HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
太…了: too…, so…!
太…了 means “too…” or “so…!”: 太贵了, 太好了.
Structure
- 太 + adjective + 了
How it works
太 + adjective + 了 shows a strong feeling. It can be a complaint (太贵了 too expensive) or praise (太好了 that’s great).
In the negative, 不太 means “not very” and doesn’t take 了: 不太好 not very good.
Examples
-
太好了！
Tài hǎo le!
That’s great!
-
这件衣服太贵了。
Zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le.
This piece of clothing is too expensive.
-
今天太热了。
Jīntiān tài rè le.
It’s so hot today.
-
你的汉语太好了！
Nǐ de Hànyǔ tài hǎo le!
Your Chinese is so good!
-
这个菜不太好吃。
Zhège cài bú tài hǎochī.
This dish isn’t very good.
Words in these examples (16)
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 件 | jiàn | (measure word for clothes, matters, items) | HSK 1 |
| 衣服 | yīfu | clothes | HSK 1 |
| 贵 | guì | expensive | HSK 1 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 热 | rè | hot | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese (language) | HSK 1 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 菜 | cài | dish (of food); vegetable | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | tasty; delicious | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗太贵。
✓太贵了。
太 + adjective usually needs 了 in speech.
-
✗不太好了。
✓不太好。
不太 (not very) doesn’t take 了.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 这个电脑太贵 ！
2. 我不 喜欢喝咖啡。
3. 好了，我们明天见！