Introducing “把” sentences

In this video we learn one of the usage of “把字句Ba-sentence”—changes in object position.

“把字句Ba-sentence”is a special sentence structure in Chinese. Look at the sentence：Mother puts the vase on the cupboard.

In Chinese we will say:
妈妈把花瓶放在柜子上。
Māma bǎ huāpíng fàng zài guìzi shang.

The position of the vase is changed by mother’s action，we must use “把字句”in Chinese. The sentence structure is：

S + 把 + O + V + 在/到 + Position

Notice that the subject here should be the something you have already known.

Some more examples：

西西把铅笔放在文具包里。
Xīxi bǎ qiānbǐ fàngzai wénjùbāo li.
Xixi put the pencil in her stationery bag.

西西把垃圾扔到垃圾桶里。
Xīxi bǎ lājī rēngdào lājītǒng li.
Xixi threw the rubbish into the trash can.

西西把画儿挂在墙上。
Xīxi bǎ huàr guàzai qiángshang.
Xixi hung the picture on the wall.

西西把书放在桌子上。
Xīxi bǎ shū fàngzai zhuōzi shang.
Xixi put the book on the table.

This is just one use of the “把字句”, and we will have chance learn other uses in the future.

The following is Chinese and English Version of Situational Dialogue in the Video：

西西：王小宝，你的桌子有点乱，我们一起来整理一下吧。

王小宝：好啊。这儿有一个杯子。你把杯子放到桌子上。

西西： 好的。我再把书放到抽屉里。

王小宝：谢谢。这样桌子就干净了。

Xīxī：Wang Xiaobao, your desk is a bit messy. Let’s tidy it up together.

Wáng Xiǎobǎo：Ok. Here is a cup. Please put the cup on the table.

Xīxī：Ok. Then I’ll put the books in the drawer.

Wáng Xiǎobǎo：Thank you. The table is clean.

© Shanghai International Studies University