Grammar Mastery: Prepositions / Co-verbs and Location
Welcome to one of the most rewarding parts of your GCSE Chinese course! In English, we often put little words like "in", "at", "to", and "with" at the end or in the middle of sentences. In Chinese, these words are called co-verbs (or prepositions), and they follow very specific, logical rules. Mastering these patterns will instantly boost your marks in Paper 4 (Writing) and Paper 2 (Speaking), while making Paper 1 (Listening) and Paper 3 (Reading) much easier to understand.
Don't worry if word order feels strange at first. Once you learn the golden rules, building natural Chinese sentences is just like putting together building blocks!
---Part 1: The Golden Rule of Co-verbs (介词 / 介詞)
In Chinese, words that act like prepositions are historically verbs — which is why grammar books call them co-verbs. They team up with a noun to set the scene before the main action happens.
The Golden Sentence Formula:
Subject + [Co-verb + Object/Details] + Main Action Verb + Object
Analogy: Think of a film set. You have to set up the location, tools, or transport before the director shouts "Action!".
1. 从 / 從 (cóng) – "From"
Used to show the starting point in space or time.
Core Pattern:
Subject + 从 / 從 + Starting Point + Action Verb
Combined Pattern (From... To...):
从 / 從 + Point A + 到 + Point B
Examples:
• 我从八点到十二点上课。 / 我從八點到十二點上課。
(I have lessons from 8:00 to 12:00.)
• 从伦敦到北京坐飞机需要多少小时？ / 從倫敦到北京坐飛機需要多少小時？
(How many hours does it take to fly from London to Beijing?)
2. 到 (dào) – "To / Arriving at"
Indicates a destination or an end-point in time, or going to a place to do an action.
Core Pattern:
Subject + 到 + Place + (去) + Action Verb
Example:
• 我到中国去学中文。 / 我到中國去學中文。
(I go to China to learn Chinese.)
3. 在 (zài) – "At / In / On" (Action Location)
When you do an activity somewhere, 在 + place must come before the verb!
Core Pattern:
Subject + 在 + Place + Action Verb + Object
Example:
• 我在图书馆看书。 / 我在圖書館看書。
(I read books in the library.)
4. 用 (yòng) – "With / Using / By means of"
Indicates the tool, instrument, or language used to complete an action.
Core Pattern:
Subject + 用 + Tool/Language + Action Verb + Object
Examples:
• 我用筷子吃饭。 / 我用筷子吃飯。
(I eat with chopsticks.)
• 老师用中文说话。 / 老師用中文說話。
(The teacher speaks in Chinese.)
5. 坐 (zuò) – "By / Taking / Sitting on" (Transport)
Used as a co-verb for seated public or private transport (trains, planes, buses, cars, boats, underground).
Core Pattern:
Subject + 坐 + Mode of Transport + 去/来 + Destination
Examples:
• 我们坐火车去曼彻斯特。 / 我們坐火車去曼徹斯特。
(We go to Manchester by train.)
• 坐飞机去中国。 / 坐飛機去中國。
(Go to China by plane.)
6. 给 / 給 (gěi) – "For / To"
Indicates who receives an action or who the action is done for.
Core Pattern:
Subject + 给 / 給 + Person + Action Verb + Object
Examples:
• 爸爸给我买了一本书。 / 爸爸給我買了一本書。
(Dad bought a book for me.)
• 我常给朋友发短信。 / 我常給朋友發短信。
(I often send text messages to friends.)
• 给...打电话: 妈妈常给我打电话。 / 媽媽常給我打電話。 (Mum often calls me.)
Key Takeaway for Co-verbs: Remember the golden rule: place the co-verbal phrase (在, 从, 到, 用, 坐, 给 + noun) before your main action verb!
---Part 2: Location and Distance Structures
To talk about towns, schools, bedrooms, and directions, GCSE Chinese uses three key structures: 在, 是, and 离 / 離, along with position words (localisers).
