Chinese Separable Verbs: What They Are and How to Use Them
In this post we’re going to learn about Chinese separable verbs, also known as Verb-Object compounds. Separable verbs are a key aspect of Chinese grammar, and they come up quite early, so they’re important for students at any level. First, we’ll define what separable verbs are and give an overview of how they behave. Next, we’ll provide several common examples that you’ll find useful as a student of Chinese. After that, we’ll see examples of when these constructions are not separated. Then we’ll look at the major cases where Chinese Verb-Object compounds must be separated. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a note about direct objects in these constructions.
What is a Chinese Separable Verb?
Chinese separable verbs, 离合词 líhécí, are verb phrases that are actually a combination of a verb and an object. This is why you’ll also see them called Chinese Verb-Object compounds. Dictionaries list them as single vocabulary words, and in some cases they are used together as one unit. However, in other grammatical contexts, they are separated, with something – a particle, for example – appearing between the verb and the object.
Let’s use 睡觉 shuìjiào (to sleep) as an example. In the first example, it’s used as a single unit and remains together. But in the second example, a particle and an adverbial phrase appear between the verb and the object.
- 我睡觉。
Wǒ shuìjiào.
I sleep. - 我睡了八个小时的觉。
Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí de jiào.
I slept for eight hours.
Understanding when separable verbs stay together and when they must be separated will make your Chinese sound much more natural.
Common Chinese Separable Verbs
Before we dig deeper into the grammar behind Chinese Verb-Object compounds, let’s see a list of some common ones that you’ll find useful as a learner. Remember that in a dictionary, these verbs will all appear as a single vocabulary item, even though their two parts behave independently in certain contexts.
- 睡觉 shuìjiào (to sleep)
- 吃饭 chīfàn (to eat)
- 洗澡 xǐzǎo (to bathe)
- 跑步 pǎobù (to run)
- 散步 sànbù (to take a walk)
- 聊天 liáotiān (to chat)
- 帮忙 bāngmáng (to help)
- 见面 jiànmiàn (to meet)
- 生气 shēngqì (to get angry)
- 毕业 bìyè (to graduate)
- 请假 qǐngjià (to request leave)
- 上班 shàngbān (to go to work)
- 上课 shàngkè (to attend class)
- 下课 xiàkè (to end/dismiss class)
- 游泳 yóuyǒng (to swim)
When Chinese Separable Verbs Stay Together
In this section, we’ll look at examples where Chinese Verb-Object compounds typically remain together. Separable verbs remain together whenever no grammatical element needs to be inserted between the verb and its object. This includes simple statements, modal verbs, pre-verbal adverbs, progressive markers, and sentence-final particles.
1. Simple Statements
In simple statements, separable verbs typically remain together.
- 我每天睡觉。
Wǒ měitiān shuìjiào.
I sleep every day. - 我们明天见面。
Wǒmen míngtiān jiànmiàn.
We’ll meet tomorrow. - 她喜欢游泳。
Tā xǐhuan yóuyǒng.
She likes swimming.
2. After Modal (Auxiliary) Verbs
Modal verbs come before the entire separable verb complex.
- 我想睡觉。
Wǒ xiǎng shuìjiào.
I want to sleep. - 他要结婚。
Tā yào jiéhūn.
He is going to get married. - 我不能帮忙。
Wǒ bù néng bāngmáng.
I can’t help. - 她会游泳。
Tā huì yóuyǒng.
She knows how to swim.
3. Negation
Simple negation does not separate separable verbs. The negative words 不 (bù) and 没 (méi) come before the entire compound.
- 我不睡觉。
Wǒ bù shuìjiào.
I don’t sleep. - 他没毕业。
Tā méi bìyè.
He hasn’t graduated. - 我们今天不见面。
Wǒmen jīntiān bù jiànmiàn.
We’re not meeting today.
4. After Pre-Verb Adverbs
Adverbs modify the whole predicate and therefore come before the separable verb.
- 我经常跑步。
Wǒ jīngcháng pǎobù.
I jog frequently. - 我们正在聊天。
Wǒmen zhèngzài liáotiān.
We’re chatting. - 他已经毕业了。
Tā yǐjīng bìyè le.
He has already graduated. - 我一直想见面。
Wǒ yìzhí xiǎng jiànmiàn.
I’ve always wanted to meet.
5. Before Sentence-Final Particles
Sentence-final particles such as (change of state) 了 le, 吗 ma, 吧 ba, 呢 ne, and 啊 a are added to the end of the sentence, so they do not separate the verb and its object. Just remember that other uses of 了 le, for example completed action, do trigger separation. See this post for more information on this important particle.
- 他已经毕业了。
Tā yǐjīng bìyè le.
He has already graduated. - 你睡觉吗？
Nǐ shuìjiào ma?
Are you going to sleep? - 我们见面吧。
Wǒmen jiànmiàn ba.
Let’s meet. - 他们聊天呢。
Tāmen liáotiān ne.
They’re chatting. - 快吃饭啊！
Kuài chīfàn a!
Come eat!
When Chinese Separable Verbs Must Be Separated
Now, let’s turn to constructions where Verb-Object compounds must be separated.
1. The Perfective Particle 了 le
You saw earlier that sentence-final change of state 了 le does not trigger separation. However, when 了 le marks completed action, it is inserted right after the verbal element of the compound, so it separates the verb from the object.
- 我睡了觉。
Wǒ shuì le jiào.
I slept. - 我们见了面。
Wǒmen jiàn le miàn.
We met. - 他帮了我的忙。
Tā bāng le wǒ de máng.
He helped me. - 他们吃了饭。
Tāmen chī le fàn.
They ate.
2. Past Experience Particle 过 guò
The past experience particle 过 guò is also inserted directly between the verb and object.
