The 把 sentence (4)
In the Chinese “把” (bǎ) construction the verb can be followed by a complement of direction or a complement of state.
It shows that, as a result of the action, a particular person or thing has changed place or state.
Basic Structure
Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Complement of Direction / State
Examples
你把声音开得太大了。
You've turned the volume up too loud.
Structure
你 + 把 + 声音 + 开得太大了
你 — you
把声音 — the volume
开 — to turn on / turn up
得太大了 — to have it too loud
Here the action has changed the state of the sound — it has ended up too loud.
他把球踢进去了吗？
Did he kick the ball in?
Structure
他 + 把 + 球 + 踢 + 进去 + 了吗？
他 — he
把球 — the ball
踢 — to kick
进去 — to go in
了吗 — asks whether the action was carried out
Here 进去 is a directional complement: it shows the ball has changed position.
你把字写得太小了，我看不清楚。
You've written it too small — I can't read it clearly.
Structure
你 + 把 + 字 + 写得太小了
你 — you
把字 — the characters
写 — to write
得太小了 — to write them too small
我看不清楚 — I can't see it clearly
Here the action has changed the state of the writing — it has come out too small.
Quick Rule
Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Complement of Direction / State
Meaning: an action is done to a person or thing, and as a result its place or state changes.
Examples:
把声音开得太大
to turn the volume up too loud
把球踢进去
to kick the ball in
把字写得太小
to write the characters too small