The Difference Between “的”, “地”, and “得” – A Practical Guide for Mandarin Learners
2023-05-27
How to Say Numbers in Mandarin – A Practical Guide to Numerals and Number Expressions
2023-06-25
? 1. Why Pronouns Matter in Mandarin
Pronouns are the glue that holds sentences together.
They help you:
- Replace nouns to avoid repetition
- Clarify who is doing what
- Ask questions and express opinions clearly
In English, pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “they” are straightforward — but in Mandarin, things work a bit differently.
There’s no gender distinction in personal pronouns (like “he” vs. “she”), but there are different forms for politeness, plurality, and context.
And when it comes to asking questions or pointing to something, Mandarin has its own system of demonstrative and interrogative pronouns that can be confusing if you’re not familiar with them.
Let’s break them down into three main categories:
- Personal Pronouns – Who am I talking about?
- Demonstrative Pronouns – Which one am I referring to?
- Interrogative Pronouns – What question am I asking?
? 2. Personal Pronouns – Talking About Yourself and Others
Mandarin uses personal pronouns to refer to people without repeating their names.
Unlike English, which distinguishes between subject (“I”) and object (“me”) forms, Mandarin uses the same form regardless of grammatical role.
Here’s a list of the most common personal pronouns:
| PRONOUN | MANDARIN | MEANING | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| First person singular | 我 | I / me | Used for both subject and object |
| Second person singular | 你 | You | Polite and informal |
| Third person singular | 他 / 她 | He / She | 他 = male, 她 = female |
| First person plural | 我们 | We / us | Includes the speaker and others |
| Second person plural | 你们 | You all | Can be used even with two people |
| Third person plural | 他们 / 她们 | They / them | Use 他们 for mixed or unknown gender<br>Use 她们 only for all-female groups |
? Examples:
- 我喜欢这本书。(Wǒ xǐhuān zhè běn shū. ) – I like this book.
- 你是谁？(Nǐ shì shéi? ) – Who are you?
- 她在哪儿？(Tā zài nǎr? ) – Where is she?
⚠️ Note on Gender:
While 他 and 她 sound the same, they are written differently — and the choice depends on the gender of the person being referred to.
This distinction is more important in writing than in speech, where tone and context usually clarify meaning.
? 3. Demonstrative Pronouns – Referring to Things in Context
In everyday conversation, you often need to point to something — whether it’s an object, idea, or location.
Mandarin uses demonstrative pronouns to do that clearly.
The basic demonstratives are:
| PRONOUN | MANDARIN | MEANING | USAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| This | 这 (zhè) | Near the speaker | 这本书 (zhè běn shū– this book) |
| That | 那 (nà) | Far from the speaker | 那个人 (nà gè rén– that person) |
| These / Those | 这些 (zhèxiē) / 那些 (nàxiē) | For plural references | 这些学生 (zhèxiē xuéshēng– these students) |
These pronouns are often paired with measure words to make complete noun phrases.
? Common Structures:
- 这 + [Measure Word] + [Noun]
e.g., 这个老师 (zhè ge lǎoshī – this teacher) - 那 + [Measure Word] + [Noun]
e.g., 那位先生 (nà wèi xiānsheng – that gentleman)
? Special Case: 那儿 vs 这儿
When referring to places, Mandarin often adds 儿 (erhua) to create colloquial forms:
- 这里 → 这儿 (zhèr – here)
- 那里 → 那儿 (nàr – there)
These forms are widely used in spoken language, especially in Beijing and northern regions.
❓ 4. Interrogative Pronouns – Asking Questions Like a Native Speaker
Asking questions is essential for real conversations — and Mandarin makes it easy with a set of interrogative pronouns that replace the unknown part of the sentence.
Here are the most commonly used ones:
| QUESTION TYPE | MANDARIN | EXAMPLE SENTENCE | TRANSLATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | 谁 (shéi) | 谁来了？ | Who came? |
| What | 什么 (shénme) | 你在看什么？ | What are you watching? |
| Which / What kind | 哪 (nǎ) | 哪本书是你的？ | Which book is yours? |
| Where | 哪儿 / 哪里 (nǎlǐ) | 他在哪儿？ | Where is he? |
| When | 什么时候 (shénme shíhòu) | 你什么时候来？ | When will you come? |
| Why | 为什么 (wèishéme) | 你为什么不去？ | Why aren’t you going? |
| How | 怎么 (zěnme) | 你怎么想？ | What do you think? |
| How much / many | 多少 (duōshǎo) | 多少钱？ | How much is it? |
| Whose | 谁的 (shéi de) | 这是谁的包？ | Whose bag is this? |
⚠️ Important Note:
You don’t always need to use interrogative pronouns to ask a question. In fact, in many cases, you can simply state a sentence and change your tone — like turning a statement into a question by raising your voice at the end.
But using interrogative pronouns makes your questions clearer and more natural — especially in formal or written contexts.
? 5. Combining Pronouns with Other Grammar Elements
Pronouns rarely appear alone — they often combine with other parts of speech to build meaningful sentences.
Here are some common combinations:
? With 的 (de ) – Possessive Form
- 我的书 (wǒ de shū ) – My book
- 他的手机 (tā de shǒuhuà ) – His phone
- 我们的学校 (wǒmen de xuéxiào ) – Our school
? Tip: 在口语中，“我的”、“你的”有时可以简化成“我这”、“你那”，特别是在表达观点时：
- 我这没意见。(Wǒ zhè méi yìjiàn. ) – I have no objection.
