Serial Verb Sentence 连动句

Serial Verb Sentence – 连动句

连动句(lián dòng jù) is Sentences with Serial Verb Phrases. This kind of sentence structure is widely used in oral and written Chinese to express a reason for, purpose, or way of doing something and closely reflects the way of thinking in Chinese culture. Sentences with Serial Verb Phrases consist of two or more Verbs or Verbal phrases, which are predicates of the same Subject.

Subject + Verb 1 + (Object 1) + Verb2 + (Object 2)

1. Verb 2 indicates the succession or continuation of verb 1.

e.g.

我吃完饭去学校。(Wǒ chī wán fàn qù xuéxiào.) I go to school after eating.

他刚才开门出去了。(Tā gāngcái kāimén chūqù le.) He just opened the door and went out.

快起床穿衣服。(Kuài qǐchuánɡ chuān yīfu.) Get up and put on clothes quickly.

2. Verb 1 indicates the means or manner of Verb 2.

e.g.

他坐飞机去北京。(Tā zuò fēijī qù Běijīng.) He went to Beijing by plane.

我开车去超市。(Wǒ kāi chē qù chāoshì.) I drive the car to go to the supermarket.

中国人用筷子吃饭。(Zhōngguó rén yònɡ kuàizi chīfàn.) Chinese use chopsticks to eat.

3. Verb 2 indicates the purpose of Verb 1.

e.g.

他去北京学中文。(Tā qù Běijīng xué Zhōngwén.) He went to Beijing to learn Chinese.

奶奶上街买菜。(Nǎinɑi shànɡjiē mǎi cài.) Grandma went to the market to buy food.

他去公园玩。(Tā qù ɡōnɡyuán wán.) He goes to the park to play.

4. There is a causal relation between Verb 1 and Verb 2.

e.g.

弟弟生病住院了。(Dìdi shēnɡbìnɡ zhùyuàn le.) The younger brother has been sick in the hospital.

他穿得太少感冒了。(Tā chuān de tài shǎo gǎnmào le.) He has a cold with too few clothes.

There is a turn or transitional relation between Verb 1 and Verb 2.

e.g.

这本书她借了没看。(Zhè běn shū tā jiè le méi kàn.) She borrowed the book but didn’t read it.

你为什么做了饭不吃？(Nǐ wèishénme zuò le fàn bù chī?) Why do you cook but not eat?

There is a conditional relation between Verb 1 and Verb 2.

e.g.

老师有办法解决问题。(Lǎoshī yǒu bànfǎ jiějué wèntí.) The teacher has a way to solve the problem.

爸爸同意去超市了。(Bàba tóngyì qù chāoshì le.) Dad agreed to go to the supermarket.

Notice:

1) The sequence of Sentences with Serial Verb Phrases cannot be changed, and there is no conjunction or comma between Verb 1 and Verb 2.

2) In this structure, the verb (but only Verb 2) can be overlapped.

E.g.

我去公园逛逛。(Wǒ qù ɡōnɡyuán ɡuànɡɡuanɡ.) I go to the park to wander.

我去超市买买东西。(Wǒ qù chāoshì mǎimai dōnɡxi.) I will go to the supermarket to do some shopping.