The function of 把 ba in Chinese

Grammar of 把 bǎ 1

Posted on by tiffany

Grammar Point:
There are 3 functions of 把 bǎ in Chinese. Determination, command, and doing a movement on something that makes a change to it. And since 把 bǎ cannot be translated into English, many English speakers feel awkward using it. But it is a piece of grammar that Chinese native speakers use a lot in daily conversation. So if you used to be confused about how to use it, just forget everything you have learned before. Let’s start it again with me!

Difference between with 把 and without 把

The short answer is to emphasize the object. Unlike in English, in Chinese, the most important information is usually provided at the beginning of a sentence. Therefore, we tend to place time and people at the beginning. But what if we want to emphasize a particular object that is very important? Easy! Just move it to the beginning. This will change “an object” to “the object.” Then, we can keep the verb at the end of the sentence, which makes it easy to add more explanations or further information to support it. And these explanations and information are called complements.

When Do We Use It

  1. Determination (usually with “I” as the subject): This is used to express one’s determination or resolve to do something.
  1. Command (usually with “you” as the subject): This is used to give a command, requirement, or instruction. It can also be used when talking about moving something or decorating.
  1. Action that produces a change in something (with a known object): This is the most common sentence pattern. We use this pattern when referring to something that has happened to ‘the known object‘.

Before We Start

  1. It is only used for something that both the listener and the speaker know.
  2. We cannot use it for feelings: love, feel, hate, like, loss, etc.
  3. It always needs something after the verb.
  4. All negation words and adverbs should be put in front of 把 bǎ.

What Can Be That ‘Something After the Verb’

There are 5 kinds of something that can go with 把 bǎ.

  1. Result Complements: 了 le, 完 wán, 开 kāi, 关 guān, 得 de, etc.
  2. Directional Complements: 进去 jìnqù, 出来 chūlái, 上去 shàngqù, 下去 xiàqù, etc.
  3. Quantity Complements: 一次 yícì, 十遍 shíbiàn, etc.
  4. Special Verbs: 在 zài、到 dào、給 gěi、成 chéng
  5. Showing Short Time: V了V, V一V, V一下

We are not going to talk about all the above at this level. I’m only listing them out so you can get an idea.

Structure

First, you need to know about 把 bǎ, which changes the order of Chinese sentences. We have learned Chinese sentence’s structure is subject + verb + object, but with this 把 bǎ, it becomes subject + 把 bǎ + object + verb + something. (That something is necessary and very important in the 把 bǎ structure.)

S + 把 bǎ + O + Verb + 在 zài/到 dào + Place

The difference between 在 and 到 is 在 focus on making the object exist somewhere, while 到 usually needs a movement action to move to somewhere.

Common verbs with 在 zài are: 放 fàng (put), 掛 guà (hang), 收 shōu (take in)

妹妹mèimei把bǎ书shū放fàng在zài桌子zhuōzi上shàng
My sister put the book on the table.
(Doing a movement ‘put” on the book that makes the book on the table.)

妹妹mèimei把bǎ书shū放fàng到dào桌子zhuōzi上shàng
My sister put the book on the table.
(Doing a movement ‘put” on the book that makes the book on the table.)

你nǐ不能bùnéng把bǎ车chē停tíng到dào公司gōngsī前面qiánmiàn
You cannot park your car in front of the office.
(Command)

我wǒ应该yīnggāi现在xiànzài把bǎ东西dōngxi寄jì到dào美国měiguó吗ma？
Should I send my stuff to the US now?
(Doing a movement “send” on my stuff that makes my stuff arrive in the US.)

S + 把 bǎ + O + Verb + 給/给 gěi + Target

To indicate a transfer of possession. In this usage, “把” is used before the object being transferred and the verb is placed after the object.

Common verbs in this structure are: 送 sòng (give for free), 拿 ná (take), 递 dì (hand in), 卖 mài (sell), 借 jiè (borrow/lend), 还 huán (return), 介绍 jièshào (introduce), 寄 jì (send).

爷爷yéye把bǎ新xīn买mǎi的de玩具wánjù送sòng给gěi了le妹妹mèimei
Grandpa gave a new toy to my sister.
(Determination)

我wǒ不bù想xiǎng把bǎ礼物lǐwù拿ná给gěi他tā
I don’t want to give him a gift.
(Determination)

我wǒ真的zhēnde不bù该gāi把bǎ钱qián借jiè给gěi朋友péngyou
I really shouldn’t lend money to friends.
(Determination)

S + 把 bǎ + O + Verb + Result Complements

你nǐ快kuài把bǎ药yào吃chī完wán
You should finish your medicine quickly.
(Command)

谁shéi把bǎ我的wǒde信xìn打dǎ开kāi了le
Who opened my letter?
(Doing a movement “open” on the letter that makes the letter is opened.)

妈妈māma把bǎ衣服yīfu洗xǐ得de非常fēicháng干净gānjìng
Mom washed the clothes very clean.
(Doing a movement “wash” on clothes that make the clothes very clean.)

S + 把 bǎ + O + Verb + Directional Complements

孩子háizi把bǎ裤子kùzi脱tuō下来xiàlái
The child took off his pants.
(Doing a movement “take off” on pants that make the pants off.)

把bǎ钱qián全部quánbù拿ná出来chūlái
Take out all the money.
(Command)

你nǐ等一下děngyìxià记得jìdé把bǎ垃圾lājī拿ná下去xiàqù
Please remember to take the garbage down later.
(Command)

Common Mistakes

我wǒ把bǎ咖啡kāfēi喝hē在zài咖啡店kāfēidiàn ❌
I drink my coffee in a coffee shop.
(Doing a movement “drink” on the coffee that doesn’t make the coffee exist in the cafe.)

请qǐng你nǐ把bǎ一杯yìbēi水shuǐ拿ná给gěi我wǒ ❌
Please bring me a glass of water.
(A glass of water is not what both the speaker and listener know.)

请qǐng你nǐ把bǎ那nà杯bēi水shuǐ拿ná给gěi我wǒ ✅
Please bring me that glass of water.
(Instead of a glass of water, you should say “that” or “my” or something equivalent to “the.”)

我wǒ把bǎ他tā爱ài了le ❌
I loved him.
(Feelings are not ok to use 把bǎ)

哥哥gēge把bǎ笔bǐ不bù放fàng在zài桌上zhuōshàng ❌
My brother does not put the pen on the table.
(All the negation words and adverbs should be put in front of 把 bǎ.)

把 Part 1

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