- 我游过泳。
Wǒ yóu guo yǒng.
I have gone swimming before. - 我游过两次泳。
Wǒ yóu guo liǎng cì yǒng.
I have gone swimming twice. - 我见过面。
Wǒ jiàn guo miàn.
We have met before. - 我们见过一次面。
Wǒmen jiàn guo yí cì miàn.
We’ve met once.
3. Duration Expressions
When you state how long an activity lasted, the duration goes between the verb and object.
- 我睡了八个小时的觉。
Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí de jiào.
I slept for eight hours. - 我们跑了半个小时的步。
Wǒmen pǎo le bàn ge xiǎoshí de bù.
We ran for half an hour. - 他们聊了两个小时的天。
Tāmen liáo le liǎng ge xiǎoshí de tiān.
They chatted for two hours.
4. Measure Words and Quantities
If the object receives a measure word, the compound must separate.
- 他帮了我一个忙。
Tā bāng le wǒ yí ge máng.
He did me a favor. - 我们见了一次面。
Wǒmen jiàn le yí cì miàn.
We met once. - 昨天洗了一个澡。
Zuótiān xǐ le yí ge zǎo.
Yesterday I took a bath.
5. Modifying the Object
If an adjective or descriptive phrase modifies the object, separation is required.
- 我睡了一个好觉。
Wǒ shuì le yí ge hǎo jiào.
I got a good night’s sleep. - 他洗了一个热水澡。
Tā xǐ le yí ge rèshuǐ zǎo.
He took a hot bath. - 他理了一个短发。
Tā lǐ le yí ge duǎnfà.
He got a short haircut. - 我们聊了一个下午的天。
Wǒmen liáole yīgè xiàwǔ de tiān.
We chatted the whole afternoon.
6. Verb Complements (Result and Potential)
In Chinese, complements add information about the result, direction, degree, possibility, or phase of the action. They attach directly to the verb. Because separable verbs consist of a verb followed by its own object, adding a complement naturally separates the two parts.
- 我睡不好觉。
Wǒ shuì bù hǎo jiào.
I can’t sleep well. - 昨天睡不着觉。
Zuótiān shuì bu zháo jiào.
Yesterday I couldn’t fall asleep. - 他帮不上忙。
Tā bāng bu shàng máng.
He can’t be of any help.
Earlier, you learned that Verb-Object compounds normally stay together after negatives. But notice that when 不 bù or 没 méi is part of a verb complement, the complement attaches directly to the verb, separating it from its object.
- 我睡不好觉。
Wǒ shuì bù hǎo jiào.
I can’t sleep well. - 昨天没睡着觉。
Zuótiān méi shuì zháo jiào.
Yesterday I couldn’t fall asleep.
7. Verb Reduplication
Chinese often reduplicates verbs to express doing something briefly, casually, or for a little while. With Verb-Object compounds, only the verb is reduplicated, while the object remains unchanged. So technically, the compound is separated by a copy of the verb. One common pattern is AAB, or Verb + Verb + Object.
- 我们明天见见面吧。
Wǒmen míngtiān jiànjian miàn ba.
Let’s meet up tomorrow. - 我们坐下来聊聊天吧。
Wǒmen zuò xiàlái liáoliao tiān ba.
Let’s sit down and chat for a while. - 晚饭后我们去公园散散步吧。
Wǎnfàn hòu wǒmen qù gōngyuán sànsan bù ba.
Let’s go for a short walk in the park after dinner. - 我一个人忙不过来，你先帮帮忙吧。
Wǒ yí ge rén máng bu guòlái, nǐ xiān bāngbang máng ba.
I can’t handle this by myself—could you help out for a moment first?
Another pattern is A一A B, or Verb + 一 yi + Verb + Object. It means the same thing, but sounds lighter and more casual.
- 我们去散一散步吧。
Wǒmen qù sàn yi sàn bù ba.
Let’s go take a little walk. - 天气这么好，我们出去散一散步。
Tiānqì zhème hǎo, wǒmen chūqù sàn yi sàn bù.
The weather is so nice; let’s go out for bit of a walk. - 天气太热了，我们去游一游泳吧。
Tiānqì tài rè le, wǒmen qù yóu yi yóu yǒng ba.
It’s so hot—let’s go for a swim. - 周末我喜欢去海边游一游泳。
Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuan qù hǎibiān yóu yi yóu yǒng.
On weekends, I like to go to the beach and swim for a little while.
The “No Direct Object” Rule of Chinese Separable Verbs
Finally, let’s cover one point of grammar that gives some learners trouble. Because Chinese Verb-Object compounds already contain an internal object you cannot place a direct object after them. This is a common mistake that learners make. For example, 见面 jiànmiàn means to meet, and in English you meet someone, so you may be tempted to say something like:
- *我见面他。
*Wǒ jiànmiàn tā.
intended: I am meeting him.
Literally, 见面 jiànmiàn translates as “see-face,” and face is already the direct object. If you want to add what would be a direct object in English, you need to phrase it differently. You can instead use a preposition like 跟 gēn (with) to introduce what would be the direct object in English:
- 我明天要跟我的老师见面。
Wǒ míngtiān yào gēn wǒ de lǎoshī jiànmiàn.
I am going to meet with my teacher tomorrow.
Another strategy you’ll find is to add a possessive modifier for the direct object inside the Verb-Object compound. This only works if the direct object can logically “belong” to someone. For example,
帮忙 bāngmáng (to help), literally means something like “to assist [with] busy work” and the busy work could belong to someone. So, you could say:
- 他昨天帮了我的忙。
Tā zuótiān bāng le wǒ de máng.
He helped me yesterday. (Literally: “He helped with my favor busy work yesterday.”)
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