Chinese Link Words: Learn 4 Basic Chinese Verbs

Don’t | 没 (méi)

In Chinese, it is 没 (méi) which sounds like the English word “May”.

So the sentence of the picture “I DON’T HAVE holidays in MAY” can help you remember this word.

We can also put 没 (méi) and 有 (yǒu) together to get the word 没有 (méiyǒu). It still means “Don’t have”, the same as 没 (méi).

To be called (by last name) | 姓 (xìng)

姓 (xìng) means “surname” or “surname is” in English, and it can be used as a verb “to be called”:

他姓什么？
Tā xìng shénme?
What is his last name?

姓 (xìng) sounds like the first syllable “sing” of the country “Singapore”.

Chinese people think that it is impolite to call other’s name directly in a formal occasion. They prefer using “[Surname] + 先生 (xiānsheng)” or ”[Surname] + 女士 (nǚshì)” instead, which means “Mr. + [surname]” or ”Miss + [surname]”.

To have | 有 (yǒu)

有 (yǒu) means “to have” and sounds exactly like the “yo” in “yo-yo”. So the sentence “I have a yo-yo” can definitely help you remember this word.

Can you make a sentence “I have a mobile” by yourself? Yes, that would be:

我有手机
Wǒ yǒu shǒujī

or

我有一个手机
Wǒ yǒu yī gè shǒujī.

Not to (have) | 没 (méi)

In Chinese, it is 没 (méi) which sounds like the English word “May”. So the sentence of the picture “I DON’T HAVE holidays in MAY” can help you remember this word.

We can also put 没 (méi) and 有 (yǒu) together to get the word 没有 (méiyǒu).
It still means “Don’t have”, the same as 没 (méi).

To deliver | 送 (sòng)

The Chinese word “to deliver” something is 送 (sòng), which sounds incredibly like the English word “song”.

This picture can help you to remember this word: He is listening to a song while delivering a pizza. You can also deliver a song to someone if they need to be entertained 🙂

Now you will know how to ask if there is delivery service in the restaurant. The sentence will be:

你们能不能送外卖?

Nǐmen néngbunéng song wàimài?

To be called by last name | 姓 (xìng)

姓 (xìng) means “surname” or “surname is” in English.

姓 (xìng) sounds like the first syllable “sing” of the country “Singapore”.

Chinese people think that it is impolite to call other’s name directly in a formal occasion. They prefer using “[Surname] + 先生 (xiānsheng)” or ”[Surname] + 女士 (nǚshì)” instead, which means “Mr. + [surname]” or ”Miss + [surname]”.