The 把 Construction
The 把 construction moves the object in front of the verb, so the sentence says what is done to that object and what becomes of it. The pattern is subject + 把 + definite object + verb + result, and the verb cannot stand bare.
把 requires: (a) the object must be definite/specific ("the X", not "a X"); (b) the verb must carry a complement — a bare verb alone after 把 is ungrammatical.
❌ 我把书看。(no complement — wrong)
✅ 我把书看完了。(看完 = finished reading)
To negate a 把-sentence, put 别/不要/没 directly BEFORE 把, never before the verb: ✅ 别把门关上。❌ 把门别关上。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我把窗户打开了。 | Wǒ bǎ chuānghu dǎkāi le. | I opened the window. | Minimal 把 frame: definite object (窗户) + verb + directional/result complement (打开) + 了. |
| 请你把这些字写清楚。 | Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhèxiē zì xiě qīngchu. | Please write these characters clearly. | Imperative 把 with a descriptive result complement (清楚). |
| 妈妈把衣服洗了三遍。 | Māma bǎ yīfu xǐle sān biàn. | Mom washed the clothes three times. | A frequency complement (三遍) as the post-verbal result — 把 also works with quantity complements. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
把 (bǎ)
Moves the object in front of the verb to show what is done to it.
Structure: Subject + 把 + definite object + verb + result / direction / 了
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我把作业交给老师了。 | Wǒ bǎ zuò yè jiāo gěi lǎo shī le. | I handed my homework in to the teacher. |
| 请把手机放在桌子上。 | Qǐng bǎ shǒu jī fàng zài zhuō zi shàng. | Please put the phone on the table. |
| 他把那杯咖啡喝完了。 | Tā bǎ nà bēi kā fēi hē wán le. | He finished that cup of coffee. |
Not: 我把这个问题没解决。 The negative word goes before 把: 我没把这个问题解决。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, prepositions (引出施事、受事).
把 is also explained in: New Classifiers: 把, 双, 台, 张, 种, 辆 (HSK 3) · 把-construction (disposal) (HSK 4) · Key HSK-4 patterns: integrated review (HSK 4) · 把-Sentences & Notional Passive (HSK 5).
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list The 把 Construction among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
The same pattern at other levels
- 把-construction (disposal) — HSK 4
- 把-Sentences & Notional Passive — HSK 5
Questions about The 把 Construction
What does 把字句 (The 把 Construction) mean in Chinese?
The 把 construction moves the object in front of the verb, so the sentence says what is done to that object and what becomes of it. The pattern is subject + 把 + definite object + verb + result, and the verb cannot stand bare. It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 把字句 (The 把 Construction) in a sentence?
我把窗户打开了。 — Wǒ bǎ chuānghu dǎkāi le. — I opened the window. Minimal 把 frame: definite object (窗户) + verb + directional/result complement (打开) + 了.
What do you need to know before 把字句 (The 把 Construction)?
Result Complements (HSK 2), Serial Verb Sentences (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 把字句 (The 把 Construction) lead to?
Passive Constructions (HSK 3). Each of them names 把字句 (The 把 Construction) among its own prerequisites.
Which verbs cannot be used in a 把 sentence?
Verbs that do nothing to an object cannot follow 把. These are feeling, knowing, existing and perceiving verbs such as 喜欢, 知道, 有, 是 and 看见. Say 我喜欢他, never 我把他喜欢.
Where does the negative word go in a 把 sentence?
Put 不, 没 or 别 directly before 把, not before the verb. For example 我没把门关好 is correct and 我把门没关好 is not.
The 把 Construction is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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