in front of you, right now: 些事 (___xiē shì)

    The matters on the table in front of you, right now: ___ xiē shì (___xiē shì)

  4. The people you knew years ago, in another town: 些人 (___xiē rén)

    The people you knew years ago, in another town: ___ xiē rén (___xiē rén)

  5. Introducing the man standing next to you: 是我先生。(___ shì wǒ xiānsheng.)

    Introducing the man standing next to you: ___ shì wǒ xiān shēng 。(___ shì wǒ xiānsheng.)

  6. Something that happened long ago: 些事 (___xiē shì)

    Something that happened long ago: ___ xiē shì (___xiē shì)

  7. The people here in the room with you: 些人 (___xiē rén)

    The people here in the room with you: ___ xiē rén (___xiē rén)

  8. The gentleman over at the far table: 个先生 (___ge xiānsheng)

    The gentleman over at the far table: ___ gè xiān shēng (___ge xiānsheng)

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Frequently asked questions

Do Mandarin demonstratives change for gender or number?
No. 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) are the entire inventory, and neither has masculine, feminine, plural or case forms. Number is carried by what follows: a measure word such as 个 (gè) for one thing (这个人, zhège rén, this person), or 些 (xiē) for several (这些人, zhèxiē rén, these people). The demonstrative itself never varies.
Why do I need 个 (gè) in 这个人 (zhège rén)?
Mandarin does not let a demonstrative sit directly on a counted noun. The slot between them takes a measure word, and 个 (gè) is the general-purpose one, so the beginner pattern is 这 (zhè) / 那 (nà) + 个 (gè) + noun: 这个人 (zhège rén, this person), 那个先生 (nàge xiānsheng, that gentleman). Later you will meet nouns that prefer other measure words, but 这个 (zhège) / 那个 (nàge) is the shape to automate first.
How do I say 'these' and 'those' in Mandarin?
Swap the measure word for 些 (xiē): 这些 (zhèxiē, these) and 那些 (nàxiē, those). So 这个人 (zhège rén, this person) becomes 这些人 (zhèxiē rén, these people), and 那个事 (nàge shì, that matter) becomes 那些事 (nàxiē shì, those matters). 些 already means an unspecified plural amount, so nothing else in the phrase marks the plural.
Can 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) stand alone as subjects?
Yes, before 是 (shì): 这是我先生 (zhè shì wǒ xiānsheng, this is my husband), 那是谁？(nà shì shéi?, who is that?). Standing alone like this they point at the whole situation or thing, no measure word needed. The measure word only appears when a noun follows.