HSK 1 grammar

By Carson 木林森 · Updated October 2026

HSK 1 grammar is the sentence itself: 是, 有, 不/没, 吗 questions, 的, and where time and place go — 22 points in all, listed here in the order GraphChinese teaches them. Each one carries the pattern, worked examples with pinyin, and the topics it depends on.

Other levels: HSK 1 · HSK 2 · HSK 3 · HSK 4 · HSK 5 · HSK 6 · All 195

HSK 1 · 22 points

• Conjunctions: 和/跟 and Parallel Clauses 连词 和 (hé) and 跟 (gēn) both mean 'and' when they join two nouns or pronouns, as in 书和笔. They cannot join two verb phrases, so two actions are linked with a comma and 也 instead.
• 的 for Possession and Modification 结构助词 的 (de) is the particle that links a describing word to the noun after it, so it marks possession (我的书, my book) and modification (大的书, the big book). Close family words usually drop it, as in 我妈妈.
• Degree Adverbs: 很/太/非常 程度副词 Degree adverbs such as 很 (very), 太 (too, so) and 非常 (extremely) go directly before an adjective to say how much. In a plain statement 很 is often needed just to complete the sentence, without meaning 'very'.
• 了: Completion and Change of State 动态助词 了 (le) has two jobs at HSK 1. After a verb it marks the action as completed, and at the end of a sentence it marks a new situation or a change of state.
• Location with 在: Where Things Are 介词在 在 (zài) states where someone or something is, and the place follows it: 他在学校. It can also come before a verb to say where the action happens, as in 我在家吃饭.
• Modal Verbs: 想 and 要 能愿动词 想 (xiǎng) and 要 (yào) are the two basic modal verbs for wanting, and both go before the main verb. 想 means would like to or feel like, and 要 is firmer, meaning want to or need to.
• Negation with 不 and 没 否定副词 不 (bù) and 没 (méi) are the two negators. 不 negates adjectives, habits and intentions, and 没(有) negates having something and actions that did not happen in the past.
• Scope Adverbs: 都 and 也 范围副词 都 (dōu, all, both) and 也 (yě, also) are scope adverbs that come before the verb and say how many people or things the statement covers. 都 sums up several subjects, and 也 adds one more.
• Yes/No Questions with 吗 是非问句 吗 (ma) turns a statement into a yes/no question when it is added to the end, with no change in word order: 你是学生 becomes 你是学生吗. The answer repeats the verb or says 不.
• Adjective Predicate Sentences 形容词谓语句 An adjective predicate sentence uses an adjective as the predicate directly, with no verb for 'is' or 'are'. It takes the form Subject + (degree adverb) + adjective, as in 她很高.
• Affirmative-Negative Questions 正反问句 An affirmative-negative question, also called an A-not-A question, puts a verb or adjective and its negative side by side, as in 是不是, 有没有 and 去不去. It asks a yes/no question without 吗.
• Choice Questions with 还是 选择问句 还是 (háishi) joins two options in a question, A 还是 B, and means 'or' when the speaker wants one of them picked. 或者 also means 'or' but belongs in statements, not questions.
• Comparison Sentences with 比 and 没有 比较句 比 (bǐ) and 没有 (méiyǒu) are the two basic comparison patterns. A 比 B + adjective says A is more than B, and A 没有 B + adjective says A is not as much as B.
• Direction Words as Localizers 方位名词作补语 A localizer is a direction word such as 上 (on, above) or 里 (inside) placed after a place noun to form a location phrase, as in 桌子上 and 房间里. English puts the equivalent word before the noun.
• Modal Verbs: 会 and 能 能愿动词 会 (huì) and 能 (néng) both translate as 'can' but differ in meaning. 会 is a learned skill, as in 我会说中文, and 能 is ability or permission in the situation at hand.
• Number-Measure Phrases 数量短语 A number-measure phrase puts a measure word between a number and a noun, because Chinese cannot join them directly. Pattern: number + measure word + noun, such as 个, 本, 杯 and 件 in 三本书.
• Progressive Aspect: 在/正在 ... 呢 进行态 The progressive aspect shows an action in progress. Put 在 or 正在 before the verb, optionally add 呢 at the end, and 他在看书 means 'he is reading'.
• Reading Prices and Clock Times 钱数与时刻表达法 Prices and clock times are read with fixed units. 块 (kuài) is the spoken word for yuan, so 3.50元 is 三块五, and 点 (diǎn) marks the hour, so 三点 is three o'clock.
• The 是-Sentence: Identity and Classification 是字句 The 是 (shì) sentence links a subject to a noun to state identity or class, as in 我是学生. It is not used before an adjective, so 她很高 is correct and 她是高 is not.
• Wh-Questions: 什么/谁/哪/怎么 特指问句 A wh-question uses a question word in the very spot where the answer would go, so word order does not change. At HSK 1 the words are 什么 (what), 谁 (who), 哪 (which) and 怎么 (how).
• The 有-Sentence: Possession and Existence 有字句 The 有 (yǒu) sentence says someone has something, as in 我有一本书, or that something exists somewhere. Its negative is 没有, never 不有.
• Time Expressions as Adverbials 时间词作状语 A time expression such as 明天 (tomorrow) or 现在 (now) goes before the verb, or at the very start of the sentence, never after the verb as in English. Pattern: subject + time word + verb, as in 我明天去.

Get these patterns into your own sentences. GraphChinese drills every HSK 1 grammar point and schedules the review that keeps it.

Frequently asked questions

How many grammar points are there in HSK 1?

GraphChinese teaches 22. The HSK publishes a vocabulary list rather than a grammar list, so any count depends on how finely you cut the patterns; these are the 22 taught as separate topics with their own prerequisites, and every one of them is on this page.

What grammar do you learn at HSK 1?

HSK 1 is the sentence itself: 是, 有, 不/没, 吗 questions, 的, and where time and place go. It opens with Conjunctions: 和/跟 and Parallel Clauses, 的 for Possession and Modification, Degree Adverbs: 很/太/非常, 了: Completion and Change of State.

What do you need to know before HSK 1 grammar?

Nothing on this list. HSK 1 is where the grammar starts — the points here name no earlier grammar point as a prerequisite, so you can open any of them cold.

Which HSK 1 grammar point is worth learning first?

By dependency, Number-Measure Phrases: 5 later points name it among their own prerequisites, more than any other point at this level. In Chinese, you cannot put a number directly before a noun. You need a measure word (量词) between them.

Related guides: The HSK levels, explained · HSK vocabulary lists · The dictionary · The full curriculum · How to study Chinese