HSK 2 grammar · new HSK syllabus
是…的: when, where, how something happened
是…的 stresses when, where or how a past action happened: 我是坐飞机来的.
Structure
- Subject + 是 + time / place / way / person + verb + 的
How it works
When both speakers already know an action happened, 是…的 is used to focus on a detail: when, where, how, or who.
Put 是 before the detail and 的 at the end: 我是昨天来的 (it was yesterday that I came), 他是坐飞机去的.
是 can be dropped in speech, but 的 stays. The negative is 不是…的.
Examples
-
我是去年来中国的。
Wǒ shì qùnián lái Zhōngguó de.
I came to China last year.
-
你是怎么来的？
Nǐ shì zěnme lái de?
How did you get here?
-
我们是坐地铁来的。
Wǒmen shì zuò dìtiě lái de.
We came by subway.
-
这本书是在哪儿买的？
Zhè běn shū shì zài nǎr mǎi de?
Where did you buy this book?
-
饭是我妈妈做的。
Fàn shì wǒ māma zuò de.
It was my mum who cooked.
Words in these examples (20)
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 去年 | qùnián | last year | HSK 1 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China | HSK 1 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 怎么 | zěnme | how; why | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 坐 | zuò | to sit; to take (bus, plane) | HSK 1 |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | subway; metro | HSK 2 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 本 | běn | (measure word for books) | HSK 1 |
| 书 | shū | book | HSK 1 |
| 在 | zài | to be at; at; in; (before a verb) in the middle of doing | HSK 1 |
| 哪儿 | nǎr | where | HSK 1 |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy | HSK 1 |
| 饭 | fàn | meal; cooked rice | HSK 1 |
| 妈妈 | māma | mum; mother | HSK 1 |
| 做 | zuò | to do; to make | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗我是昨天来了。
✓我是昨天来的。
是…的 ends with 的, not 了.
-
✗我是来的坐飞机。
✓我是坐飞机来的。
The detail goes between 是 and the verb.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你是什么时候来 ？
2. 我 坐出租车来的。
3. 这个蛋糕是谁做 ？