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Sentences with 是

In Chinese, 是 (shì) states who or what someone or something is, or which category it belongs to.

The negative form of 是:

不是

不是 (bú shì) — is not

Basic structure

A + 是 + B
Meaning: A is B. or: A counts as B.

Negative form

A + 不是 + B
Meaning: A is not B.
我(Wǒ)是(shì)法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)。
I am French.

Structure

我 + 是 + 法国人 I + be + French
我(wǒ)I
是(shì)be
法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)French person
她(Tā)是(shì)中(Zhōng)文(wén)老(lǎo)师(shī)。
She is a Chinese teacher.

Structure

她 + 是 + 中文老师 she + be + Chinese teacher
她(tā)she
是(shì)be
中(Zhōng)文(wén)老(lǎo)师(shī)Chinese teacher
我(Wǒ)老(lǎo)师(shī)不(bú)是(shì)法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)。
My teacher is not French.

Structure

我老师 + 不是 + 法国人 my teacher + is not + French
我(wǒ)老(lǎo)师(shī)my teacher
不(bú)是(shì)is not
法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)French person

The rule in short

Affirmative

A + 是 + B

A is B.

Examples:

我(Wǒ)是(shì)法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)。
I am French.
她(Tā)是(shì)中(Zhōng)文(wén)老(lǎo)师(shī)。
She is a Chinese teacher.

Negative

A + 不是 + B

A is not B.

Example:

我(Wǒ)老(lǎo)师(shī)不(bú)是(shì)法(Fǎ)国(guó)人(rén)。
My teacher is not French.