是 Sentences
Sentences with 是 (shì) — to be (equating nouns)
I can use 是 to identify people and things
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
我是学生。
I am a student.
她不是医生。
She is not a doctor.
你是中国人吗？
Are you Chinese?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
是 Sentences
是 (shì) means 'to be' but ONLY links nouns. For adjectives, use 很 instead. Negate with 不是. Add 吗 for questions.
Do NOT use 是 with adjectives. 'I am happy' = 我很高兴, not *我是高兴.
我是学生。
I am a student.
我是学生 — 是 links two nouns (我 = pronoun, 学生 = noun). No article needed!
她不是医生。
She is not a doctor.
Negation: 不 goes before 是 → 她不是医生。 Never use 没 with 是.
你是中国人吗？
Are you Chinese?
Question with 吗: 你是中国人吗？ — just add 吗 to the statement. No word order change!
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises