Separable verbs (1)

Some Chinese verbs are built in a special way: sometimes they stand together, sometimes they come apart.

Words of this kind are called 离合词 (líhécí) — separable verbs.

The examples in this section:

睡(shuì)觉(jiào)sleep

上(shàng)课(kè)have class

下(xià)课(kè)finish class

上(shàng)班(bān)go to work

下(xià)班(bān)finish work

说(shuō)话(huà)talk

读(dú)书(shū)read / study

看(kàn)病(bìng)see a doctor

生(shēng)病(bìng)get sick

The basic rule

When a separable verb stands together, it behaves like an ordinary verb.

But when another element goes between its two parts, the verb splits:

first part + another element + second part

Important: not just any word may go between the parts; the set of possible elements is limited.

Together and apart

睡觉 → 睡了觉；睡了一觉上课 → 上了课；上中文课下班 → 下了班生病 → 生了病；生了大病说话 → 说了话；说了很多话

1. 睡觉

睡(shuì)了(le)觉(jiào)

slept

睡(shuì)了(le)一(yí)觉(jiào)

had a sleep

睡 + 了 / 一 + 觉

2. 上课

上(shàng)了(le)课(kè)

had class

上(shàng)中(Zhōng)文(wén)课(kè)

have a Chinese class

上 + 了 / 中文 + 课

3. 下班

下(xià)了(le)班(bān)

finished work

下 + 了 + 班

4. 生病

生(shēng)了(le)病(bìng)

got sick

生(shēng)了(le)大(dà)病(bìng)

fell seriously ill

生 + 了 / 大 + 病

5. 说话

说(shuō)了(le)话(huà)

spoke

说(shuō)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)话(huà)

said a great deal

说 + 了 / 很多 + 话

The rule in short

Together

A + B

It behaves as one verb.

Apart

A + another element + B

The grammatical element needed goes between the verb's two parts.

Examples:

睡觉 → 睡了一觉 sleep → have a sleep 上课 → 上中文课 have class → have a Chinese class 生病 → 生了大病 get sick → fall seriously ill 说话 → 说了很多话 talk → say a great deal