HSK 1 grammar

HSK 1 grammar is the foundation: basic sentence order, 是 and 有, negation with 不 and 没, questions with 吗 and question words, measure words, and the first uses of 了. Almost every sentence on the HSK 1 test uses several of these points.

Each page explains one point, with examples you can listen to, common mistakes and a three-question quiz. The points follow the grammar list in the 2025 HSK syllabus, grouped into the patterns you actually use.

1. 1 是 是: saying what something is Use 是 to link two nouns: 我是学生. Don’t use it before adjectives.
2. 2 有 / 没有 有 and 没有: to have, there is 有 means “have” or “there is”. Its negative is always 没有, never 不有.
3. 3 不 不: not 不 negates habits, wishes, the present and the future: 我不喝茶.
4. 4 没（有） 没 / 没有: did not, have not Use 没 for things that did not happen, and 没有 as the negative of 有.
5. 5 吗 吗: yes/no questions Add 吗 to the end of a statement to make a yes/no question.
6. 6 呢 呢: “and you?” and ongoing actions 呢 asks “what about…?” after a noun, and also marks an action in progress.
7. 7 什么 / 谁 / 哪儿 / 几 / 多少 / 怎么 Question words: 什么, 谁, 哪儿, 几, 多少, 怎么 Chinese question words sit where the answer would go. No word-order change and no 吗.
8. 8 怎么样 怎么样: how is it? how about…? 怎么样 asks for an opinion or makes a suggestion: 我们明天去，怎么样？
9. 9 V不V Verb-not-verb questions: 是不是, 去不去 Say the verb, then 不 + the verb again, to ask a yes/no question: 你去不去？
10. 10 的 的: possession and describing nouns 的 links a describer to a noun, like “’s”: 我的书, 漂亮的衣服.
11. 11 了 了 after a verb: completed actions 了 after a verb shows the action is completed: 我买了两本书.
12. 12 了 了 at the end: a new situation 了 at the end of a sentence shows a change: 下雨了 = it’s started raining.
13. 13 在 在: be in, at; do something somewhere 在 says where something is (他在家) or where an action happens (他在家看书).
14. 14 在 / 正在 在 / 正在: doing something right now (正)在 before a verb means “-ing”: 我在看书呢 = I’m reading.
15. 15 很 很 + adjective: describing things Adjectives work like verbs, usually with 很 before them: 我很忙. No 是 needed.
16. 16 太…了 太…了: too…, so…! 太…了 means “too…” or “so…!”: 太贵了, 太好了.
17. 17 都 / 也 都 and 也: all, also 都 (all) and 也 (also) go before the verb, never at the start or end of the sentence.
18. 18 和 和: and, with 和 joins nouns (我和你). It doesn’t join two sentences or two verbs.
19. 19 会 / 能 / 可以 会, 能, 可以: can 会 = a learned skill, 能 = ability or possibility, 可以 = permission.
20. 20 想 / 要 想 and 要: want to, going to 想 = would like to; 要 = want (more strongly), or be going to. The negative of both is usually 不想.
21. 21 个 / 本 / 口 / 块 / 件 / 只 Measure words: 个, 本, 口, 块, 件, 只 Between a number (or 这/那) and a noun you need a measure word: 三本书, 这个人.
22. 22 两 / 二 两 or 二: two Use 两 before measure words (两个), and 二 when counting, in numbers and in dates.
23. 23 时间词 Where time words go Time words go before the verb, either before or after the subject: 我明天去 / 明天我去.
24. 24 年 / 月 / 号 / 星期 / 点 / 分 Dates, days and clock times Chinese dates go from big to small: 2026年12月13号星期日. Times: 八点半.
25. 25 上 / 下 / 里 / 外 / 前 / 后 Location words: 上, 里, 前, 后 Location words come after the noun: 桌子上 on the table, 学校里 in the school.
26. 26 去 / 来 去 + place + action To say where you go to do something, put the action after the place: 我去商店买东西.
27. 27 给 Giving and telling: 给, 叫 给 + person + thing = give someone something. 给 + person + verb = do something for someone.
28. 28 吧 吧: suggestions and checking 吧 makes a suggestion (我们走吧) or checks what you think is true (你是老师吧？).
29. 29 有点儿 / 一点儿 有点儿 or 一点儿: a little 有点儿 goes before an adjective, usually for something unwelcome (有点儿冷). 一点儿 goes after.