HSK 1 · 句子成分/句型

Adjective predicates

形容词谓语句

Describe people and things with an adjective, without adding 是.

Pattern

主语 + (很/太/真) + 形容词

Describe people and things with an adjective, without adding 是.

How it works

An adjective can be the predicate by itself: 我很忙. Do not add 是 before it: 我是忙 is wrong.

A plain adjective often takes 很 for a neutral statement; here 很 is weaker than English “very”. 太 + adjective + 了 means “too”, and 真 + adjective means “really”.

Negate with 不 + adjective: 我不忙. Ask 你忙吗？ or the choice question 你忙不忙？

Examples

我很忙。

wǒ hěn máng。

I am busy.

今天很冷。

jīn tiān hěn lěng。

It is cold today.

这个菜太好吃了。

zhè ge cài tài hǎo chī le。

This dish is really delicious.

他很高。

tā hěn gāo。

He is tall.

你不累吗？

nǐ bú lèi ma？

Aren't you tired?

Common mistakes

我是很忙。

我很忙。

Adjectives do not take 是. Use an adjective predicate.

今天是很冷。

今天很冷。

Do not add 是 before an adjective predicate.

In real dialogues

See it in use

All dialogues

Family 家庭

HSK 1

Read dialogue

不在。他工作很忙。

bú zài。tā gōng zuò hěn máng。

No, he isn't. He's very busy with work.

他们在公园。今天天气很好。

tā men zài gōng yuán。jīn tiān tiān qì hěn hǎo。

They're at the park. The weather is really nice today.

Weather and exercise 天气和运动

HSK 1

Read dialogue

今天天气很好。

jīn tiān tiān qì hěn hǎo。

The weather is nice today.

Quick practice

Check your understanding

Choose an answer to see the explanation. These questions are a quick check, not a score.

1. Choose the correct sentence.

2. Fill the blank: 今天 ___ 冷。

3. Choose the negative form of 我累。

4. Which sentence uses 太……了 correctly?

5. Translate “He is tall.”

Related grammar

是字句 · The 是 (shì) sentence