Mandarin Chinese reference
买
mǎi
to buy
Verb pattern · 10 form tables
Mandarin verbs do not change for tense. These tables show aspect, negation, questions and sentence patterns. Short phrases omit the subject; full examples retain theirs.
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Aspect
Plain statement
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | mǎibuy |
Completed action
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | mǎi lebought |
Experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | mǎi guohave bought before |
In progress
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | zài mǎibe buying |
Future
About to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | yào mǎi lebe about to buy |
Will / can
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | huì mǎiwill buy |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bù mǎido not buy |
Did not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | méi mǎidid not buy |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | mǎi ma?do you buy? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | mǎi bu mǎi?do you buy? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.