Position Words (Localisers / 方位词)
These words attach to the end of a noun to turn it into a specific location:
• 上 (on/above), 下 (under/below)
• 前 (front), 后 / 後 (behind)
• 左 (left), 右 (right)
• 里 / 裡 (inside), 外 (outside)
• 旁边 / 旁邊 (beside/next to), 中间 / 中間 (between/middle), 对面 / 對面 (opposite)
1. 在 for Location / Existence ("At / Located in")
Tells us where a specific person or object is.
Pattern:
Entity / Person + 在 + Place (+ Localiser)
Examples:
• 学校在公园前面。 / 學校在公園前面。
(The school is in front of the park.)
• 手机在桌子上。 / 手機在桌子上。
(The mobile phone is on the table.)
2. 是 for Equational Location ("Is / Occupies")
Points out that a certain landmark, room, or building exists at that exact spot.
Pattern:
Place / Direction + 是 + Object / Building
Examples:
• 车站对面是一家银行。 / 車站對面是一家銀行。
(Opposite the station is a bank.)
• 操场左边是体育馆。 / 操場左邊是體育館。
(To the left of the sports ground is the gym.)
3. 离 / 離 (lí) for Distance ("Away from")
Used to state how far or near two places are from each other.
Pattern 1 (Far / Near):
Place A + 离 / 離 + Place B + (很 / 不) + 远 / 近 (yuǎn / jìn)
Pattern 2 (Exact Distance / Time):
Place A + 离 / 離 + Place B + 有 + Distance / Time
Examples:
• 我家离学校很近。 / 我家離學校很近。
(My home is very close to school.)
• 宾馆离海边不远。 / 賓館離海邊不遠。
(The hotel is not far from the seaside.)
• 这里离市中心有三公里。 / 這裡離市中心有三公里。
(Here is three kilometres away from the city centre.)
Key Takeaway for Locations:
• Use 在 when starting with the item: Object + 在 + Place.
• Use 是 when starting with the direction: Direction + 是 + Object.
• Use 离 / 離 to bridge two places when talking about distance: A 离 B + 远/近.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Examiners regularly spot these classic mistakes. Watch out for them in your written work!
1. English Word Order Trap (Putting prepositional phrases at the end):
• Incorrect: *我学习在图书馆。
• Correct: 我在图书馆学习。 / 我在圖書館學習。
• Rule: Always place 在 + place before the main verb.
2. Misordering 离 / 離 Sentences:
• Incorrect: *我家很近离学校。
• Correct: 我家离学校很近。 / 我家離學校很近。
• Rule: Link the two locations first (A 离 B), then describe the distance (很近 / 很远).
3. Confusing 从 / 從 with 离 / 離:
• Incorrect: *我家从学校很近。
• Correct: 我家离学校很近。 / 我家離學校很近。
• Rule: Use 从 / 從 for direction/starting points ("from A to B"). Use 离 / 離 specifically for measuring distance ("A is far/near away from B").
4. Missing Localisers on Everyday Objects:
• Incorrect: *在桌子。
• Correct: 在桌子上 (on the table) or 在盒子里面 (inside the box).
• Rule: Physical objects need a position word like 上 or 里 / 裡 to turn them into valid locations.
5. Mixing up 用 and 坐 for Transport:
• Incorrect: *我用火车去伦敦。
• Correct: 我坐火车去伦敦。 / 我坐火車去倫敦。
• Rule: Use 坐 for seated travel modes. Keep 用 for tools, instruments, and languages (e.g. 用筷子, 用中文).
Quick Revision Checklist
Before your exam, test yourself on these core structures:
• 从...到... : "From... to..." (从八点到十二点)
• 在 + Place + Verb : Doing an action at a place (在图书馆看书)
• 坐 + Transport + 去 : Going somewhere by transport (坐飞机去中国)
• 用 + Tool + Verb : Doing an action with a tool/language (用中文说话)
• 给 + Person + Verb : Doing something for/to someone (给我买书)
• A + 离 + B + 很近/很远 : Distance between two points (我家离学校很近)