The Linking Verb '是' — Mandarin Grammar

(shìㄕˋshih4) means "to be" and is used to equate or identify: (tā shì lǎo·shīㄊㄚㄕˋ ㄌㄠˇ·ㄕt'a1 shih4 lao3·shih1) — he is a teacher. It links a subject to a noun, never to an adjective. To say "I'm fine," use (wǒ hěn hǎoㄨㄛˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄏㄠˇwo3 hên3 hao3) — no (shìㄕˋshih4) needed.

To negate, place (bùㄅㄨˋpu4) before it: (tā bù shì xué·shēngㄊㄚㄅㄨˋ ㄕˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ·ㄕㄥt'a1 pu4 shih4 shüeh2·shêng1) — he is not a student.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

86 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “The Linking Verb '是'” is about in bold:

这是我的朋友,安娜。她是一位学生。
zhè shì wǒ·de péng·you, ān·nà. tā shì yī wèi xué·sheng.ㄓㄜˋ ㄕˋ ㄨㄛˇ·˙ㄉㄜㄆㄥˊ·˙ㄧㄡ, ㄢ·ㄋㄚˋ. ㄊㄚㄕˋ ㄧㄨㄟˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ·˙ㄕㄥ.chê4 shih4 wo3·tê p'êng2·yu, an1·na4. t'a1 shih4 yi1 wei4 shüeh2·shêng.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
我的第一印象是她很聪明。
wǒ·de dì yī yìn·xiàng shì tā hěn cōng·ming.ㄨㄛˇ·˙ㄉㄜㄉㄧˋ ㄧㄧㄣˋ·ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄕˋ ㄊㄚㄏㄣˇ ㄘㄨㄥ·˙ㄇㄧㄥ.wo3·tê ti4 yi1 yin4·shiang4 shih4 t'a1 hên3 tz'ung1·ming.
My first impression is that she is very smart.
Lesson 333
你是第一个注意到的人!
nǐ shì dì yī gè zhù·yì dào de rén!ㄋㄧˇ ㄕˋ ㄉㄧˋ ㄧㄍㄜˋ ㄓㄨˋ·ㄧˋ ㄉㄠˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄖㄣˊ!ni3 shih4 ti4 yi1 ko4 chu4·yi4 tao4 tê jên2!
You are the first person to notice!
Lesson 337

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Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

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