? With 动词 (verb ) – Subject + Verb + Object
- 他去了北京。(Tā qù le Běijīng. ) – He went to Beijing.
- 我们吃了饭。(Wǒmen chī le fàn. ) – We had a meal.
- 你们知道答案吗？(Nǐmen zhīdào dá’àn ma? ) – Do you know the answer?
? Tip: 人称代词 + 动词 + 宾语 是最基础的句子结构。
? With 指示词 (demonstratives ) – Pointing to People or Objects
- 这个人 (zhè gè rén ) – This person
- 那个地方 (nà ge dìfang ) – That place
- 这些朋友 (zhèxiē péngyou ) – These friends
? Tip: 指示词 + measure word + noun 是标准结构。
? 6. Common Mistakes Learners Make
Even advanced learners mix up pronouns sometimes — especially because many look or sound similar.
Here are some frequent errors and how to fix them:
❌ Error #1: Confusing 她 and 他
Incorrect : 他是她。
Correct : 她是他女朋友。
Remember: 她 refers to females; 他 refers to males. The difference is only in writing.
❌ Error #2: Using “你那” Instead of “你呢”
Incorrect : 你那？
Correct : 你呢？
“你呢？” means “What about you?” while “你那” literally means “your place.”
❌ Error #3: Saying “谁个” Instead of “谁”
Incorrect : 谁个？
Correct : 谁？
“谁” already means “who” — adding “个” is unnecessary and incorrect.
❌ Error #4: Using “哪里” for “How”
Incorrect : 你怎么去那里？
Correct : 你怎么去？
“怎么” means “how.” Don’t use “哪里” unless you’re specifically asking about location.
❌ Error #5: Using “哪” Without Measure Words
Incorrect : 哪书？
Correct : 哪本书？
Always use 哪 + measure word + noun.
? 7. Tips for Mastering Pronouns
Here are some practical ways to improve your use of pronouns:
- Listen carefully to native speakers in videos, podcasts, and live conversations.
- Repeat full sentences with pronouns to internalize usage.
- Practice writing short paragraphs describing people, places, and actions — using personal, demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns.
- Ask questions daily — even just in your head — to get comfortable with interrogative pronouns.
- Record yourself speaking and compare your usage with native examples.
- Use Anki or flashcards with example sentences showing correct pronoun placement.
? 8. Regional Differences in Pronoun Usage
Although standard Mandarin is consistent across textbooks, spoken usage varies slightly depending on region and age group.
For example:
- In Beijing , people often use 咱们 (zánmen ) instead of 我们 (wǒmen ) when including the listener in a suggestion or decision.
- 咱们走吧。(Zánmen zǒu ba. ) – Let’s go.
- In southern China or among older speakers, 人家 (rénjiā ) is often used to refer to oneself in a soft or indirect way.
- 人家不想去。(Rénjiā bù xiǎng qù. ) – I don’t want to go (used playfully or modestly)
- In online chats , younger users may drop pronouns entirely when context is clear:
- A: 昨天去哪儿了？
- B: 去看电影了。
? As a learner, aim for clarity first — and explore regional variations once you’re comfortable with standard usage.
? 9. Advanced Pronoun Patterns
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll start seeing pronouns used in more complex structures.
Here are a few to watch out for:
? 谁都… – Everyone / Anyone
- 谁都可以试一试。(Shéi dōu kěyǐ shì yīshì. ) – Anyone can try.
? 哪怕…也… – Even if… still…
- 哪怕下雨我也要去。(Nǎpà xià yǔ wǒ yě yào qù. ) – Even if it rains, I’m still going.
? 什么样 – What kind of…
- 你要什么样的手机？(Nǐ yào shénme yàng de shǒuhuà? ) – What kind of phone do you want?
? 多少 vs 几 – How many?
- 多少 is used when the number is large or unknown
- 你有多少钱？(Nǐ yǒu duōshǎo qián? ) – How much money do you have?
- 几 is used for small numbers or specific quantities
- 你有几个兄弟？(Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge xiōngdì? ) – How many brothers do you have?
? 10. Real-Life Frequency Data
According to research conducted by the Center for Chinese Linguistics at Peking University , the following pronouns appear most frequently in everyday Mandarin:
| PRONOUN | FREQUENCY (PER 1000 WORDS) |
|---|---|
| 我 | 32.4 |
| 你 | 14.8 |
| 他/她 | 10.6 |
| 什么 | 7.9 |
| 哪 | 4.1 |
| 谁 | 3.2 |
This data shows that pronouns are among the most frequently used words in spoken Mandarin — reinforcing their importance in daily communication.
? 11. Practice Makes Perfect
To reinforce your understanding, try this exercise:
Rewrite the following sentences using the correct pronoun:
| ORIGINAL | CORRECTED VERSION |
|---|---|
| 他和__一起吃饭。(He and ___ had dinner) | 他和我一起吃饭。(Tā hé wǒ yīqǐ chīfàn.) |
| __叫什么名字？(What’s ___ name?) | 你叫什么名字？(Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) |
| 我不知道___想法。(I don’t know ___ thoughts) | 我不知道他的想法。(Wǒ bù zhīdào tā de xiǎngfǎ.) |
| ___是老师？(Who is the teacher?) | 谁是老师？(Shuí shì lǎoshī?) |
| ___时候我们出发？(When shall we leave?) | 我们什么时候出发？(Wǒmen shénme shíhou chūfā?) |
Try writing 5–10 sentences every day using pronouns — and read them aloud to build fluency.
