Chinese emphasis – 是 shì…的 de

Grammar Point:
The 是 shì … 的 de structure is used in Chinese to provide emphasis on specific details of a past action or event. It is used to draw attention to the time, place, manner, or other specific details of an action or event, and to give additional information or explanation. This structure is useful in answering questions or providing more detail in conversation.

When to use it?

1. Explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail
2. Correct a certain piece of information
3. Seek specific information

What do I need to know?

1. It is usually used to emphasize the past event.
2. Both the listener and the speaker know objects, which is why people tend to drop the object in this structure.
3. To negate this structure, always place 不 bù before 是 shì, not the verb.
4. In this structure, the use of 是 shì is mostly optional. The only time when 是 shì is necessary in this construction is when negating it. Apart from that, it is often left out.
5. For questions, you can either place 嗎吗 ma at the end or use 是不是 shìbúshì to replace 是 shì.

Structure

S + 是 + thing to be emphasized + Verb + 的

The object can either be placed before or after 的 de, or even dropped altogether in this structure.

Explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail

不要búyào看kàn我wǒ， 那nà是shì你nǐ弟弟dìdi弄nòng壞huài的de， 不是búshì我wǒ弄nòng壞huài的de不要búyào看kàn我wǒ， 那nà是shì你nǐ弟弟dìdi弄nòng坏huài的de， 不是búshì我wǒ弄nòng坏huài的de
Don’t look at me, It was your brother’s fault, not mine.

A : 為什麼wèishénme家裡jiālǐ會huì有yǒu新xīn的dePS5 ？ A : 为什么wèishénme家里jiālǐ会huì有yǒu新xīn的dePS5 ？
A: Why do we have the new PS5 at home?

B : (是)(shì)朋友péngyǒu送sòng我wǒ的de， 不是búshì我wǒ買mǎi的de！ B : (是)(shì)朋友péngyou送sòng我wǒ的de， 不是búshì我wǒ买mǎi的de！
B: It was a friend gave it to me. I didn’t buy it!

桌上zhuōshàng的de咖啡kāfēi不要búyào喝hē， 那nà是shì昨天zuótiān煮zhǔ的de桌上zhuōshàng的de咖啡kāfēi不要búyào喝hē， 那nà是shì昨天zuótiān煮zhǔ的de
Don’t drink the coffee on the table, it was made yesterday.

Correct a certain piece of information

A: 你nǐ中文zhōngwén這麽zhèmo好hǎo， 一定yídìng來lái台灣Táiwān很hěn久jiǔ了le！ A: 你nǐ中文zhōngwén这麽zhèmo好hǎo， 一定yídìng来lái台湾Táiwān很hěn久jiǔ了le！
A: You speak Chinese so well, you must have been in Taiwan for a long time!

B: :呃è··· 其實qíshí我wǒ是shì兩liǎng天tiān前qián來lái的deB: 呃è··· 其实qíshí我wǒ是shì两liǎng天tiān前qián来lái的de
B: Uh… actually, It was two days ago when I came here”

A: 你nǐ說shuō你家nǐjiā在zài英格蘭Yīnggélán的de哪裡nǎlǐ？ A: 你nǐ说shuō你家nǐjiā在zài英格兰Yīnggélán的de哪里nǎlǐ？
A: Where in England did you say your home was?

B: 我wǒ(是)(shì)從cóng蘇格蘭Sūgélán來lái的de！ B: 我wǒ(是)(shì)从cóng苏格兰Sūgélán来lái的de！
B: I am from Scotland!

A: 你nǐ這次zhècì要yào跟gēn男朋友nánpéngyǒu一起yīqǐ去qù韓國hánguó玩wán幾jǐ天tiān？ A: 你nǐ这次zhècì要yào跟gēn男朋友nánpéngyou一起yīqǐ去qù韩国hánguó玩wán几jǐ天tiān？
A: How many days are you going to Korea with your boyfriend this time?

B: 5 天tiān， 不過búguò我wǒ這次zhècì(是)(shì)一個人yígerén去qù的de！ B: 5 天tiān， 不过búguò我wǒ这次zhècì(是)(shì)一个人yígerén去qù的de！
B: 5 days, but I’m going alone this time!

Seek specific information

你nǐ中文zhōngwén是shì在zài哪裡nǎlǐ學xué的de？ 你nǐ中文zhōngwén是shì在zài哪里nǎlǐ学xué的de？
Where did you learn Chinese?

你nǐ(是)(shì)怎麼zěnme知道zhīdào的de？ 你nǐ(是)(shì)怎么zěnyāo知道zhīdào的de？
How did you know that?

是不是shìbúshì王wáng先生xiānshēng跟gēn你nǐ說shuō的de？ 是不是shìbúshì王wáng先生xiānsheng跟gēn你nǐ说shuō的de？
Was it Mr. Wang who told you that?

Where to place the object

Although I mentioned that there is no difference between placing the object before or after 的 de, that’s not entirely true. It can still cause confusion in some sentences, where it may seem like the subject is the object, rather than emphasizing something else in the sentence. For example:

他tā是shì昨天zuótiān買mǎi的de豬zhū他tā是shì昨天zuótiān买mǎi的de猪zhū

This sentence can be translated as “It was yesterday when he bought a pig” or “He is the pig that was bought yesterday.”🥴

Let’s try another way, this time by placing the object before 的 de.

他tā是shì昨天zuótiān買mǎi豬zhū的de他tā是shì昨天zuótiān买mǎi猪zhū的de

Now, this sentence can be translated as “It was yesterday when he bought a pig” or “He was the person who bought the pig yesterday.”

So what can we do about this issue? Well, unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do, even native speakers can make this mistake, so don’t worry too much about it. Just say what you mean and people will understand, even if they tease you a little bit!

了 le vs 是 shì…的 de

你nǐ什麼時候shénmeshíhòu來lái台灣Táiwān了le？ 你nǐ什么时候shénmeshíhou来lái台湾Táiwān了le？
This sentence means “When did you come to Taiwan?” and implies that the speaker is a little surprised that the person has already been to Taiwan. Therefore, you wouldn’t use this sentence to ask a foreigner who speaks good Chinese because you would not expect that this foreigner is currently in Taiwan.

你nǐ什麼時候shénmeshíhòu來lái了le台灣Táiwān？ 你nǐ什么时候shénmeshíhou来lái了le台湾Táiwān？
This sentence means “When did you come to Taiwan?” and implies that the speaker knows that the person has already left Taiwan.

你nǐ是shì什麼時候shénmeshíhòu來lái台灣Táiwān的de？ 你nǐ是shì什么时候shénmeshíh u来lái台湾Táiwān的de？
This sentence means “When did you come to Taiwan?” It suggests that the speaker is interested in the specific time of the person’s arrival in Taiwan. This structure is commonly used when couples ask each other about their whereabouts or when police officers question suspects.

If you are still not clear on how to use the 了 le, I suggest you read the following articles:

• 了 Part 1 (HSK 1)

• 了 Part 2 (HSK 2)

• Strong Affirmation – 是 shì…的 de structure 2 (HSK 4)