Some and Some of in Chinese

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

一些 yìxiē, 有的 yǒude & 有些 yǒuxiē — “some” & “some of”

一些 yìxiē, 有的 yǒude, and 有些 yǒuxiē can all be translated as “some” in English, but they don’t point at the same thing — one is about an amount, the other two pick out certain members of a group.

一些 yìxiē, 有的 yǒude, 有些 yǒuxiē in Chinese

The short version: 一些 yìxiē usually follows a verb and means “some” (an amount); 有的 yǒude and 有些 yǒuxiē usually start the sentence and mean “some of them” — certain ones within a group, often repeated to contrast two groups.

1Structure

一些 yìxiē + N

There is no negation form for this structure. Also, in spoken Chinese, it’s common to drop the word 一 yī and just say 些 xiē.

我wǒ有yǒu一些yìxiē中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou
I have some Chinese friends.
我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi一些yìxiē水果shuǐguǒ
I want to buy some fruits.
她tā早上zǎoshang吃chī了le些xiē面包miànbāo，所以suǒyǐ不bú太tài饿è
She had some bread in the morning, so she’s not very hungry.
你nǐ要yào不要búyào喝hē些xiē咖啡kāfēi？
Would you like some coffee?
可以kěyǐ先xiān借jiè我wǒ一些yìxiē钱qián吗ma？
Can you lend me some money first?
他tā喝hē了le些xiē酒jiǔ，现在xiànzài很hěn茫māng
He had some alcohol and now he’s feeling a bit dizzy.
💡 FYI

茫 māng is Taiwanese slang for someone who’s had too much to drink and feels dizzy — more recently it’s also used for feeling high after taking drugs. Note that the character is actually pronounced “máng”; it’s only read as “māng” in this slang sense.

有的 yǒude + N

有的 yǒude refers to certain individuals within a group, and is usually translated as “some” or “some of them.”

有的yǒude人rén不bù吃chī辣là，你nǐ别bié都dōu点diǎn辣là的de菜cài
Some people don’t eat spicy food, so don’t order all spicy dishes.
这zhè一yì课kè的de语法yǔfǎ，有的yǒude有一点yǒuyìdiǎn难nán
Some of the grammar in this lesson is a bit difficult.
有的yǒude国家guójiā不bú太tài安全ānquán，你nǐ旅游lǚyóu的时候deshíhòu要yào小心xiǎoxīn
Some countries are not very safe, so be careful when you travel.
有的yǒude话huà，你nǐ听tīng听tīng就jiù好hǎo
Some things people say should be taken with a grain of salt.
有的yǒude老师lǎoshī教jiāo的de中文zhōngwén不对búduì
Some teachers don’t teach Chinese correctly.

有的 yǒude is also often repeated to contrast two different groups within a sentence.

有的yǒude人rén喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu，有的yǒude人rén喜欢xǐhuan猫māo
Some people like dogs, and some people like cats.
我的wǒde朋友péngyou很hěn多duō，有的yǒude是shì韩国人hánguórén，有的yǒude是shì英国人yīngguórén
I have many friends — some are Korean, and some are British.
有的yǒude书shū是shì中文zhōngwén，有的yǒude书shū是shì英文yīngwén
Some books are in Chinese, and some are in English.
下课xiàkè后hòu，有的yǒude学生xuésheng回家huíjiā，有的yǒude去qù打工dǎgōng
After class, some students go home, and some go to work.

有些 yǒuxiē + N

有些 yǒuxiē works almost exactly like 有的 yǒude: it picks out some members of a group, and it usually sits at the front of the sentence (the subject position). It can also be repeated to contrast two groups.

