Present Tense

Mandarin Chinese Present Tense – A Perspective

Fundamentals of Present Tense

  • Mandarin Chinese, unlike European languages, does not change verb forms to express tenses.
  • One word, for example, 吃 ‘chī’ (eat), can be used to express present, past or future tense, the context decides the tense.

Usage of Present Tense

  • To express present tense, you usually use adverbs or phrases that indicate present time, such as 现在 ‘xiànzài’ (now), 这个时候 ‘zhège shíhòu’ (at this moment), etc.

  • Example: 我现在吃饭。’wǒ xiànzài chīfàn.’ (I’m eating now.)

  • The action which is done regularly or habitually can also be considered present tense.
  • Example: 我每天早上运动。’wǒ měitiān zǎoshang yùndòng.’ (I exercise every morning.)

Modal Verbs in Present Tense

  • Modal verbs like 要 ‘yāo’ (want to), 喜欢 ‘xǐhuān’ (like), 可以 ‘kěyǐ’ (can) are used in present tense to express desires, preferences, possibilities.
  • Example: 我可以说中文。’wǒ kěyǐ shuō zhōngwén.’ (I can speak Chinese.)

Adverbs of Frequency

  • Adverbs of frequency such as 总是 ‘zǒngshì’ (always), 经常 ‘jīngcháng’ (often), 通常 ‘tōngcháng’ (usually), 有时 ‘yǒushí’ (sometimes), 很少 ‘hěn shǎo’ (rarely), 从不 ‘cóngbù’ (never), can be used to express routine activities in present tense.
  • They are placed before the verb in the sentence.
  • Example: 我通常七点起床。 ‘wǒ tōngcháng qī diǎn qǐchuáng.’ (I usually get up at seven.)

Getting a Grip on Present Tense

  • Get comfortable with adverbs of frequency and time-specific phrases to express present tense.
  • Make an effort to use modal verbs in your daily conversation.
  • Practise creating sentences about your daily routine or habitual activities using present tense.
  • Remember, with some exceptions, Chinese verbs aren’t conjugated. Hence, the context determines whether an action is past, present, or future.

Understanding the mechanism of present tense in Mandarin Chinese will significantly enhance your grammatical awareness and improve your command over this pivotal aspect. It’s less about rules compared to English and more about understanding the context to accurately interpret times.