有些yǒuxiē人rén不bù喜欢xǐhuan喝hē咖啡kāfēi
Some people don’t like drinking coffee.
有些yǒuxiē中文zhōngwén字zì很hěn难nán写xiě
Some Chinese characters are hard to write.
这里zhèlǐ有些yǒuxiē东西dōngxi很hěn贵guì
Some of the things here are expensive.
有些yǒuxiē学生xuésheng喜欢xǐhuan喝hē茶chá，有些yǒuxiē学生xuésheng喜欢xǐhuan喝hē咖啡kāfēi
Some students like tea, and some like coffee.
📌 有的 vs. 有些 — types vs. amount

有的 yǒude = 有 yǒu + 的 de, “there are ones that…” — it focuses on sorting a group into types. That’s why it’s the natural choice when you contrast groups:

下课xiàkè后hòu，有的yǒude回家huíjiā，有的yǒude去qù打工dǎgōng，有的yǒude去qù图书馆túshūguǎn
After class, some go home, some go to work, and some go to the library.

有些 yǒuxiē = 有 yǒu + 些 xiē, “there are some” — 些 xiē is a measure of amount, so the focus is on “a part of the group,” not on how the group splits up. When you only mention one part and don’t contrast it with another, 有些 yǒuxiē often sounds smoother:

有些yǒuxiē人rén就jiù是shì不bù喜欢xǐhuan学xué外语wàiyǔ
Some people just don’t like learning foreign languages.

有些 yǒuxiē has one more job that 有的 yǒude doesn’t: placed before an adjective or a feeling, it means “somewhat / a bit,” similar to 有一点 yǒuyìdiǎn.

我wǒ今天jīntiān有些yǒuxiē累lèi
I’m a bit tired today.
这zhè个ge菜cài有些yǒuxiē辣là
This dish is a little spicy.
📌 一些 vs. 有的 / 有些

一些 yìxiē is about quantity — “some amount of” — and usually follows a verb:

我wǒ有yǒu一些yìxiē朋友péngyou
I have some friends.

有的 yǒude and 有些 yǒuxiē are about selection — “certain ones within a group” — and usually start the sentence:

有的yǒude人rén喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu
Some people like dogs.
有些yǒuxiē人rén不bù喜欢xǐhuan喝hē咖啡kāfēi
Some people don’t like drinking coffee.

有的 yǒude and 有些 yǒuxiē are almost interchangeable when they come before a noun. Only 有些 yǒuxiē can also mean “a bit” before an adjective.

2Common Mistakes

❌ 我wǒ有yǒu有的yǒude中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou
✅ 我wǒ有yǒu一些yìxiē中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou
After a verb, use 一些 yìxiē for “some.” 有的 yǒude and 有些 yǒuxiē don’t go in the object position.
❌ 我wǒ今天jīntiān有的yǒude累lèi
✅ 我wǒ今天jīntiān有些yǒuxiē累lèi
Only 有些 yǒuxiē can mean “a bit” before an adjective. 有的 yǒude always needs a group of things or people to pick from.

3Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I have some Chinese friends.
我wǒ有yǒu一些yìxiē中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou。
👆 Tap to reveal
02Would you like some coffee?
你nǐ要yào不要búyào喝hē些xiē咖啡kāfēi？
👆 Tap to reveal
03I have some problems.
我wǒ有yǒu一些yìxiē问题wèntí。
👆 Tap to reveal
04Some problems are small, some are very big.
有的yǒude问题wèntí很hěn小xiǎo，有的yǒude问题wèntí非常fēicháng大dà。
👆 Tap to reveal
05Some people like dogs, and some people like cats.
有的yǒude人rén喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu，有的yǒude人rén喜欢xǐhuan猫māo。
👆 Tap to reveal
06Some people don’t like drinking coffee.
有些yǒuxiē人rén不bù喜欢xǐhuan喝hē咖啡kāfēi。
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07This dish is a little spicy.
这zhè个ge菜cài有些yǒuxiē辣là。
👆 Tap to reveal
08Some stores aren’t open today.
今天jīntiān有些yǒuxiē商店shāngdiàn没méi开kāi。
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→Where & Which — 哪 nǎ, 哪里 nǎlǐ, 哪些 nǎxiē & 哪一 nǎyī(HSK 1) →“A little bit” — 有一点 yǒuyìdiǎn(HSK 1)

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